Ahhh…hh…yesss…ohh!

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.