13 Reasons Why... I 💓 you

#11

I love you,
Cause to you I'm special enough for special nicknames!

Niti was standing in the hallway, just beside her locker, waiting for Parth to finally show his face. She was repeatedly looking at her watch and tapping her foot loudly in anticipation. They were probably already late for class and he still hadn't come.

She looked at her watch again to see the time, when two warm but strong hands cupped her cheek, held her head up gently.

It was her boyfriend and before she had the chance to tell him off for being late, he shot her a quick smile and swooped down to press his lips on hers.

"Hey caramello, I'm sorry for being late" he said wrapping a hand around her waist.

"You're late" she said a bit mechanically, a little caught up with that nickname. She shook her head to clear those thoughts. "Next time, I'll go without you" she said sternly.

"You always say that" he said as they began walking to the class.

"Yeah but this time I mean it" she said glaring but knowing deep down it was a lie.

Him being late however, was not what occupied her thoughts. No matter how much she tried to rid herself of those thoughts, that's what she kept thinking throughout.

It wasn't the first time he had called her 'caramello'. She vaguely remembered it as at this fair they had gone to, all of their big friends group and he had randomly fished it out. She'd thought it was something he just said in the moment; she hadn't given it much thought. However it turned out to be quite different. It wasn't something he had made up and thrown out, something he would forget later. It was more than that because slowly it became his nickname for her.

In the beginning he used it sparsely; just once in a while. Then he started using it more often and with more and more fondness. And then it became a regular thing. It was rather odd at first, she wouldnt lie. It took her while to get used to it but then gradually it stopped bothering her.

But she would still be lying if she said it didn't intrigue her. Like usually people called their partners by nicknames like 'babe', 'baby', 'honey'. Even 'darling' and 'sweetheart' even though they're corny as hell, but she had never heard anybody else call their girlfriends or boyfriends by something like 'caramello'. There was probably nothing to it, nothing to think so much about; it was nickname after all. It was peculiar is all.

They were lying on her bed now as her head was reeling with these questions.

"Penny for thoughts?" Parth quipped ending her reverie.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked biting her lip.

"Go on" he said.

"Why do you call me caramello? Is it just like that or is there something deeper?" She asked feeling a bit awkward suddenly.

Parth didn't say anything for a few minutes and the silence was defeaning.

"There is something" he said shaking his head a bit. There was a pensive expression on his face for a second and then it was gone.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to" Niti rushed to clarify.

"No it's fine. Besides if I call you that, I owe it to you" he said sqeezing it. "I was obssessed with caramel as a child. It was something that gave my mother nightmares, bad teeth and all that, but my aunt loved it. She used to call me 'caramello' and feed me sweet treats all the time  I was her favourite person and she was mine in the entire extended family. I couldn't bear to be at a family gathering if she weren't coming" he chuckled but there was a pained expression on his face.

"Then she passed away... It was hit and run" he said his voice cracking. "I was ten maybe and it was difficult and so I took it it out on things that were connected to her, that summoned her up in my mind. From then on I didn't touch caramel. Reminded me of her too much I guess, but as a child I just thought I hated it. And as I kept growing, so did the hate."

"Then you came along. A while later I realised caramel had found a new meaning in my life; it had started reminding me of you, even though you're not a big fan yourself as you admitted when I offered you the popcorn the other day" he said reminding her. "I don't know what it was? The colour of your skin or these highlights in your hair" she said brushing a stray lock off her forehead. "And it suddenly wasn't so bad anymore, I figured I didn't detest it any longer. It was over a period, took some time to shed off the weary feeling it brought, but then gradually I started getting my caramel drinks like I used to and those salted caramel pies I loved as a child... the childhood love was back and it was like I owed it to you, in a way."

"That's it. That day at the fair it just came out of nowhere. I didn't think too much, just said it" he shrugged. "That nickname was special to me" he said eyeing her intently "and you are special to me. It sort of fit."

Niti let that sink in, then a smile spread in her face.

"Thank you" she said picking up and kissing his hand.

"I should be thanking you-"

"No silly. Thank you for giving the name, I know how much it means to you."

"You mean just as much caramello."