A Valentino Date

The best way to find the right man is to go heels shopping.

The best way to find the right man is to go heels shopping.

Love was in the air and the city of Mumbai was bustling with its not-so-new fashion of celebrating Valentine's day.

I, on the other hand, had never given it much importance. For me, it was still a foreign festival, just like Halloween.

I walked to my cupboard already dressed in my casuals and opened it to gaze at the tokens I had brought every year. Ten pairs of heels from the ten years I have been alone. Ten years since I had started this custom of buying heels, starting from footpath vendors, now rich enough to buy Valentino.

I sighed looking at them and suddenly I felt a pang in my heart. Many of my friends were married, some had kids, some engaged and I was getting frequent calls from my relatives reminding me that 26 is already too old for marriage.

Maybe its time I start looking for love.

***

It hadn't taken me long to discard that idea, and now here I was, in The City Centre, inside Woodland, looking at innumerous heels they have to offer.

There weren't many people, possibly because everyone had already done their shopping. So it wasn't difficult to navigate around.

My gaze stopped at a pretty pink pair of heels and I instantly fell in love with it. Talk about love at first sight!

I extended my hand towards it only to bump with another which already picked up the same pair.

I looked towards my left and met a pair of grey eyes. Raising my eyebrows I told him, "I didn't know men wear heels nowadays,"

The guy straightened, a small smile playing on his full lips and his eyes sparkling in amusement. " What is wrong if we do? Women are getting empowered. They are doing our jobs now, wearing clothes that were ours at first." He said his eyes quickly scanning my dress, " So I thought I might as well as wear a 'women's only' kind of shoes. Do you mind? "

I grinned. "Nah, by all means, take it. Just remember not to fall, alright? It is a literal pain in the foot to walk around in them." I said pointing to the pair in his hand.

He chuckled and that sound made my heart skip a beat.

"Thank you for the advice miss, I'll keep that in mind." He promised.

Before I could respond, I heard a female voice, " Vansh, just look at these. Aren't these gorgeous?"

A lady in blue saree emerged from the side of the racks and held out a golden studded pair of half-shoes for him to see.

Her eyes flicked from the heels in his hand to me and back at him.

The guy laughed, "I told you, eventually you would choose a golden one."

He turned towards me and extended the pink ones. "Here sis, my girl already got her shoes."

He looked at 'his girl' who was a beauty in itself and chuckled, "She won't back off from that now."

A small pang of hurt shot through my heart, which I immediately dismissed as a gas problem.

"Sure, thanks," I said picking up the heels from his hand.

Our hands brushed and electricity sparked at the contact.

"By the way, I think you will look beautiful in those shoes." He said with a wink.

Just at that time 'his girl' returned and held his hand.

"Ready to go?" He asked. But her eyes were trained on me.

"Why are you here all by yourself on Valentine's day?" She asked me.

I shrugged. "Shopping. I have been coming here every Valentine." I said with a smile.

She grinned back." And how many shoes do you have now?" She asked.

I blushed and looked away. "Er... Ten"

The girl laughed. " Why don't you and Vansh hang out together or something like that? Enjoy this day a bit." She offered, pushing him forward.

I gaped at her. Is this woman real?

"Dhi." Vansh complained, " Just because I..." His voice trailed off as he saw the girl's raised eyebrows.

Dhi? So she is his sister?"

Now that I heard it, suddenly their resemblance became very clear. They had the same sharp jawline, nose and full pink lips.

"What is your name sister?" She asked.

"Varna. Yours?" I answered.

"Vinita. This is Vansh, my brother." She said gently slapping his hard chest.

"Vansh, be a good boy and say hello." She said as if he were a five-year-old.

The guy rolled his eyes. "Hello miss, nice to meet you." He wished back imitating a kid.

I laughed when I saw their antics. Suddenly I missed my sister.

"There, now she knows what kind of fools we are," Vansh told his sister shaking his head, mocking disappointment.

She completely ignored him." Not to sound like those crazy mothers who go on speaking about their sons, but Vansh is a gentleman. I am not asking you guys to start dating. Just hang out together"

I looked at her like she was crazy, otherwise who asks a random stranger to go on a date with her brother?

Vansh laughed, "See, she thinks you are crazy. Which you are, but still."

This earned him a poke in his ribs from his sister. "Shut up. I don't like it when only you are home on Valentine's while all your friends are with their dates."

"Dhi." He pouted, cutely.

"So Varna, what say, wanna hang out with him?" She asked me, her eyes twinkling in excitement.

" He doesn't seem very interested," I noted, my gaze flicking to the still pouting guy.

Vansh smiled, and a dimple formed on his chin. " I haven't got anything against you. Nor am I saying no because you are an absolute stranger. In fact, you are beautiful." He said with a shrug.

Vinita slapped his biceps. A bit harshly. " Ouch, what was that for?" He asked rubbing his slightly muscled arms.

She shrugged, " Then what is your problem? You plan on being my chauffeur your entire life or what?" She asked narrowing her eyes.

" My problem is that I don't give two hoots to Valentine's day."

I made a sudden split decision. One which I wasn't sure whether I will regret or not, " Then let's hang out together. I don't give two hoots to it too."

Vinita clapped her hands. " Excellent. Now shoo both of you." She said pushing her brother towards me, " And you better treat her well young man."

He rolled his eyes and walked forward. " Shall we?"

I chuckled. " We shall." And we walked outside.

" So do you have any idea what people do on these days? " He asked as we roamed around aimlessly in the mall.

In the centre, some kind of competition was going on. A lot of couples flocked around it playing couple questionnaire.

"Watch movie? Play games? Go boxing? Romantic dinner? I don't know man. " I said shaking my head.

Vansh burst out laughing. " Really? Boxing?"

" What is wrong in that?" I asked with narrowed eyes.

" Nothing. Absolutely nothing." He promised, quickly looking away." So you are the adventure kind?"

"You can say that." I offered.

A smile lit up his face and he sighed, " Good, just maybe this is going to be bearable after all. I honestly thought I might have to sit and watch some stupid romantic movie."

I laughed when I heard that. We had more in common than I had imagined.