***

It was a sultry Friday afternoon. Avani noticed the google talk clock turning from orange to green, meaning Aaditya had just come online.

 

‘I’m so sleepy,’ Avani said.

‘Keeping you up all night, am I?’

‘Yeah, right. In your dreams. You know, I have never seen people as ebullient as you -with so many diverse tastes in life.’

‘I have had strong influences, princess.’

‘Last night I was thinking about messaging you. To say something.. or say nothing. But then I had an epiphany. About things that people often tell me, how I am a strong, independent girl. Do you think so too?’

‘Well, right they are and I agree. Would you like a cup of coffee? I am going to get one.’

‘No thanks, I'm a tea person. And I’d rather not be awake when I’m trying to sleep.’

‘Being sarcastic today, eh?’

‘I am perfect. So it comes naturally. Simple. ’

‘And by the way, you look so pretty in that saree pic of yours uploaded on facebook. Something I tell myself often – The Naris look very pyari in a saree. But I digress. Off to grab a cup, ciao, now’

‘So, what do you think?’ Aaditya asked when he came back.

‘About what?’

‘About being the figment of somebody else’s imagination. About being able to bottle up the sky. About being able to ride on a dolphin’s back. About watching the stars and the full moon and the brilliant white ocean. And things like that’

'Later, alligator.' 

Well she must have been really sleepy because she could tell him what she thought about these things. Avani always had her own unique opinions. She was sure of everything. Aaditya loved listening to her as much as he liked talking to her.

‘Listen. I wish we could spend some real time together. Do you want to swing by this weekend, maybe we could go to Port Blair and be back in a couple of days.’

She must’ve blinked her eye or she must’ve imagined how such an insane idea could ever be possibly true. Aaditya couldn’t be sure. But he was hoping she didn’t.

‘Like a date?’ she said.

‘Yea, call that, if you want to. I hear we could even scuba dive at this time of the year. It should be a blast.’

‘Who’s going?’

‘Err, me..?’

‘I don’t think so, then. My parents! What will I tell them? I have never done anything like this.’

‘Neither have I. And, hey, great. Bring them along too, if you want.’

She wondered if she had read him right. ‘Shut up. They won’t come. They won’t allow me to go either. Are you MAD?’

‘I don’t know. I look at it like this. If you’ve got nothing else to do this weekend, come on over.’

‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I have to be at work on Monday. I have the dance classes over the weekend. You know how it is.’

‘But it will be so much fun, I assure you.’

‘It’s not allowed. And it will not be approved.’

‘But I really thought you could come by. Have you ever been scuba diving?’

‘No. But that’s not the point.’

‘You think people will talk if you came over?’

‘Exactly. I don’t care that people would talk, but these are things you don’t understand.’

‘I’ll tell you what. You’re welcome to come if you’d like. All you need to pack is a bathing suit. Clothes are optional.’

She knew she should have said no. But she swallowed through the sudden dryness in her throat.

‘Maybe I will’ she replied back.

WHAT ON EARTH just happened?

That pretty much summed up Avani’s mental state for the rest of the afternoon. She felt only partly-present at work. Another part of her was back on the conversation she had had with Aaditya. Even after she left from work, she was wondering if Aaditya had actually been flirting with her all day today and whether maybe, just maybe, she had sort of liked it. 

Of course she liked it, she decided. She herself was of the opinion that one should flirt with EVERYONE. She eyed the flight ticket that she had booked for herself for the night plane into Andaman via Chennai. She didn’t know just why she had done it, but she was sure it was going to be an interesting weekend. The risks were worth it, her rational head figured. 

She went home; she packed her bags and left without informing anybody so that she wouldn’t have to lie, at least, not yet. He said he would come pick her up at the government airport.

He did.