The Exchange

Touching Down

As if it was destiny itself showering its love upon them, their planes touched down at the exact same time. 

He picked up his backpack and quickly exited, walking through the airport as fast as he could. He hated watching families reunite at the baggage claim, lovers running into each other's arms. He could not stand the sight, and he wanted to stay as far away from it as possible. But, he was in such a hurry that he realized he had left his phone at a counter some meters away while he was asking one of the employees for directions on where to get a cab. So, he sighed heavily and started heading in the direction he came from. 

Meanwhile, she exited the plane with headphones in her ears...but, there was no music playing. This had been her tactic for the past few months to stop Dr. Khera and Maya from talking to her. They thought she was lost in her tunes, when in reality, she just wanted to shut them...and the rest of the world out. And as for listening to music, that was not even in the question. There was only one person who was her music...and with him gone, she could not even think of giving music any value in her life. 

And as she walked towards the baggage claim, he was running in the direction of the counter, hoping nobody had stolen his phone. And while they were in opposite ends of the airport, they both stopped dead in their tracks. They both felt their hearts beating faster than they had in the past year...they both felt the pulses rushing through their veins...they both felt their eyes tearing up suddenly and without warning. They each rested their palm upon their hearts, they knew in their soul that their love was here...that the one person they had been longing for every second of every day in the past year was within reach. 

"Akshu..." he whispered to himself.

"Abhi..." she whispered in return. 

And while their ears did not hear each other, their hearts did. She heard him call her name, and he heard her call his. In that moment, he forgot about his phone, why he was here...he forgot about everything... all that he remembered was her. He rushed through the crowded airport, searching for a single sign of her. She told Dr. Khera and Maya that she had to use the washroom down the hall and that she would meet them at the baggage claim..with that, she too started rushing through every corner, her eyes desperate for just a single glimpse of him. 

But, before they could find each other, before they could become whole again, Dr. Khera caught up to her. He looked at her sternly, telling her this was nowhere near the bathroom...asking her what she was doing. She quietly told him that she was lost and searching for him and Maya...that she was ready to go...and as she followed him towards the exit, she kept praying that he would appear, that she could make sure he was okay....

But, this was not the day their hearts were meant to reunite.