Five months had passed since the day he asked Anupama out. Madhav sat in the balcony, with the cloudless night giving him the much needed serenity. He slowly dragged on his cigarette, reflecting on the chain of events that caused him to be six hundred miles away from Anupama. Two drinks of Johnny walker Black Label ensured that the relevant scenes are in a nostalgic sepia as they flashed by. For an instant, Madhav couldn't help laughing at himself for his mind to be not just so filmy but predictable at that. He smiled at his own predictability and resumed watching the flash-back scenes involving him and Anupama.
17th July, 2007 - 7:45 pm, Lower Parel, Mumbai
Madhav had not expected things would happen so fast. He was not prepared for a relationship, he was only trying to flirt, trying to convince himself that he can make any girl fall for him. As was his style, as he boastfully told his friends, he had never proposed any girl with whom he had had a relationship, however brief it might have lasted. Hence he was not surprised when Anupama had expressed her feelings for him, on that rainy night, in a taxi, as they chugged past the ITC Grand Maratha to have a 'cutting' chai in her favourite 'tapri'. Completely bowled over by the sincere love in her eyes, Madhav could not bring himself to tell her he is not interested in a commitment, especially immediately after his traumatic break up with Sandhya just about a month ago. On his way back, he carelessly stood on the footboard of the Virar fast, allowing the slight drizzle to caress him.
