Another Love Story! ❤️

I opened my laptop only to discover her voice message and the location she sent. I came out of the DM and checked the people who have seen my story, where I’ve uploaded the link to my new story. And, yes, she has seen the story, finally.

I connected my earpods and played the audio she sent.

Deepan, do two things for me. I know I have never asked you anything, so I would really love you to do this for me. One, text me ‘Okay!’ once you start hearing this audio. Then, please follow the navigation to the location I’ve sent!

My eyes widened. Is she asking me to come meet her? I paused the audio.

I’ve known her through the Internet for around six months. She randomly came up after she read my blog. She’s been my reader even before my boom. I’ve always expected her critique about the content I post. We got close. But I never disclosed where I’m from. Neither did she. Why does she want to meet me, all of a sudden?

I played it.

Ummm. Yeah, I still don’t see you up ready for the place I’ve sent you. Trust me, am no serial killer. You’ll be safe!

I smiled. I knew I’ll go. My hands went for the keys and I went down. I walked to my car. Before I got into it, I looked at my scooter covered in dust, over the corner. I again looked at my car and smiled at what I was up to.

Yes! That’s the spirit. Now, you’d have seen the location is in Saligramam. So, I don’t even know where you’re from. But I need you to go to Anna Nagar and head towards Saligramam from there. Don’t worry about the fuel expense, I’ll compensate. Now, pause the audio, and play it once you’re in Anna Nagar.

I still couldn’t believe I was standing in Anna Nagar, on the scooter I’d used months before, because a girl I had never met told me to. I played the audio and kept the phone back in my phone.

Great! Now, head towards Saligramam from there. Hereafter, no pauses. Ride safely, while I accompany you.

Deepan, I don’t even know why am doing all this. I’m pretty sure you’d also be confused about why you’re doing all this. But you’ll know. Anddd! Stop, to look under the bridge. Stinks, right? Yep, remember how you described how romantic Coovum would’ve been if at all it was clean. That’s the first blog I read of yours. I searched Coovum for some project and ended up on your blog. You see that broken wall there? That’s where I was sitting, looking into the water after I got pumped up reading what you wrote. Yes, Deepan, Coovum has the potential of making Chennai like Venice. You were right!

I leaned over the wall. I looked at the dark water. I adjusted my earpod and smiled.

If you come from there, you’ll find Nathena Sullochenamma Kalyana Mandapam. That’s where I read your story about a girl, who gets hungry in her own relative’s marriage, and goes to eat. Believe me or not, I had my phone in one hand, read how Sara ate the biryani and replicated it the same way. Ever since then, You’ve changed how I eat my favorite food, Deepan.

I thought of how I eat the meat stuffed up inside rice, and close my eyes, enjoying it till the last grain goes down my esophagus. I wondered what else I’d done in her life.

On the right side, can you see the Apollo Pharmacy?

I looked at the pharmacy on the other side of the road.

What do see in there, Deepan? I pray to God, that he didn’t go on a holiday.

The man in charge of the pharmacy was wearing a sling to rest his broken right arm. He was giving some medicines to the customers…. I couldn’t move when I realized what happened. I prayed to God, that she says something else, not what I thought.

Bingo! I hope you’d have guessed what could have possibly happened. He passed sexual comments at me and intimidated me. Ufff! I am still recovering from it. Am not going to thank you as I reached for the fire extinguisher and hit him, but I’m forever indebted to you, for the few minutes I had, after I kicked him in his groin. In your ‘Victim Opponent’, Harini felt bad while she kicked him right? I don’t feel bad for breaking his balls and his arm. Do I sound evil?

She laughed. I thought about the random news I read about a girl who was brave enough to use a Complan tin against her villain and how I wrote it as a story for people to know about self-defense law in our country.

Now, you see the Jockey on your left back to the fun part? Remember ‘Undies!’, the story where you wrote about Keerthanaa buying a pair of underwear for her boyfriend? It’s one of your best works when it’s humor. God, I still remember how embarrassed her boyfriend becomes when she calls him for asking his size. I went to that Jockey, just to buy underwear for my special person too. You were right, on how the salesperson freaked out, even I answered ‘Size doesn’t matter' when he asked what size I was looking for.

