Raghav's POV

🎶🎶

You held me up, held me down

Made me crazy, then you brought me around

Were my darkness and my light

You were my blindness and my sight

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I just froze in my place, I was surprised to see her at this time, over here, in this lonely parking lot. I gave a quick glance to my watch and looked around to see if she had company, a sudden concern for her well-being had taken over me. Her car was parked a few slots away from mine. I was as still as a board, pinned down to its place, not able to move my damn feet towards her.

On the other hand, she was oblivious to her surroundings, and like it was just any another day for her, she went towards her car. Her face was leaning to her right side clutching her phone between it and her shoulder, as she was rummaging her backpack for her car keys. Don't know what took over me, and I kept on pressing the automatic lock on my key, repeatedly locking and unlocking my car. I guess, even though my feet were not moving, atleast my hands were doing something useful and trying to give her whatever little light that could be provided, in this pitch black ambience. The parking lot was poorly lit, but the place we were at was not ideal. When she found her keys, a warm smile spread across her face and she locked eyes with me and blinked, as a token of thanks.

🎶🎶

Were my shelter and my storm

Made me cold then you made me warm

You were my fever and my cure

🎶🎶

The imaginatory frozen ice surrounding me, making me immobile, had melted with her gaze. It felt like the unintentional, freeze game, I was playing with myself was over and I returned her smile. I took a step forward, while watching her switch from phone to her Bluetooth device on her ear. I stopped when I heard her laugh, with her head bouncing backwards. I was able to hear her side of the conversation and watching her at ease, I realized I was not needed there.... atleast not for her and not now! Bummed and sad, my heart sank. I turned abruptly towards my car and watched her speed off.

🎶🎶

Made me doubt then you made me sure

One step forward and two steps back

Nobody gets too far like that

One step forward and two steps back

This kind of dance can never last

🎶🎶

While manoeuvring my car to get out off the multi-storied parking lot, her words and reactions were replaying in my mind.

"Dude, ... you... are... on fire", her words were bearly heard, amidst her rolling laughter.

She shrugged innocently and said, "I'm fine, just the usual, no problem."

Her eyebrows forrowed together to and questioned, "Anyways, you are gonna be on the line with me the whole time, right?"

" Ya ya ya, I know we shouldn't use the phone while driving", she rolled her eyes and stated like it was an oath.

"I won't talk, just be my background music, alright! Guess what, this is your lucky day?", she chirped enthusiastically.

"I will give you liberty to talk all the nonsense you want, and the cherry on the top, I won't interrupt you.", she proudly declared, wiggling her eyebrows mischievously.

Tap! Tap!

The sound against my glass window, made me turn to the security guard standing next to me. I looked at the car in front of me, making its way out of the gate. I was wondering what kind of security check they are doing at this hour of the day. Might be checking for drunken driving,.... but at office?, my mind questioned. Nevertheless, I rolled down my window.

"Sir, company sticker... Where?", came out the broken english words of the security guard.

I pointed to the worn out sticker on my car and he gave a disapproving nod. They made me park the car at the side and guided me to speak with the person in-charge. After a few back and forth exchanges, they came to a conclusion that they won't fine me. My company name, employee ID and parking slot details were noted down and at last, they stuck the brand new sticker on my car.

The security guard, who had stopped me, was smiling happily like he had just achieved his mission for the day. I was buckling up and waved to him with a warm smile and drove off.

Atleast, it was someone's lucky day.

Once again, even after the slight distraction, Sasha's words, "Guess what, this is your lucky day?", crept back into in my mind. I sighed, "Not mine, even after three strokes... But some other dude's, for sure..... May be.. May be... Her boy... friend". The word 'her boyfriend' hesitantly rolled out of my tongue leaving behind bitter taste. Like it was a punishable sin, just to say it.

🎶🎶

And we were never really meant for each other

We were never really meant to last

In the years that we danced together

Each step forward we took two steps back

Each step forward we took two steps back

🎶🎶

My stomach grumbled and I let out a laugh, "don't worry buddy, I didn't forget you, lets go home and order some yummy food". That's what happens when you are exhausted after work, you start doing weird stuff like talking to your own tummy.

The next day, I stood in front of the mirror, while styling my hair, I gave myself a self-boost. "Raghav, come on man! Let's make things right today! Let's do it man!". I took a last glance of my office attire and left my home.

