Just Like The First Time

When I think about the first time I met her, the details are a little hazy. But I do remember thinking it being such a 'date' despite us resisting to call it that. A little coffee on her part because I hated coffee then, a walk along the dusty streets of Kathmandu all sealed off with Ice-cream for us both. The fact that it was a chilly December evening didn't stop us. Come to think of it, the details aren't all that hazy because I remember it being a Wednesday. When I saw her for the first time, the first thing I noticed about her were her beautiful brown eyes. I was in my early twenties and I had already been with half dozen other brown eyes but hers had that glimmer that no one else held. They were exquisite.

Online dating was new to me whereas the whole dating scenario was new to her. She'd warned me beforehand that she was going to be awkward as hell on the first meet but when we met she was all talks and smiles- zero awkwardness. At that point, it had only been a couple weeks and we were already texting each other 24/7. She was an enigma and rarely had I been in the company of someone like her before. She was a person of words, no wonder she had me at the palm of her hands way before we really met. She would kill me with her words and just like that she'd heal me back again. A brief discussion with her and her words would leave me speechless. She would leave me speechless.

Sparks flew but the fact remained that we were such different people. My Friday nights included meeting new people and getting drunk whereas her Friday night included reading classics before bed. Things had not worked out because we were poles apart. We thought we could make it but we couldn't. We didn't even meet the second time. Back then, I fell in love so easy, fell out of love so easy but she'd tell me that it wasn't love at all. What does she know, I used to think. But I was stupid. She was the smartest person I'd ever met, how could she not know?

She was just a whiff of a perfume, a long forgotten memory but stumbling on her again brought everything back. Kathmandu is not a very big city. Why was I even surprised to see her at my office? I hadn't even recognized her but ofcourse she had recognized me. She was the smart one.

"Hello Siddharth. Remember me?" , she'd said.

"Hel.....Oh my god. Shreyana! How are you ?"

"Yes. Same old boring Shreyana. I'm pretty great, actually. And I can see you're doing great yourself", she said flashing her cheeky smile.

And just like that a hundred memories flashed in my mind. 5years later, She was smart, beautiful AND successful. For a few moments we just stared at each other. She looked pretty nonchalant and unaffected whereas my mind had completely stopped functioning.

"Want to go for coffee?", I blurted out even before I could rethink it.

She laughed. "I'm actually about to attend a very important meeting. Rain check?"

"Ofcourse, ofcourse. I'm just really surprised to see you. Thats all", I managed to say to cover my stupidity.

She and I swapped business cards.
" I'm not surprised at all. I'll call you later and lets arrange something for another day. How does that sound?"

"Great. Can't wait to see you again", I smiled genuinely.

"You too. And you know why I'm not surprised?", She said with a faint smile playing at her lips.

"Why?" I said laughing at the absurdity of the situation.

"Because I knew it for a fact that I'd meet you again. I just did. And I'm so glad I finally got to tell you this"

And just like that she left me speechless again.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
And now here I am, waiting for her in the same coffee shop we'd met the first time because she thought it'd be hilarious. I bought a book for her just like the first time because I know she'll love it. So many things to think about yet my thoughts keep going back to when she said she knew we'd meet again.
"Crazy", I say to no one in particular.
Just then the door creaks and few seconds later, I find myself gazing into the most beautiful pair of brown eyes I've ever seen. Just like the first time.

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