The Love Game: Finale

After five months

It was 3 am and Jahnvi couldn't sleep. She had work later in the day, she had to write a story on 'Letting go gracefully' for the City Times snippet. How could she concise such a strong message in 150 words? She wondered in vain. It would just come to her when she sat to type it out.

It had been a whole month without seeing Prantik. He was on a vacation, taking time off from work. Jahnvi realized that the commute had drained him more than work and he totally deserved the break. But she missed him! 

Don't know why but one year being apart and just being friends had cleansed both their pain and brought them even closer. She had matured without him and since last year, become a whole woman with him and she was enjoying every minute of their time together. She'd realized one more thing- She still loved him! 

She had realized that at Mandwa at the beach when he complained about his struggle to get to work so boyishly and so innocently, it took her breath away. 

God knows what time must it be in Norway? She didn't care about checking on Google about the time there. Tossing and turning in bed for more than an hour, she decided she couldn't sleep and all she thought was about him sending snapshots the other day of filling an entire bag of her favorite chocolate she'd asked him to bring back. 

She braced herself at 4:30 am and checked her phone. She said a silent prayer and went online on WhatsApp. She went on his profile and then the magic began again! She pulled her head back and laughed and did a little dance on her bed. He was online! 

They were playing this game after four years! She ran to her study area in the room where she hung a calendar above the laptop for marking her story submission dates. Jahnvi was very old school that way. She didn't understand digital calendars and she "whatevered" them anyway. Even her period dates were marked in pink. It was 3rd May today, Monday and she drew a small red heart on that date with her red marker used to edit physical copies of her stories. 

She ran to her bed and with a huge plonk on her pillows she sat and with excitement of a child she went online again. He came online that same second. They didn't say a word to each other. They both went offline and two mad people in love finally fell asleep in two different time zones at the same time. 

Suddenly, there was this hesitation again between them- The hesitation of first love. The chance each one didn't want to take, incase, the other one felt bad about something. 

Prantik was hugging his pillow in the hotel room in pure daylight because even though he was on vacation, all he wanted to do was be online and wait for Jahn. He didn't care about his meals and just day dreamed like a girl about Jahn. 

He made a decision. He took out his laptop and booked the first flight back to the "bae"(All puns intended). He quickly took a shower and got ready to leave his hotel to drive to the airport in his rented jeep, but not before safely securing the chocolate bag in his backpack. And yes, he was smiling like a kid caught with candy all the way to the airport. It had started again- The adrenaline rush of seeing her online, the excitement of meeting her for the first time all over again and the wait for each other that matured him to finally pop the question!

Jahnvi woke up with the biggest smile on her face and for a change she was even having a good hair day. Her waves were flowing freely below her shoulders and she quickly ate oatmeal and began working for the rest of the day on her story that marked a new milestone in her life. Her mind nudged her every five minutes saying, "Yay, it has begun again!" Boo was all she ever wanted and early morning meeting him online, without saying a word, yet living a lifetime together in that second was how God blessed them both. 

Later in the day she submitted her story to her cranky editor and went for a long run till Chowpatty to release her happy hormones so that they could envelope her being into a magic so pure, she had to stop smiling from the fear of random nazar. 

12 pm, Wednesday, 5th May 

Jahnvi couldn't get out of bed. She was sick with worry. She hadn't seen him online in two days and she was mollified at the idea of it not being real. Something in her heart told her to wait but her impatience told her that he was gone for good. 

Hair all matted and she in her boxers and 3 year old boyfriend T-shirt, hey wait, it was Prantik's T-shirt. His favorite after shower T-shirt she'd taken away from him on their third trip to Goa together. She had taken it from him because she could smell his perfume in it. She kept checking her WhatsApp like every two minutes! 

"Jahnvi, beta come here we have to tell you something," her mother called out from the living room. 

"Ya mom, be there in a second," Jahnvi called out, phone in her hand, already making her way to her living room to witness the biggest surprise of her life! 

Prantik and his parents were enjoying a conversation with her dad who was busy ordering more food, that could fit the table, by the minute. 

She entered the living room and their eyes met. Time froze. All logic from earth vanished and what remained was the power of their energies together. It bound them together forever. 

Prantik stood up and all eyes on them he went down on his knee and said, Jahn you're one spoiled brat! You’re crazy. Everything about you is mesmerizing to me. It’s been like that since we first met. I Love you! Will you be by my side in good and bad forever? Will you be my wife? Will you marry me? Will you be Mrs. Jahnvi Prantik Saxena?

Jahnvi almost fainted. She couldn't take this surprise. She was beyond elated and she wanted this moment to last forever. Sticky hair falling out from her chopsticks and with shaking legs she said, "Wait, let me check something first." 

She went on WhatsApp and knowing what Jahn was up to he went online at the same time and she finally replied to him on message, "Yes, I'll be yours forever."

He read the message and replied, "Please given me back my t-shirt Jahn" and got up and picked her up in his arms and their family clapped. 

"But wait, can I put on weight again boo?" Jahnvi asked hopeful.

"No Jahn that you can't do. When you get pregnant, please go all out." He laughed at her innocence and kissed her hard, this time with full right and on her lips before making her wear the diamond ring he had picked up first thing after returning home Tuesday evening. 

Away from ear shot, Jahnvi whispered in Prantik’s ear, “If you vanish ever again, I’ll hunt you down on earth and chop your balls off!”

“I promise. Now stop scaring me, we haven’t even tied the knot yet and your wifey avatar is looming over me!” He whispered back and then he finally pinched her cheeks and they both rested on each other’s shoulders, holding hands for eternity.