Dharm

“I am taking my break.” I said aloud so that the present working staffs can hear me. When I came to counter to take my put the tray I was holding, Ananya gave me a cup of coffee. And when I inhaled the smell, I let out a huge breath of relief. It smelled perfect, and when I took a sip, it tasted even better.

“Please take a little more time than your normal break, will you? We have all covered up.” she stretched her hand and showed me how everyone was working. Some are serving; some are cleaning, people having their chit-chat for everyday work and stuff.

“Cool, I will.” I took the coffee and went out. I had placed 3 chairs just outside the café so that if someone wants to come out for a sec before coming back in, they can do that. And I did same at the back of the café too. We all took 2-3 breaks a day longing max to max 20 minutes. We took turn so that there are still staffs that are working.

I sat in one of the chairs and looked outside, the street not so crowded. Its evening time so almost either people are heading back home or going for their night plans. I took a sip and looked at two guys on bike passing. And that scene took me to the morning memory of me dropping Neel at his house. It’s been six days since we talked. Well, I do want to get in touch with, but then neither I had his number nor was I connected to him on any social media. With one hand occupied with coffee, I used the other hand to take my mobile out. I used mobile during break only, and I made sure that all the rest followed the same, in the exception when the crowd is actually very-very low. When I was just going through my WhatsApp status, I got a notification. When I saw, I just kept blinking. Because the notification displayed:

Neel09 wants to send message.

It was an Instagram notification and I clicked it. And accepted his request of message and in a blink of an eye he messaged:

 “Hi”

“Hey”

“Hope that I am not disturbing you.”

“Nope, where did you find my ID?” That was a dumb question to ask I think but still I did.

“Remember the group photo Deepak posted, he tagged you in that. And from there here I am.”

“Well, that’s cool.” Wait, can I get any lamer? Nah…

“So, I was asking, are your free tonight? Or do you have some work to do?”

“Nah, it’s weekend, I usually close the café around 10. We talked about it, remember?”

“I do, still I asked. To see if you had any other plans. I didn’t want to disturb those.”

“Nah. You aren’t doing anything like that. Shoot.”

“Well, can I join you tonight? I am still alone and I will get crazy if I stay home alone.”

“Yeah well we can. What you wanna do?”

“I have Netflix. We can binge watch anything you like. Or maybe we can go outside too. I am up for anything.”

Streaming in Netflix is one of the best things I like to do. But by looking outside, the chilly weather I changed my mind.

“How about we go for a movie? The weather is too good to just sit inside, when you have the option to go outside.” And I was hoping that he will agree.

“Cool, I will book the ticket. And…”

“And…”

“Nothing, I will book the tickets. Any movie you would like to watch specifically?”

“Surprise me.” Was all I could utter.

“Cool then.” And then just like in a blink of an eye, he messaged me, just like that he went offline. He came online again, typed the message and went offline even before I could reply him.

“I will come to café and from there we will go. I hope we can use your bike.”

I wanted to type yes, but I didn’t. In the whole while, my coffee was done and I headed back.

…

I saw the clock; it was 15 past 10 and I made sure that all the staff went home already. I cleaned the rest of the stuff. Tomorrow’s Sunday is a day off so I can be as late as I want to for tonight to end. I put down my apron back to the shelf, and took my bag from the bottom of the counter. I opened it and pulled out a black short sleeve t-shirt. I had made a habit to come to work with spare cloths; you never know what may happen. So, it’s always good to have a backup. I quickly went to washroom and changed from my red-black check shirt to black t-shirt. I looked in the mirror and I was looking good. I splashed water on my face, and cleaned myself with tissue paper. I looked in the mirror and saw… me. Getting ready me, a little anxious me. Trying to look good me.

In black short-sleeve t-shirt, denim blue jeans, hairs perfectly combed. With slight beard, and my hand band I was looking perfect. I sniffed my armpit and of course I smelled my sweat. I had a deodorant in my bag, so that’s covered. I opened the door and saw Neel standing on the other side of the counter. As the door of the washroom got shut, it made noise and Neel turned to me and he smiled. Grey green shirt, mud colour trouser and black shoes and his whole attire supporting his fair skin, I felt myself drooling from inside.

“Am I not looking good?” he looked down on his cloths to find fault.

“No… you look perfect.” Well perfect was near to what I had in mind.

“You look amazing.” He said and smiled again.

“So do you.”

And he smiled again. And started looking down, and I couldn’t get what was in his mind.

“Why are you smiling like that?”

“Nothing, it’s just that something came into my mind. You don’t need to know it.”

“We are going for a movie so I think I want to know it.”

“Well, at least from my side, I am feeling… I don’t know. A little different, anxious and fluttery I may say. Like...”

“A date.” I finished a sentence and he just became a statue. And after just 1 second, I am sure its 1 second because I counted, he smiled and said,

“Yeah, just like a date. Don’t freak out.”

“It’s nothing to freak out.” And I stood in sfront of him. He is a little taller to me, but he is way more good looking, I have to give him that.

“Shall we?” I asked him.

“After you…” and he sided a little giving me a way to go first.

While I was closing the café, he said,

“If you don’t mind, can I drive? It’s been a long time since I drive.”

“Yeah, no worries.” I threw him the key and we started to go to the back of the café. He pulled the bike out, positioned it and looked at me. I instantly hopped on and then we started our way to the theatre.

…

We parked in the parking lot, and started going in the mall. The either side of the road was lightened by the lamps emitting yellow colour, giving the feel of warmness in this not so chilly but yet cold winter night. We entered a humongous mall of 4 stories in which on the 3^rd floor was the theatre. The lightening of the mall was quite different from the path we travelled to come here. The white light all over the place was making everything clear. Most of the people were heading towards the exit as they were most probably done with their shopping. While some of us were taking escalator to get above. The show starts at 15 past 11 and we checked at the guard counter. The guard checked both of us and we entered the mall.

“Do you want something to eat?” he asked.

“Already??”

“Yeah, we can take it inside. Or do you want to get something later?”

“Well, I usually don’t order anything in theatre. Things are expensive here.”

I looked around while saying it. The theatre had black ceiling, white tiles on floor and red color walls. With heroes, heroines, movies poster adjacent to one other, a big chandelier in the middle of the ceiling was a sight for sour eyes.

“Ok then, this movie is on me. Take this as my way of treat.”

“Wait why? And I won’t agree to it. I will pay my half.”

“Now you remember the conversation we had. Last time you said when I will pay you won’t stop me. So, don’t stop me now.”