Escape : When Love is Stronger Than War

Chapter 1 - The stranger

The sun was bright on one beautiful summer morning when I finished my yoga session. I had to head to work right after as it was the start of the week, but first coffee was on schedule. This delicious drink seemed like the perfect little friend to keep me wide awake at the library for my day shift. As I left the yoga studio, I waved goodbye to my best friend, Sarah, and promised to make plans later during the week for the weekend.

Sarah came only once a week at the studio while I tried to go daily. Everyone said that we looked like sisters. We both had brown hair and brown eyes. We both were short. We had the same smile. Even we started considering ourselves like sisters, the best kind of relationship friends could ever get.

I met Sarah back in college days a few years ago. We were studying to become library technicians. On our first day of college, we just clicked as if we have known each other all our lives. Sarah was the best friend that anybody could dream of having. She was supportive, funny, encouraging, and caring. When I had my huge breakdown after my breakup with Pavan, I did not have any family left. My parents died when I was younger. I will be eternally grateful towards Sarah for behaving like my own family, for cheering me up in my darkest moments but most importantly for convincing me to see a doctor for help.

She was the one who convinced me to start yoga a year ago, saying that it will keep me calm and serene. After the big breakup that I had been through, she could not be more right. I needed to find a way to distract my mind and to stop myself from buying the first plane ticket that goes to Mumbai.

I reached Starbucks, entered, and went to wait in line to get myself my favorite drink, a hazelnut latte made with almond milk. While I was waiting for my coffee to get ready, I started reading my work emails. I might as well catch up on those right now. Most of them were spam so it was quite easy to clear my mailbox.

I grabbed my coffee absentmindedly and headed towards the door staring at my phone when another customer ran into me as he was getting inside. I was not paying attention to my surroundings, so I dropped my coffee to the ground when he bumped in me. Staring at the hazelnut latte dripping, and at my now covered coffee shirt, I looked up at the person who made me drop my favorite drink. I am pretty sure that the expression on my face was screaming WHAT THE HELL, and I looked like I was going to attack the stranger. I could see that he was about to apologize but instead he burst out laughing seeing the face I was giving him.

"Please," he laughed. "Don't kill me. I am sorry, I just got inside in such a rush, I did not see you when I entered. I will get you another coffee, it is my treat."

He had such a sincere laugh; it made my heart melt instantly. How could I look at him with such anger over a coffee? I felt ridiculous at that moment. Then, I paid more attention to the stranger standing before my eyes. He had beautiful golden skin, very dark brown eyes and long black hair. My guess was that he was Indian. I had to admit that he was extremely good looking even though long hair was not my thing on men. No, good looking is an understatement to describe this stranger. He is GORGEOUS.

I smiled back at him, blushing, and apologized. "Oh no, it's my mistake. I was not paying attention to my surroundings. I was caught up in work emails. You don't have to get me another drink, I will get it."

Obviously, he didn't listen because he went straight to the counter to order his coffee and asked immediately what I was drinking to get mine replaced. He was amused when I specified that I wanted almond milk instead of cow milk, but he didn't ask any question regarding my choice.

While we waited for our drinks to get ready, he decided to make small conversation with me. "My name is Nithiin." Yup, Indian. We shook hands awkwardly. "I was heading to the gym and then to work. I'm an English teacher at the University of Toronto," he said. "May I know your name?"