Love... Once Again ! (Completed)

8 - Twenty-fifth October

The bell chimed and Rahul's gaze turned to the voice, at the door. His lips curled up in a wide smile as he saw her entering the restaurant. He stood up as she glanced around to locate him. When she caught his gaze she smiled and walked to the table. He pulled out a chair for her.

"You look gorgeous Nisha." Her peach coloured dress was cringed at the waist and fell till her knees. It complimented her colour.

She was actually planning to wear jeans and some regular top. But when Shruti came to know about hart dinner plan with Rahul, she forced Nisha to wear a dress. She had even suggested to help Nisha with make up. But somehow Nisha avoided it.

"Thanks Rahul. You don't look half bad yourself."

He was wearing dark jeans with a white V neck t-shirt and a jacket. He looked more like a model for a bike commercial than a doctor.

"Good evening sir and ma'am. Welcome to Oriental spice. What can I get you to drink?"

"Just water for me."

"Same for me," Nisha said. She knew Rahul was not drinking as he had bought his car and she did not want to drink alone.

"So? What's special today?" Nisha asked after the waiter walked away.

"Don't you remember?"

"No."

His face fell. "It is twenty-fifth October today."

When she still could not recollect he added. "Inter college fest."

"Oh yeah. How could I forget?" She lightly tapped her head. "That's when we met for the first time. And almost after three months we got into a relationship. Right?"

"Yes." Rahul smiled. "I asked you out at Tanya's birthday."

"And I said yes, making you my first boyfriend. Do you remember Kiara, my friend back then?" He nodded. "She was so jealous."

"Why?" Rahul asked. "Didn't she already have a boyfriend?"

"Yes. But you were a year older to us, not to mention quite attractive as well. Infact wherever we went girls started shooting glares at me."

"You think I did not have to suffer? You rejected so many guys of your college before me. Half of them were surprised and the other half angry, but both sets had the same thought that how did you agree to go out with me... I remember that I was so scared that day. I thought you would reject me too."

"But I didn't."

"Thankfully."

Rahul and Nisha had a history during their college times. Their college had both the faculties, commerce and science. Also they had common friends so she knew him since the time she joined in first year. Their friendship strengthened as they chatted with each other.

He had started liking her from their first meeting itself. But due to the fear of rejection he never asked her out. Their common friend Tanya had told him how Nisha rejected every guy as she did not wish to be in a relationship at that time. He finally gathered courage and decided to take a chance to ask her if she would accompany him to a friend's party. As she agreed, he decided to take another chance and ask her out. Surprisingly she agreed once again and later on confessed that she too liked him.

They were good for a year and couple of months, after which they broke up mutually. He had graduated and was going to Delhi for his doctors course. They were not sure if they could maintain a long distance relationship, so they decided to break up and just remain good friends. E-mails, texts and calls kept their friendship strong. They dated other people too. But somehow Rahul could not connect with any other girl as he could with Nisha. He thought to rekindle his relationship with her again after he returned to Mumbai.