Hello everyone.
I hope you all are in good health and not playing game of chicken with the corona virus. That sneaky thing will catch you and you wont even know it. So stay safe and be vigilant with your surroundings.

Now Its been a while since I wrote something. I did write a short story only to put in draft. I don’t know why I am developing this nasty habit of writing and saving in draft and not letting know the world on what I wrote. Maybe its the fear that they will Judge me or maybe its the ego that the the final product is not upto the mark of the previous one. Whatever it is, ‘It’ is dangerous. Because somewhere in my mind I know that I left the story unfinished. And, no I am not talking about the ending. I am talking about posting it, publishing it, letting the world know that this is what I have come up with this time. And… back to why I am here today.

Now there was this small experiment which I tried with @sayee (A wonderful friend and person, who is always encouraging me to do more and be better) where she will write a segment of the story and I need to write the next episode and so on. To be honest we did this only once. I think with a Sci-fi theme about a futuristic world where everyone is addicted to the helmet a device with the head-up display connected with blockchain. The story never got finished and we never tried that again. But lets see if we can carry on with this one.

This is the Salty Air - Episode 2
Salty Air - Episode 1

Place - Bamboo flat a place in South Andamans

“Hi.” That was the most enthusiastic hi I have summoned which was met with same level of enthusiasm.

“Hey. Come on in.” He extended offered the shelter under the umbrella. “Although I am little late, Naa.”

“No, You are on time.” I replied with a big smile. After showing him the beautiful pink engraved watch that he brought me as a present on our second date.

“No.. No.. I meant to this.” He gestured the umbrella and my soaked wet body.

We started to walk slowly without saying a word to each other. As words are not needed at that moment. He held me close to him with arms around my shoulder. He didn’t seem to mind the we clothes. I was a wet dog at that moment.

“Where to?” He asked as we reached the place where I left my shoes.

“Surprise me. You only asked for the third date.” I replied with the smile. I wanted to be surprised.

“Fair enough. You should dust off the sand before you put on the sandals.” He pointed out as I was busy rushing to put on the sandals. I grabbed his hand as I lost the balance while putting on the sandals which seems to be refusing to fit in for some reason.

“They are wet, Its better to carry those.” He advised with genuine concern. And I acknowledged with a smile.

“Lets go to Half a Star restaurant. Its nearby.” He suggested a name.

“Half a Star? Why would anybody name their restaurant that.” I laughed.

“Let’s find out.” reply was severed with a smile.

The rain stopped a while ago. We were walking down the beach for almost half a kilometer now and there it was Half a star restaurant.

I was still bare-feet when we entered the restaurant. With wet clothes, Sandals in my hand and crazy hair, While he was good-looking as always. Blue suits him.

“Table for 2.” He asked the attendant while handing over the umbrella

“This way please” attendant.

And we followed the attendant to an open garden which was empty of-course, who would dine in an open air restaurant when its raining.

“Can we dine out there?” I asked

The attendant was confused and so was the man whos Hand I was holding.

“Can we?” He smiled and turned towards the attendant.

“Let me check, Sir” The attendant saying that almost unwillingly.

He left us.

“I wanted to ask you something.” He asked.

“Please don’t propose. I know I am crazy so don’t try to match.” I replied jokingly. His reacted a little sorry at that joke, which go me worried. Was he gonna propose on the third date?

He kept silent and I had to break the Ice.

“My sense of humor bhi naa!!. He.. He.. ” I tried to save by calling that atrocity sense of humor.

“What if?” He asked with a little serious tone.

“Were you gonna propose?” I panicked a little.

“No.” He answered. And that answer was followed by a awkward silent.

“Sir, The sunshade is ready and looks like its not going to rain. Your table is ready.” The attendant broke the silence.
“Thank you.”
“Shall we?” He asked me after a pause.
“Sure.” I replied after remembering how to speak.

We followed to the attendant to the table.

And the evening was going back to normal slowly. He proceeded going through the menu. Me getting confused at the menu. And after spending 15mins weighing pros and cons we placed the order and the attendant left us alone.

“So… What was is that you wanted to ask me?” I asked.
“Have you been to Kolkata, before?”
“Is that you wanted to ask me?” I replied the question with another question.
“Well, that’s is one way to start a conversation about a city where I am transferred.” I finally spilled the beans.

“Oh!!!” That’s all my brain could manage at that moment.

He gave smile. The one in which you usually regret the words the came out of your mouth. I was wearing the same smile.

“I heard is it a great city.” I tired to carry on the conversation in different direction.
“Yeah, It is.” He replied that filler question.
Silence engulfed the conversations again. We could hear the crashing of the wave from distant.

“When you came to know about it?” I asked him.
“This afternoon.” reply came.
“Ok” and I acknowledged the reply.

“Listen, I applied for transferred long back. Before we met.” He was trying to defend himself from something or probably convincing himself about what is happening.

“It is ok, I understand.” I lied. I wasn’t ok and I don’t understand. He was so perfect. We could have been much more.

“Hey, what we have is amazing. I don’t want it to end.” He spoke his mind.

“This is the end.” I smiled and replied.

The attendant came back with the order and served us. We waited for him to leave while we prepare mentally to part ways.

I am inuke,
And I am sorry for butchering the story @sayee. :-)
And I would like to thank IndiaUnited and BeAwesome commuity for being so supportive.