Destiny or Coincidence?

Athira Patel

I got up when the car came to a halt and for a moment I was confused as to where I am at first but then after looking at this stranger who is smiling at me, I remembered everything from this evening and immediately my heart tugged in pain knowing that how confused and how hurt I am at present because of them both. 

Tears started building in my eyes, so I just closed them and took a deep breath allowing myself to relax for a moment and to get my emotions under control. When I was satisfied that I won't cry again I slowly opened my eyes to look at those stranger's eyes who is watching me with both concern and kind smile on his face. When he got to know that I won't cry, he grinned at me like a small kid.

"Had good sleep?" He asked looking at me to which I nodded my head. 

"Good. So… shall we get out? The place, which I was talking about earlier is here." he said indicating outside with his head while taking his seatbelt. I turned my head to look at the outside only to get in contact with a breathtaking view in front of me. 

I gasped looking at my surroundings and hurriedly got down from the car and ran towards the end of the railing and stood there watching the view in front of me with an expression of awestruck. 

We are on the top of the hill away from the city traffic and busy streets. From here we can see the total of Bangalore and it's night lights from here. And even the sky is so clear with the moon illuminating and stars blinking at us with a peaceful appearance. We can see the beauty of Bangalore where one side was located with tall buildings and busy street lights and the other side was located with dim lights and more trees which looks kind of forest but we can find the small houses in between them here and there. The difference between city outskirts and the middle of the city. Roads are busy with all the vehicles and sounds but from here they look like small objects and those traffic lights and city lights look like the decoration of Bangalore which is ready for a party. How funny is that? But that is what it looks like from here. The fresh air and the clear sky makes one's mind and soul to be at peace and I find myself getting relaxed in the warmth of nature. 

Unknowingly a small satisfied smile was placed on my face looking at this heart-stopping view from here. 

"Wow…" I breathed the word still not believing my eyes and turned towards him " it's soo… I mean it's soo…." I am stuck unable to get a word out of my mouth. 

"Awesome? Breathtaking?" he smiled giving me the words to fill that empty sentence to which i nodded in agreement and laughed wholeheartedly. 

"Yes… all the above. There are no words to express it. I never knew that this busy city has this kind of heart-melting view in it's top" I said looking back at the view with the same smile on my face. 

"It is there from my childhood. But not many of them know about this place," he said coming to stand beside me and looking at the view by placing his hands on the railing.

"Me and my brother used to come here in our college days whenever we used to feel depressed or sad. It's kind of our relaxing spot but it's been a long time since the last time I have come here" he said with a faraway look on his face as if remembering something from the past.

"You have a brother?" I wondered looking at him with curiosity in my face.

"Why are you wondering? I should not have a brother or what?" he asked giving me a curious glance to which I shook my head.

"No… I mean… You said that you think of me as sister right? So i thought you are the only child" I said looking at him sheepishly with a smile. Even i found out that what I have asked is pretty ridiculous. "Urghh... Just leave it... My brain is not working properly" I said while kicking the stone in front of me and cursing myself for being that stupid. 

He chuckled while ruffling my hair affectionately and dragging me to sit on the bench which is beside us. I just followed him with a pouting face while sulking. 

After taking a seat he turned towards me by resting his left side on the bench and folding his hands "So, Would you like to tell me about what is happening in that brain of yours at present?" he said giving me a smile but still holding a serious face by letting me know that he is serious about the matter. 

I just sat there not making any attempt to say because i am confused as to what to say or how? Because i have never faced this kind of situation up to now.

Like everyone will face it all the time. Mocked my brain.

You won't leave any chance to mock me right…

"I know that probably i don't have any right to ask about your personal matters. But you know, they say that sometimes it's better to share your sorrows or feelings with an unknown person than with your loved ones. Because then you can spill out all the feelings from inside without thinking much about how they are going to react or judge you" he said looking at the sky with a calm expression and trying to explain to me. I thought about it for a moment because whatever he said was right. At present, I need a good listener who can listen to all my frustrated, confused and messed up feelings than to suggest. 

"You know you can be a good philosopher. Why don't you try it." I said smiling at him to which he just chuckled and nodded his head in agreement.

"Ya. I think so. Because even my mom says that to me all the time" he said giving me a grin like a child. I think that grin is because of mentioning his mother. Looks like he loves his mom a lot. "So, that guy at the restaurant? He is the reason for your disturbed mood and current frustration i hope?" he asked guessing by looking at me in question by raising his eyebrows, to which I nodded my head. 

"Yes. That bloody idiot is the reason for the lack of peace in my life at present." I said getting all my frustration back at once due to the mention of his name. I turned fully towards him by folding my hands deciding to say everything.

"Why does that idiot have to get in front of my eyes on that day in the pub and make me get attracted to his tempting looks? Why does he have to catch me when i was falling and started making conversations with me? Why does he have to flirt with me like he is genuinely interested in me? Why does he have to get me this weird kind of feelings whenever he touches or looks at me with those intense brown eyes? And why the hell does he have to kiss me on that day? Why bro why?" I said by shouting at the end getting frustrated all around.

