It was a Monday morning and it wasdrizzling outside. People were leaving for their work. Some were in their cars while others were waiting for the bus at the bus stand. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnqkk2Q7jv
Rohit, a decent-looking, corporate worker, left for his office. He drove the car and looked around when a sudden glimpse of a girl made him stop his car. He looked at the girl in the mist and thought, “She seems to be her.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtfkp4deXV
He was still stuck in his thoughts when the girl looked at him and both had eye contact. The girl looked carefully at Rohit, who was sitting in the car. Rohit moved his eyes and started looking around, pretending he was not looking at her. His heart dropped when he saw the girl approaching his car. The visibility was improving as she was heading closer. The girl reached near the car, looked inside and smiled, “Rohit! What a pleasant surprise!”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZqL1SVnmx
Rohit smiled and exclaimed with a sudden feeling of joy, “Natasha! Is that you?"144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQICB0e9BS
“Yes, it's been so long.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9h3stGLwx
“It's raining. Come, sit inside the car. I will drop you,” Rohit said with some shyness.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvFRoLJIYP
“I don't want to be a burden on you. I will take the bus. I was going to college to get my degree,” Natasha said in a low voice.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLVhaan9JY
“Don’t be stupid. Come inside. I will drop you,” Rohit insisted.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Y8Xi82S6Z
“Thank you," she said while she sat on the seat. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfCKpAWT2Z
“It's been a long time since we have talked. Four years? What are you doing these days?” Rohit asked, slowly moving the car forward. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9UmZdq4O5
“Yes, it’s been long. I am preparing for government exams. It's such a headache. It is not easy to crack the exam with so much competition,” she replied in a low voice. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJEzLpWhMS
The drizzling was now a full-fledged rain. Natasha looked out of the window, “It has started raining fast. I haven't got any umbrella,” she said with a tense look on her face. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2S1T8munD
“Don't worry, I will drop you in front of the college and you can use my umbrella,” Rohit said in an assertive tone.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKK7QY7cVO0
“Thank you, Rohit. You're still the same old Rohit who used to care and help everyone,” Natasha chuckled.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDl5uiC5cm
“Only I cared,” Rohit murmured.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvryQFNb8XW
“Did you say anything?” Natasha asked. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfC8hMf9hVG
“Nothing,” Rohit said with a grin on his face, “Do you remember the first time we talked in school? You texted me, replying to some social media status of mine.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrjykKn7OL
“I don't remember. You still remember?” she said with a mysterious look on her face.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03JzfF0pdI
“Yes, I remember the exact words of that text. My face lit up when I saw your text as if I wanted to talk to you for ages and didn't know it myself,” he said with a nostalgic tone in his voice.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnJhqEOhnH
Natasha chuckled.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1dyD3t9m2
“How much I wanted you to be a part of my life, how much I wanted you to look at me the way I look at you. But some things are always out of your control,” Rohit murmured.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUZUeeXO2l
Natasha looked at Rohit in confusion, “Is everything alright?”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3OiKx7uhEi
“I am curious to know if you remember anything about the time we spent in school?” he asked in a melancholic tone.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZuZAOetzt
Natasha did not say anything. Rohit felt a heaviness in his heart. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF67etbBygZ
They both did not speak for the next ten minutes. Rohit broke the silence, “I want to ask you something. It has been inside me for many years.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpjZoGQRuX
“Sure, What do you want to ask?” she said curiously raising her eyebrows. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrD9GEVhwe
Rohit took a deep breath and said in a single breath, “Did you have anything for me at that time? I mean your texts were as if you had something for me.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQAAMSAs5a
Natasha processed what just happened. After a few seconds, she said, “I..….. I don't know. You were an interesting guy in the school days, so focused on the work, and being reserved with yourself. Anyone would have been curious to text you.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14ljZTUE2b
“There were many girls in the class and only you texted me and I already had a huge respect for you. It felt like I was on cloud nine. And you said that anyone would have been curious to text me. Not everyone is kind enough to text first. Not everyone is like you,” Rohit said in a soft tone. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgMJW9lURT
