2021

"Kriti, I need to meet you urgently ", Aarav had told her on call and asked her to meet at thei egular cafe.

Kriti arrived at the cafe and went towards their usual table spotting Aarav.

" What happened? Why did you call me urgently? Is everything okay?" Kriti hastily aske ecause after the call she got a feeling that whatever was about to happen wouldn't be good.

"Listen carefully, and let me complete the whole thing before interrupting", he paused an hen continued , " so as you know that I'm a single child, my dad wanted me to move to

Ahmedabad and do a fashion designing course for our clothing line, Odedra and Wardrobe.

I'm sceptical about all this to be honest and I don't want to leave Surat without you. I'm no ere to force you but to ask you to come along with me to ahmedabad and study ther ecause your family also owns a fashion line and it would be good for you too!", he tried t ound cheerful but his eyes gave away that he was not pleased by it.

"I can't do that! And you know it. Your business is also about modernism and it's good fo ou but Patel's Paridhan isn't the same. We are skilled in zari and resham work induced int raditional clothing. You guys do embroidery with machines whereas we have a skilled labou orce who do it by hand. And I want to take Patel's Parishan forward with the same vision.

You asking me this is just absurd! You can not expect me to uproot my whole life and com ehind you to ahmedabad when I know I wouldn't want to live there”, she finished, slightl reathless, tears of frustration brimming her eyes.

"Hey, don't cry”, Aarav said, his voice softening, " I'm not forcing you and it was absurd o e. Please don't cry. You also know how I hate tears in your eyes." Saying this he got u nd came around the table, engulfing her into his arms. Then in an old fashioned way h aid the famous dialogue, " Pushpa, I hate tears."

Hearing that Kriti giggled and tightened her arms around him. After a while when she ha almed down, he ordered coffee for both of them and calmly said, "I had a tiny hope that yo ould agree but that's my misjudgment, none of it is your fault. But I will have to move to

Ahmedabad. My parents want this for me. And being their only child I will have to obey."

"I understand and I know you will do well in Ahmedabad. You will meet a lot of girls there",

she said, teasing him.

"I will", then he mumbled, " but the one I like doesn't seem to notice my intentions". It wa oo low to decipher. Their coffee arrived. In comforting silence they drank it and left for thei omes with melancholic smiles.

At the age of twenty one he was miserable because of his feelings for her.