The waves rolled lazily toward the shore, silver under the evening sky. The beach was noisy in the comforting kind of way - distant laughter, children running barefoot through the sand, vendors yelling about roasted corn nobody could resist buying.
Bharat and Manvi sat side by side on an old wooden shack near the beach, legs dangling over the edge, plastic cups of orange juice sweating in their hands from the heat.
Bharat is busy lazily poking the straw around in his drink like it had personally offended him. Manvi have noticed him doing that. She giggles at a moment and Bharat looks at her getting confused.
BHARAT- what is so funny.?
His question made Manvi to sip her juice and she shook her hear sideways a little.
MANVI- you look like you are plotting revenge against that juice.
Bharat smile softly at her words and Manvi keep on giggling at him.
BHARAT- orange juice should not be this cheerful. It is happy.!
Manvi laughed softly and Bharat rolls his eyes for her reaction.
MANVI- unbelievable.!
She commented under her breath and Bharat fakes a smile at her.
BHARAT- That is what heartbreak does to a man.!
Manvi stopped in between as his words falls on her ears. She looked at him for a while and immediately sighed dramatically.
MANVI- lo, aagaye firse, The tragic hero returns.!
He scrunched his eyes in shock and pointed at her with his straw.
BHARAT- I was betrayed.
Bharat showed his hand to Manvi and Manvi again dramatically nodded her head at him.
MANVI- aapki bandi, Payal, she used to repost quotes like- "if he wanted to, he would". What exactly were you expecting.?
BHARAT- Loyalty.?
As soon as Bharat said that immediately, Manvi burst out laughing so hard she nearly spilled her juice.
The wind pushed her hair across her face, and she tucked it back while shaking her head.
MANVI- You know what your problem is.?
Manvi kept silent after she turned to look at Bharat sitting there all silently.
MANVI- You act like one bad relationship turned you into some retired war veteran.
Her words went on his ears and he looked out at the sea thoughtfully.
BHARAT- Love is dangerous.
Bharat have said that nodding his head in sideways, negatively and Manvi smile at him softly.
MANVI- you say that like you survived a natural disaster.
Bharat turned to look at her and nodded his head positively this time.
BHARAT- I did emotionally.
MANVI- please.! You are not a divorced...
That offended him deeply. Though he did not said anything and went his head downwards.
MANVI- you had a girlfriend who cheated on you. Aapka koi fault nahi tha isme.
Manvi made him to cheer up while Bharat fakes a smile at her, a painful smile.
BHARAT- Exactly. A trauma for me.
She laughed again, quieter this time, eyes crinkling at the corners. He glanced at her suspiciously.
BHARAT- You are enjoying this too much.
Manvi uplifts her shoulders playfully and she blinked at him teasing him.
BHARAT- pata chalega aapko when your would be husband will do this to you.
Manvi's eyes went shocked to hear him and she playfully hits him on his back.
MANVI- Bhushan aisa nahi hai...
Bharat smile at her in disbelief and Manvi turned her head at the other side looking into the sea.
The sky turned softer above them, streaked orange and pink like someone had spilled watercolor across the clouds.
For a moment, neither spoke. Then she sighed and continued.
MANVI- At least you had the chance to love someone properly.
He turned toward her and Manvi the same smiling at him lightly.
BHARAT- how is Bhushan.?
She shrugged, staring out at the waves. She nodded once, looking still calm.
MANVI- Good boy, nice family. Nice face. Very... practical.
Manvi said the last line feeling almost dissapointed and Bharat shook his head at her.
BHARAT- That sounded like a product review.
She laughed to hear those words from him and he stared at her for a second.
BHARAT- And you don't love him.?
She smiled faintly into her drink.
MANVI- I barely know him.
BHARAT- Then say no.
Bharat said to her immediately and Manvi took a long heavy breath while smiling at him.
MANVI- You don't even believe in love anymore. Why do you care.?
He opened his mouth and closed it again. He thinks for a while before he answer.
BHARAT- Because, if people are going to ruin their lives, they should at least do it for love.
She laughed softly at that and felt a little surprised.
MANVI- There is the hopeless romantic hiding under all the emotional damage.
Bharat rolls his eyes for her answers and Manvi keep on smiling at him.
The breeze curled around them gently while the sea crashed endlessly below.
She took another sip of orange juice before smiling sideways at him.
MANVI- You know, for someone who claims to hate love, you talk about it a lot.
Bharat turned to face her completely now and Manvi looks at him with her narrowed eyes.
BHARAT- shut up now, I am bored already.
That shut her up for exactly three seconds. Then she kicked sand lightly at his shoe.
BHARAT- Annoying...
She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling now. And Bharat smile in disbelief looking at her.
And somehow, sitting there beside the sea with orange juice in hand and sunset colors melting into the sky, they looked less like two people unlucky in love...
And more like two hearts quietly arriving at the right place after getting lost for a very long time.
Because maybe life was strange like that. One heart stops believing in love. The other runs out of time to wait for it.
And still... somehow...
Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha.!
Some hearts are simply meant to meet.
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