Walking the distance

Flowers - best way to express love

It was another mundane Monday morning. I woke up at the sound of my cell beep. 

1 new message. 

I read it sleepily “Good morning Vi. Wake up sleepyhead. Im already off to work.  I smiled and replied “Good Morning Da. Happy hours ahead ”  God, I wished I could see him. Now I can feel it myself, how my friends used to sulk over long distance relationships. I sighed and dragged myself out of bed.

I got myself busy with my daily morning chores and was getting ready for college when my cell buzzed. I smiled. “Hello Da, whats up?”. He sounded upset. “What is wrong with you? How can you be so careless?” I was surprised.

“What happened?”

“Didn’t I tell you that you’ll be receiving a courier? Can’t you even inform your hostel authorities?”

“Sure, I can, but what happen?”

“That courier guy has been standing at your hostel gate for the last 20 minutes and your gatekeepers won’t even let him in to take your signature.”

“Seriously? Wow…u never….er….ok….let me help him out. Don’t worry, I’ll hurry downstairs and see him. And, thank you.”

I ran downstairs excitedly. What on earth will it be? My birthday is 3 months away and there is no special occasion that I can think of. May be he sent me that book which I’ve always wanted. I stopped running as I approached the gate.

I was panting when I opened the gate and stepped out. I gasped for breath and stood there awestruck.

At first I could not believe myself. There he was, looking right at me, with some roses put together in a Maaza bottle. I felt breathless and reached out for more air. I just stood there gaping at him like a fool....words failed me. He came near me. I could feel a sharp tinge of tear.

“Oh….how could you? I mean you never…when did you…I am so happy to see you.”

“Really?” He smiled.

“Of course I am. But I never thought. You said you got held up in an important meeting last night”.

His eyes were glued on mine. “Yeah, that’s coz I didn’t want you to call me. You’d have found out that I was travelling and it would have ruined the surprise.”

“Hmm. You…and why are those flowers in a bottle?”

“Oh, I thought I will not get flowers here. So, I bought them yesterday from Delhi but it wilted on the way so I bought a Maaza bottle, drank all the stuff and poured some water instead, to preserve them. Nice idea, na?” He grinned and handed me the Maaza bottle filled with flowers.

I laughed and took the bottle of flowers from him. “You are crazy. Oh, thank you. Thank you so much. I don’t know what else to say”.

He smiled mischievously. “God, I am famished. Lets grab some food. U want to come with me?”

“Of course, I am coming. Just give me 5 minutes. I want to look pretty”. I held the flowers closely and smiled all the way to my room. That was when I realised that I was falling for him all over again.