It was a pleasant day. I arrived in time to the airport, given how punctual I was. After finishing all the regular rituals, I sat and waited for my flight. After taking leave from work, the only thing I wanted was to reach my home in Kerala as soon as possible. You see, my friend invited me for his wedding. And that chap's wedding, I cannot miss.

I boarded the plane. My seat was near the back. I didn't get the window seat. I sat and took out my phone to listen to some music, as I always do. The flight took off.

I sat there with my eyes closed. All I wanted was to reach the destination quickly. Oh if I could only skip to the end of the flight. When I was thinking about how much I hated flying, I smelled a peculiar perfume. A girl passed me and sat down a few seats across. She was wearing a maroon sleeveless kurti. Her hair was open. I just sat there staring at her. I could not see her face yet. But something about her attracted me.

She tucked her hair behind her ears revealing her earrings. I always love it when girls dress in traditional. Should I get up and try to see her face? How old is she? Is she single? My head was filled with questions. I prayed to God, turn please turn. And god, in the form of a kid, came to my rescue. As he walked by, he pulled her hair. The girl turned back, smiled at the kid. I saw her face.

Oh my oh my. Isn't she beautiful. She had big light brown eyes with pretty pink lips. She was wearing a small bindi. She gotta be one of the prettiest I've ever seen. She looked me in the eyes. At that point I was lost, I didn't know what to do. I just looked her back with my mouth cracked open. She gave me a playful frown and shook her head. I panicked and looked here and there desperately. She gave me smile and turned back. I was awestruck. She turned back again at me with a smile. I was feeling the butterflies, for the first time in a while. She gave a few turns. I knew I had to do something. I am not letting this pass. Should I go to her? Being the shy self that I was, I just sat back. I increased the volume of the music and closed my eyes and cursed myself.

Suddenly, I felt something smooth and wavy against my face. I opened my eyes and looked back. It was her. She walked past me and waved her hair on my face. She was smiling and looked at me with the corner of her eyes. This time I mustered enough courage and smiled back. She went to the toilet. I waited for her to come back and decided to approach her after she sits. But I ran out of luck. After she came back, she sat in another seat where I cannot see her. It seems some guy switched places with her so he can sit with his wife. Oh well, I got quite enough chances and I didn't use it. Time to sleep.

I woke up to the captain asking to fasten the seatbelts as we were going to land. I asked myself to approach her after we get out. The flight landed and we started to deboard. I kept her in my sights. There was a crowd, but I managed to keep her in my sights. But then, she disappeared. I was shell-shocked. Oh no please God. I rushed through the crowd to the front, but couldn't spot her again. After the crowd spreaded, I stood there looking left and right. I lost hope and decided to leave it. Just as I was about to take a step, I felt a tap on my shoulders. I turned back. It was her.

"Looking for me?" She asked. "Uhm yeah, I mean no. No I mean yes. Maybe". I was nervous. She laughed, and boy did she have a sweet voice. "My name is Anu" she said extending her hand. "I'm Anand" I replied shaking her hand. She then took my phone and called her number from mine. "I gotta go now, but I'll see you later?" she asked.

"Yes sure, of course" I blabbered back.

She then walked off smiling. Next thing, I thanked every god I knew. I took a cab and couldn't stop smiling. My phone beeped and it was her. She sent me a message. It as her address. "Let's hangout sometimes, come pick me up here. Or I can also come wherever you say too." it said. "Don't worry, I'll pick you up" I replied. I saved her number. I was so happy that even after the journey, I couldn't sleep that night.

Next day, I attended my friend's wedding. It went smoothly and after the ceremonies, I decided to go meet her. I took out my phone and for some reason, the number was not there. I checked the messages, it was also not there. Weird, I thought. But anyways, I remembered her address by heart. I went to her house on my bike. Parked it and opened the gates of her home. I rang the doorbell and thought how I should ask her out. And the excuse for arriving without calling.

The door opened and a man in his 60s appeared. He seemed to be her father. "Hello, my name is Anand. Is Anu here, I met her on flight yesterday". Her father gave me a peculiar look. A look of confusion. He opened the door wider and pointing to a photo on a wall asked "Is that the girl you are talking about?". "Yeah, is she home now" I replied. He stared at me in silence. I was getting the feel that something is wrong. "Umm, I'll just come back when she is home" I said. He was still silent. "Or could you give me her number please, I lost it somehow" I stammered.

"Son" he said "I don't know who you met, but my Anu died 10 years ago".

© Yadhu Anand