He got into the lift just as she was about to close the door.
She had thought about this moment several times in the past month, but fortunately or unfortunately, it had never occurred before today.
She had moved into the massive corporate complex at HWG Corp and she knew that sooner or later they would bump into each other. Her ex had been with the same company for the last 7 years and she knew he worked at the same site as the one she had been posted to.
They looked at each other for a brief second and then looked away. Neither knew what to say or think. Having dated for 5 years, they definitely had "something" between them and ignoring was way too rude. Yet, now that they were both married, too much conversation was inappropriate. Civil was the way to go.
"Hi", he said shyly, before she could say anything. She recalled that he had always been shy and polite. Even when he was wooing her, she had not figured it out until well over 5 months later.
"Hey, how are you?", she replied. She really wanted to know, they hadn't spoken in ages...
"Good. And how is married life?"
He knew she was married. Hmm. Did that mean anything? She decided not to think about that too much.
"Great."
He keeps telling me he loves me, but I don't feel very loved most of the times... is what she actually wanted to say. But then, everyone knew that these conversation starters were not meant to be taken literally. "Good" and "great" were the only responses one was looking for when they enquired.
She looked at him carefully, taking care not to stare. He was wearing a checked shirt of his favorite color blue. His face looked chubbier than before, but everything else looked the same - his big sparkling eyes, his upturned nose, his wide smile and hesitant body language...
"So, how's work?" She asked him casually.
"Good. Are you still with Global Wiz?"
"No, I have joined HWG. It's been a month."
"That's great. You will like it here."
"I hope so. Thanks!"
Such inane chats were never her forte. Nor his. They had long conversations earlier where he told her about the world she knew nothing about - business, economy, GK, and the like. And she told him about nightlife, latest trends, astrology and gaming. Soon their conversations dwindled. While he pampered her and loved her more than his life, she realised there was a generation gap between them that they would never be able to bridge. When she had expressed a desire to move on with their lives separately, he had lashed out and pleaded in turns. But just as destiny had brought them together without warning, it flung them apart in a jiffy. He had gone on to get married to a girl within his caste. She had found her heart and soul in a guy that she had recently got hitched to.
As this history flashed in her mind, she noticed that the floors weren't changing. The lift was stuck! A complex like HWG and a power cut? No way!!
He pressed the alarm button calmly and smiled at her to reassure her. A bell rang to signal that there were people in distress.
Some things never change - he was still as gracious and responsible as always.
The light came back on and the lift started moving. What the hell was she thinking? This wasn't a movie where stalled lifts gave way to romantic encounters and out of the blue realizations about hidden emotions.
Her floor arrived. She got off gingerly and looked back to say bye. He was already looking at his mobile and just as he was about to dial a number, he looked up and saw the doors closing.
Sometimes, its better not to say bye. Who knows when we will meet again....
She had thought about this moment several times in the past month, but fortunately or unfortunately, it had never occurred before today.
She had moved into the massive corporate complex at HWG Corp and she knew that sooner or later they would bump into each other. Her ex had been with the same company for the last 7 years and she knew he worked at the same site as the one she had been posted to.
They looked at each other for a brief second and then looked away. Neither knew what to say or think. Having dated for 5 years, they definitely had "something" between them and ignoring was way too rude. Yet, now that they were both married, too much conversation was inappropriate. Civil was the way to go.
"Hi", he said shyly, before she could say anything. She recalled that he had always been shy and polite. Even when he was wooing her, she had not figured it out until well over 5 months later.
"Hey, how are you?", she replied. She really wanted to know, they hadn't spoken in ages...
"Good. And how is married life?"
He knew she was married. Hmm. Did that mean anything? She decided not to think about that too much.
"Great."
He keeps telling me he loves me, but I don't feel very loved most of the times... is what she actually wanted to say. But then, everyone knew that these conversation starters were not meant to be taken literally. "Good" and "great" were the only responses one was looking for when they enquired.
She looked at him carefully, taking care not to stare. He was wearing a checked shirt of his favorite color blue. His face looked chubbier than before, but everything else looked the same - his big sparkling eyes, his upturned nose, his wide smile and hesitant body language...
"So, how's work?" She asked him casually.
"Good. Are you still with Global Wiz?"
"No, I have joined HWG. It's been a month."
"That's great. You will like it here."
"I hope so. Thanks!"
Such inane chats were never her forte. Nor his. They had long conversations earlier where he told her about the world she knew nothing about - business, economy, GK, and the like. And she told him about nightlife, latest trends, astrology and gaming. Soon their conversations dwindled. While he pampered her and loved her more than his life, she realised there was a generation gap between them that they would never be able to bridge. When she had expressed a desire to move on with their lives separately, he had lashed out and pleaded in turns. But just as destiny had brought them together without warning, it flung them apart in a jiffy. He had gone on to get married to a girl within his caste. She had found her heart and soul in a guy that she had recently got hitched to.
As this history flashed in her mind, she noticed that the floors weren't changing. The lift was stuck! A complex like HWG and a power cut? No way!!
He pressed the alarm button calmly and smiled at her to reassure her. A bell rang to signal that there were people in distress.
Some things never change - he was still as gracious and responsible as always.
The light came back on and the lift started moving. What the hell was she thinking? This wasn't a movie where stalled lifts gave way to romantic encounters and out of the blue realizations about hidden emotions.
Her floor arrived. She got off gingerly and looked back to say bye. He was already looking at his mobile and just as he was about to dial a number, he looked up and saw the doors closing.
Sometimes, its better not to say bye. Who knows when we will meet again....
- Princess
1 comment:
Beautiful story and it keeps the viewer hooked. I love the concept.
Cheers
Vishal
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