FINAL CHAPTER

"She proposed to me yesterday. Yes! She did propose me." Hriday was astonished. "I should have proposed her first properly, it's not manly of me. But what should I do?"

Nitin and Vinod stood there with their jaws dropped. "Is this true? How did you two get along well?" Vinod queried. Nitin asked, "Are you gonna try something dramatic?"

"I'm clueless, but I wanna do something special."

"I've never proposed a girl." Vinod frowned. "It's not the time to whine about it, Vinod. Just try getting an idea." Nitin said.

"Just go to her and recite a poem. And give her flowers." Vinod stated.

"Are you a grandpa? It's too much. It should be cool, not a dramatic one." Hriday said.

"Okay! Why don't you dance? Like a hero." Nitin winked. "I think it's cool."

Hriday stared at Nitin and began "I think I got something. Come here." he said his idea to Vinod and Nitin, then they grinned at each other.

Veena was nervous. She told Hriday about her feelings for him but she felt like a fool. "Was it too sudden? Am I a fool? What if he rejects me? I'm doomed." she pressed her face against her pillow. Freddie gave a pat on her back expressing that everything was going to be alright soon.

She then took her cell phone to call Maya and Akira. But she was not sure if it would be the right thing to do. She just wanted someone to listen to her problems and say that it was okay. She called Maya and Akira. She put on the conference call.

"Maya, I think I'm hearing wrong. I heard that she proposed to Hriday." Akira giggled.

"What a coincidence Akira, I too heard the same!" Maya said with a flat voice.

"Are you serious?"Akira was baffled." I can't believe this."

"What was his reply?" asked Maya.

"He asked me to meet him today."

"Is he going to say Yes?" Akira shouted.

"Don't scare her, Akira. I think it's nothing bad about you proposing to Hriday, Veena. Don't worry." Maya convinced her.

"Yes, I am too happy to hear this. We wish he would accept you..." said Akira.

"Thanks. I just wanted someone to hear me out."

Hriday was waiting for Veena in the same garden in the park they met last evening. He saw Veena coming. She was not overdressed. She was normal. The simplicity he loved was marching towards him.

A sling bag was sliding against her shoulder gently. She was waving at him on seeing him.

His forehead perspiration showed that he was nervous. He couldn't hold himself together. He shivered a little but didn't want her to notice that. So he folded his arms against his chest and gave a wide smile on seeing her.

Her words echoed in his ears over and over since they met last evening. He was not sure if he can confess properly but he wanted to reply to her confession.

Veena on the other hand was praying to every God. She didn't want to get rejected by Hriday. After all, she adored him very much. It would break her down if he turned her down. So she didn't wanna expect much from him, she wanted herself to be ready for any answer. She imagined millions of times getting rejected by him and facing such situations. Freddy was acting the part of Hriday in her imagination.

She confessed her feelings because she didn't wanna regret it later. She didn't wanna miss the chance. She didn't wanna hide the fact that she loved him. It would be a waste if she didn't say it out.

"Hi!" Veena greeted.

"Uh! Hi!"

"Sorry, I am late."

"No. I just came in. No need to apologize."

"Hmmm!"

"Shall we sit somewhere and talk?"

"Sure"

There was a coffee shop nearby and they got seated at the corner table. Silence haunted their speech. Both stared away from each other, with their hands on the coffee cup.

Veena was struggling inside. She had to get a reply but he was not talking. She decided to initiate. Veena took a sip of coffee.

But Hriday started, "I wanna talk about yesterday."

"Yes"

"Do you really mean what you've said yesterday?"

"I mean it."

"Okay, then listen."

Veena took a deep breath and leaned against the table.

"When you joined the school, do you remember you were going around alone getting lost in the school?" Veena nodded.

"How can you just lose your path even inside the school campus? Moreover, you would just sit somewhere and talk alone in such situations. I thought you were insane." He then smirked at her.

"One day I just saw you sitting near the sports room and talking alone. That's when I heard you saying that you were lost. It was very funny at first. I didn't wanna get involved, so I told a person to guide you. Then, again I saw you wandering around. I was curious and followed you every day and ask anyone nearby to guide you... "

" I remember, I always get helped by someone without even asking for help. So, it was you. " Veena was surprised. Hriday smiled.

" Then I told my friends about you. I was not interested in any girl but I would go and tell them about you. So they started teasing you. I didn't like it back then. They wouldn't listen to me and made you my girlfriend playfully."

"I didn't know it back then. As you became closer, as we started talking with each other, I was trapped. I am trapped by you. I tried to avoid talking to you when I realized it but I couldn't just sit and watch you crying because of me."

"I wanted to say it properly when I become a man who can support you in every means. But it was unexpected that you confessed yesterday.

You don't know how hard it was for me to pull myself from you. It was when we were in Maya's home, I realized that I like you. I wished you hear my voice which didn't come out of my mouth." Hriday's untold feelings were revealed.

These words had turned Veena into a statue. She heard everything but couldn't move an inch. She couldn't believe that it was real. All her words were imprisoned within her. The only way she could ever show her joy was her smile.

He proceeded, "It was like a dream come true when you confessed to me last evening. All I can say now is 'Thank you!'. You made me happy. You put me at ease with your very much presence in my life. I regret those days when I ignored you. All I have is one question, will you stay by my side forever as a girlfriend, as a wife, as a best friend, as a soulmate and my life partner?"

Hriday blushed as words sprout out of his mouth. Veena was on cloud nine. She wasted her time worrying about getting rejected. Veena stared at Hriday for a moment,

"Yes! I think this would be the longest speech in your life. I thought I was the first to like you." Veena laughed.

Hriday was flushed, he took out the pendant for her and hung it around her neck gently.