Over a Cup of Coffee

"I came here just because my mother forced me.” 
Sarah said as she sat down in front of Karthik. Not even a smile, he noticed. They were in a coffee shop going through the modern version of an arranged marriage. The guy and the girl meeting up in a coffee shop, much alike to a blind date but just that this one was set up by their parents and one of them was not really into it. 
“It is not like I am against arranged marriage or anything but I want to spend some time doing things which I like to do.” She continued.

“What are those things?” Karthik spoke for the first time.
“Travelling for instance…… Basically do things with my friends…… Watching movies……… I had a boy friend in my college so didn’t really hang out with my friends then, kinda making up for all the time I wasted. YES I had a boyfriend and I used to hang out with him all the time. Don’t give that surprised look. … I didn’t study in a medical college to spend all my time nerding off in front of the books……. We can enjoy the whole semester and cram the studies to the last one week. . ”
“Cappuccino, two,” said Karthik to the waiter, other than which he did not really say anything.
“My mother was very adamant on seeing you as her cousin’s somebody’s somebody had a high opinion of you.” Sarah continued talking as the cappuccino came.
Karthik let that compliment pass with a smile.
“You being a doctor would be used to a serious life style. I am not saying it is bad or anything but I like somebody who is a bit more relaxed and fun loving. You guys really do a good job saving people’s life and stuff like that but then again you are not really the risk takers in your personal life. I am sure you must be the kind who used to study on a daily basis”
“Not really.  I usually..” He had to stop as she continued with her monologue.
“.. We on the other hand don’t really have to break our backs studying like that because we don’t really face a life or death situation. If we can manage to…”

“Oh f***!!” Karthik nearly jumped out of his seat.
“What??” Sarah  was shocked to see the  f word coming out of the ‘good-boy’
“It is my ex – girlfriend!!”
“  What??? You ex girl friend??”
“No time to talk now, we have to move fast!” Saying this Karthik took Sarah’s hand and literally ran out through the other entrance of the coffee shop, almost knocking down another couple on the way.
He released her hand only when they were a safe distance away from his ex- girlfriend.
“Sorry about it. We recently broke up and it was not a good break up also” Karthik tried to explain as Sarah was trying to catch her breath.
“What you mean not a good break up??”
“Well I am not really sure if she knows it or not.”
“What the hell? You are such an ass!” 
“Well I try not to show off! In my defense she started to avoid me then I ignored her but she never really bothered”
“You doctors are so screwed up man!” She said with a laugh. That was her first laugh since she sat down in front of him 15 minutes ago.

After 4 months, their wedding reception..

“Hey your ex girl friend is here!” Sarah whispered in a worried tone while smiling at the 6 cameras aimed at them.
“Who? Diya? She is fine.”
“You made peace with her?”
“Well she was not really my girl friend, just a good friend.”
“What??? You lied to me??”
“You wanted an adventure, I gave you one! Oh yeah we have a tendency to make up stuff, got it from writing all those exams!”
“You ass!” She punched him in his ribs and laughed a lot louder than the first time she laughed with him. 

(Author's note: Coz we are fun too!!!)
Belated Christmas wishes everyone and hope all of you will have a really great new year up ahead!)

Walking under the Umbrella

“Oh god, please take care of her. She is weak and badly hurt. I know I was the sole reason for what happened to her but lord you know how it happened. I loved her very much but I really couldn’t do anything else. I hope she understands it one day. I know it in my heart that she is gonna get someone better in life. Please don’t make her life even more miserable than what she is going through now. She does not deserve it. At times all I wanted to do is to just go back to her, give a big smile and tell her how much I missed her for the last two months. It hurts me to act indifferent to her. All I hope is someday we can just sit together and laugh about the whole thing.”

“Dear Lord why is this happening to me? I know no relation is perfect but instead of sitting down and talking why did he have to leave me like that? I loved him with all my heart and this is what happens to me. Please make him stop acting so indifferent to me. I know deep within me he did the right thing but I cannot accept it. He said everything will be ok and it will take time and all. But it has been two months and I still miss him. I miss the good times we had. Again the fact that we wont have anything like that any more is hurting me. I know it is too much to ask but god can you help get over this? This is the worst time of my life. I don’t want to think about it anymore. I want to get angry at him but I can’t. Let him have a good life Lord.”

