Right kind of Wrong

The idea of falling in love often felt distant, never affecting you enough to be gnawing into your existence. It is after all stupid to like anyone so much so that you could do anything for them. It is as if what he feels is what you feel, what makes you sad somehow permeates into him too. In your right senses you would want to hate him for taking you for granted, for not asking you if you’d need a ride home in the middle of the night, for telling you that he just wants to have some “fun”. But the very next instant he does something unfathomably kind that you can’t help but forget all of it and curse yourself happily for letting go, finally.

And then one night he tells you a funny story and you laugh so much that you are almost about to cry. He then asks you about your Valentine’s Day plans, in a matter of fact way which makes it appear rather unusual to not have plans on the most overrated day of the year.

For someone who is fiercely independent and does not want to depend on anyone for anything, you seem quite cheerful to have him to discuss even the most inane things which you do throughout the day. And he listens, patiently. And more often than not, he always says the right thing.

Once you had asked him what is the difference between Software and a Computer Engineer. As an IT guy and your big giant encyclopaedia, he ought to know. A friend giggled in the background,mostly in disbelief. He overhears it and tells you that it is okay to not know stuff, and if you never ask, you will never get to know.

The next few minutes he answers your question, patiently, giving examples which could perhaps be more relatable. In the mean time, your mind has already wandered away, far, far away.

He had once asked you, when do you know you’re in love?

You told him, you just know.

It was not a sudden epiphany, in the middle of a mustard field in a Yash Chopra movie. It was her in her shorts and bathroom chappals while she sat on a cold staircase, listening to him on the phone, intently.

He asked her, so did you get the difference?

And just like that, she knew...