friend request

                              episode  18








inches away.
His palm was about to touch her cheeks when the lights came on.
Interval
Immediately they moved back to their original position and acted as if nothing had
happened. Aleesha started curling a strand of her hair with her fingers while Akash
stretched his body pretending to relax. They looked at each other and exchanged innocent
smiles.
‘Don’t move. I’ll be back in a few minutes with your surprise,’ Akash said getting up
from his seat.
‘What’s it, Akash? Come on. Tell me. Where are you going?’ Aleesha almost pleaded
this time. She was losing all her patience. Akash blinked his eyes and asked her to wait
for a moment.
Aleesha took out the Bisleri water bottle from her bag. Just as she was about to take a
sip, she saw her name flash on the movie screen. She could not believe her eyes.
Is that real? I mean how? Why? What’s next? Is this the surprise Akash was talking
about? Did he go outside for this? Her mind was preoccupied with these thoughts
while her eyes looked for Akash. He couldn’t be seen anywhere. She looked back at the
screen and didn’t dare to look anywhere else. She felt like her heart had stopped beating.
Aleesha! Aleesha! Aleesha! The text appeared on the screen.
I don’t know what will be your reaction after watching this short movie. But I am
sure you won’t hit me. The text flashed on the screen one after the other.
I’ve always been someone who is always at a loss for words. But, today I felt like
telling you everything to lighten my heart. It’s for the very first time in my life that I
am taking this step and have dared to do something like this. I would like to tell you
that you have wooed me from the very first meeting. I want to let you know that I am
madly in love with you and I promise you that I will do my best in making you feel
loved and secure with me. I don’t know what you think of me, but you really are very
special for me. According to me, you are the most beautiful girl in this world. Megan
Fox is no match for you. The stars lose their shine when I think about your smile.
I’ve seen dreams of me kissing you and have spent lonely nights thinking of you. If
only you could hear my heart’s voice, you would have known that I will love you like
no one else. The days have passed since I feel your love in every song. Now it’s time to
say what I have kept hidden for so long. I want you to stay by my side. Aleesha, I love
you! I love you so much that I cannot express it enough. I have a small surprise to let
you know that you are my life. I have never felt so good.
A photograph of Akash and Aleesha appeared on the screen with ‘Made for each
other and together forever’ written on it.
Akash was standing near the entrance door and observing Aleesha all through the
clip. Her happiness knew no bounds. She came down immediately when she saw Akash
standing near the screen. She stood in front of him. They looked at each other for a
moment. Akash was the first one to break the silence.
‘You won’t say anything?’
‘I am speechless, Akash. When did you plan all of this? I never expected that
someone would ever do this to me. I am flattered. I still can’t believe you actually did
this. You had kept our photograph too, the one which we had taken in McDonald’s,’ she
said, and Akash came close and held her hands.
‘I wanted to tell you about my feelings in person, but thought of making it special and
memorable. I always feared telling you about it because I feared losing you as a friend. I
consider myself really lucky to have a friend like you. But now I want to tell you the
truth. Each moment away from you feels like a thousand deaths. I would rather lose you
and live in sorrow than spend the rest of my life wondering what if…’ Akash stopped for
a moment and said, ‘I hope you will not hate me. But what choice did I have? You are
the most wonderful girl I have ever met and not falling in love with you was never an
option for me. I love you, Aleesha.’
He had finally expressed his love and he felt on top of the world. Aleesha kept