The
post-it read, ’I can and I will’. The cubicle wall that had the post-it pinned
with a rusted pin had a desk that ran through the bullpen. A small chair with
wheels which served no purpose and the black worn-out upholstery was neatly set
by the desk. An urbane looking ‘Michael Kors’ was set leaning against the
cubicle wall. A closer and definitely a trained eye could tell that stiches
around the zipper were unskilled. The urbane looking bag was anything but a
‘Michael Kors’. Though the same could not be said for the phone, it was a one
hundred percent ‘Apple’. Almost feeling superior about its authenticity, it
beeped. ‘1 Notification from Lovestruck’ glowed the screen. Ever so curious or
as some preferred ‘nosy’ Kate picked up the phone, grinning as she looked at
the beating heart icon on the screen. “And what do you think you are doing,
Kavita?” came the voice. With a calmness that comes with years of snooping Kate
turned, smiled, “it’s Kate, Athiya”. Athiya nodded, “nevertheless, what are you
with my phone and why are you at my desk?” She extended her hand as Kate
reluctantly giving her phone said, “nothing, I was just passing by and your
phone beeped. Thought I’ll come and find you.” Athiya nodded with a perfunctory
smile, “thank you.” Kate utterly disappointed in herself left. Athiya took her
chair as she stared at the phone, her thumb hovering over the screen as she
decided what to do.
“What are
you waiting for? Open it and check already, Athiya”, said Samira as she climbed
on the desk next to Athiya. “I am not sure yaar…you know I am…I mean…” fumbled
Athiya. “You mean you have been going on dates with Amit and you think he’s the
real deal?” “Don’t be a smartass, Samira”, Athiya rolled her eyes as Samira
shrugged with a great innocence. For the coming few moments both sat silently
at Athiya’s desk, Athiya kept staring at the notification from Lovestruck and
Samira patiently waited like a good friend. The silence got deeper and the
tension intensified just as it would have been in the control room of ISRO
right before the launch of ‘Chandrayaan 2’. Athiya sighed deeply and took a big
step. She deleted the Lovestruck App from her phone. Samira jumped off the
desk, agape, “w…what the fuck? Are you serious?” Athiya looked at her only
friend in office, “yes, I am very serious. I am serious with Amit and he is
serious too. So, I figured that I don’t need this App anymore” she shrugged
making it sound simple and obvious.
“But it has
only been two months Athiya and there are so many of them out there. Meet more
of them, maybe you find someone better…you know, better than Amit”, said Samira
with her hands stretched almost in a plea. “I don’t like doing it and you know
that” Athiya said, “and anyways I like Amit, he is nice, kind, he reads too,
mostly cheap fiction but who cares, atleast he likes to read”, shrugged Athiya.
“If you say so”, said Samira with no attempt of veiling her disapproval and
disappointment. Athiya swiveled her chair to face Samira, crossing her legs
with a grin said, “I am meeting Amit for dinner tonight”, Samira showed no
interest, “and he’s taking me to his flat later”. Samira’s disappointment
vanished, brows raised, “so you mean…as in…”, “yes, you got it right Samira,
tonight is the night”, said Athiya. Samira jumped like an over excited
labradoodle while Athiya laughed away.
The
plunging neckline of the black dress and the ‘do me’ heels were not Athiya’s
style but during the day Samira had made a valid point – “your style won’t get
you a place at langer let alone a
man”, and Athiya agreed. Though she didn’t like Samira rubbing her face in when
she commented, “and langer is free
meal, they don’t stop anyone there but trust me, even they won’t let you in”.
“Welcome”,
Amit said as unlocked the door to his apartment and ushered Athiya in with a
smile. The place was quaint, clean and organized. That’s definitely a good sign
thought Athiya quickly referring to an article from the last month’s issue of
‘The Cosmopolitan’ in her mind. “Would like some wine, Athiya?”
“White”,
she said, “red would do too in case you don’t have white”, she quickly added,
she didn’t want to come across uptight. “Ofcourse, I have white wine. Shame on
me if by now I don’t know your taste”, he gave a warm and boyish smile that
made Athiya’s heart skip a beat. Amit popped open a bottle of posh white wine,
“he is all out to impress me”, thought Athiya with a sense of pride and relief.
It wasn’t just she who was serious about whatever they had but he too wanted
it. They hadn’t talked much since they came in and as Amit handed her the first
glass of wine, his hand brushed against Athiya’s fingers. It was intentional or
completely innocent can’t be said but it produced the desired result. The deep,
inevitable and – in their case –clearly unsated carnal desire came rushing to
the surface. Somewhere between devouring of lips and tearing of clothes wine
and the formalities were completely forgotten. As Amit lifted her naked body in
his arms Athiya’s heart sank in deep relief, everything was just as she had
hoped for. The bed was soft and the pillow fluffed, a simple night-lamp at the
bedside table and freshly replenished tissue box. It was just perfect. She
looked straight into Amit’s eyes and gave him a deep long wet kiss. Amit
responded to the perfection, slowly and gently making place between her legs,
effortlessly placing himself in between. Athiya closed her eyes, smile
lingering on her lips, breath getting heavier. She sensuously arched her back making
her ample breasts rise in an inviting manner and longingly looked at Amit. He gave
her a compassionate smile and moved his hips but what came next left Athiya baffled.
His face contorted, his breath came in quick successions as the passionate
sounds, ‘Ahhh…hh…yess…oo…ohh’ escaped his mouth and he fell limply on Athiya. She
lied there silently for the moments to come thinking awkwardly about what had
just happened. Amit slowly lifted himself up and looked at Athiya who still lay
under him, “did you just…I mean…did you” she asked, unable to finish her
sentence. Amit looked away, it was hard to tell if it was awkwardness or shame
as Athiya continued to lie there quietly. “I’ll just go and clean myself”, said
Amit and dashed towards the washroom. Athiya sat up on the bed, blank, awkward
and speechless. She heard the shower running and then miserably pulled out the
tissues from the box she had just moments before admired and cleaned herself.
“Siri, download Lovestruck”, she instructed her
phone and left while the shower still ran. 
