EBONY PART 2

He didn't find anyone. He just thought to scroll his phone. He suddenly thought of Nisha. But he didn’t have her phone number. He thought deeply and searched everything. He also thought of any friend who could arrange her phone number. I also didn’t find anyone. He tried to sleep that night without talking to any girl and with his own sorrow.

The next day passed, he thought of the day he met with Nisha. He remembered she gave her social media id to email the format of report. He found her id and sent some messages to her. Some days passed, he did not get any reply from her.

Anoop was soothing himself. He was forgetting his girl friend's sadness. Anoop was happy, he attended interview for IT company. His interview was quite good. He was about to sleep but he thought to check his social media. He got reply from Nisha. They started chatting. That night he didn’t get a good night’s sleep. They chat till morning.

The day came, he saw result and he passed it. The electrical engineer got a job in a software company. Nisha also congratulated Anoop. Within very few days they got quite comfortable and felt very emotional for each other. They remembered their memories of summer training. The memories of the food they shared, their first day meet up and everything they lived.

Anoop didn't like her but due to some emotional attachment he felt to have friendship, and to forget his sadness from his last girlfriend. His girlfriend left him for another rich boy.

Anoop was in Kanpur. He wanted to meet Nisha before end of the college. Nisha was in Tehri. He asked to meet Nisha. Nisha agreed to meet him, but asked him to come Tehri.

Anoop: “I will come but you have to arrange a place to meet.”

Nisha: “We can meet in a restaurant nearby.”

Anoop: “I cannot stay overnight in a restaurant.”

Nisha: “Why you want to stay?”

Anoop: “Try to understand. I have to travel almost 800 kilometers to meet you. I will be tired. So I need to take rest.”

Nisha: “I understand but I do not know any such place for your stay.”

Anoop: “Then I have to come back on same day.”

Nisha: “You can. But you can stay in a hotel. There are lots of hotels available.” 

Anoop: “I can. But you know, I got an offer letter, I did not get any salary. So you should suggest some better options.”

Anoop understood that talking to a girl about offer letter and salary may not be impressive but he tried to trick her.

Nisha: “There are some cheaper options as well.”

Anoop: “You can talk to your friends for stay in their house or anyone who live in a rented house.”

Nisha: “I will try but give me some time.”

Anoop understood that his half of the work completed. He started his preparation. Nisha started searching accommodation for Anoop.

It was 6th March when Anoop was boarding from Kanpur junction in Nanda devi train to Haridwar. Direct train was not available to Tehri so he had to travel by bus from Haridwar to Tehri.

He reached near to THD College and waited her in a restaurant. He messaged his location to Nisha. Anoop was quite nervous. He didn’t love her so he did not mind much by thinking “I don’t have happiness to find her or I will be sad to lose her.”

Nisha reached the restaurant. She was alone. She did not take time to search Anoop. 

Anoop said, “Hello”

He tried to hug her. She said, “Everyone may look at us.” She didn’t have much makeup. She was wearing salwar and kurta. Anoop was well groomed. He put perfume and oiled his hair, he even did tooth brush in the morning. He also had a chewing gum as mouth freshener.

They were talking while Anoop ordered coffee and patties. They both started brewing their conversation. Anoop started conversation and asked about her studies. They also reminded some memories of the place where they first met. Lucknow from ancient time was a place where millions of love stories grew. The coffee was served with patties. Nisha said, “It was long time, when we used to eat together.”

Anoop while picking the cup reminded about the place and quietness of HAL. He said, Nisha, this place is also good but not much peaceful.” She replied, “I hardly come to this restaurant as it is far from my college.”

Nisha for a while drowned in the memories of HAL. She reminded the pond, greenery all over, and the lunch boxes they shared. She said, “It was for one month that we get industrial training but for me it was memories that would be with me till my old age.”

Anoop said, “Same here, I chose Lucknow as I hardly know about Lucknow. I didn’t visit any famous restaurants, malls and historical places etc.”

Nisha said, “Let’s see, when we will get time to visit Lucknow again with you.”

Anoop: “I have some months more, I will be a corporate slave. I have to work five days a week and two days of weekend to live. I have to live in these two days till my old age.”

Nisha: “Me too, I have to take care of my health as well. I have applied to so many companies but didn't get placement. Though some of my friends suggested applying for software companies but I didn’t find it wise to work in software companies. We read all the books of our core engineering for four years and how come we would switch to software. This system is very bad.”