Kanpur-Gandhinagar-Bangalore-Calcutta

I was mad in love. And it was V-day tomorrow.

I asked with a shivering voice "What are your plans for 14th?"
She made a disturbed face as if to silently indicate- "Oh no! Not you too!"
I realized that damage control plan was required and backtracked from lover gear to good friend gear(the safest of all)- "Are yaar! I'm not saying you to come for a date with me. Just a coffee. I don't have a valentine and will be lonely. Atleast I thought I could bank upon my friend to give me a company"
"Oh! Ok..I thought you too joined the list"
"Pagal hai kya?" (Lied bluntly with a heavy heart)
"Good. Even I don't have a valentine. Let's meet at 4 tomorrow!"
"Glad to hear that!"
"What?"
"That you can take some time out of your busy schedule."(Lied Again)
"Anything for friends!"
Damn friendship!
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So here I was all set for my coffee-cum-secret-valentine-date. I made a To-Do list for my special coffee at canteen of my college.

Came the V-day and this is how my list read at 3:00 pm

-> Deodorant - Done
-> Combing- Done
-> Bath- Irrelevant. Deo already used. Done.
-> New clothes- Done
-> Shoes- Got it from roompartner- Done
-> Socks- Done. Hope the deo is as good as they claim it to be.
-> Gift-


Oh! I had forgotten. We are supposed to take a gift for her too. Even if it was one sided date, I need to have something. Something not too expensive but still good enough to win a heart.

Counter Strike CD- Nah!(I wish someone could have given me this on my V-day), Love song CD- Nah!(Too bold), Friends episodes-Nah! (I had started hating the word friend), Roses from garden- Totally ruled out, Book- geeky gift.

I settled on a safe gift- Chocolates. Bought the chocolates from daddu's shop. Secretively (so that no one notices me) and neatly packed in a red gift wrapper. I mumbled- "To my dear valentine"

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Reached the canteen at 3:30 p.m. Waved to my friends and prayed to God that they leave early. And God listened to me once.
"You coming? We are going for table-tennis"
"Nah! I'm not coming. You people enjoy"
"Waiting for someone?"
"You think any girl will agree to spend time with people like us on valentine day"
They became sad after realizing the harsh reality. With a sullen face they departed to play TT on valentine day.

Meanwhile I waited. Observed the love struck couples.

4:00 pm- Called. Phone switched off.
4:15 pm- Went to the lab to check out if she was there.
4:30 pm- Went to library.
5:00 pm- 10 rounds of coffee completed.
5:30 pm- Sleeping in canteen at the table I had occupied in the corner
6:00 pm- Sleeping
6:30 pm- Sleeping
7:00 pm- 20 rounds of coffee completed
7:30 pm- My friends arrive from playing TT. Sat with me at my special table.

Here I was spending my valentine day with a bunch of guys. My dreams had shattered. Meanwhle they discussed about valentine couples in canteen and new entries. And then I heard her name. They told me those people are sitting outside canteen from 1 hour. I darted out and found her there sitting with another guy having dinner.

It was the worst ever feeling. Felt like banging my head on the wall. I approached her and said- "Thanks for making my day". She tried to follow me and I could hear- "I'm sorry! Something urgent cropped up. Can we have coffee tomorrow?". I didn't stop. My eyes were filled with tears and shouted- "To hell with it"

Devastated, I walked back to my room. Momentarily stopped at the dustbin and gave a slam dunk to my red valentine gift. Stared blankly for few minutes at my gift lying in the garbage. And then walked back. Banged the door of my room and lied down on bed.

My room partner asked-"How was your valentine day?"
"I had lot of coffeee"
"Oh! good good. Who was your valentine?"
"The Dustbin"
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Later I found out that her reason was indeed genuine. She was in a major trouble at that moment and hence had her phone switced off. I acted like a stupid guy but come on, I was mad in love and to see your girl(ok..atlease one sided love affair girl) with someone else on valentine day is a genuine enough reason to get mad. And yeah! I did have my 21st coffee, this time with my valentine on post valentine day!