I laughed after hearing what she said. She was obsessed.

The Vadapalani Metro Station you’re crossing now, I’ve spent endless hours waiting there like Varshini did. I love how beautifully you crafted that poem, where you explained how Varshini’s boyfriend left her in the metro station and never came back. I understood what she went through while looking at the trains carrying people and how they never carried her Ashwin back to her. Man, I still don’t know why that was your only poem in the blog.

I thought of the random girl I spoke with, on the train, before I wrote that poem. Hope she overcomes that person. I followed her instructions, and I was nearing the location she sent.

You know what, that bus depot, that is where I board my bus every morning. I stopped going in my car to the office, ever since I read about the cute couple who held their hands together throughout their journey, in your 'Bus Diaries'. I sincerely look for couples every day. One day, I even fought for a couple, who were accused of PDA, while the accusing uncle didn’t have a shirt on. That was the bigger crime, there.

I reached the location. I was standing in front of Jains Westminister, a 17-story apartment.

Welcome to my home, Deepan. You know where to find me.  

I looked all the way up the building before I realized why I was there. I remembered what I wrote in the story ‘Enough’. I ran towards the building, after leaving my vehicle on the road.

I never really thought I’ll be up here. Though your blogs have been making my life fun, Sofia was right. Like in your ‘Enough’, even I didn’t get the recognition I deserved. I aspired to be an entrepreneur, Deepan. I really wanted to bring your stories to screen, through my production house. Guess, I’m only lucky to let you know how much I enjoyed your blog through this audio. Wish we had more time. Until next time, Deepan!

The audio ended. I was in the elevator, tapping my foot rapidly, due to anxiety. I looked at my sweaty face on the polished surface. I scolded myself for ending the story abruptly, without a conclusion. I ended the story, leaving the decision of whether she killed herself, or decided to fight back, to the audience. I regretted experimenting with the open-ending type of story.

I rushed into the terrace and looked around. I saw a lady standing on the wall, in distance.

“Nakshatra! Please don’t do this!”, I ran to her, shouting.

She turned back to me and smiled. She was wearing a black Kurti, exactly how I imagined Apsara would be in ‘Along With The Breeze’. Her eyes were big enough, outlined with dark eyeliner, a sharp nose with a nose stud, her lips soft as a lavender bud. I saw my Apsara, Meera, Harini, Nikitha, Sara, Rithi, Anrutha, Tanvi, Varshini, and Pallavi in her. She stood there smiling at me, before finally getting down to talk with me.

“Finally, this is how you look, without Instagram filters. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely not jump off the building, be it anything. I know Sofia will not jump too. Girls are built stronger. That’s why you mostly let your female lead dominate your story?”, she laughed. I smiled back at her.

“I want to be your female lead, Deepan, in your life. I know this is dumb, but still, I want to be every single female lead you’ve written. I know you’re behind every character and how they are, in their respective relationships. I’m totally flattered, Deepan, to be frank. But also, am no cruel. We’ll get to know each other better, and accept my proposal only if you like me. I feel am some good of the leads you’ve created so far. Even if you don’t like me, I can handle that, being your ardent reader, I think I can handle it like your character in ‘This too shall pass’.”, she said.

I shushed her, by keeping my finger on her lips. I dragged her to myself and hugged her tightly as if it was an assurance.

“I fell for you the moment when I saw my fiction’s love in you. You’re here as everything I dreamt of in a girl! I’m madly, deeply in love with you ever since I wrote my first story”, I told her, looking into her eyes. Her eyes teared up.

“I felt bad for having no one to hug, when Anisha hugged Sushant, in the middle of the road, in your ‘Anxiety Attacks’!”, she said, after extracting herself from me, with her hands around my neck.

“One more reference you bring up, I’ll push you off the building like Deepan will push Nakshatra, in his next story”, I said before I laughed.

She went to the water tank and picked up a bag from behind. She gave it to me.

“Size doesn’t matter, right?”, she burst out in laughter, after handing me the Jockey underwear box to me. I slapped my forehead and laughed.

 

And then they lived happily, ever after! 💓