100 days

Inspired by Sindhu's post.
And a very Special thanks to the Magical Sculptor Harish who took all the pains to chisel and sculpt the crude plot into my dream story!

Today at 5 PM

It is always confusing. They tell you a thousand times that this is going to happen and still you get confused. Priya's personal favorite color was peacock blue but the color of saree chosen for today's occasion was bottle green. She was wearing a golden necklace, a diamond nose ring and ear ring, golden bangles and silver anklets. In a way she looked like a model posing for a jewelery shop in T Nagar. It was just luck enough that they chose to leave her alone. She contemplated changing saree at the last moment but was not sure if her mom would be pissed off at that. What the heck? She decided that whatever happens she would follow her heart. Suddenly she wondered and realized what had happened when she had take the same decision a few months before.

100 Days before in her house

Her mother was running from pillar to post while Priya appeared least bothered. If a stranger were to enter the house at this moment he could mistake Priya's mom to be the girl-ready-for-marriage. No No. Nobody is complementing her looks. It is just that she appeared all charged up for the occasion than Priya herself. Priya didnt like that guy when she saw the photo and when she saw him in person she was more determined. His name was Vijay. He was needlessly 2 inches tall, 3 kilos underweight, a little bit tanner, had a lame smile, wore a badly matched up shirt-pant combination, had less hair and wore Bata slippers. Wrong Wrong. Everything was wrong. He was nothing closer to what she had imagined her dream prince charming would be. She would not even chose to be in the same room with him, asking for the whole life was goddamn outrageous. She was determined to tell her parents to reject it.

78 Days before in a Supermarket

"You should not buy that shampoo" he said to her.
She was holding a famous shampoo bottle and had almost decided to buy it. She turned when she heard Vijay spoke these words to her. A week before her parents put forward some lame excuse to Vijay's parents even though they said that their son was willing to marry Priya. She had not expected him to talk to her.
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because you have curly hair. This shampoo is for straight hair and it may damage your curls. I know it because I am the sales Manager for this brand" He said it and handed her another bottle. She looked animatedly at him and smiled.
"Well I am not forcing you. Unless you want to look like Lisa Ray in Water you are welcome to try it."
She smiled at his comment, thanked him and billed the shampoo at the counter.

53 Days before at a Friends Engagement Party

"Never seen blue color that much beautiful as today." Vijay said as he brought her the juice from the tray. She blushed and smiled sheepishly. She didnt know why but she felt butterflies in her stomach when she saw him today. Maybe it was his simple sense of humor, flattery, warmth in his eyes, the friendly smile...maybe all of these. She wanted to talk to him and tell him how much sorry she was for what had happened the other day at her house. She waited for the exact moment.
He came near her and said "By the way...I forgot to tell you. I am getting engaged after 10 days. I would appreciate it if you could be there."
She felt the world crawl beneath her feet. It felt like a dagger pierced through her heart. Involuntarily she heard herself saying "I too am getting engaged a month later. He is really charming and sweet."
He was not sure if her moist eyes meant happiness, sorrow or jealousy.

29 days before at Landmark

Weekend was the worse time to shop at Landmark. But then who has the time and patience to shop for a book on a weekday. She had browsed through the entire bookshelf but had failed to find that book. She was determined to find it and pick it up today come what may. Frustrated after 15 minutes she walked to the counter and was asking the fella over there for the book when he told "Sorry madam. There was one last copy in stock and this gentlemen just got it."
He pointed to Vijay who got the book in a cover and had just received the bill. She was not prepared to react. Should she smile, blush, frown or cry? He smiled back in return. She was not sure what that smile meant.

Today at 5.15 PM

He touched her shoulders from behind and she almost shrieked. It was unexpected. She was not prepared to react today just as she didn't 29 days before when he told her that they had called off his engagement due to his unwillingness. He had told her then "It was always you on my mind and it was hard for me to fit anyone else." She cried her heart out and they decided to be together forever. Today here he was 100 days later appearing perfectly tall, slim, charming, wonderfully dressed...and all hers.

She asked "What are you doing here?"

He took a parcel from behind which was gift wrapped and handed it over to her. Eagerly but patiently she opened the gift-wrap and saw the book inside. It was Men are from Mars Women are from Venus that she was searching that day in Landmark. Inside was a note which said

"To...

The only woman I loved on earth.

- Love

Vijay"


This time he knew what her tears meant.