That Night By The Shore

3. The Unexpected

We kept on our momentum in the small talk...and soon it was converted into a big gossip. And yea for information, though I am an introverted personality, but yet if someone approaches me, I don't let them go easily.

Eventually our interests collabed with each other'. It seemed like both of us were a huge fan for pop music. We discussed about the sudden rise of k-pop industry in the market. Ofc I am not a k-pop hater, and to be honest I myself love k-pop quite a lot... who did ever tell that people in their mid-twenties can't be a k-pop fan. Anyways I kept quiet about that...people usually make fun of k-pop lovers...but it was her who brought out the k-pop gossip first. It felt like to me she was much closer to me in this much little time we spent together, as if we have known each other from out very childhood.

Her style of speaking...her hobbies... all of them in some perspective seemed a bit familiar to me.

I brushed those weird ideas out of my head and kept on our chat.

I asked her about her friends with whom she came here.

"I'm just here on my own little stress calming trip...I always do the same when I get a hangover in my daily schedule."

Well I didn't think our set of interests will match up to this extent.

After quite a chat, Aadriti asked about going to a small walk along the shore.

I agreed.

We stood up from our chairs and started a slow walk of gossip along the gushing dark blue waves, well they would've looked better if the moon was present... but sadly that day was the no moon day. But that did not make sea unsuccessful in its job of calming the mind.

The waves strike the beach one after the other...the smell of the ocean also had its significance in making our little chat a peaceful one.

We talked about random topics. By that time I really forgot that I had to book myself a place to stay the night...and guess what... I checked my watch...it was already twelve in the night, and not a single hotel would be open at that hour. I gave out a sigh of frustration and worry, most of it was me mourning my stupidity of forgetting the main priority.

Well Aadriti by that time had noticed my tension...she pleaded me to tell her what suddenly started to bug me.

I explained her what was the scene with me...and hearing all that...she gave a smirk of assurance.

I asked to her the story behind her this smirk in this not so funny situation...and like a ray of hope...she turned to me and said-

"Guess what, by mistake I reserved myself a double bedroom, and if you don't mind, you can spend the night there, and u can find yourself a hotel tomorrow..."

I finally took a breath of assurity...at least I did not have to spend rest of the night alone in that beach. It though was much embarrassing to spend the night alone in a room with a just met girl...but yea...this was the least bad option.

I picked up my suitcase form the chair, and accompanied her on the way to her hotel.

On the way, we continued our there left talk, and I just remembered that I forgot to ask her full name, else how the hell could I even find out any book by her to have read.

"By the way, what is your surname, I don't think I'll be able to find out any of your works without your full name...there can be hundreds of Aadriti-s present out there..."

"It's Mukherjee-"

I stood there in silence for a moment on getting the reply. An array of past recollections stormed my mind all of a sudden...everything was faint....nothing was clear in those old thoughts I recollected...but in a soft and startled tone I replied-

"Are you really Aadriti?!"

"It sure took u a lot of time...yes. I am "yours" Aadriti"

It all suddenly seemed all faded out to me...like I was pulled out of the reality in a blank space ...where it seemed neither of time nor space existed. I tried to gain a bit of control on myself

I failed.

The suitcase fell from my hands. I dropped my body freely on the sand which rest on my knees.

Tears finally made its way out of my eyes. It was tear of joy snd sorrow mixed, the type of tear people shed on finally reuniting with their loved ones after a huge time span of several years, but this tear of mine had another emotion to it.

It was fear.

It was shock.

It felt like a dream to me, an impossible dream, but I raised my head and faintly mumbled

"It's you."

She still had that smile on her face.