THERE FOR EACH OTHER

2. THE FIRST MEET

~ She loves books because fiction seems better than reality and He is engrossed in books to compare fiction with reality~

Life seldom is easy, that's a well established fact. Most of the times you have to learn the hard way around. But the 21st century's utterly selfish and self centred life demands a little more. Here, survivors are those who learn not only from their own mistakes but also from the mistakes of people surrounding them. And secondly, it demands emotions wrapped in practicality. If you can fulfill the above two demands, Congratulations! You can survive this world that offers survival of the fittest.

Kashish had grasped this concept too well. She knew when to be emotional and when to be practical, or well, she thought so. She knew to learn from her surroundings. Moreover, she would not trust everyone she met. You never know, who is being sweet to you for what purpose, which was exactly why, that day, when like every other day, she was again fifteen minutes late to reach The Central Library, she had prepared all the excuses she might need to save the job. Although, a small corner of her heart knew she won't be fired because the guardian of the library, Ms Richards was a sweet women of sixty something who loved all her employees. Further more, she knew that Kashish came from her office via metro and it was bound to take her some time to reach here. But everyday, Kashish considered it to be her last day as someday or the other, her lack of punctuality was sure to piss her boss off. But to her astonishment and shock, she would be welcomed with a smile and loving pat every single day regardless of how late she came. Exactly the same way, even that evening, she was welcomed and Ms Richards asked her to continue her job without a word. Kashish nodded and went on to attend the customers. That was her job- to help the customers find whatever book they needed and to tell them about it. She knew about most of them since she had been a voracious reader since teenage. Ignoring all negative thoughts that croosed her mind, she took a deep breath and busied herself in work.

She was roaming between the rows of books smiling at the customers when she noticed someone near the fiction corner. He was standing facing his back, but his height was too much to not notice. In a white shirt and black jeans, he looked hot even from back. She went up to him and stood in front of her.

" Can I help you sir?", She asked with a formal smile and he turned to face her. One look at him and she was impressed.Chiseled jaw with a set of deep brown eyes, light stuble and a perfectly toned body that could be appreciated from his white shirt, he was definitely every girl's dream. But his face also held a tinge of innocence that most boys lack.

" Yes, please. I am confused", he pouted unconsciously, but his voice shook her out of her thought land and in the very next second, she was back to her professional mode.

" What are you searching for?", She asked looking above him on the shelf while he made an embarrassing face.

"Actually, I have started reading just a year back. And I don't have so much of an idea. I wanted to read something interesting and well, precisely a love story", he said smiling, trying not to embarrass himself more, but scratched the back of his nape but the innocence his face held, made Kashish burst into soft giggles.

"Ok sir, let me help you", she said moving towards the shelf.

" It's Yudhisthir", he said and she turned back with a frown.

" My name, it's Yudhisthir Sinha. Sir seems so old yaar", he spoke again and Kashish nodded, hiding the smile that was beginning to form on her lips. She had never met a man this naive in her life, or well, it could very well be a pretense.

"Okay Mr-not-so-old-Yudhisthir, here is a piece of advise. Whenever you are confused about choosing a book from a library, always opt the one with the most teared cover or the one that looks most tattered. It ensures that it had been read the most and more often than not, it's a good read", she smiled at him before standing on her toes to pick a book for him. She forwarded him the book and he looked at the copy of 'The Fault In Our Stars' by John Green.

" Since you want a love story, I will say try this. It's a tragedy though, but the love is pure and selfless. It's one of the best I have ever read", she said again handing him the book while he nodded. It even surprised her, she had never talked so much to a stranger before.

"Umm Ms...", He stammered not knowing what to call her.

"Kashish, my name is Kashish!", She said sensing his hesitation and he immediately smiled at her, a bit cockily though.

"Thank you Kashish for your help. And can I ask you for one more favour?", He smiled sheepishly while her senses went all alert now. Her brain over working furiously, as the easy smile from her face was wiped off. What favour could he ask her? He looked at her deep in thoughts face and laughed at her. He could easily see that she had not taken his statement well.

"All I want is when I finish the book and come to return it, will you have a discussion over it with me? Its just that I like to know people's perspectives on a novel and right now, it's only you that I know have read this one", he answered all her unasked questions, and Kashish sighed, chiding herself for always assuming the worst of things. It was when he coughed to grab her attention that she noticed, he was waiting for an answer, and she nodded, not knowing what else to say. He thanked her again, formally, before leaving to issue the book while she went on with attending other customers.

Neither of them had an idea that this formal and unexpected meet would be the one of the most cherished memory of their lives.

~an unexpected meet with an unexpected person can sometimes turn your world upside down, without giving you a slight hint to adjust~