The Perfect Stranger (Completed)

Chp 2: COFFEE BENEATH THE STARS

                     They kept walking without talking.Neil had his eyes fixed on the possible trouble makers.Two out of the four started walking in their direction.Neil could see the other two men reasoning with the and trying to pull them back but all in vain.

Sensing the gravity of the situation he held her hand in a tight grip and pulled her behind himself.The two miscreants were too drunk to utter anything discernable.They tried to walk past Neil to catch hold of Ananya.He grabbed one of them by his collar and punched him right in the face.The guy lost his balance stumbled back a few steps.Neil caught hold him again and threw in a few more punches till he fell unconscious.

Just then a realisation stuck him that he had left Ananya alone.He ran back to her only to find her safe and sound. The guy on the other hand lay on the ground groaning in pain.What Neil could discern was that she had emptied an entire bottle of pepper spray on his eyes and when he had fallen down on the ground she had kicked him till he couldn't get back on his feet.The guy had his eyes closed and held his stomach with his hands and was screaming in pain.

His widened in disbelief.

He smiled at her all impressed.

''Good job ''

He raised his hand for a hi five but was dismissed by Ananya who instead walked ahead as if nothing had happened.

                             ***~****

Putting her hands on hers hips and breathing heavily she came to a halt.

''Tabse gol gol ghumha rhe ho.Aakhir ye cafe hai kahan?'' 
( We have been in circles since then , where the hell is this cafe ??)

'' yahin toh tha.Google Maps bas yahin tak dikha rha hai''
(It was just here. Google maps are showing this as the location)

''Google Maps!!!!!!!!  Are you kidding me?  ''

''Stamina  zero hai tumhara.Kitna hanf rhi ho''
( Your stamina is zero. Yours lungs have given up with this much walking.....look at you panting )

Her eyes looked so fiery at that moment that he could feel them boring holes in him.

''Lets go back''

''Wait.I think right turn pe koi sign board hai ''
(Wait . I think there is a signboard just at the right turn ahead of us)

''I can't see anything''

''Han kyunki shayad board mein koi problem hai.The light is going on and off.Come lets go check it out''
(Yeah cause the board's lighting keeps flickering. Comd lets go and check it out)

She tried to put on her brave face though in her heart she wasn't so sure.On reaching the corner all her fears vanished.The Moonlight cafe looked like a happy place, filled with people chattering away. It was a lot busy for a small cafe.It was a rooftop cafe...which he had intentionally forgot to mention.The smile on his face on seeing her surprised said it all.They climbed the spiral staircase to reach their destination.

''What can I get you Sir and Ma'am?''

'' A black coffee for me.What will you have ?"

'' Cold coffee''

'' Raat ko,  itni shardi mein coldcoffee?? Really??''
(You want cold coffee this late at night , in this cold weather ??Really ??)