Coffee With Stranger

The Hope

My phone alarm rests beside me tick-tocking each inevitable second of the day, only to shake, rattle, and ring to wake me up every morning. I was there in bed, half dead, sometimes wishing maybe that I was, achy, tired, stretching and scratching my head like a wild cat.

The sunlight seeps in through cracks in my curtains and early morning cold wind forces me to sneak inside a warm blanket. I told myself "Five more minutes and I will get up."

I closed my eyes, and in no minutes the alarm rang again. The bells scream out in alarm just to tell me it's time to go. Any method of waking up must be better than this creepy sound of my phone alarm which shattered my sleep and made my first few thoughts of the day violent and unpleasant.

I took my head up and reach out to my phone with a daring hand and grab it. Was there any compelling reason to get up early? The answer was obviously no. Then suddenly I think of Siddharth and how we met yesterday. Suddenly my body system was all on the go.

After completing my daily routine in the bathroom, I went to the kitchen to make a coffee for myself. I was hungry too, so I decided to make a toast as well. So I flung some bread into the toaster and started making my coffee.

How would I meet Siddharth today? I forgot to take his mobile number as well. Thousands of thoughts had crossed my mind while making a coffee. Should I trust him or will he be the same as other guys?

The toaster popped up. Slightly charred but never mind. I talked to myself looking at the toast. I popped some butter on it and shovelled it into my furnace of a mouth.

I got ready and off to my office in a hurry. I was earlier by about half an hour than my routine time to the office. I decided to reach the office earlier so that I can catch Siddharth at the escalator. That was the only place where I can find him.

The escalator has become a meeting spot for us as that was the origin of our relationship. My legs were running faster than usual. I could feel the new fuel in me. My heartbeats were double when I reached the corridor of my office building.

To my surprise, the man was already standing there. It looks like his eyes were searching for me only. "Hi, good morning, how are you?" I asked him.

"Good morning Isha, I am fine, you say how your yesterday night was? Did you sleep properly?" He showed his concern for me.

"Ya, it was good," I smirked.

"How come you are early today? It's only 9 am and your office is supposed to get started at 09:30 am."

"I have the same question for you as well. Why are you here at this time?" He replied, and we both burst in laugh.

"Actually, I didn't have your phone number so I thought it will be a good idea to catch you here." He said.

"I wanted to inform you that today evening after the office we will go out for dinner. Is that ok with you?" He asked.

"Ya, fine," I replied after a long pause.

The escalator came and the door opened for us to move our asses inside. He signed me to enter first, and then he follows me. The gentleman! That was the word that came in my mind as he allowed me to enter the escalator first.

"Can I have your mobile number so that I don't have to wake up early every morning?" He smirked.

I gave him my phone number while I pressed both the floor buttons on the escalator board. He was watching me, whether I press his floor correctly or not. He smiled and thanked me. Polite and polished breed! That was what I could make it out by now.

The escalator stopped on the 19th floor. He looked at me, smiled and waved me goodbye. I reciprocate. He turned back and get off the escalator. I was staring at him but my vision gets shirker every second as the escalator doors were closing.