𝙁𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚

Chapter 15 - The Date!

Tiara's Pov

With my usual office attire and nervousness, I reached the cafe where we were meeting. I couldn't spot him, Vivek, at first. So, I gave him a call, and he said he was already inside. I found him. In compare to the photos he had on his account, he was a decent looking guy. I was regretting due to all the tiredness from work. I have to do this.

We talked over coffee, and he told me about himself. But when he mentioned how much he loved coffee, it made me think of Akshit and his coffee obsession. I pushed that thought aside and tried to focus on our conversation.

Suddenly in the middle of the conversation, he questioned me, "What do you look for in a boy?" Without much thought, I blurted out, "I look for a man." As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them instantly. Why did I say that on a first date? I scolded myself inwardly, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over me. But that's what I want. A man. Not a boy. So without giving any reaction I stayed firm on what I said.

But to my surprise, instead of being taken aback, he chuckled and replied, "Yeah, yeah, a man, not a boy. My mistake." His laughter caught me off guard, and I couldn't help but join in. It was a relief to see that he didn't take offense at my comment, and his easygoing response put me at ease. It's very surprising. Men taking such comments as humour without being offended.

After we finished our coffee, he casually mentioned going on another date. I wasn't sure how to respond, so I said I'd think about it. He offered to give me a ride home, but I declined and took a cab instead.

As I stepped into the house, Shruti came running towards me out of nowhere, enveloping me in a tight hug and bombarding me with questions about my date. Her excitement was sensible, and she didn't seem to mind that I hadn't even settled in yet. "Tell me everything! How was it? Did you like him?" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Chuckling at her enthusiasm, I gently released myself from her embrace. "Whoa, slow down, Shri! Let me catch my breath first," I teased, trying to navigate through her rapid-fire interrogation. "I need to freshen up, and then I'll spill all everything, I promise."

But Shruti, overflowing with excitement, urged me to spill all the details quickly. "Come on, Tia, don't keep me in suspense! I've been dying to hear about your date since you mentioned it yesterday," she insisted, her impatience evident in her tone.

With a grin, I headed to my room, taking my sweet time to shower and change. As I emerged, feeling refreshed and ready, Shruti appeared again, seemingly coming out of thin air, eager to hear all about it. "Spill it! I need to know how was my bestfriend's first date after a decade," she exclaimed.

I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "Okay not a decade, please and you're more excited about this than I am!" I teased. "But alright, alright, let's settle in and I'll give you all the details."

Settling into my room, I began reciting the entire episode to her, from the nervousness before the date to the awkward moments and unexpected twists. "So, there I was, standing outside the cafe, trying to spot him in the crowd," I narrated, painting a vivid picture of the scene.

Shruti listened intently, hanging on to every word as I mentioned the details of the evening. "And then, as we sat down for coffee, he started telling me about himself," I continued, mimicking his gestures and expressions for added effect. "And then, towards the end of the date, he dropped the dreading question – he asked me out for a second date!" I exclaimed."Can you believe it? I wasn't even sure if I wanted to go on a first date, let alone a second one!"

Shruti's eyes widened in excitement. "Wow, Tia, looks like you made quite an impression on him!" she exclaimed, clearly enjoying the drama of it all. "I just can't wait for your wedding babe!" She joked. "Stop acting like a twelve year old Shri!!," I exclaimed with fake glares towards her.