Love at Fist Sight

"You're late." 
"I know. Ooh! Who's she?" Devak pointed towards the girl on stage.
"If you were a bit more regular to the classes, you would have known." Sonal reprimanded.
"Yeah, yeah! Now tell me who she is. Gorgeous isn't she?"
"Of course she is. She is Satwika. She joined the college a bit late. Ain't she an amazing dancer?"
Satwika. He was smitten. Instantaneously. Even from a distance he could see her clearly and he obviously liked what he saw.
The dance finished and the audience applauded. There were loud cheers and hootings. 
"And the title of Miss Fresher goes to Satwika Khanna."
All this time his eyes were searching for her but she was no where to be found. A lot of people had come to talk to him but he hardly noticed. His eyes were searching for the one girl who probably had his heart now. As she climbed the stairs of the stage, he looked at her with mesmerized eyes. His eyes followed her actions. He was bowled over. He pushed and nudged his way to the front and stood there just a few feet away from her. She was short and petite and absolutely gorgeous. Her eyes arrested him. Big, bright and expressive lined with kohl. She had the cutest nose in the world and the most dazzling smile he had ever seen. She wore the pink dress she wore for the dance and she looked all feminine and delicate. Holding a bouquet of lilies and daisies and roses, smiling that dazzling smile for the camera and beaming for her friends, she looked surreal. She had long hair tied in plaits and a stray of hair was constantly troubling her left eye. He had never believed in love at first sight, until now. He felt restless and stared at her. Suddenly, as if feeling his eyes on her, she looked down at him from the podium. For a moment, her eyes were fixed at him. She felt as if she was in a trance, then slowly she looked away from him. 
She vanished and he feared that she had left when he saw her. She was there, with her friends laughing at something, holding her bouquet. Her eyes were twinkling and her cheeks were flushed. She had changed into a black and white knee-length wrap-around. Her hair was open and he noticed they were shorter. She looked so cute, his heart melted and his feet carried him to her. 
"There you are. Where did you vanish? I've been looking for you." Diksha asked him as he came nearer. 
"I, umm..., I was just talking to a few seniors." he replied, his eyes never leaving hers.
"Anyway, meet Miss Fresher, the chhota packet, bada dhamaka. Our very own Satvika Khanna." she said animatedly.
"Did you by any chance cut your hair?" he asked genuinely intrigued and everyone burst out laughing.
"It was a wig, silly. I was wearing it for the dance." she smiled.
For a while, they just looked at each other. 
"I've never seen you in the college." 
"I've not been to the college a lot, lately. I heard you joined the college a little late."
"Yes, I did." she said matter-of-factly.
Not-so-surprisingly Devak became a regular. They came closer to each other. Numbers were exchanged. They sat next to each other during the lectures and were very close but they were not going out. They were not dating each other. He never brought up the topic and neither did she. He was not sure of her feelings and she wasn't sure of his. 
It was  the last paper of the end-semester and they were revising on the phone.
"Enough! No more of these charters and policies please. 1686 and 1726. Uf..!" Satvika cried in frustration.
She was frustrated, more because Devak had still not asked her for a date. It had been almost a year. The first year was at its end and he still hadn't asked her out. This was getting on her nerves. She had gone on a date with Rohan, the CR of their class but it didn't seem to affect Devak.
"Satwika?"
"What?" 
"I was just wondering if you could come with me to Archies tomorrow after the paper. I have some work and then we can go for lunch or something." he said.
"Who all are coming?" she asked expecting a truck load of names but he kept silent. She checked the phone to see if he had disconnected but he was there.
"Hello?" she said.
"Err.. No one else. Just you and me." he said sounding a bit nervous.
"Are you asking me for a date?" her voice deadpan but inside she was bubbling with excitement and happiness. 
"Yeah, kind of." his voice skeptic.
"You're such a moron. I thought you'd never ask me." she said happily.
"So is that a yes?"
"No. I didn't say yes. I will think about it." she said seriously.
"Umm.. think about it?" 
"Yes. Now back to the plan of 1772." she said, inwardly giggling.
After a few minutes of discussing various plans Devak said, "I think we should get some sleep. It's almost four."
"Yeah, you're right." she replied stifling a yawn.
"Good Night." he said.
"Good Night."
But none of them disconnected. 
"Umm.. Satwika?"
"Yes, Devak?" 
"I am waiting for an answer."
"Oh! I thought you had forgotten about it." 
"I didn't."
"I will."
"What?" his reaction made her laugh.
"I'll come with you tomorrow." 






A happy beginning!