The feeling it is to be gifted something that was in your mind for so long and not just because gifting was essential but because they cared, they genuinely cared!
Snehali too had got such a gift from Neerav last weekend and today she was setting it up in her office cubicle. To say she was happy was an understatement. She had not felt this way for a long time. She had a smile pasted on her face and a light in her eyes which was tough to not notice.
Karan, Neerav’s old friend who was now in her team, noticed her lively mood and came to her.
“Wow, nice organizer.”
Snehali’s reply was full of excitement when she said: “Thanks Karan, you know where I got it from?”
”No! That was supposed to be my next question”
“Neerav had messaged last week, so we planned to meet up and see what he gifted me!” Snehali had replied excitedly
Karan knew Snehali could only be talking about his friend Neerav but he had to verify “You mean you met Neerav Anand this weekend?”
“Yes, who else. He is your friend right.”
“Right!”
Karan was a bit lost after this. He left from there talking about some pending work but instead of reaching his own cubicle went outside. Once outside, he took out his phone and dialed Neerav’s number.
The moment Neerav picked up his call, he started “I had messaged you last week, did you check?”
”Sorry yaar, I had seen the message but I was in a meeting so could not reply. Then it just slipped out of my mind.”
“Yeah, I heard you are very busy in your new job but I also heard you were busy strolling in the market with Snehali yesterday “
”Oh, did you talk to her? I forgot she is on your team now.”
”We can discuss who is in what team later. Let’s first meet before I start thinking ‘At one point of time we used to be friends.”
Karan and Neerav were friends for more than five years now and they understood each other. Not replying to one’s message or not being able to call often was never an issue between them because when they met they always continued from where they left.
”What are you saying bro, actually I was busy setting up the new apartment I moved to. Come to my place today, let’s enjoy there.”
”ok done, I am coming to your place after work in the evening. Send me the address.”
And he cut the call.
Karan came to Neerav’s apartment in the evening after work. They both ordered food from outside and started setting up a video game on the TV. While they were busy with the setup Karan asked Neerav “I thought you would let me know when you find the one ”
“What?”
Karan rolled his eyes at Neerav and said “Don’t act friend. You know I am talking about Snehali”
“Oh ok, what about her?”, Neerav was busy setting up some wires behind the television set and was not listening attentively.
”Have you proposed her already?”
Neerav looked at Karan in shock “What!”
”You have not? What are you waiting for man?”
Neerav took some time to reply but Karan understood that Neerav was not ready to discuss on this topic and did not pry further.
They both sat together and played the video game.
Karan had left next morning and Neerav found himself in a confused state. All his time with Snehali was running in front of his eyes like a movie. He still remembered clearly the first time he had seen Snehali – a girl who was satisfied being her true self. Her coolness had attracted Neerav. He had also wanted to be like her. But it was when they were working in the same team – after about 2 years of being in the same company that they had started talking to each other. Snehali had started looking more mature than she looked when he had seen her for the first time but her simplicity had still made her unique. She had always tried to understand Neerav – each and every aspect of him. Neerav had only found himself a bit reserve. He wished now to get back to that time and talk to her more freely. He was now trying to find the reason why he changed the company, why he increased his distance with her.
He now accepted to himself that he missed being with Snehali. He missed their conversations, their coffee sessions and most importantly he did miss her after all. It had been a couple of months since he changed the job and it had to be something if he was missing her still.
He now realized that it was when he was with Snehali that he liked himself more.
He always noticed every little thing about Snehali and remembered it although he always gave the excuse of having a poor memory because he usually forgot trivial things about people in general.
It was when he was with her that he had no worries. And he was sure he knew Snehali as much as she knew him. Now when he knew all this he could not understand why it took him so long to realize the plain truth of his life. He just had to look at himself while he was with her.
Guess these are the simple pleasures of life, if that change had not been so subtle and gradual to go unnoticed he might not have appreciated it.
It took Neerav time to notice the change and now though he was liking it, it was taking him time to accept it.
When he should have gone to Snehali and told him about his feelings, he was taking the time to deal with them himself first. Had he known what was going on in Snehali’s life he would have done things differently for sure.
To Read all the previously written parts of my story “Snehali & Neerav”, Please visit the link: https://keeperofthoughts.com/snehali-neerav
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Keeper of Thoughts 