"You know because of those bloody mesmerising eyes and heart-melting smile i am lacking sleep from the past few days? Fine. It's my problem since i am unable to get him out of my head but why does he have to come to me all the time?. I told him that we cannot be friends or anything and said goodbye in Hyderabad. But damn my fate that I got to meet him again here in the form of my project manager. Will you believe that? I was so shocked to hell on that day. Again this fate brought us together but with a twist of that bitch called Omisha who is his so-called girlfriend." I spit her name as if my taste buds are damaged because of her name and stood from the bench facing him with anger.

"I don't want to get close to him because all these feelings and attraction will get me hurt one day. So I told him that I am not interested. But again we met here and I don't know what is happening anymore. I find myself getting attracted to him so i said that we need to be only professionals and that is when he said that they are lovers." I said pacing here and there in front of him while he was just looking at me amusingly. "I know that I should not get affected by that matter because it's not like i like him. But damn, it hurts a lot. I cannot see them together and that Omisha knows this very well I think because today when they came to have dinner with us, She wantedly kissed him in front of me." I said turning towards him with an expression of disbelief and anger in my eyes and stood in front of him by placing my hands on my hips. He just nodded his head and told me to continue.

"Would you believe that? That bitch just kissed him in front of me while smirking at me and this ass just sat there looking shocked without uttering any word. It was like I was getting suffocated and i felt like to punch or murder her at that moment. So I immediately ran outside controlling my emotions and once I came out, I just sat there and kept crying" I said the last word almost whispering to him in fear of getting emotional again. 

"I don't know what is happening with me bro and it's making me frustrated. I want to talk to him and get close to him and at the same time not. I find myself looking into his brown eyes and there is always an urge to kiss him again just to re-feel that moment again. When I got injured, he took care of me like a baby which fluttered my heart even more for him. On that day, I have seen genuine care for me in his eyes. But I am confused here. He flirts with me and shows that he cares. Hell, he even says that I am important to him, and then he always appears with that Omisha and he even accepted that they are lovers. Then how can I believe him? I want to trust whatever he says but i am scared at the same time." I said getting emotional and took a seat beside him. All the while he was just listening to me without interrupting me. I can see a different kind of expressions in his eyes like amusement, shock, knowing smile and even pity.

"I am scared. I am scared that i got attracted to him. And I am scared that I might like him even with all his flaws and get hurt at the end again. I am scared to trust him and getting close to him. But at the same time, I am even more scared to lose him. It's like I am stuck in between to big holes and there is no escape." I said crying out loud by placing my hands on my face and covering it with my palms. 

"Shhhh… Shhhh…" he said coming closer to me by placing a hand on my shoulder hesitatingly. 

"I am scared," i said hiccuping when he hugged me to him and rubbing my back soothingly in a brotherly way.

"Everything will be fine. And you know what kid. It's all because you are refusing to see and accept what is in front of you. Close your eyes and take a deep breath." he said smiling at me encouragingly. I closed my eyes and took a breath to relax. When I was sure that I am fine, I opened my tear-stained eyes slowly to see him smiling at me warmly. 

"You know, we often run away in fear of getting hurt. But what we don't know is if that decision will get us hurt or not. But we won't think of that in that way because we humans always go for negative thoughts first. What if that decision was best for us and instead it was filled with all smiles? I am not telling you to go to him. Just think of it. It's clear on your face that you like him and that is the reason for today's reaction. You are jealous of her because you like him. But you are scared to accept it. Once let your heart out and accept that fact. Then see how much happy you might be. Yes, in this process you might get hurt. But what if he too likes you in return and you didn't even try to know about it just because you are scared? Then definitely you will regret this decision of running away and get hurt even more. Sometimes getting hurt is also a beautiful pain. Try it." he said with so much emotion in his eyes that i was unable to turn my head. It was like he spoke with a lot of experience but I thought of not asking about it and instead, I just nodded my head in agreement and came to a decision to give it a chance. 

"That's like my angel. You are brave" he said hugging me and smiling which made me smile in return with my heart and closed my eyes in his warm embrace. 

"Shall we go home now? I think your friends might be looking for you," he said eyeing my phone which i have switched off after getting into his car because i know that they will try to contact me. 

Then I remembered my friends and Dev who might be in tension because of my little stunt and immediately regret flashed through me and I got up switching on my mobile. 

"I am an idiot. They might be looking for me everywhere with tension" I said getting tensed all of a sudden thinking about the reaction of Dev and my friends. I think i need to face their angry outbursts. 

"Let's go angel. I will drop you at your house. Come" he said taking my hand in his and dragging me to his car. We both got in and went to my house. I prayed to God to save me from my devil cum friends at this moment. 

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Hello everyone,

Love....

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