I clasped my hands together and said," first things first". I logged into my computer and swiftly scanned through all the mails. Replied back to the ones that needed my action. Slowly as I marked all the 25 mails recieved as read, I saw an appreciation mail for me, for my yesterday's work. A thats-how-do-it confident smirk turned to smile, crept across my face. I leaned back on my chair and reclined it till the squeaky noise came and clasped my hands, at the back, to rest my head on it.

"Great! After yesterday's work marathon, today I'm free, just one small task that hardly takes a hour or two for me", I told myself. I was contend, that I had enough time to execute my plan.

Quickly I completed my task, and checked the time. The clock had struck twelve in the afternoon, the perfect time for lunch. Surfing through internet on my phone, I searched for home delivery from a famous restaurant.

"Hmmmm, will one full plate of chicken biryani be enough?.... Nah! Let's top it up with dessert and a bottle of coke."

Scrolling through the dessert menu, trying to search the perfect fit for the meal, "What should I get, what should I get...... Bingo! Carrot Halwa it is!". I quickly added them to the cart, entered the office address and paid it. It was scheduled to be delivered by 1pm the latest. " No prob. As long as the food is delicious and reaches before 1:30 pm, I have nothing to worry", I shrugged and went back to work.

I was restlessly clicking and un-clicking the head of my ballpoint pen and waiting for the call. I was sure that enough time had past. While anticipating the call, a sudden doubt crossed my mind, What if, I mentioned the wrong address? I re-checked the order, everything looked fine, name, address, phone number... Everything! I was loosing my patience, I got up and went to relieve myself at the men's room. Returning back to my desk, I could hear my phone's ring-tone, "Finally!", I said out aloud and sprinted faster to anwer it.

"Awwww!..... Man!.... Thanks! And here I thought I would be receiving a bouquet of flowers and chocolates on my table", the voice came from the other end of the call, ending with a chuckle.

"Ha ha ha.... Very funny, Vicky", I replied sarcastically.

"What can I do", I knew Vicky shrugged his shoulders at that. "You have been misreading people lately. Might have mistaken me as your girlfriend", replied Vicky, purposely slurring the last word and I could imagine him winking at me.

"Thank God that idiot is in Hyderabad and not in front of me, right now", my inner voice stated. Before I could say anything, he cut me off.

"I thought your time had come, to be wooing your so called girlfriend". I knew he was hinting at Sasha, like as if something was there, I let out a frustrated sigh.

Vicky continued his teasing, "Oh Poor thing!! You are back to zeroth positon.... Ah! Are you trying to practice your wooing skills on me?!", his fake surprised voice came out. Vicky ended his wacky imagination with a whine, "Am I your trial piece? "

"Oh! Come on Vicky! you are my best bud! And you know that.....". Trying to get Vicky back on track, I asked, "Hmmm so how was it? "

Vicky left out a small laugh and responded back in his real voice, "It was yum! Just perfect and the carrot halwa was bang on! You nailed it this time!"

Now it was my turn to chuckle, "Anything for you bro!", and then with a slightly serious voice, "Next time you pull yesterday's crap on me again, you better watch out for me. Your ass will be the one paying it off", I warned him.

"Burn!.... Hey whatever happened to 'best buds', Raghav boy?"

"He and his ways of nicknaming me, Oh Lord!" , I cried to myself.

"That's a two-way ride, Sir!"

"Gottcha! Relax Raghav. You and me, know what got me pissed off."

"Hence the peace offering", I stated matter-of-factly.

"Ya, Your offering was well received, appreciated and approved!", in a commander's voice he stated.

"Good! Good!", I nodded my head

and continued, "Ok, I need to go now, gotta go for lunch."

"Whoa! you waited for me to have lunch first..... Awwww.... I am so touched bro!"

I shook my head and cut the call, knowing very well that, a full fed and statied Vicky, high on his favorite biryani, wouldn't end his dramatics anytime soon.

I rushed to the cafeteria and got my food token after paying the cashier, worried that the food would have gotten over or only left overs would be there. Queuing up at the food counter, I let out a grateful sigh. I took my tray and walked back to the dinning area, looking for a empty seat.

As my eyes were busy scanning the area, they found the perfect seat. It was at a right distance and angle from the TV hung nearby, not directly under the A/C outlet, enough place between the row of tables, for people to comfortably get up and walk around without banging into each other. I took two steps forward and found a vey familiar girl with pixie hairstyle sitting in front of my perfect spot.

*****A/N*****

Will Raghav take a second step forward, after the failure of the first?

What do think of Raghav's Step Forward to Sasha, was he being insecure or coward or both or something else?

Comment down below.

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