Ugly Woman Handsome Man

Mistaken Identities

I frowned, unable to understand.

"Inder?"

"Yup. Coffee?" he asked, standing up.

I shook my head, confusion still in my face. "Isn't your name, Karthick?"

"That too," he said dismissively and walked off to the counter.

I bent my head, lost in thought. If he was Karthick, knew me as Karthick and I knew him as Karthick, then why would he give me his another name now?

"What would you like?" he queried, and I mumbled, "Cappucino."

He left again and I followed him with my eyes absentmindedly. He walked with such ease and when he slid his wallet out of his back pocket, I swallowed. He made the small motions so graceful. I quickly looked away as he returned back to the table.

"So, tell me. What do you like?"

"In food?"

"No, generally."

"I like to draw."

He smirked, "I kinda figured that."

I blushed, "I like to play with my sister."

"Oh, and what does she do?"

I stared at him. "You know my sister."

He had a rabbit in the headlights expression and I hastily went to help him.

"Lallu? Lalitha?"

I left the courtyard club from referencing.

"Never met her."

His reply confused me. "You sit with her in the bus."

He fidgeted and murmured, "Oh her."

I got the distinct impression that he had no idea what I was talking about. I chewed on my lip, contemplating on my next step.

"Who are you?" I asked quietly.

He leaned back on his couch and ran a hand down his face. "I am Karthick's brother."

The coffee stuck in my throat.

"It was you, wasn't it? The first day I came to college, it was you who stared at me. No wonder Karthick did not recognise me."

"You are smart, aren't you?"

I got up, leaving a hundred rupee note on the table.

"Where are you going? Please do not leave."

"I cannot believe I was sitting with a stranger all this while."

I turned to go and he caught up with me.

"Look, I wanted to tell you the truth but I wanted to tell it at my own pace. If I had told at the very beginning, would you have even listened to me?"

I hesitated for I had proven that I would not have waited. He continued, emboldened with my hesitation.

"You intrigue me. Please, spare me some time?"

His light brown eyes captivated me and I felt so sad seeing the despair in them. I nodded and when they brightened up, suddenly the world seemed to be much brighter and prettier. I sidled back in to my seat and he sat before me once more.

"How come I never saw you in college again?"

He smiled. "I am older than Karthick by a year."

"Well then what were you doing there at all?"