“There is nothing special in this. I am as friendly with others as I was with you,” she said, raising her eyebrows in assertiveness. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzEtYY2QYP
The rain continued and Rohit looked into Natasha's eyes and asked with an emotional tone in his voice, “So, those few days when we had long conversations and exchanged texts were nothing?”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvkbL0XuIZ
“I can't even understand how you took a few days of texts so seriously. Those were just out of curiosity. I never had the opportunity to talk to you much while in school as you were very reserved and confined to yourself. So I just texted out of curiosity. I generally like talking to new people and making new friends. That's it. What is so special in that?” she replied snarkily. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtjINFG4Yv
Rohit's hand started trembling, “I used to get up every morning with so much excitement. Your ‘Good morning’ texts would make my day. I used to leave all my college assignments undone just to talk to you. I forgot about my career plans while talking to you about yours. I used to be available for you all day. I remember once I skipped my lunch just because you were calling for some college assignment. I never felt so attached to any other girl in my life and you are saying what is so special in that? Everything about you is more than special for me,” he brooded over in his mind while looking at her. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwshAomWRJC
“You are right. There was nothing special in that.” Rohit said in a low voice.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwMYyFZTwK
“Rohit, don't overthink anything. Being so emotional is not good,” Natasha said in a soft tone, “See, I was curious to know more about you, talk to you. But then…., “she paused with a mysterious look on her face.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGNHzeINlV
“But then?” Rohit asked curiously. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTlAzzSYPv
“But then I got to know about your choices, your nature. How much I wanted you to be the guy I was looking for. But it was not to be,” she thought. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknQtTQ4H8Q
“What do you mean by ‘It was not to be’ ?” Rohit asked with a heaviness in his voice. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpBQYD1oLa
“I mean I got stuck in my career plans. I simply didn't have the time to talk to you. I wanted to. But it wasn't to be,” she said in a soft tone. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDXs0fGDvU
Meanwhile, they reached Natasha's college. Natasha stood up and started walking out of the car, “Won't you come with me?”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAMXqe0to5
Before Rohit could reply, he got a call, “Yes sir. I am on the way. I will be reaching the office soon.” 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6R1e5zAvm8
Natasha out of the car with the umbrella. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo29VPKBxyX
“Seems you are getting late for the office. Bye, Rohit. See you.” Natasha said while opening the umbrella and walking towards the main gate of the college. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYR8HcnQfZ
“Bye, Natasha,” Rohit said with a heaviness in his voice. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfK4lcfl7I
Rohit continued to look at Natasha, who gradually got farther and ultimately disappeared.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKcB6ICv8E
As he was thinking about her, his phone started ringing. He took the phone out and checked who it was. It was not Natasha's call. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YGKyhv7yg
“Why was I expecting her call? Why would she even call? Why am I thinking so much about her? I know that she considers me just her friend but even then I…..” He pondered over while the call got cut. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29xCj3HzRH
Rohit got out of his car and started remembering all the good memories of Natasha and him. His mind wandered back to the days when Natasha would be excited to talk to him. He was reminded of the days when Natasha would wake up only after texting him “Good Morning” and would sleep only after texting him “Good night” when he would wake up feeling excited to talk to her. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Qp44XHny3
“The time has changed, and so has Natasha. I wish she could be mine. I should have expressed my feelings to her on that farewell night,” He muttered to himself, in the rhythmic pattering of rain he could feel falling on him. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PAwVHBNVx
The rain poured down on him, soaking his clothes and hair. He stood there, umbrella-less, feeling the raindrops mix with his tears.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNkkr0E5IC
Just as he was starting to walk away, his phone rang again.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HLnR9vZfI
"Hello?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper, “Yes, Peter. I won't be coming to the office today.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hHCwmirz5
The rain continued to pour down upon him, but Rohit didn't move. He just stood there, alone, wondering what could have been if only Natasha had liked him back.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDt6wXJOzv0
