THE FATE (✔)

Chapter 27 - In The Corner

This Sunday, Archana decided to go back to her apartment, because tomorrow she still has activities to attend. Finished freshening up, she immediately joined Arvind, Lata, and Nisha who were already waiting in the dining room. Raj, like any boy, was lazy on Sundays, but a second after Archana sat down in her chair, Raj joined them too. Archana did not expect that the breakfast menu served by Lata that morning was vada pav, a typical Indian potato burger, one of her favorites. They enjoyed breakfast while having small talk.

"Didi, don't you want to spend your time here? The building where you got busy is here, right?" Raj said as he chewed on his vada pav.

"Swallow your food first, then talk," Lata interrupted.

"He indeed is like that, Ma," said Nisha. Archana and Arvind just chuckled.

"If it was near here, I would spend ten days here, you know," replied Archana. "If you want to meet me for a long time, just come to India. Take a vacation at my place once in a while. My house is too quiet and big if it's just me, Priya and a few workers," she continued.

"Really? Then, Dad, how about we celebrate New Year in India?" Nisha was excited. Arvind glanced at Lata briefly before glancing at Archana. Lata gave a small nod.

"Won't it bother you, honey?" asked Arvind.

Archana swallowed the rest of her vada pav. "Come on, Dad, we're family. There's no such thing as a hassle. Please, I'll tell Priya, she must be happy too," she said.

***

Sunny weather and cool winds covered the city which has an area of ​​600.59 km2. Archana drove her car at a moderate speed, crossing the city streets that were not quiet, but also not crowded enough. Her concentration was interrupted when Priya contacted her. Archana kept driving her car while having a short chat with Priya.

The journey from Arvind's house to Archana's rented apartment takes approximately one hour to one and a half hours. Before entering her apartment area, Archana took the time to stop by a bakery to buy some bread and pastries. After that, she continued her steps to the cafe opposite the bakery.

"Two iced-latte for take away, please," she said to the barista.

Meanwhile in the corner of the room, there was someone whose heart was beating fast when he heard a voice that was quite familiar to him. "I know this voice," he thought. He turned to the cashier and saw Archana in a gray blouse equipped with a ribbon ornament on her collar and army green trousers that gave her a simple look. Don't forget the sunglasses perched on top of her head to complete her style. Finished the transaction, Archana tidied her bag for a moment. A few seconds later, she turned her head towards the person who was watching her. Fell silent. Both fell silent. Archana wasn't sure if she should say hello, remembering what happened at the Diwali celebration two years ago.

"Oh my God, out of so many people in this city, I met him again? Actually it's not a problem, it's not a problem at all. I just didn't know I was ready for this," Archana whispered in her daydream. The blood in her body was rushing so fast.

"Archana," he murmured breaking Archana's thoughts.

Archana walked with hesitation towards him while smiling stiffly. "Hi, uh-hm, Aman."

"Hi. Take your seat, please," said Aman, pointing to the chair across from his. Archana continued on her way and nodded.

The encounter was so unexpected. Aman knew that Archana is in San Francisco, Radha told him. However, he did not expect that they would actually meet in this city. The very accidental rendez-vous was so awkward, that there was no conversation between them. Just glance at each other and look away. The silence between them was only broken when a barista delivered Archana's drink.

"Thank you," Archana said to the barista and returned her beautiful smile.

Aman smiled a little seeing it. "Two cups to take home?" he asked.

Archana cleared her throat softly without lowering the corners of her lips. Aman pressed his lips together tightly as he nodded.

"Don't you want to sit here any longer?"

"If that was an invitation..."

"Think of it that way." They both smiled.

"Okay." Archana took out one glass of her iced latte to enjoy on the spot with Aman.

Archana sipped her iced latte while looking straight out the large window behind Aman's back. Occasionally, she glanced at Aman, which whether it was just a feeling, or whether it was reality, the man's eyes didn't take his eyes off her. Archana couldn't even lie to herself. Two years after she saw herself in Aman's eyes. Two years of that Diwali night incident have passed. Two years she only knew about Aman's news only through Radha. They haven't seen each other in two years.

"You seem fine, Archana," said Aman after taking a sip of his hot coffee and placing the cup back on the table. His eyes were still fixed on the woman in front of him. His eyes sparkled, shining brightly as if he was releasing his longing until it was completely paid off. For him, two years was not a short time. No one knows exactly what he has been through over the past two years. On the one hand, he is recovering from his guilt and all the traumas of his past. On the other hand, he was never be able to detach himself from Archana, even though he had asked her to leave. This woman really made him fall.

Archana sighed softly, "Really? That's how you see it."

Aman raised his eyebrows. Archana asked how the man was. "I'm... just like this. Better than before, I guess." That was the answer that came out of Aman's mouth. "Somehow, I feel much better after meeting you here," he thought.

After the classic small talk, they took another sip of their coffees. Watching each other in silence, sometimes smiling a little when their eyes met.

"Two years-" the same words left their lips at the same time. A little surprised at first, but the awkwardness was dispelled by their small laughs and it was Aman who invited Archana to speak first.

"It's been two years. How was your day?"

Aman was silent, thinking of the right words to answer that simple question. "Yeah, it's been two years. Quite fun, but also...a little tough," he replied, pointing and continuing to spin the small spoon in his coffee cup.

Archana stared at him intently, occasionally she noticed Aman's hand twisting over his cup. She knew what Aman meant. She knew very well how it felt for those two years.

"A lot of things I feel are missing from me," continued Aman.

Archana's brow furrowed. "Lots?" she asked.

Aman nodded slowly before raising his face to level with Archana. "And you?"

Archana was a little choked up. Her mind drifted, "Tell everything or nothing."

"Not much different than you," she said.

Her answer stunned Aman and bowed his head again. Archana noticed the behavior of the man in front of her. Quickly, she understood the situation. It must have been Aman recalling about Parvati.

The corners of Archana's lips slowly tugged slightly. "I also feel that something is missing in my life. But it wasn't about my mother," she continued calmly, while kept staring at Aman until the man lifted his face again.

They didn't talk much about the things that had happened over the past two years, just telling in general terms, there was nothing to discuss further when they know and understand the feeling. Slowly, they turned the conversation around, discussing plans they would do for the next days. The corner of the cafe that day became a silent witness to the encounter and conversation they rebuilt after two years apart. To be exact, two years, five months, three days.

"Anyways, you can tell me anything," said Archana at the end of their rendez-vous time.

Aman smiled and laughed a little. "Is that an invitation, an offer, or an order, Miss?"

"If I say an order, what will you do?" replied Archana with her hazel eyes that never looked away from Aman's brown eyes.

Damn, it's a trap.