Ishqbaaz OS competition

Contest 5 Entry 2

"Twenty-one" Om uttered still looking at her, while she sipped her favorite coffee quiet oblivion to the fact that she was the only point of attention for someone sitting across the coffee shop.

"What" Kabir asked Om, not understanding what twenty-one meant, they had been sitting in the coffee shop from the past hour, and all Om had been doing was staring at her, while Kabir was growing irritated with the never ending silence, and finally when his friend had said something, it could not be comprehended.

"She has tucked her hair behind her ear twenty-one times till now" Om said still lost in her, "And here goes twenty-two" he said as once again she tucked the loose strand behind her ear while she talked something with her friend, the way her hands moved as she explained something, how her eyes twinkled with a spark when her lips curved into a bright smile, how the loose hair strands disturbed her every time and she with an irritated expression would tuck it back every time, and how her earrings swayed in a rhythmic movement as she drank the coffee, each sip slow as she enjoyed the aroma of the coffee.

"Will you only keep counting like this, or will you ever talk to her. Om, this is high time, either you talk to her or let it go" Kabir spoke making Om face him, Om looked at Kabir once, smiled and then again turned to look at her not paying attention to what Kabir was trying to explain him. Kabir hit his forehead seeing his twenty-eight years old friend behaving like a love struck teenager, however he was determined to break this routine of the past one month today, it was today or never. Kabir knew waiting for Om to make a move was useless, knowing that Om had not even let her acknowledge his presence in the past month.

It was almost a month ago, when Om and Kabir had visited the coffee shop to meet an old college friend, when Om had come across her, she was sitting in a corner with a group of friends, and for a brief moment their eyes had met, Om had lost himself in that moment, before that moment love at first sight seemed a concept out from the novels, but to Om it had happened with him in that moment. And from that day Om would come with Kabir their every evening to just see her and he was lucky because she was a regular visitor to the place, Om had never tried talking to her, he was happy with the fact that he got to see her every day, her presence around him was all that mattered, and was content with the way life was going.

"Come, get up, we are going from here" Kabir spoke getting up from his seat, Om looked at him surprised, Kabir had never behaved like this earlier, Kabir forced Om to get up from his place, the people around looked at them, and Om felt embarrassed by Kabir's behaviour.

"What are you doing Kabir, everyone is looking at us" Om said in a low voice, maintaining a fake smile as he glared at Kabir.

However Kabir ignored the glare, and glared back at Om making the latter quiet, "Do it today or never Om, this is your chance, for how long will you keep waiting" Kabir sat down on his seat speaking in a calm voice now, seeing him Om also sat back, Kabir continued, "Om, what are you waiting for, go talk to her, when will you go when she'll be taken by someone".

"But what if she is already taken, then my talking to her will only break my hope, and I may not be able to see her everyday" Om said looking down at his empty cup, while Kabir was surprised.

"Om" Kabir stopped mid-sentence as he saw her and her friend asking the waiter for the bill, she was going to leave again, and Om was not going to do anything again. Kabir knew if he did not do anything now, nothing would ever change. He signed one of the waiters, and quickly wrote something on the tissue paper, and asked him to give it to the girl sitting on the table across their on behalf of his friend. The waiter agreed, and walked with the tissue towards her table.

"What did you do Kabir, what if she gets angry or complains about us"Om said, his had tried stopping Kabir but it was in vain.

"Any reaction from her is better than no reaction at all" Kabir spoke looking at the waiter handing the paper to her telling her it was given by Om, however she could not see him because the waiter covered Om, and Om himself was trying to hide.

She took the paper confused, and as she walked towards the exit of her favorite coffee shop, she glanced down at her cup and then at the tissue paper in her hand, "You're beautiful" was written in place of her name. She glanced back, and their eyes met.

Om did not react as he felt locked in her beautiful gaze, she was walking towards him, she kept the paper in front of him, and snapped her fingers in front of her breaking Om's trance, "What is all this" she asked pointing at the paper.

"I did not know your name, and also you are really beautiful" Om said without even realising what he was saying, Kabir and she looked at him surprised.

"You would have known my name if you would have asked one month ago, but anyways better late than never" she smiled at him, "Ishana" Om and Kabir were shocked by her words, she turned to go, but stopped and looked at Om again, "I hope you won't take another month to let me know your name", saying so she walked away with her friend.

"Om, my name is Om" Om spoke from behind but she had already left, he sat back and a sheepish smile covered his face as he remembered what had happened in the last few minutes, he sat back scratching the back of his neck, while blush covered his face.

Kabir shook his head seeing his friend.

*****

Beautiful stories begin with beautiful beginnings.