Can I hold your hand - II (Prequel)

Note: This story is the 2nd part of a 3 part story. Even though it can be read as a separate story, the author would recommend you to read the 1st part I Will Miss Holding Your Hand - I

The moment he saw her entering the Internet café he knew there was something about her. She took the computer behind him. He turned around to see what she was doing and could clearly see her computer’s screen.

She didn't notice him. She opened the chat window and began chatting with her friends.

“Superguy: Hi! Wanna chat.” an IM popped on her screen. “412Gal: Who are you?” came the reply on his screen. “Superguy: Just a stranger” blinked the IM on her screen. “412Gal: I don’t talk to strangers.” came the reply.

“Superguy: but I am not a bad person pls chat with me”

“412Gal: no! don’t bother me.”

“Superguy: pls pls pls I promise I will behave myself”

“412Gal: no”

“Superguy: pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls L”

“412Gal: no”

“Superguy: pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls pls L”

“412Gal: ok ok!!!!”

That was summer of 2003, she was a second year B Com. student and he a second year engineering student. They both had come to their hometown for vacations.

2005:

“Superguy: hey, guess what I cleared the interview and got admission I am in ur city now. J”, popped up the IM window on her laptop screen. Her face lit up with a smile.

“412Gal: hey that’s gr8 congrats! J

I have a news too. I got the job. Yay!!!”

“Superguy: hey that’s great. Congrats!

Can I ask you something?”

“412Gal: yeah!”

“Superguy: now that I am here shall we meet up?”

“412Gal: ummm ok!!! J” , she replied with a big smile.

She waved at him when she saw him across the street, he waved back.

“Late at the first meet itself.” She said. “Sorry you know how the traffic is.” He said. “No sorry, you will be punished; you will have to buy me a beer now.” She said. “Beer! You drink beer?” He asked. “No, do you?” she asked. “No” he said. “Then lets do it, come on I know a pub here.” She pulled him towards the other side of the street.

As they entered the pub, Mark Knopfler began to sing “You get a shiver in the dark…”

After a couple of drinks and enjoying some great music, she paid the bill and they both came out of the pub, a bit high.

“You want to eat something?” he asked. “No I don’t feel like.” she replied. “Me neither.” He said.

“Let’s go to the beach.” She said.

“Now, it’s almost eleven!” “Come on, it’s never late here.” She said laughing and pulled at his arms again.

They could see the dim yellow light coming from the buoys as they bounced in a semi circle far in the dark sea. The breeze was cool. He could see her black hair, brown eyes and dusky skin in the light coming from the vendor’s shops nearby. He liked the way she laughed and the way she smiled as she gazed at the black horizon.

She turned to look at him. His eyes wandered towards the sea. She looked at his brown eyes. Not exactly the way she had wanted him to be, but still she could tell her friends that he was tall dark and handsome, made her laugh and listened to her.

"So what do you want to do when you are out of college?", she asked. "Well, may be I will work for some company for a couple of years and then start my own venture.", he said.

"Venture, you mean you want to start your own company.", she said. "Yeah thats the idea.", he said. "And you think you can impress a girl by saying such things in the first meet.", she teased. "No, I am serious, one day I will feature on the cover page of worlds best business magazine.", he said. "Oh yeah, we will see. Now come back to reality.", she said, pinched his arm and laughed.

“Hey I want to tell you something”, he said. “What?” She said. “You remember the first day I IMed you on chat” he said. “Not exactly but kinda yeah, why?” she said. “I had actually seen you at the internet café and stole your id from your screen.”

“What”, she yelled. “Yes, I am sorry, I never told you”, he said. “Why would you do that and why didn’t you tell me that before?” she screamed. “Well I thought you would be angry and wont chat with me, look I am really sorry”, he said.

"Of course I am angry", she said and kicked him in the shin in mock anger. He grimaced in mock pain.

“You will be punished for this”, she said.

“What, more punishment? You already kicked me”.

“Yes and your punishment is that you will have to buy me an ice candy”, she laughed.

“Ok!” he laughed.

They bought an ice candy. She paid. They shared the ice candy.

“You know we are virtually kissing right now”, he said. “Ha Ha Ha! I know you watch a lot of Friends, but don’t crack these PJs”, she teased him, threw the ice at him and ran. He chased.

They talked, laughed and walked on the sand till the cops started to ask people to leave the beach.

“Hey but tell me how much do I owe for the drinks and everything, lets split it”, he said. “Let it be my treat this time you can pay next time”, she said. “Ok”, he said with a smile, not knowing she won’t let him pay for all the times that they would meet for the next two years.

“I live nearby, will you walk me home?” she asked. “Yeah sure” he said.

They walked towards the street.

“Next time, you mean you want to meet me again”, he asked. “Yeah why not, don’t you want to meet me again”, she asked with a smile looking into his eyes. “Yeah”, he smiled back into her eyes.

He held her hand softly. She clasped her fingers around his. They walked.

Note: Click for the 3rd part of this three part story Hey is that you again. - III (Sequel)

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person dead or living is purely coincidental.