The inComplete Man - 2

[Continued from ]
Apoorv did not get a booking for a train to home on the same day as other folks from his hometown and eventually Purva too had decided to leave a day later for some reason. By 12 midnight, they had bid adieu to almost all folks and were left with few guys on the road in front of library. And, for the Nth time, somebody brought up the topic of "future plans". Everybody had plans. Rohit was already placed with an IT firm and was going to be back to Pune after vacations.
"So, I'll keep dropping in here and keep guiding the juniors for their final year projects ;)" - Rohit announced.
"Ohhh..." Everybody exclaimed, knowing whom he was interested in guiding.
"Rehne de rehne de, kaam kariyo apna waha pe, company se bhi GPL mil jayegi nai to. Usse se to mil hi chuki hai :D" - People started pulling his legs.
"I'm gonna assist Papa in business." - Engineering had always been a 4 yr long vacation for Jeetu.
"My GRE classes will start in July at Visu in Hyderabad. Nov se pehle GRE de hi doonga." Apoorv had been busy all the thru' the finaly yr building his vocab and was keen on doing his MS in network security.
"I'll definitely bell the CAT this Nov. So I'll be back to Pune. yupiee... Pune tithe kay une? ;) I need to decide on whihc branch of CF to choose for the classes though" - Purva declared. IIMA was the dream institute for her and she was all geared up to better her score from earlier attempt of CAT.
"Are bas karo yaar, pakau giri...tell me who all are coming for Shilpa's marriage next month" Medha complained. And the discussions went on. Folks got back at respective hostels only by 3 AM.
Apoorv had been tossing in the bed for whole morning. "Is she really "the one" for me? But will she even accept me as a life partener. She seems to like me...but she never talked about this thing. Do I even need to think of this now? What if she's not been thinking of this, what if she throws a sterotype "Oh, I've only considered you as a good friend of mine always"? I don't wanna be a looser. She must be thinking of this....let her indicate something and then I'll take my step forward"

Apoorv and Purva had most of the day to spend together. They met at mama-ki-tapri as usual the next morning for break-fast. Deprived of sleep , his eyes looked reddish and face gloomy.
"Campus pe aakhri din bhi nahaya nahi kya? :P" Purva was in usual teasing mood.
"Khud ke jaisa samajha kya sabko?" He tried to lighten his own mood.
The Poha plates were finished with unsual slience today.
"Aur?" She just tried to break the silence thinking - "Duffer, it's the last day, say something!!!"
"Bass, will leave this campus forever today, feeling very giddy". And they went on talking about the funny things on campus and what they will miss. She never could give an explicit indication and he never found courage to broach the topic. The feelings were mutual...but they never quite managed to express.

And they bid good bye to each other promising to "keep in touch".Phone calls continued for few months, then emails and forwards became the only means of keeping in touch. One day, he recieved an email about her engagement. "Only a mail....she could have given a call at least" he kept wondering even though it was too late for him to talk anything.
"Mail padhke call nahi kar sakta tha??" she kept thinking.

After 7 yrs.

After working at few other locations for different clients, Apoorv had moved to Chicago and it was just a week he shifted to this apartment. On the halloween day a group of desi and videsi kids stormed the apartment. Doing "trick or treat" and collecting chocolates and goodies in their bags.
"Is this halloween getup or you're like this generally?" He was stumped by a cute 5 yr old girl in a way similar to that first day on college campus.

And the second day, he spotted the same girl holding hand of Purva in the nearby WalMart. Life had come full circle for him. "Still preying? ;)" Purva quipped on his bachelorhood when they sat down in the StarBucks cafe. "Waiting for the best one :)" He replied to her, but had actually intended to say "the second best that is.....".