They met outside the church. Both of them looked at the dark monsoon clouds covering the sky. They did not look at each other. The crisp Sunday morning sun was covered with clouds and everything suddenly seemed very gloomy.
“It looks like rain.” John said after an awkward silence.
“I don’t have an umbrella” Anna replied.
John looked at his long umbrella and sighed. Walking under the umbrella with Anna was always special.
It started pouring.
John kept looking at the umbrella and the rain tempted to offer Anna a walk to the bus stop. He really did miss such walks.
With a sudden movement he walked into the rain saying “Good bye Anna”. He waited a moment to open the umbrella and walked.
Tears formed in her eyes. They welled up refusing to fall down, partially obscuring the vision of John walking away in the rain.

“Awesome rain is it not?”
Karthik came and stood next to Anna.
“Not when you don’t have an umbrella”
“Come with me then. The car is there.”
He opened his umbrella and started to the car. Anna hesitated for a moment and went with him.

“I always like walking in the rain, so no one can see me crying.” The famous line said by Charlie Chaplin kept repeating in John’s mind. He understood what Chaplin meant. He dropped his umbrella to let the rain mask his tears.

The Empty Cup of Coffee

A continuation from The Half Cup of Coffee and the The Full Cup of Coffee

I am sitting here in the coffee shop with the empty cup of coffee in front of me, witnessing the physio chemical reactions going on inside the head s of John and Sarah. They are sitting a couple of tables away talking to each other. Romance!!

John did get her the coffee. Buggers; they charge 50rs for a coffee and don’t even show the courtesy to bring it to you! Sarah has taken only a sip or two from the coffee while John has almost finished his, proving the fact that even in the midst of a war John won’t let his coffee go cold. Sarah obviously has no such issues. I hope John does not go to the extent of drinking her coffee too. I should have told him that also. John was tensed for this and wanted to know what not to say during his first ‘date’! As he constantly refers to me as his best friend among the other less cheerful terms, he came to me and I enlightened him. Funnily enough Sarah also came to me asking for what to talk to John. Being his close friend for more than two years and as someone keeping secret feelings for him I was the best person she could talk to. For a moment I was tempted to screw it up. The good times I had with John flashed. I was really happy to be with him. We did so many stupid things together and had the fun of a lifetime! But things might change if he comes to know. I may never tell him also. The very next moment I was ashamed of that very thought! Screwing up the life of a person who considers me as his best friend is too much. So I did help her out telling what’s he like other than the coffee. And heeding to their last request I came with them to the coffee shop also.

So here I am sitting with the empty cup of black coffee, looking at the guy I thought I loved. Strangely I am feeling happy for him now. Sometimes the best way to remain close with the person you love is to be a good friend.

“Seems like you could use some company Anna”

“Sam! Sure, have a seat! Didn’t see you coming”

“Probably because you were in your own world, so what you doing here?”

“I am just babysitting the kids! They sure grow up fast!”

“John and Sarah? Looks like a nice match, if she can live with his coffee that is. You know if she gets to marry him, she would probably have to take a cup of coffee for the first night instead of the usual milk!”

I laughed really hard at his imitation of how Sarah would be holding the cup of coffee with the coyness of the first night. John and Sarah are too engaged to take note of what was happening on my table.

“Sam stop saying such things! They have only started. But yeah that might happen if they end up together”

“Good for him! I am going to get coffee, you need a refill? Your cup is empty.”

A full cup of coffee

(This is a continuation from 'A half cup of coffee' )

“One more cup please.”

She was standing next to me and I didn’t even see her! And she likes coffee as well. Sarah always surprises me.

“Hey! I didn’t know you liked coffee.”

“I don’t love it but I don’t hate it also. Thing is I am very sleepy right now and I really don’t want to sleep in the next class.. I have heard you drink a lot of coffee.”

She heard about me? Or was she asking about me? I felt any talk in that line would make me look very desperate and stupid. So I did not go with that but I felt really happy that the girl of my dreams has actually heard about me.

“Yeah, some people might even call me an addict. But it’s not that bad, it’s very well under control.”

