I'LL LOVE TO BE LOVED

THE REMINISCENCE

It was a bright sunny day and as usual Shravya was looking after her father's store. Her father was an ex army col. who devoted 23 years of his life serving his nation and it had been 8 years that he was running his multi purpose store, helping the nation's public. Shravya was arranging the statues on the rack that she heard an arrogant voice, "I need water." She froze. Everything that she never wanted to recall, flashed in front of her eyes. The memories which she locked in one corner of her heart rose up to the surface and knocked the walls of her heart. Tears bubbled up in her eyes, turning her vision hazy.
"Excuse me. Are you listening?" She heard the voice again. She quickly wiped the tears and put the last statue back in the rack. She turned to the counter with a fake smile plastered on her face and saw a boy in his teens looking at her with a glare. She walked behind the counter and asked politely, "How may I help you?"
"Water." He replied sternly.
"There you go." She handed the bottle to him. He slammed his hand on the counter table leaving a 20 rupee note and rushed out of the store. She settled back on her chair, trying hard to brush out all the memories from her past which were still fresh in her mind, like it happened yesterday. She took out the weekly magazine and turned it's pages. Few minutes later, her father entered the store with her fiancé, Nikit.
"Hey honey. Look who's here to meet you?" Her father captured her attention. She smiled as Nikit gave her a quick hug. Muscular body, dark hairs falling on his forehead above the glares with light beard unable to hide his sharp jawline. A charming young man, Nikit was an example of knight in shining armour that every girl dreams of. Shravya noticed he was wearing the same black jacket that she gifted him on his last birthday over a white t-shirt, pairing them with grey jeans and white sneakers. Silver Rolax on his hand completed his look.
"Let's go for a walk." He spoke taking off his glares revealing his brown eyes that gleamed with happiness as Shravya smiled nodding her head. He placed the glares on his jeans pocket and holded Shravya's hand.
Both walked in the street in complete silence. As they passed by an alley, Shravya stopped. She felt her heartbeat rising. She turned towards the alley and all her memories flashed in her mind again. That was clearly noticed by Nikit. He squeezed her shoulder gently and asked her calmly, "Are you ready to share your past with me?"
"It's not that important and more importantly, what will you do knowing about it? Neither of us can change it."
"I want to know about him. If he brings smile on your face, then I am ready to change myself."
Nikit was the boy her parents choosed for her, an engineer with plenty of money. He was trustworthy, obedient, gentleman and he had thousands of good traits. Shravya knew him for three long years. He loved her and wanted her to be happy. But loving him was what Shravya was still not sure about.
Shravya looked at him for a moment and then spoke stealing her gaze, "I don't want to destroy our future cause of my past."
"It won't destroy our future. As your fiancé, I have the right to know all about you right?" Nikit spoke trying his best to convince her.
"I know you have the right but......" She stopped and looked at him. She sight and turned her eyes to ground. "Can we talk about this over a cup of coffee?" She asked. Nikit smiled at his win and spoke, "Sure."
Both sat facing each other in a cafe surrounded by the aroma of coffee and chocolate, which was very well defining the silence between them.
"Ah! The aroma is refreshing itself. So ........what was he like?" Nikit started the conversation first.
"Are you sure about this?" Shravya asked in awkwardness.
"Hundred percent. You can tell me everything. He is never coming back." Nikit intended this to be a joke to lighten the awkwardness but Shravya's eyes immediately showed rage, "He never left. It was all my fault." Fury was very well clear in her voice. She soon realized that and calmed herself. She spoke with regret, "I am sorry. I just can't tell........"
"Tell me everything, please." Nikit requested her.
She took a deep breath and started, "It was the same sunny day. I was in the store..........."
Nikit gathered all his attention towards her as she reminisced every single memory of her past which took her back to the time when she was in 12th standard.