You!!??

Caught in our own world.

I blinked my eyes open and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling till I felt my head active and not heavy from sleep.

I got up and did my morning routine, had breakfast and sat in my room, looking at the various colleges I had applied over the month, most of them had interviews this month and I was preparing for them.

The past month was hectic, I had to do a project for my company which was to work in a factory for thirty days, so I went there everyday.

It was quite a long travel from my home to the factory, and it made me tired by the end of the day. I met Karthik only on Sundays and that to for only about an hour, and we kept talking random stuff.

I finished my project yesterday and submitted it. I will get my certificate for the project next week.

As I was reading the newspaper my phone rang.

It was sneha, "hi sneha, what's up?" I asked

"hii, umm..it's Jay's birthday in a couple of weeks, so I need your help to plan something, can you guys meet at Madras café at 6pm?"

"ooh, sure, but we, as in, Karthik also?"

"yes, ask him and let me know, if he is busy, at least let us meet"

"yeah sure" I said and disconnected the call.

Karthik's work kept him very busy, at first when I knew he was going abroad, I was excited and happy for him, I thought of spending as much as possible time with him, but boy I was wrong, we still have two months left and we hardly spent time, first because of his hand and now because of our work, his boss had given him few projects to be done before he left, failing which he would not be sent, so with full commitment and focus he concentrated on his work.

On Sunday when I met him, I actually felt bad for calling him out when he could have rested at home, he had light-dark circles around his eyes, and his face looked thinner, but he came for my sake, and spent time with me, not refusing or even citing any other work when he was with me.

I called Karthik as soon as I disconnected Sneha's call, he answered the call in his sleepy voice, today was Saturday, and he had completed completed his project two days back and was on leave.

"hellloo" he said huskily, I knew, he knew that I had called, cause he doesn't usually answer calls when his voice is husky from the sleep and also because he has a different ringtone for me.

"hiiiee" I said, and bit my lower lip when I felt a blush form on my cheeks as I thought about his messy bed hair and sleepy face

"hmm, good morning! " he said in a gruff voice that startled me and I giggled

"hmm, good morning chicky, Sneha called me, she wanted to plan Jay's birthday which is in a couple of weeks, she asked if we could meet up at 6pm?"

"sure, I'm free only, where?"

"at Madras café "

"oh! okay, I will pick you up at 5"

"okay, what are you going to do today? "

"me? nothing, I'm at my home now, dad left out of town day before na, so I came to stay with mom, just relaxing, didn't plan much, will be meeting the guys near home if possible "

I don't know what these guys do, they always seem to meet up and spend time, even without any plan, whereas here I am, not able to meet my girl friends despite our plans

"oh, OK, go wherever but don't forget to come here, bye" I said

"bye"

At 4:30 I started to get ready, I wore a pink kurta which was plain except for a few stones which lined the neck, it was a shiny material which made it look elegant, I put on blue legging which matched the pipping on the sleeve. I braided my hair, leaving a part of my bangs loose, wore my accessories and applied kajal, eyeliner, and light pink lipstick, and a bindi on my forehead, I liked the way I looked, the modern traditional type.

At 5, Karthik called me, this guy is always punctual, and that's one thing I love about him. I head down, I tell me mom I'm meeting Sneha and left.

I met Karthik at the corner of my street, and as I was nearing him, he turned around and smiled at me, I smile wide, and scurried my way to him.

"were you waiting for a long time?" I asked standing near him

"no, I just came, shall we go, or do you want to meet someone here? " he asked eyeing one of my building uncle, but I don't know that uncle, so I was not tensed

"lets go" I said mounting the bike, and resting my one hand on his waist, I did this because Karthik felt that I was safe when I held him, the first few times I went with him, I would hold him, only when the bike went over a speed breaker, slowly as soon as I sat he would take my palm and place it on his waist, but now, its become a habit.

Its been days since we met each other so relaxed, without work tension or home. Today we didn't have to worry a lot about the time, although mom told me to reach home by 8pm Max, I could always tell mom that its been so long since I met Sneha and didn't keep an eye on the time.

We reached the place, the café was in a complex which had many shops near it, we parked the bike, and walked to the cafe, I was excited to meet sneha and was walking in front of Karthik.

"oh my God! I left my scarf on the bike!" I exclaimed and stood still.

"its okay, no one will take it, let it be" Karthik said and I didn't listen to him,

"no no, you go, I'll bring it and come" I said

"I'll come with you" he said turning to walk towards the parking, my phone rang, it was Sneha and she asked me if I had reached, "Sneha is here, if you are going, then okay, I'll go see Sneha" I said and his expression dropped, I narrowed my eyes not understanding his reaction, with slouched shoulders he nodded to me and walked slowly.

It kinda struck me then, I had read that guys like it if their girl holds hands with them in public, and here I was pushing him away, feeling guilty, I scurried to him, and slipped my hand in his, he stopped and looked surprised, I shrug my shoulders, stood on my tiptoes, so that I could reach his ears and whispered

"I missed you" I flashed a wide smile, he smiled back at me, patted my hand which was in his and we walked forward.

We took my scarf and walked into the building, still hand in hand. we turned to the café and were a few feet away from the entrance, when a lady stood in front of us, I was talking with Karthik and walking, that her sudden presence skipped my heart beat, I eyed her foot and quickly looked up to her face, my eyes went wide, and I panicked, let go off Karthik, my heart beats were loud, she was one of our neighbour, and she is bound to tell my mom, what do I do now?