It's A Love Story (I Guess)

Chapter 2

I was looking at Shriya's Facebook account, scrolling through her posts.
"Beautiful." I whispered. I didn't know if I should send her a friend request or not.
I didn't want to look like I'm desperate.
I wasn't desperate, I just wanted to talk to her, and know more about her.

Suddenly, I heard my phone's notification tone. I picked it up and saw,
"Shriya Basin (her username) has sent you a follow request." I smiled, and waited, a few moments later, I accepted her follow request and sent her a follow request. She accepted my request quickly.

I liked her latest post, which was a selfie, which coincidentally had me in the background, but I was looking away.
Neither of us texted each other. She too liked my latest post, which was about 3 weeks old. I wasn't too much into posting on social media. I was fond of just scrolling through the feed.

I switched off my laptop, and fell asleep, since it was a lazy Sunday afternoon. Later in the evening, I took my grandma out to dinner. I had reserved a table for the two of us. I and grandma were sitting, and waiting for the dish we had ordered.
Suddenly, I saw a familiar face. It was Shriya. I saw her and smiled. She too saw me, smiled and waved at me, with a little enthusiasm. I stood up and greeted her and her mom and dad. She introduced me to them. I shook hands with her dad, and touched her mother's feet .I introduced her and her family to my grandma. She smiled and hugged my grandma, which was kind of weird.
Yet, I smiled, and so did everyone else.
Coincidently, her table was right next to ours. Her father suggested us to join the tables and have dinner together. And so we did.

"Why aren't your parents here Piyush??" Shriya's mom asked. Shriya looked at her mom. I stopped chewing. And my grandma just tried to ignore. I resumed chewing, then swallowed my food, drank some water, and told her, "Actually Aunty, they passed away 14 years ago."

"Oh I'm so sorry beta!" She said, quite embarrassed of her question.

"It's alright aunty. Please don't worry." I said.
Shriya quickly changed the topic. After the dinner, while everyone sat there waiting for the dessert, I went to wash my hands. A few moments later, Shriya came near the wash basin.
"Listen Piyush, I'm really sorry. Mom asked you that question." She said, quite upset.
I put my hands on her shoulders and said, "Shriya, I told you, it's totally fine."

"But still...."

"Let's go have the dessert."

"Okay."

"It has been an awesome evening." Shriya's dad said. "Yeah Dad, I agree." Shriya said.
"It's already 10:00, got to go to office tomorrow. Shall we leave?" Shriya said.
"Yeah Yeah. Of course. Even I was about to say that." I said. We all got up.
"It was really nice to meet you." Shriya's dad said, offering a handshake.
I shook hands with him, "Likewise sir." I said.
I touched Shriya's mom's feet. "God Bless You Child." She said.
Shriya touched my grandma's feet, and hugged her. "Bye Dadi." she said.
I was pleased when I heard her say, "Dadi."
I assisted my grandma to the car, and made her sit comfortably in the front seat.

"Piyush?" I heard a voice. I turned around. It was Shriya. "Mind if I get your phone number?" She said, and handed me her phone, with the dialing screen open. I typed my number. "Why do you need my number?" I asked.
"So that I can talk to Dadi, every evening after office." She said.
"Only Dadi...??" I teased her.
She just smiled and said, "Thanx for your number." she walked away.
I got into my car. I looked at my grandma. She was just staring me, and smiling.
"What?" I said.
"I didn't say anything." She said.
"Then why are you looking at me like that?" I asked.
"Because she's beautiful." She said.
"Oh God! Have you been watching 'The Fault In Our Stars'?" I asked.
"Yes! I'm a cool grandma now. I have started watching Hollywood." she said.
"Wait! What do you mean 'she's beautiful'?" I said, a bit confused.
"Shriya." Grandma said. "She's a good girl, And will look good with you."
"No no no no. Please don't start again. I met her like.... Yesterday." I said. But I noticed, that my voice wasn't aggressive. It was rather shy.
"See. I've been pampering you since you were 10. I know everything about you boy. I know, you like her." She said.

"Oh come on." I said and started driving. As I drove, I heard my grandma humming some old love songs. She was trying to tease me.
I just smiled and kept driving, till we reached home.