It Was a Yes, But I Never Said It

12. Would You Like to Date Me For a Month?

~PRESENT DAY~

I have been thinking all day about how to address this issue and how to ensure that destiny doesn't put any of our lives on hold because of what happened in the past. Plus I wanted to ensure that our paths will never cross again.

"What if I give him what he wants" a thouggt striked my mind.

He wants to ruin my reputation, then be it. What if I give him a month. He can brag whatever he wants to whosoever he wants. It will satisfy his ego in all ways and it will show destiny that I am not running away from anything. Destiny will know that this chapter is closed once and for all.

"Yup, I will give him a month and he is out of my life." This is the deal I offered destiny. This will help him move on. It will satisfy his ego. I will no longer be in his thoughts and woof there won't be any unseen connection between us and we will be out of each other's life.

Past addressed, revenge taken, ego satisfied, no thoughts of one another, no connection.. What will destiny have to do then. We will go our separate ways with contentment. He will get what he wants and I will secure what I want.

I thought it's a win-win for both of us. I thought of myself as a genius. The plan is a lot in itself and I wasn't sure if this is the right thing to do. What if I am just overthinking. What if there is anyway no connect between. What if destiny is anyway resting in peace in this case.

But if that's true, why this guy keep on showing up after every few months. It was over but why it's still not over.

I had this battle in my head throughout the day. And exactly at 8pm on 6 June, I texted him without thinking anything , "Would you like to date me for a month?" I know it would have landed as a shocker on his screen and I was trembling here thinking about what I just did.

"Serious?" He texted within minutes.

"Yes" I reverted.

"Sure, why not" he replied and that's how we connected again.

"Cool" I replied.

"We will be talking over call, right?" He asked.

"Yeah" I replied

I had already stopped thinking about what happened in the past long back. The truth is I locked those memories somewhere long back and constrained myself from visiting them. Plus I am the kind of person who prefers retaining good memories only. So, in this one month there will be no crying over the past. Just good vibes.

We checked our schedules and it seems that they don't match. He leaves for work as early as 6am his time which is oast afternoon in Indian time zone and when he returns at around 2-3pm in the afternoon, it's quite late at night here. So, yes, our timezones and schedules don't match.

I offered that we'll connect over weekends. That way, no one's schedule is hampered. I was happy with this suggestion as this way we will be connecting for just eight days and the month will pass just like that.

But I guess Rihan had some other plans.  He declined and instead said that he will call tomorrow before leaving for work.

I said okay.

I wasn't sure what I stepped myself into. But I thought a month will pass just like that and both of us will get what we want. Plus he was a good friend and I always want the best for him. If this claim of having feelings for me is true then I feel bad for us. I can't fall for the person he acted like back in college plus I dont trust him anymore. But if it takes a month from my end to help him move on, then be it.

Next day, he called at 4am his time. I was shocked. Why is he up so early. He don't have to do all this, but I think this is what he wants. He is trying to make time for us.

I wanted to lay te rules very clearly. So I reinstated the rules I shared with him yesterday.

"Rihan, here are my T&Cs. We will connect once you agree on this. One, it's a one month thing. Post that you'll block me. Two, no expectations, no demand." I texted.

"Let's talk about this over call" he replied.

But I was adamant that we won't connect until he agrees.

"No, first you say if you agree to these or not" I texted

"I can never do that Adira. I can never block you." He replied.

"Then might have to call this thing off" I replied.

"Let's talk over call about this" he texted.

"Nope, it's either you agree or disagree" I reverted.

"Okay, you talk for a month with all your heart and I take care of the rest" he replied.

I am shocked. There's no rest. I replied the same "there's nothing to take care of. It's just a month and that's it. You'll have me for a month and it's all settled."

"I don't want to have you as my girlfriend."

What else does he want I checked. In case there's a better way to address this instead of this stupid idea of mine.

"I want to bring you into my life Adira" he replied.

"If what happened back in college wouldn't have happened then may be not as something else but I would have still got you as a friend" he concluded.

For a second, my eyes were about to pop out after reading the earlier text. But I then realised the person from it came. He is just exaggerating and this guy can't be trusted with his words. If I would have not known him better, I would have definitely freaked out on reading this and would have surely blocked him right away.

"In that case I think this idea is a crap. Let's just forget it and we can be friends :)" I replied.

"Let's continue with your idea Adira" he texted.

"And yes I agree to your T&Cs" he added.

"Just one more, no more lies" I texted.

"I am very embarrassed Adira and in this one month I will show you that Rihan has changed" he replied.

"About what happened in college I think if the circumstances were different and if I wouldn't be hanging out with some people and wouldn't have disclosed my feelings to them, that what happened wouldn't have happened" he continued.

"And no more regrets about padt Mr. What's gone is gone" I texted.

"Okay" I read his reply.

"Do you have any T&Cs that you would like to add?" I checked.

"None but just this that none of the girls from your college girl gang will get to know about this" he said.

"Done" I promised.

And that's how we starred dating for a month.