Destined to be?

1. Unexpected Encounter

MUMBAI - CITY OF DREAMS
Chapter 1 - Unforgettable Encounter

It was 10 o'clock at night, and my phone wouldn't stop ringing. It was my mom. As soon as I realized it, I knew for sure I was in trouble once I answered the call. I took a deep breath and answered. "Where are you?" Mom asked with a serious tone before I could even say hello. I just smiled to myself because I knew she was worried.

"Mom, I'm on the way. Don't worry," I said, glancing at the traffic in front of me, unsure if it would clear up soon or not.

"Did you even check the time?" she continued, still sounding serious. I knew it was my fault for being late, but I hadn't anticipated Mumbai's traffic being this bad. Realizing there was no way the traffic would clear up soon, I decided to tell her the truth. "It's Mumbai, Mom. Once you're stuck in traffic, it's not easy to get out."

She ignored my answer because she knew it was true and asked, "How much time will it take?" This time, her tone was less serious. I looked at my GPS and said, "According to the GPS, I'm 20 minutes away from home, but I can't guarantee it with this traffic."

"Dad finally reassured me, 'She will be here. Don't worry,' after I endured the lecture. Mom looked at Dad with a serious expression and said, 'You're the one who spoils her. She's been away for four years, and you sent her alone to meet her friends.' Dad stayed silent while I smiled, sitting in the car.

"Mom, don't worry. I'll be back soon. Take your tablets and get some sleep," I said. Dad joined in, "I'll wait for her," as he handed Mom her tablets.

"I can't change either of you, father and daughter," Mom sighed. "Take the tablets and sleep. I'll be back soon," I reassured her. "Call your dad if there's a problem. You didn't even take the driver with you," Mom added, her tone a mix of seriousness and worry. I smiled and said, "Okay." Mom then ended the call.

I pressed the button to lower the car window, but it didn't move. I fiddled with the buttons until it finally worked. Glancing at the sky, I saw the full moon. As soon as I looked at it, I smiled. I don't know why the moon makes me smile, but gazing at the moon and stars brings me peace and an unexplainable happiness.

When I shared this with my dad, he gifted me a telescope for my 16th birthday, and we began spending time together watching stars at least once a week, despite our busy lives. By the way, I forgot to introduce myself; I'm Dakshi Kohli. I pursued astronomy studies in the USA for four years and returned to India just two weeks ago.

Upon my return, my dad asked me, "What do you want to do with your life?" I looked at him with a smile and said, "I want to take care of your business." He questioned whether I didn't want to pursue further research and assured me he would convince my mom. I explained, "For me, marriage is the biggest event in life, so I want to study it." Dad agreed, saying, "Okay, I'll take care of the admission," and left. As promised, he handled it, and my college is set to start within 20 days. I'm excited about it.

While listening to the FM, I suddenly heard a sound and turned around. A guy had opened the door and sat inside. I was in shock. "Thanks," he said, smiling at me, and locked the door. I snapped back to my senses and shouted, "What the hell?"

"Just for five minutes," he replied, glancing back as if searching for someone, then bent down. I followed his gaze and saw a girl with a perfect figure, dressed in a silver one-piece, as if she were heading to a party. The guy kept peeking to see if she had left.

"Get out; she left," I said, turning to the front and grabbing my bag from the seat beside me. I could see him in the rearview mirror; he was wearing torn jeans and a white shirt, smiling at me as if he knew what I was going to do next. Holding my bag, I searched for the pepper spray my dad had left in the car before I started my journey. I wished I had learned self-defense when my mom suggested it during my childhood. I couldn't find the pepper spray, but I did find the small pocketknife I used to carry when I was in the States. I was relieved.

I looked back and said, "Get out before I shout." He acted as if he were deaf and said, "Will you sleep with me?" while checking me out, leaning on the car door to get a better view. I looked at him and showed him the knife, saying, "Do you wish to die here?" He smiled as if I wasn't holding a knife, not scared at all. I wondered if he was some sort of killer. Then I heard him say, "I thought women carried pepper spray these days; it's quite useful, you know."

"This guy is crazy," I thought, holding the knife tightly, ready to take action if he crossed the line. I sternly said, "I like to kill people, so get out." He just smiled and replied, "I won't do anything that makes you kill me, I promise."

"Are you out of your mind? Don't you understand English? Get out before I file a trespassing case on you," I declared, pointing to the car door.

His phone rang, and another car pulled up beside mine. "Just give me a minute," he said, looking at me as he retrieved his phone from his jeans pocket; his long legs stretched forward. Despite feeling scared, I couldn't show it. I held the knife towards him, silently urging him to leave before my hands ached too much.

Unfazed, he didn't even bat an eye and spoke on the phone, "I will meet you at the signal end," and promptly ended the call. Still smiling, he looked at me, extended his hand, and said, "I'm Aravind."