To Be Continued...

FORTY SEVEN

**Harini's POV**

March 30th felt both distant and imminent. It had been nearly a month and a half since I first spoke to Nicolas, and our connection had deepened more than I ever anticipated. Despite the emotional closeness we had established, we still hadn't met in person. The plan was to finally meet today, but the thought of it brought a swirl of anxiety.

I confided my fears to Nicolas during one of our video calls. “It’s the 30th today. The same date I first met Santino. I don’t want any bad patterns to repeat.”

He listened, his face a mix of understanding and concern. “I get it, Harini. I really do. How about we move our meeting to April 4th? I want you to feel comfortable and safe.”

I felt a wave of relief. “Thank you. I didn’t want to seem superstitious or irrational, but it’s hard to shake off these feelings.”

He smiled reassuringly. “We’ll meet on the 4th, then. I promise it’ll be worth the wait.”

Nicolas would have to travel all the way to Leeds to meet me, and he said he would.

Today, we watched the Disney movie *Up*.

The days that followed felt interminable, each minute stretching into what felt like years. The anticipation was both thrilling and nerve-wracking. On April 4th, I made arrangements with Veronica to come along since my father wouldn’t allow me to go alone, especially after Nandini’s passing. He didn’t know this was my first date with Nicolas; he just thought it was a casual outing with friends.

Nicolas had suggested going to a park, which seemed an unusual choice for a first date. When I mentioned this to him, he laughed softly, his voice tinged with embarrassment. “I’m sorry if that seems weird. I haven’t been out much lately and honestly, I’m not great with date ideas. I just wanted to be somewhere we could talk and relax.”

I appreciated his honesty. “No worries, Nic. We can figure something out. Maybe we can find a nice place to eat instead?”

With that settled, Veronica and I, along with two friends of ours, headed to a newly opened mall. As I walked through the bustling hallways, my heart raced with each step. I had chosen a multicolored midi dress that swished with every movement. It was vibrant and playful, reflecting my excitement and nervousness.

When we finally arrived at Starbucks, I scanned the room anxiously. And there he was—sitting at a table by the window. The sight of him made my breath catch. He was looking around, and as soon as his eyes landed on me, his face lit up with a warm, nervous smile.

“Nicolas!” I called out as I approached.

He stood up, his gaze never leaving me. “Harini,” he said, his voice almost a whisper. “You look beautiful.”

I felt my cheeks flush as he walked towards me. “Thank you. You’re looking great too.”

We exchanged a shy, yet meaningful hug. The warmth of his embrace felt comforting and real, and I could feel my apprehension start to melt away. The others moved in a different direction, leaving me and Nicolas with our time.

“So, this is where you’ve been hiding,” I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I guess I’m a bit out of practice with these things.”