Scent of Love (1)

You must have heard something like, no one would have seen more sincere "love yous" and "good byes" than an airport would have. Well, that's quite true. Kalki was waiting at the international arrival, wearing a white sleevless kurthi and blue jeans. She looked nervous, holding a huge trolley bag. She kept looking at her watch but, time seemed to have frozen...

The text marques on arrival didn't seem to change either. "Damn, I just hope no one identifies me here! I hope I got the time right!" And a hundred other worries fogged her mind. Suddenly, people gushed out of the airport arrival, pushing their stories of luggages - one passanger even seem to have disappeared behind his luggage! Kalki stood on her tiptoe and peered over the crowd hoping to get a first glimpse of that one person she has been longing to meet for years now. And there he was... the last person to come out of the arrival gate. He was pushing his luggage in one hand and gulping down some water as he was moving towards her. Butterflies, fireflies and what not started flying in her stomach, "do I hug him? Do I tell him he looks like a giant in person? Should I just say I love you?" 

"Watsupppp" Karthik said in his usual teasing  tone and hugged her gently. 

 "Is that how you really intended to greet me after waiting for what seemed like an eternity? Wow!" Kalki almost shreiked. 

"I obviously want to hug you tight and plant a kiss on you, but this is India. Who knows my relatives might be lurking around!" 

"Oh yeah! Why am I not surprised. Here starts our secret mission!" 

The last time Kalki "met" rather, "barely noticed" Karthik was some six years back when the school seniors lifted him after winning a football match. He was hardly noticeable being a tiny little thing among the tall and well built seniors. Kalki and Karthik hardly ever noticed eachother in school. But, when they did they were miles apart!

To be continued...