On the Run

Chapter 2: A Lot Can Happen Over A Cosmo

Skyye lounge, Bangalore, 7:45pm.

The man who stood before me was Adonis personified. He was about six feet tall and had a ripped body. His muscles were protruding slightly due to the snug fit of his white t-shirt which he had teamed up with a casual black blazer. He sported a messy hairdo atop his handsome face and beads of perspiration were visible on his forehead as if he'd been working out just minutes ago. It made him look even sexier. His right hand slowly started moving towards my face. I observed his long and slender fingers along with his wrist which was adorned with multiple wristbands and a silver 'Kada'.

Slowly, the hand started moving left to right in front of my face and I saw his lips moving again. The hand movements snapped me out of my trance and I mentally slapped myself for behaving like such a freak.

"Um...Miss...Hellooo...Can you hear me? Your phone..." Said the hunk before me.

I stood up immediately and cut him off midway.

"Madhyam? Madhyam Singhania? Hi, I'm Nandini Murthy." I said, giving him a shy smile.

He looked at me quizzically for a few seconds-his forehead creased with frown lines- and for a moment it seemed like he had forgotten his own name.

"Yes, Hi! I'm Madhyam." He finally said, though he still seemed a tad confused.

As soon as I heard him confirm his identity, I started doing a happy dance in my head.

This hottie was my fiancee?

Nandini, pull yourself together! You don't want to get married, remember? I forcefully reminded myself and sat down, gesturing him to take a seat as well.

"So, miss Nandini, who are you? Tell me about yourself." He asked authoritatively, just a few seconds after we had taken our seats. I was completely disarmed by his question!

This is how he wanted to start off? No casual icebreakers to reduce the awkwardness? No discussions about the weather? I had to hand it to him, he certainly didn't beat around the bush.

"Um...I'm 21 years old and I'm currently interning at ISRO, here in Bangalore. I completed my high school education from Lourde's High School in Mangalore." I was going to tell him more about my internship when he interrupted me.

"Is this a job interview?" He asked, smirking .

"Um...no"I replied, confused.

"Then, why are you reciting the details in your C.V? I asked you who you are, not what your profession is!" He stated coolly.

"Um..." I stammered as I struggled to come up with an answer.

Who am 'I', really? If I take away all the craziness for science and love for my family, what's left? Aiyappa,why is this man so intimidating? How does he manage to get me tongue-tied so easily?!

"Come on, Miss Nandini. I'm sure you can come up with a better answer. Tell me about your interests, your likes and dislikes, what you're passionate about apart from work, etc." He paused for a moment and said in a seductive voice, half-smiling -"Or better yet, tell me about your darkest secrets and desires..."

"Stars, fireflies and music." I blurted out, before I could stop myself.

"What?" He asked, curiosity visible on his face.

"I love looking at the stars in the night sky. They give me hope and remind me of my childhood. Appa and I used to go stargazing together when I was a kid. He even bought me my own telescope! After my parents died in a car accident, stargazing was one of the few things that made me feel close to them. I used to imagine them as stars in the night sky, communicating with me silently through their eternal sheen. Perhaps that's why I chose this profession..." I snapped out of my rant and looked at him. I found him looking at me with a beautiful softness in his eyes.