Kochi. A city of dreams, where love sometimes blooms unexpectedly.
Okay, here’s the story based on your prompt, incorporating the twist at the end:
My sister-in-law, Anasooya, leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. I chuckled, ready to finally share a story I usually kept locked away. “You know, my first real crush was Zarah,” I began.
Zarah was… unexpected. Short, yes, but with this incredible, fiery spirit. In college, she’d been the 100- meter champion, a blur of motion and determination. I, on the other hand, was the quintessential hosteller, surrounded by friends, always cracking jokes, romance a distant afterthought. Zarah was a day scholar, and our paths rarely crossed except for the most basic of greetings. Yet, she quietly intrigued me.
Years later, after college, I found myself at a startup in Kochi. One evening, out of the blue, Zarah messaged me, needing help with some coding. We met over coffee, and the exchange of ideas was effortless. Those coffee breaks became a regular thing, soon filled with laughter and shared secrets.
One evening, a friend spotted us. “Hey, are you two dating?” he’d teased, and I’d laughed it off, claiming we were “just friends.” But as days bled into weeks, I started seeing her differently. Our late-night chats became the highlight of my day. We talked about everything – family, jobs, life’s little absurdities.
Finally, I called my friend, pouring out my feelings. “I think I like her. Should I tell her?” He’d urged me to be direct. Hesitation warred with hope, but I finally messaged Zarah, “Zarah, I think I’m developing feelings for you. What do you feel?”
Her reply was swift. “Let’s meet tomorrow at the coffee shop.” The next day, my heart hammered in my chest as I waited. She walked in, a playful smirk dancing on her lips. “What a small mind you people
have. A girl shows a little comfort and you think she has feelings?”
My stomach dropped. I felt like running, but before I could, she added, “Not all girls are the same. Some feel the same way too. Like me.”
I was elated. I jumped up, my joy spilling over. “Hey, control yourself!” she said, her laughter ringing in my ears. That day marked the beginning of our love story – endless phone calls, silly teasing, spontaneous bike rides became our norm.
Then, the bike trip to Ooty. “I know what you’re planning,” she’d smirked, but eventually, she agreed. We left Kochi at 10 am, the wind our companion. By 4 pm, we were in Ooty. She spotted a café that caught her eye. “Remember? It all started with coffee,” she teased.
“Yeah, but I was just ‘a friend’ then,” I replied, a grin spreading across my face. The romantic music in the background set the mood. We explored Ooty, laughing and enjoying every moment. As night fell, we checked into a resort. I was nervous.
We entered the room, and I suggested she get fresh up, we had travelled for 6 – 7 hours. After that, we went to the restaurant for dinner. And surprise, I had arranged a candle light dinner. She was surprised and hugged me and kissed me on the cheeks. After dinner, back in the room it was just us. I promised, “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you without your permission.”
She hugged me tightly. “For now, just keep this,” she whispered, kissing my cheek. I responded, our hearts racing in that moment. We fell asleep wrapped in each other’s warmth. That was the moment I realised that we crossed a threshold.
Love had found us. Two ordinary people navigating an extraordinary start. That trip was not just the beginning of us, but a beautiful journey.
Suddenly, Anasooya stopped me, her brow furrowed. “Hey, Vishal, do you think I’m dumb enough to believe all this?”
I blinked. “Why? I’m telling the truth.”
“Sorry, it’s hard to digest. Even my friends have told me stories like this, but those stories are a bit steamy. So, I’m finding it hard to believe.”