The air at the café near the park was alive with the faint hum of chatter and clinking cups. The sun painted streaks of gold across the windows, but Hrishit barely noticed. He sat at a corner table, nervously fidgeting with his phone. This wasn’t the first time they were meeting, but today felt different. The stakes were higher, and his heart felt heavier with every passing second.
His phone buzzed—a message from Riya.
"I’m here. Spot me if you can. 😏"
Ah, playing hide-and-seek now, are we? I am assuming that you are the individual who is carrying a placard that reads, "Seeking an uncultured swine." 🤔 - Hrishit smirked.
Riya: 😂 Close, but no. I’m in blue. Come find me, Detective.
Hrishit looked up, scanning the café. And there she was—dressed in a simple blue kurta, her hair cascading over her shoulders. She caught his eye, smiled, and waved casually. It was a small gesture, but it was enough to send his heart racing.
Hrishit: "Spotted. You’re lucky I’m good at this game. 😉"
Riya: "Lucky? Or are you just obsessed with me? 😏"
Hrishit: "Maybe a bit of both. Now stop texting and come here already."
As Riya walked over, Hrishit stood up, a nervous smile playing on his lips. She slid into the chair opposite him, her expression a mix of curiosity and caution.
“Hi,” she said softly.
“Hi,” he replied, his voice steady but tinged with emotion. “So, here we are.”
“So, Detective, what’s the case today? Why the urgent summons?” She teased, breaking the ice.
“Riya, before you derail this with your jokes, let me set the tone.” He leaned forward, his voice steady but tinged with vulnerability. ““Riya, before we even start, I need to say something loud and clear. No filters, no dodging around.”
“So, what’s this serious talk about, Hrishit? Should I be nervous?”
“Not nervous. Just… prepared for honesty. Look, if we’re talking about marriage—or even something close to it—you need to feel free to ask me anything. And I mean anything. Whether it’s embarrassing, awkward, or brutally honest. Constipation, finances, my… uh, anatomy—whatever. You have every right to know, and I promise not to get offended or upset. This is about your life as much as it is about mine.”
“Okay… that’s a pretty dramatic opening. But go on.”
“In the last few days, I might’ve been sarcastic, irritating, or even absurd. But the truth of it all is simple: I love you. Damn, it’s so unfair that there is no better word than "I love you." I want to spend the rest of my life with you. That’s my intention, Riya. No games, no confusing or ambiguous signals. I want to marry you. And this, right here, is the last time I’ll bring it up. The next step has to come from you. No pressure, but I’d like to hear your answer—whichever way it goes—soon. I’ll give you a couple of months if that’s what you need, but after this, the ball’s in your court.”
“Hrishit, you’re being very… intense. Are you sure you’re not pressuring me?”
“Well, sorry if you felt so. But this isn’t about forcing you into anything. It’s about clarity—for both of us. And while we’re at it, can I ask you something? Something I haven’t been able to get out of my head since we started talking again.”
"Yeah, shoot.”
“Remember when you messaged me after you got all drunk? That simple ‘Hey, Hrishit. How have you been?’ It came out of nowhere, after so long. At that time, I believed that you harbored an immense amount of resentment toward me for the manner in which you had wounded my heart. You had every reason to kick me out of your life, to move on and forget about me. But you didn’t. You kept liking my posts, sending me messages sometimes… Why? If I was just a memory, why not let me go completely?”
Riya looked down at her coffee, her fingers tracing the rim of the cup. When she finally spoke, her voice was softer than he’d ever heard it.
“I don’t know, Hrishit. I mean, I tried to forget you. I told myself I had to move on. But every time I saw your name or your posts… I couldn’t help myself. It was like there was this unfinished, unconcluded chapter in my life, and no matter how much I tried to close the book, I kept flipping back to that page.”
"So... you are insinuating that you were experiencing discomfort because I was still on your mind?"
"Maybe I did. Maybe I still do. But it scares the shit out of me, Hrishit. I didn’t know if those feelings were real or just nostalgia for what we had."
Hrishit leaned forward, his voice steady but filled with emotion.
