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. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZrTBzqnqO
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.”143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqoCeYSI2B
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!”143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDg24OETOAu
Rohit smiled and exclaimed with a sudden feeling of joy, “Natasha! Is that you?"143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKKLwvooSy
“Yes, it's been so long.”143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWltl0uX7J
“It's raining. Come, sit inside the car. I will drop you,” Rohit said with some shyness.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vIizlS3CQ
“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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDDf2BN86P
“Don’t be stupid. Come inside. I will drop you,” Rohit insisted.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3O1ptUyYaD
“Thank you," she said while she sat on the seat. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHt4tm6iDr7
“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. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnuezhRpjp
“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. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmQ47ixcRy
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. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKWEjok20t
“Don't worry, I will drop you in front of the college and you can use my umbrella,” Rohit said in an assertive tone.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxdLQAPHbf
“Thank you, Rohit. You're still the same old Rohit who used to care and help everyone,” Natasha chuckled.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQqf57CKin
“Only I cared,” Rohit murmured.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKxPHX1xv0
“Did you say anything?” Natasha asked. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2ZuLMvB8N
“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.”143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1tjFpuVAtd
“I don't remember. You still remember?” she said with a mysterious look on her face.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqpjFqwxk00
“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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmWEDQeVzn
Natasha chuckled.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhMtdKUkyq
“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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Lx2ySmVoE
Natasha looked at Rohit in confusion, “Is everything alright?”143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCPrW1de3v
“I am curious to know if you remember anything about the time we spent in school?” he asked in a melancholic tone.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlF8gFQ9MqN
Natasha did not say anything. Rohit felt a heaviness in his heart. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYdqKPd9Hw
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.”143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLc5PwMwGBL
“Sure, What do you want to ask?” she said curiously raising her eyebrows. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUpfzR3mw4
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.”143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJaor9Bw5u
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.”143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Xrt94oLh5
“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. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3QGK8BMmP
“There is nothing special in this. I am as friendly with others as I was with you,” she said, raising her eyebrows in assertiveness. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMC7trplTBO
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?”143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvzMa0i0FJ
“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. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYzahYZogd
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. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjF6Kfe6NLb
“You are right. There was nothing special in that.” Rohit said in a low voice.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuqZqb4ba8
“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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyU1J1hurRF
“But then?” Rohit asked curiously. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1EhZ3nfrOu
“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. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZf823T7e8q
“What do you mean by ‘It was not to be’ ?” Rohit asked with a heaviness in his voice. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTy1praZAey
“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. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0EG7txxU9i
Meanwhile, they reached Natasha's college. Natasha stood up and started walking out of the car, “Won't you come with me?”143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkV44ccEW0
Before Rohit could reply, he got a call, “Yes sir. I am on the way. I will be reaching the office soon.” 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1rsOA7V7f
Natasha out of the car with the umbrella. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVP2haNJhnF
“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. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡae2rcsu5C9
“Bye, Natasha,” Rohit said with a heaviness in his voice. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2EB8BBwlv
Rohit continued to look at Natasha, who gradually got farther and ultimately disappeared.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiBKasqjOp
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. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19R7xnDmew
“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. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIz9ytzJN40
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. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4n9r2x5pe
“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. 143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpbIEQKX0G
The rain poured down on him, soaking his clothes and hair. He stood there, umbrella-less, feeling the raindrops mix with his tears.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZzj6xjUK0
Just as he was starting to walk away, his phone rang again.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZTw8nQKaq
"Hello?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper, “Yes, Peter. I won't be coming to the office today.”143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CXtsYi73w
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.143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoZas8Pl3x
