Reality : Not So Beautiful [COMPLETED]

10

It is 6:10pm of Wednesday. I picked up the half sleeved brown kurta and pulled up the jeans. I let my hairs flow and put on kajal and a small bindi over the forehead. I am a bit nervous as it has been quite long years that I have not interacted much with the opposite gender. However I left my place around 6:25 and reached coffee house by 7:13. As I parked my scooty and started to walk towards the entrance, I saw a guy might be an inch and a half taller than me, wearing a peach coloured shirt and a black pant. He was much healthier than in his photos. I walked up to him and put my hand forward "Hi! Myself Pritha".
His gesture of hugging me changed instantly as I put my hand forward. He handshaked.
"Hello!" He said taking a quick glance of me from head to toe.

"I am sorry to be late. You know the Kolkata's traffic right."

"Yeah. It's ok. Come." His eyes finally met mine after a whole body scanning as if his eyes were any x-ray machine. He welcomed me to the place and found a table for us. We ordered 1 cold coffee each.

"So. What are your hobbies?"

"Painting, watching movies and listening to songs" I said avoiding eye contact. I generally don't make eye contact until I am comfortable with them.

"Oh" he sounded as if he wanted a different answer from me.

"And yours?"

"Bike riding, cricket and travelling. I have been to Paris... and Bangkok.." saying so he started showing photos of him at those places.

"Have you seen or worn the Breton costume and Beret there?" I said in a inquisitive tone.

"Uhh... uhh... yes... beret.. I saw it... " he gestured as if he was trying to remember hard but his face said he didn't knew it.

"Beret is the cap like worn by painters and Breton is the traditional wear of France" I blurted and almost instantly could see a humiliation on his face and I promised myself not to do this again with him.

He sipped his coffee and cleared his throat "Perfumes from France smell great. The one that I took was... I think.. almost around 1500 Indian rupees. And the people their came from various parts of the world, so many looked damn ho... pretty"

I wished he completed his 'ho...' to "hot" and if he said, I would have liked to walk away from this date.
"Hmm.." I said and sipped my drink with my focus on the straw and my mind roamed somewhere among the chattering inside the shop. I didn't even realised that a have silence built between us.

He too took a sip and breaking the little silence within us he said "So... what about your... job and friends?"

I was startled and then focused to reply "Um.. job is great. I was the student of this college where now I am professor, about 4 years ago. So I enjoy my job. And to talk about friends... I don't have much friends other than my only best friend Anurima... and..."

He was shocked at this. I couldn't figure out what have made him react so.

He cut my sentence to say "Seriously.... haha.. only one friend that too girl... lol... that means you surely never had a boyfriend.. right?" He mocked me.

I was taken aback.. what... I got confused " Yeah I never had a boyfriend but do ..."

His eyes widened further then at a shot he leaned back at his chair and laughed. I felt too embarrassed. People around looked at me. My cheeks flushed and my eyes couldn't raise to meet his.

He laughed till his heart contended and then suddenly his face and voice turned grave "You know I had 12 girlfriends till date. I should have understood at first.. your hobbies... your questions on culture and dress.. hat and all shit."

My anger raised above my embarrassment and I blurted "What did you understand..? Huh.. what?"

"That you are an old school type girl and obviously you don't deserve me"

I took out Rs.50, thumped it over the table and started walking away. I felt a voice from inside struggling to come out of me. So I turned back and walked a few steps towards him and almost barked "My hobbies might be like an old school girl but it's better than your games with other people's emotions ... 12 girlfriends.. bullshit... go to hell."