Puzzled Love

Part 1

"He wants to take me for lunch.." she said to him.

"Good.. He is a nice man.." he said approvingly.

"yes.. he is of course.. but then I am not sure" she said nervously

"why? You have been friends with him since years now?" he said confused.

"yes but now I think he wants to propose to me.." she said nervously.

"that's even better.. he is a good guy.." he said excitedly.

"I know.. but I am feeling something is wrong.." she said to him..

19 year old Rishabh and Madhu laid down on the roof facing the sky as was their habit. They were together since kids and grew up in the orphanage. Having nobody to look up to as family, they had each other. And they found a family in each other. Their friendship was something well known in the orphanage.

Rishabh's parents had died when he was a baby. Some time his uncle kept him but later on when he couldn't keep him anymore, he left him here. Madhubala had a similar story only it was her father who left her there after her mother's death. Maybe being a girl was her fault. He just left her sitting outside the orphanage one day when Rishabh saw her at night, grossly afraid as she waited for her father to return. But Rishabh had seen those things happening in that place since an year now. He knew her father had gone not to return so he held her hand and took her in. After that day their friendship grew as Rishabh helped her in everyway. He had started feeling like a guardian to her because he had brought her in. They would share every single bit of information about them with each other. Rishabh knew Madhu more than herself and so did she know him. As the dorm for girls and boys were different they had made this roof their sleeping place. Most of the nights they would sneak out to the roof and discuss all that was relevant for them whole night.

Their warden had once suspected where they went and what they did. She was angry as hell when she found both of them lying on the roof together. They were 8 years old then. But as she was going to scold and beat them she heard their talks.

"you know Rishu.. That Riya took my teddy tonight.. she isn't able to sleep without hugging something so I gave her my teddy.." Madhu said in her baby voice.

"But wasn't it your toy? How would you sleep alone at night?" Baby Rishabh asked him with all the anger that could have developed in him.

"but Rishu I have a friend like you.. she doesn't have one.." Madhu explained to him.

"hmm.." Rishabh said still displeased with the fact that Ria took her teddy.

The warden smiled hearing them and decided not to disturb the two innocent souls. All they did was just providing the much needed family to each other. She went away leaving them on the roof. Since then she never objected them or even brought this to notice but she would go once in a while to check if they did anything wrong but always she found them talking and discussing their issues with each other.

"I can understand Madhu.." said Rishabh trying to convince her. "but what's wrong in giving Sultan a chance..He is a nice guy.. I like him.." Rishabh declared.

"okay I will go... Anyways how is Dipali?" Madhu averted the topic somehow not feeling comfortable talking about Sultan.

"yeaah.. she is fine.." Rishabh said suddenly loosing all interest.

"You went to date with her yesterday right?" Madhu said excited.

"date?! For heaven's sake! Don't call it a date.. We just went for a dinner.." he said

"yes right.. Dinner which was not a date! So how was it.."she asked enthusiastically..

"yes it was good.. The chicken was yummy and so juicy.. and when I ate the dessert I felt like you should have been there to taste it.. It was soo good... I wanted to get some for you but then" suddenly he noticed Madhu glaring him with a frown.

"what.. did.. I do? He asked nervously looking at her face.

"you went with Dipali right? Or with food?" she screamed at him.

"you were asking about Dipali?" he asked confused suddenly.

"of course you dumbo.." she said.

"yes.. she is okay.. I don't know.. something feels missing.." he said thinking to himself.

"what?" Madhu asked confused.

"I said na I don't know.." he said.

"hmm.. it's the same with me.. I can understand.. something seems not right.." she said as she stared at the stars.

"yes... something seems empty.." he said as he too stared at the stars.

"but Dipali is a good girl Rishu.." she said..

"so is Sultan.." Rishabh retorted back and Madhu nodded her head understanding what he meant.

"so ultimately.. we are two weird souls.." she said very seriously.

Rishabh broke into a slight laughter hearing her way of saying that and Madhu broke into a smile too..