Smile

 

"A smile is a curve that sets everything straight. - Phyllis Diller"

 

What???!!!! what did you just say?? She shouted at him, and he very calmly replied with a smile "That I Love You and want to spend the rest of my life with you".

 

"You love me, you love me", She was furious at his casual declaration as if it is not a big issue.

 

"Listen Gaurav, enough of this, I know this is a prank you are playing, I mean, you seriously cant believe that I will fall for this love trap, I mean how much do you even know me to declare your love, huh"

 

He looked into her eyes and replied "Aditi, I know your smile, I have no use of facts" and touched her cheek with his thumb and left her wondering.

 

Her mind started to work with full force now, breaking down all this words, searching for a trap, a joke, a laugh. When she couldnt find any she wondered, "He knows my smile.... what did he even mean by that??" She shaked her head trying to clear her mind "This is rubbish, he is just playing tricks with me".

 

When she reached home, finished dinner and laid down on her soft bed, somehow the bed didnt feel soft, the night was not quiet and she couldnt sleep. The scene with Gaurav kept repeating itself, his words, his expressions. Aditi got up and walked to her window, watching the silent rain, thinking "Did he really mean that, I mean why would anybody proclaim such huge commintment as a joke" She rubbed her arms, trying to warm herself, and placed her forehead on the cold window pane, trying to absorb the coolness, She was confused as to her feelings. 

 

"He is a good guy, well educated, good position, most of all he is very caring and he makes me smile", a small smile tugged at her lips. "But he never showed any preferance to me, or maybe he did and I didnt notice". She returned to her bed and settled under the covers. "What if he really loves me, do I like him in that way??" This question looming over head, Aditi slipped into a fitful sleep.

 

She got up early in the morning and got ready to reach office as soon as possible. She practically ran into her office and giave it a once over searching for Gaurav and when she was sure that he has not showed up yet, she settled down in her space.

 

The clock that day was especially slow for Aditi, as if the clock was killing her minute by minute. The clock striked 10 and slowly her colleagues started to trickle into the office and still no sign of Gaurav. She got impatient, tired of waiting. And finally by the time he turned up at 11a.m., Aditi was fuming with anger. 

 

As soon as Gaurav sat down in his chair and looked up, there he saw Aditi all red with anger, and with clenched teeth and very sarcastic smile she said "Gaurav, when you get free time, please meet me for coffee. I have something important to talk with you"

 

Gaurav just nodded and turned back to his work. A fuming Aditi stomped her way back to her cabin. And when by evening also Gaurav doesnt call upon her, she was literally purple with rage.

 

As the day ended and office started to empty, and other than Aditi and Gaurav only one or two of the employees were left, Gaurav came to her cabin and asked her to leave office with him with a suggestion that they have coffee on the way home.

 

Even though she was furious, she knew she had to talk with him, she gathered her things and left with him. They find a Cafe Coffee Day and occupy an end table, away from the hustle bustle of the cafe.

 

Gaurav ordered their coffees, and turned to her asking "So Aditi, you wanted to talk something with me?"

 

She was still very angry, she blurted out "Why did you wait till evening to talk with me, you knew what am I going to talk about isnt it?? I dont know why did I even think you were serious even for one moment"

  

Gaurav just smiled and explained "Calm down Aditi, I had a meeting with my senior manager today morning, as you noticed I arrived late because of that. They are considering to send me overseas for  a job. I was just fulfilling the formalities, which I had to send out today, thats is the reason I couldnt talk with you. This doesnt mean you are not important"

She was shocked hearing this piece of news "You are going out of India?? Then what was all that, which you told me yesterday.. Didnt it mean anything"

 

He looked at her with all the patience in his eyes "Aditi, that was the reason I proposed you yesterday, or else even am not so unromantic that I will propose you without wooing you first, I will be gone for a long time and I didnt want to lose you, I had to take a chance....So did you think about it ??"

 

She saw the eagerness in his eyes, but she needed the answer beforing offering her heart to him "Gaurav you said you know my smile and thats why you dont need any facts to love me.. What did you mean by that?? I need to know the real answer to decide"

 

He let out a sigh of relief, and smiled fondly at her and held her small hands in his hands, covering it up fully "Honey, that is the most easiest question you could have asked, when I said I know your smile, I meant every word, I know when your smile reaches your eyes, I know when you are smiling for formality, the smile when you dont want to shed those tears, the smile to pacify someone, the smile of understanding, the smile of caring, and that cute little smile when you are up to some mischief, is this enough or you want me to explain more"

 

Aditi just looked at him, and saw all the love of the world in his eyes, and for the first time felt that somebody really understands her as her and wondered how simply he explained it.

 

Gaurav searched her face for an answer, Aditi lowered her eyes, and slowly a smile curved her lips. Recognising the shyness in it, he lifted her hand saying "You made me most luckiest man on earth, sweetheart" and kissed it.