“Riya, I’ve spent countless nights wondering about you, about us. I’m not here to play games or relive old fantasies. I’m here because I want a future with you. Not as friends, not as some half-baked ‘maybe.’ I want us to be partners, to build something real, honest. If you’re not ready for marriage, that’s okay. But I need to know if you’re willing to meet me halfway, to take that first step toward figuring this out together. I wanted to look you in the eye and say the things I couldn’t fully express over lifeless chat. It’s not about grand gestures or perfect moments. It’s about choosing you—every day, through all the chaos, the doubts, and the uncertainties. The pandemic may have forced us to communicate over chat, but I am ready to be vulnerable and open up to you in person."
Hrishit took a deep breath, his fingers gripping the edge of the table. Riya looked down, her fingers tracing patterns on the table. When she finally spoke, her voice was steady but soft.
“Hrishit, you’re right. I’ve been playing it safe, hiding behind my own doubts and fears. But the truth is… I do love you. I’ve been scared to admit it, even to myself. You are the sole individual who enables me to believe that I am not required to be flawless. With you, I can just… be. And I don’t want to lose that."
Hrishit’s heart skipped a beat.
"So, where does that leave us?"
Riya smiled, a hint of mischief returning to her eyes.
"It leaves us at the start of something real honest, as you said. But I need one thing from you."
"Name it", Hrishit raised an eyebrow.
"Patience. I want to do this right—not rushed, not forced. Marriage is a big step, and I want us to walk into it with open eyes and open hearts. But yes, Hrishit, I’m ready to take that first step with you."
Hrishit’s face broke into a relieved smile, his eyes glinting with unshed tears.
As the evening sun dipped below the horizon, they left the café, walking side by side in comfortable silence. It wasn’t a perfect resolution, but it was theirs—a commitment to the journey ahead, with all its uncertainties and possibilities. As they walk side by side, Riya slips her hand into Hrishit’s, and for the first time in years, neither of them feels alone.
Epilogue: A New Beginning
The aroma of freshly brewed tea and laughter filled the living room as Hrishit and Riya’s families met for the first time. Plates of samosas and mithai were passed around, along with stories that alternated between embarrassing childhood moments and exaggerated accounts of how they first met.
Riya stole a glance at Hrishit, who was gamely trying to defend himself against his mother’s tales of his failed attempts at cooking during college. Their eyes met, and she couldn’t help but smile. It wasn’t the grand setting she’d imagined for this milestone, but it was perfect in its simplicity.
Later That Evening...
The families decided to visit a nearby shopping mall, giving Hrishit and Riya a rare moment of solitude in the elevator. As the doors slid shut, Hrishit turned to her, his playful grin back in full force:
"So, do I get any reward for surviving that interrogation?"
"Hmm… maybe a few. But don’t get cocky just yet."
He leaned in, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
"Maybe." She smirked, closing the gap between them for a quick, affectionate kiss.
"Ohh, I love the taste of it! Don't know! How had I survived so far without this kiss of life? I had been the absolute idiot to ignore this bliss."
A small red light blinking in the corner abruptly ended their tender, lingering moment of physical intimacy. Hrishit froze, pulling back slightly.
"Uh… is that a CCTV?"
"Oh my God!” She stifled a laugh, burying her face in his chest. "We’re going to be on the building’s greatest hits reel."
"Not if we distract our families. Quick, tell them we’re going to check out a shop!"
The excuse worked, and soon they found themselves in Hrishit’s car, parked at a secluded spot near the beach. The soft rhythm of the waves set the mood as they sat close, their fingers intertwined.
"You know, this isn’t exactly how I imagined tonight would go."
"What? The elevator kiss or the part where we’re fugitives from our parents?"
She laughed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "All of it. But I don’t mind. because It’s ours'..."
They spent the next hour talking, laughing, and exploring the newfound intimacy of their relationship. Every touch, every kiss felt like a promise—a prelude to a life they were just beginning to build. Even if people love each other, it doesn’t mean that they both know each other’s every past, how miserable they were. All they can do is focus on the present and make it a better future. The epilogue ends with Hrishit and Riya returning to their families, their faces flushed but their hearts full. As they enter a future that is entirely their own, the moment catches one last shot of them walking hand in hand, their laughter carried by the breeze.
[THE END]
