In a cafe

"What's wrong with you?" Kajal asked as she looked at Shiva daydreaming while chuckling like an idiot from time to time.

Umm

"What?" Shiva replied without looking at her.

Kajal looked at him and slapped him on the shoulder, "I'm asking what's going on with you? You've been like a dead person this morning and now you're practically beaming with life."

"Nothing." Shiva said and then thought of something and asked "Did I really look that bad earlier?"

"Ohhh(surprised) and when did you start paying attention to your appearance? You basically just come here every day with just washing your face." Kajal said in an amusing tone.

"Shut up." Shiva said, and asked again. "I'm serious. Was I really that bad?"

Kajal stared at his face, which was a little anxious and nervous, and furrowed her brows. "I was just joking. No need to be so down about it."

"Now tell me, what's going on in that weird brain of yours? Did you fight with your brother again?"

"No, nothing like that." Shiva shook his head hearing her question and replied. "I proposed her." Shiva said.

"Whattttt…?"

Kajal, who was drinking some juice, sprayed it out on the table when she heard his reply.

"Yuck, and you were calling me for manners." Shiva said, while handing her the tissues.

Kajal threw the tissues aside and pulled his hand. "What did you say? Maybe I didn't hear it clearly."

Shiva handed her the tissues again and said "I proposed her."

"Who?" kajal asked, as she looked at his serious face and noticed he wasn't joking.

"Her."

Kajal followed Shiva's gaze and saw Shweta standing in the line at the server's table.

"Shweta? You proposed HER." She asked again in doubt, as she couldn't believe this introverted fool, who never even took the initiative to talk to anyone upfront, actually went forward and proposed to someone.

That too, to a girl he barely met a few weeks ago.

She did notice him staring at Shweta, or when they were together, him always being absent minded, but this. This, she could never imagine.

"How? When? Why?" Kajal muttered under her breath as she pulled him closer, seeing the nearby students were looking at their table curiously.

"This morning. When we were coming to the class." Shiva told her everything as it was.

"But why? You don't even know her. Was it a dare or something like that? I'll kill you, if you started this as a joke _ " kajal asked.

"No, nothing like that. I'm serious." Shiva said, shaking his head seeing her exaggerated reaction. "I love her."

"You know how I've been these past few days. She's been roaming in my head all day long ever since I saw her. You know the moment I saw her first, my heart nearly went haywire. And then when she talked or touched or sat near us, I don't even know what's wrong with me.

So I decided to just propose to her, and now I finally feel like myself again." Shiva said with a serious expression.

Kajal looked at him for a while and didn't know what to say.

'Did he finally lose it?' she thought.

But stuffing that thought away she started speaking again. "So you proposed. What did she say? Did she slap you or block you?"

"Wow, what a great friend you are." Shiva shook his head heating her stupid accusations.

"Shut up and tell me. What did she say?" Kajal said and added something "If you're telling me all this to ask if I can hook you up or be a mediator, then I'm going to refuse this instant."

"She said, she doesn't know me enough to say yes. Or hate me enough to say no." Shiva replied as he slapped her forehead for always refusing.

"So she didn't agree huh." Kajal said and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, she didn't slap me or block me, so that's a good sign right?" Shiva said, visibly relieved that those situations didn't occur. Or he might really have to look for a handful of water and drown himself.

His deadbeat personality might not be able to take all the judgmental or mocking eyes. And die of embarrassment.

'Phew I don't even know why I proposed her when there's so much crowd around. I really am an idiot.'

"I'm leaving." Kajal said as she stood up and left, ignoring Shiva calling her behind.

'At least tell me some advice and give me some tips or something. Don't you know I'm a total newb at it.' Shiva complained as he looked at her speeding back. 'She didn't even pay the bill or throw her plate.'lights

"Can I sit here?"

Shiva heard someone's voice while he was complaining and he just nodded his head without looking. magic

"Thanks." Shweta said and sat down beside him.

"You_ " Shiva heard her voice again and looked at her in surprise.

"What, I just saw Kajal leaving, so I came here. Plus there aren't many empty seats left." Shweta replied and started eating her food.

"Ahh okay." Shiva said and hung his head down, while sneaking glances at her from time to time.

"What were you guys talking about? Kajal seemed mad." Shweta asked.

"About you. I told her about the proposal."

"You did?" Shweta raised her eyebrows. "Of course. I thought she'd give me some advice or something, but she just stood up and left."

"You didn't ask her to help you, did you?"

"What, no. Why would I do that? She'll kill me if I do that."

"Hmm" Shweta nodded her head and didn't say anything else. She was eating, when shiva's next words stunned her again.

"You're beautiful."

-cough cough

She drank a glass of water and glared at him with angry eyes. As her cheeks burned bright in a blush.

"Now even more so." Shiva looked at her face and couldn't help but mutter again.

"Idiot" Shweta said to him.

"Tell me about yourself. After all, we don't even know each other and you proposed me out of nowhere today. I don't even know your full name yet."

Shweta said changing the topic. And Shiva started talking about himself, his family or friends.

They were getting to know each other, comparing their habits and hobbies, likes or dislikes. Talking about their past or childhood. About what they were and what they wanted to be.

Nothing serious, just some random gossip that jumped topics from here and there every few lines.

The whole canteen and the crowd had disappeared for the two of them as they kept chatting with each other.

Minutes turned into hours, and hours turned into evening and then to night.

Even they themselves didn't notice the flow of time or probably didn't care about it - as their talks led one thing to another.

"Sir, it's time to close the place. You can come back again tomorrow." A waiter came and informed them.

Only then did they both stopped and looked around them at the empty and cleaned cafe.

"We should go." Shweta said as she paid the bill and picked up her things.

"So how was it?" Shiva asked as they both walked out together.

"What?"

"Our conversation. I'll tell you that I've never talked that long in one sitting with anyone in my life yet. You're the first." Shiva said with a smile.

Not believing in his heart himself about how his introverted self could feel so free around her.

"Your first huh. It felt nice then." Shweta said as her lips curled up in a subtle smile.

"I'll meet you here tomorrow then. Enough about my past, we'll talk about you tomorrow."

Shiva said nonchalantly, but hearing his words' color drained from Shweta's face. And her smile disappeared in a frown instead.

"Can we not _ "

Shweta was saying something, when Shiva bumped into someone and stopped his steps.

"Sorry, my bad." Shiva said raising his hands subconsciously.

But the man ignored him completely and turn to look at Shweta. "Miss Nirvaan, long time no see."