“ The graphs have to climb. ”

“ You are my star performers “

“ Hang on to your customers “

“ I see great potential in you “

He was already zoning in and out his dreams. He was definitely not present for the Friday morning review meeting. Just physically. He was dreaming about the ride back home. It was not home he was waiting for, it was the ride that he was dreaming about. Half of it in the morning to office was truly amazing.

He had been waiting for this day for a long long time. Waiting for the one girl the whole floor would kill for. He wanted to go and talk to her millions of time. But she was a out-of-his-league girl. At least he thought so. Plus she was on another project on the same floor, he had no idea what to talk to her about.

That particular morning, he was on the way to work. He was in his TGIF mood, jeans, tshirt and his sports shoes for the cricket tournament in the afternoon.

He was on his way to office when he saw her standing outside the automobile service center. She was looking at her watch and was kinda nervous. The traffic density was substantial that when he got to her, he could measure her state well.

Thanks to the next signal, by the time he had moved a few inches forward and halted, he was almost next to her.

“Hey, don’t you work at my floor?”

She was startled and took her time to respond, “ ya”.

“Are you waiting for someone?”

“I just gave my bike for service and i am already late for a meeting”

“Oh, want a ride? Our destinations are on the same floor.”

She took one hard look of him and then said, “thank you so much.”

The few steps she took from the place she was standing to the bike seemed really long. He started praying and thanking God. Hoping she wont change her mind in between, he tired to move an inch forward.

She held his shoulder for support and carried herself over to the pillion seat.

“There is a hold on your right you can hold on to”. She searched for it and held on to it.

Miraculously, the vehicles before him cleared. It was like the Gods heard him. He picked up speed and navigated through the traffic and reached office in 10 minutes. It would usually take 30 minutes for that stretch. He dint bother striking up a conversation since he was concentrating on getting her to her meeting.

When he checked his watch at the gate, he was amazed at his speed, but was kinda disappointed that it was such a short ride. Again she grasped his shoulder to get off. He suddenly realised it was over. He parked the bike and asked her just as she was walking away, “in case you want me to drop you in the evening, let me know, you know where my bike is parked. 6 o’clock ok?” She said, “ Thank you so much, don’t think i will bother you in the evening, in case i want, i will definitely meet you here.”

And so, back to the meeting room, “Alright people, this weeks numbers are marginally better than the previous, but i want this trend to continue. Will send the targets by email to each one of you.”

He walked back to his desk and there was still a good 7 hours left for him to go to his bike and hope for her to turn up.

Tea failed to wake him from his day dream. His work was not progressing. He was thinking of what to speak to her when he saw her the next time. He was prepared for both options, in case she came and the other when she does not turn up at 6.

“Bike alright?” , “Late for a meeting?” “So, what bike do you have?” He knew she had an Activa.

He did not see her at lunch in the cafeteria. “How did the meeting go?” was added to the list.

It started to pour outside around 2. That meant the cricket tournament was cancelled. That meant 4 more hours of staying inside a cubicle and reminiscing about the morning ride.

At 5:30, he packed up and started giving lame excuses to his beer buddies. After all, it was Friday.

“Dude, morning puja at home and I have to go to the airport to pick up my grand parents.”

That was an unshakable alibi.

At 5:45, he went to his bike and started waiting for her. Slowly, all his colleagues were reversing their cars and bikes and heading to pubs or homes or wherever they wanted to be on a Friday. He stood there till 6:15. No sign of her. And then the stair well door opened. She was almost running towards him.

“Hey, thank you so much for waiting, the service center closes at 6:30 and I have to get there fast, else I am stuck for the weekend without my bike.”

“ Ok ok. Get on. We can make it in no time”

His wishes were not granted this time. The traffic was a snarl and hardly moving. At 6:45, they were still 2 kms from office and no hopes of reaching the service center on time.

“There it goes, those guys are not lifting their phone, no bike for the weekend.”

“Oh, so sorry to hear that, can i drop you home? Where do you stay?”

She told him her area and it was almost 25kms off his route. Without a blink, “ I am heading that way to meet my friends! What luck!”.

“No No, i can take an auto or the bus.”

“I insist”

She started accepting that he was going to drop her and still stuck in traffic.

“So, I am Varun.”

“Oh, sorry for being so mannerless, I am Shruthi. You work in the project opposite to mine don’t you?”

“Oh ya, i have seen you there sometimes.”

“Thank you so much for dropping me in the morning, this US client works late on Thursdays and expects us to be on a conference call.”

“Oh, happens. Can’t help it. We have these boring review meetings on Fridays and am sure your conference call will be much better to sit through.”

After exchanging the usual pleasantry’s, they were now on a more calm stretch of road. He was riding slow on purpose.

Varun wanted to extend the conversation, “ So, what plans for the weekend?”

“Oh, I am going marriage shopping”

His heart was almost in his throat when he heard this.

She added, “ my best friend is getting married in 3 months and i am accompanying her.” He started breathing again.

Now that the context of marriage was breached, he asked Shruthi, “Do you have a boyfriend?”

She laughed and said, “No, i am not. Happy single Birdie i am!”

“ I was hoping we could grab a cup of coffee sometime if you are free.”

“ Ha ha, that was quick, asking out the girl in distress is not very new, but let me consider that”

“ Have coffee plans with someone else?”

“ Ha ha, stop Varun, don’t push too hard, we both work in the same organisation, I will let you know when I am free.”

“ Btw, my number is ……”

“ I cannot remember that, will take it down when i get off the bike.”

“ So, there seems to be an insect on your back, let me get that for you.”

Varun heard a flick and felt a very soft warm hand on his back.

Shruthi started saying something, “ Oops, it went into the folds of your collar, just drive a little slower and i will take care of it.”

He could feel her undo his collar and do something.

“There, its gone. Can you take a right here, my house is that way”

He started realising the ride was almost over.

They reached her house and she got off, this time holding both his shoulders and making sure his collar is ok.

Varun asked, “ whats your number?”.

“ Thank you so much for dropping me Varun, i know where to find you, we will go sometime for coffee.”

Reluctantly he said, “Oh alright, it was really nice meeting you.”

She said, “Thank you so much again and the pleasure is mine” and walked towards her house.

The long ride back to his home was much faster. He could smell her perfume even though she was not there. He felt as if she was still sitting there. He was savouring the moment.

When he got home, he hi5ed his bike and went in. Removed his tshirt and checked the place where she kept her hand. He undid the collar. 10 digits were written on the inside. And, “Oops. got caught! Sorry!”. He jumped and fainted.