Barista

Posting on behalf of Cho... 

A true story.... :) Finally found time to actually pen it down... :)

It had been 6 months of chatting and finally I was going to meet her. We had seen each other on the webcam but this was first time I would see her lips move while she spoke to me. I would hear her voice and seen her animate gestures. We had planned to meet at 4.30 at a Barista. She called me up at 3 o'clock and said she was just confirming the time and place. I remember thinking silently that it was very sweet of her to do so.

Then I got ready. Not too much of cologne. She had once said to me that she hated strong smells, even fragrances. I chuckled to myself. I felt like a teenager. Thats what she made me feel. Made me forget the worries of work, the family issues. Everything. She made me laugh. Yet she was the one who I would talk to if there was a problem. 

I was in London when we first started chatting. Then 2 months later, the exchange of phone numbers happened. I still remember the first day I heard her voice. I had called her when she was in college. She couldnt control her excitement but had to keep her voice low.

Then, the 26th Nov attacks happened. I knew her college was in the same area. Though, it was late at night when the attacks happened, I couldnt help feeling like my stomach has sunk into a bottomless pit. I kept calling her. After nearly 3 hrs, I got through. It was 2am there and she was weeping. Just the magnitude of it had hit her. Her child-like heart made me melt. 

Now, I was finally going to meet her. All these memories of our firsts came into my mind. Today, there would be another first. The first time I would see her face to face. 

My phone rang. It was her message. It read " Sorry.. Driving down. Car broke down.. On my way. 15 mins..pakka. Mwah! "

Somehow that message too had a ring of her voice. Her crazy style. Another message, "Parking..On my way.. Heart beating fast."

I smiled. 

I then saw her.....