Chapter 23: chapter 23

It all began on a sunny afternoon in the heart of Delhi. I had just finished a long and tiring day at the headquarters, in a routine discussion for which I had travelled to Delhi. I wanted to meet my old friends in Delhi, but everyone was busy, so I decided to treat myself to a cup of coffee at my favourite café, "Bean Delhi." Little did I know that this coffee run would be a new experience in my life.As I entered the café, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee enveloped my senses. The café was abuzz with conversations, and I could see people engrossed in their laptops or animated discussions. I ordered my usual cappuccino and found a cozy corner to unwind.As I sipped my coffee, I couldn't help but overhear a nearby table where two men were engaged in a lively discussion about the stock market. One of them seemed particularly animated, gesturing wildly as he spoke, while the other was nodding attentively.I found myself intrigued by their conversation, even though finance and investments weren't exactly my area of expertise. I had always admired people who could navigate the complexities of the financial world.Just then, the more animated of the two men noticed my curious glances and flashed a friendly smile. "Hey, don't mind us. We tend to get carried away with our stock market debates."I couldn't help but smile back. "No worries, it's quite entertaining to listen to."The man extended his hand. "Animesh. Nice to meet you. This is my friend, Arjun.""I am Riya."We exchanged pleasantries, and I learned that Animesh was an investment banker, while Arjun was a financial analyst. They both had a passion for the stock market and had been debating on a high-performing stock that was going to break the market.I couldn't resist joining their conversation, even though I had limited knowledge of the subject. Animesh patiently explained some of the basics, and soon we were all engrossed in a discussion about the latest market trends of this unusual stock.Animesh leaned in, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. "You see, Riya, this stock has been on a roller coaster ride lately. It's defying all predictions, and I have a feeling it's going to surprise everyone."Arjun chimed in, his voice full of conviction. "Absolutely! The fundamentals are strong, and the market sentiment is in its favour. It's like watching a thrilling movie, and we're waiting for the climax."As they passionately debated the stock's potential, I couldn't help but be drawn into their energy. Even though I didn't fully understand all the financial jargon, their excitement was contagious.Animesh then shared a humorous anecdote about how he had convinced his skeptical friend to invest in this stock. Arjun, the skeptical friend in question, chuckled and admitted, "Alright, you got me. I can't resist a good investment opportunity, especially when it comes with your persuasive sales pitch."We all burst into laughter, and I realized that this chance encounter had brought a dose of humour and light-heartedness into my day. Animesh and Arjun were not just finance enthusiasts; they were masters of turning serious discussions into moments of laughter.As the sun dipped below the Delhi skyline, we reluctantly parted ways, promising to meet again soon for another coffee and, of course, more stock market debates. Though my stay in Delhi was only for a week, I had already found some interesting strangers to talk with.The next evening, Animesh messaged me, "Riya, I have a crazy idea. How about we make a friendly bet on the stock's performance? Winner treats the loser for a coffee?"I couldn't resist a good challenge. "You're on, Animesh. But be prepared to buy me coffee, as I am sure you will win!"The next morning, I played along with him based on his input. Our competition became a source of amusement and some easy money. We'd send each other playful messages like, "Looks like your coffee budget is safe today, Riya!" or "I hope you're ready to pay up, Animesh, because you still have got more wins!"The next day, Animesh messaged me, "Riya, I have a confession to make. I may have let my competitive spirit get the best of me. I forgot to mention that I'm also part of a stock market prediction group, and we've been discussing this stock as well."I couldn't help but laugh at his admission. "Oh, that's why I won easy money, Animesh. Though it's all in good fun! Besides, I have a secret weapon too—a lucky coffee charm that brings me good fortune sometimes."That evening when we met for another coffee session at "Bean Delhi," Animesh couldn't resist making a quip about our ongoing bet. "Riya, if this coffee bet continues, I might have to take out a loan just to keep up with the payments!"I chuckled, realizing that our friendly wager had brought an unexpected sense of joy and connection into my life. It wasn't just about the stock anymore; it was about the laughter and banter that accompanied it.That week our coffee bets continued, and Animesh and I found ourselves meeting more frequently at "Bean Delhi." The café had become our unofficial headquarters for stock market debates and friendly banter. Our friendship had grown beyond finance discussions within three days, and I was beginning to look forward to our coffee sessions more than I'd like to admit.That Sunday, I had to leave, so on Saturday evening when we met, I couldn't help but bring up the idea of connecting further. "Animesh, what if we make things more interesting? How about we add a new element to our discussions to keep the excitement alive even after I leave here?"Animesh leaned forward, intrigued. "What do you mean, leaving? I never asked you where you are from.”“I have to return to Jaisalmer, I am in the army, but we can stay connected over messages!”“Oh, that’s great to know that I could impress an army officer!” He blushed.“Okay, I'm listening, Riya. What do you have in mind about your bet game?"I flashed a mischievous grin. "How about a daring challenge over chess tonight? Something fun and unpredictable. The winner gets to choose the challenge for the next round."Animesh's eyes twinkled with excitement. "I love it! It adds a whole new dimension. Luckily I am good at chess. What kind of dare?"I took a sip of my cappuccino, pondering our options. "Well, it could be anything from solving riddles, trivia questions, or even a small dare, like singing a song on the terrace at night."Animesh chuckled at the thought of singing on the terrace. "Alright, Riya, you're on. But where will we get a chessboard, or if you come over to my place, we can continue this game!"And just like that, our evening dare game started. I decided to go to his house; he was single and had a lavish apartment in south Delhi. He had spoken about it earlier, but I hadn't imagined it to be so spacious. It was a three-bedroom hall kitchen apartment in Delhi Heights, one of the most posh buildings in that locality."Oh man, you are rich, Animesh!""Ha-ha, not so much yet, but I am planning to have my own house someday; this is rented.""Ah, still maintaining such a big one means you are really smart in finance.""Yes, learning my art, do you want something to eat?""Yes, let’s order while we get busy with our game!"I was not sure why I trusted him so much; I had never gone for an outing like this before, that too, self-invited. Was it a good or bad decision? I didn’t know, but before I left the next day, I somehow wanted to spend time in his friendly company.Animesh ordered food, and we started playing chess. One of the most memorable challenges occurred when Animesh lost both his rooks and got a checkmate from me.I gave him a trivia challenge, and he had to answer a series of rapid-fire questions about random topics. The catch was that if he answered incorrectly, he had to go down and come back through the stairs from his twentieth-floor apartment."This is unfair; it’s torture, I cannot do this!" Animesh got nervous."Okay, okay, let me give you a simple one then. You have to do fifty push-ups!" was my next option."Push-ups? No way, I never knew you would torture me like this; otherwise, I wouldn’t have fallen for your bet!""Fine, Fine then you tell me what you can do?" I asked."I am fine with twenty push-ups, but I will do them in my style!" Animesh agreed finally."Okay, Man, as you wish, but it looks like health is your weak area!" I aligned with his proposal of a dare.As I fired off trivia questions, Animesh's face displayed a mix of determination and panic. He got most answers right but faltered on a question about famous movie quotes. The penalty was clear—he would have to do twenty push-ups.Then the most hilarious thing happened when instead of push-ups he did sit-ups and called them his style of push-ups. I laughed like crazy, and then the most unexpected thing happened.He hugged me and said, “I want to live with you forever!”I don’t know how, but I let him caress me and felt warmth in that moment.The next moment, I realized this was not going to work, and I pushed him back."No, Animesh, this is not possible! We are very different individuals; we can be good friends but let’s not think any further.”He stood there looking at me without any emotions and without uttering a word, went to warm the food. We ate quietly, and then I left.~~~~~