Popcorn

3. Mr Fireball!

Muscat

After watching two action flicks and a peaceful sleep in her nine hour flight, Aditi landed with a grumbling stomach at Muscat airport. Getting herself her favorite cotton candy ice cream, she searched for an empty table in the fully- filled dine area. Her eyes landed on a table with a man sitting on it having his back facing towards her. Aditi approached the young man who was swiftly typing on his laptop .

"Excuse me, can I sit here?"

The black almond eyes moved his gaze from the laptop screen. Giving her a curt nod, he immediately switched his attention to his laptop.

"Thanks." Aditi whispered and made herself comfortable on the chair opposite to him and began savouring her ice cream. The sudden halt of the mechanical clattering of keys from the keypad captured Aditi's attention. Drifting her focus from her ice cream, she rested it on the man in front of her.

Brows furrowed together, deep black eyes darted to the screen, a finger tracing the mouth of his once hot cup of coffee and his other free hand resting on his pursed lips, he tried cracking the code in his mind. She found a replica of her actions in the black polo shirt man but unlike her soft and calm demeanor, he emanated confidence and dynamism which made a tad bit of her feel both intimidated and powerful. And that made her to linger her gaze on him for more than five seconds.

If she hadn't been observant, she would have missed the smile that graced his stoic face for a moment as he resumed typing on his laptop vigorously. The same enthusiasm which she found in herself whenever she got hold of her code reflected in his eyes.

"Mr Fireball!!" Aditi mumbled under her breath. He raised his eyes from the screen, for a second she feared whether she was audible to him but when she saw him sipping his latte, she released the breath she held onto. Mentally scolding herself for gazing at a random stranger which was quite an unlike act from her side, she glued her attention to her melting ice cream. Soon a little kid with a dejected face sat next to Aditi with a chocolate bar.

"Hey champ! Why are you dull?" Aditi asked the little boy.

"My sister is angry with me." The kid complained sulking.

"Oh, but why?" Aditi questioned.

"She feels that I do not love her anymore as I spend more time with my friends."

At that instance, Aditi felt Mr Fireball's eyes on them.

"You love your sister, right?"

"Yes, I love her a lot." The boy moved his fingers in air to show how much he loved her.

"Then go and tell her that you love her so much and no one can take her place in your heart." Aditi assured the kid ruffling his hair who gave her a broad smile back. From her peripheral vision, she saw a small smile creeping on the lips of Mr Fireball. He stood up shutting his laptop and placing it in his bag, he strode to the boarding gate for his flight to Delhi with a new found determination.

******

Pune

As the car strolled through the streets of Pune, Aditi's smile kept amplifying as she looked at the tightly packed buses, freely moving cows on the roads and the commotion in the crowded vegetable stalls. It felt good to be back home after two long years. The black and yellow painted taxi passed through the huge gate after getting permission from the security and halted before a sandalwood mansion. Paying the taxi driver, Aditi stood with her luggage in front of the door ringing the bell.