“That’s good. Too much of anything is not very good.”

That is when I hit the block. I couldn’t think of anything to say to keep the conversation going. And this is like one of those rare moments when she is alone and not with her group of friends.

“So you like this coffee?” Even though I felt it was a stupid thing to ask I just did it.

“Not much. But what choice do I have?”

“Well you can always go to the coffee shop opposite to the college. They serve good coffees.”

“Never knew about that. Actually I haven’t been there many times. May be you can take me there today, after class. What say?”

That was the best moment in my life!! Even though I tried my best to keep it cool there was some amount of excitement when I said yes to her. Just want to classes to get over now! May be I’ll tell her my feelings for her. May be she already knew about and giving me a window to open up. Who knows! I should have asked her out long time back. What a fool I was.

What are they talking for this long? I thought she never drank coffee.And he seems very happy. I wonder if something happened, anyways got to go for the class. They seem least bothered about time.

“Hey!!”

“Before you even start tell me how many coffees you had today? Your breath stinks of coffee only! How many times I have to tell you not to drink so much coffee! You’ll drown in that!”

“Listen it is not about coffee! Well it’s actually about coffee only. Sarah had coffee with me today. Just before the class started!”

“Really?”

I tried making it look like a genuine surprise. Any other time he would’ve found out I was bluffing but he is in hype.

“Yes and the best part is that I am taking her to the coffee day outside the college. In fact she only suggested I take her there when I said they have better coffee. I think she likes me. Can you believe it? I feel like a fool not asking her out before.”

Of course she likes him. In fact she is head over heels about him for the last one year. Every girl in the hostel knows and thankfully no one outside. And his crush for her only I knew. I could have brought the love birds together. But I never did. Now fate only took the first step..

“What are you thinking so much?”

Then only I realized he was sitting in front of me and I was day dreaming as usual.

“It is great news! So what are you planning to do?”

“Should I do something? May be I’ll get her some flowers.”

“It’s a bit too early for that. Just go there and be yourself and don’t do anything stupid! And don’t try to impress her with your knowledge about coffee. Just because she agreed to have a coffee with you doesn’t means she wants to hear the history of coffee.”

“But if she asks then I can tell right?”

“For God’s sake coffee is not the only drink in the world! How many times I have to tell you? Now go to your seat and think about what not to tell her. Sir will come now.”

As he left I felt a prick in my heart. The fear of losing him filled my heart, which was immediately replaced by the regret of not telling him my actual feelings. If I had told him earlier he might have said yes also. After all he only has said nobody understands him like me. But somehow he never understood me.

(As the class progressed she was silently wiping the drops of tears before anyone could see it, he was thinking about what to tell her and Sarah was reading about coffee in Wikipedia on her phone.)

Continued in The Empty Cup of Coffee

A half cup of coffee

I am standing there looking at the half full cup of coffee in my hand. I shouldn’t finish it off soon then she’ll think I was waiting here for her. I don’t want her to think like that. At least till I tell her about my feelings, which might be today, tomorrow or never. Who knows...

He is still outside the coffee shop?? How much time will he take to finish a coffee?? Have to meet him today and talk to him. He has always been a good friend but of all the people I don’t think he has expected me to have feelings for him. Even I didn’t expect me to have them!!

Finally Sarah is heading this way! Why does she have to walk in a group?? If it wasn’t for that group I would have told her long time back. Should I text her again? But that’ll seem desperate, which I am...

If only I can manage to get out of this group and talk to him alone. Even though he said he’ll be there for some more time I doubt. He has been standing there for quite some time now.

“Sarah!! Hey! How are you doing??”

“Guess what! I am going for a party tonight!”

“Really that’s awesome! So what plans till then?”

“I have to head back to home and get ready! You know right how much time girls need to get ready.”

“Oh yes! So going back home huh??”

“Yup!! Anyways see you later! Bye..”

“Bye”

Why is he leaving?? Why can’t he stay till I am done here? Anyone might think he was waiting for Sarah. They talked for hardly a minute and now she is gone. He is also slowly walking away. Bad luck I guess!

I stood there looking at the half empty cup of coffee in my hand. It was cold. I threw it and walked away.

(Continued in The full cup of Coffee)