Tip #1

Never Trade A Date For A Cricket Match!

‘What? Where are you? I’m waiting for you here, in the middle of the market. We had a date, do you even remember?’ Akanksha was covering her face from the scorching heat with one hand and her other hand managed to keep the warm phone stuck on her ear, it felt as if the melting metal was being poured straight into her ear, the weather was so rude that day!

‘What? Akanksha? I can’t hear you properly, I’m stuck in traffic…actually…’ Shrey was trying his best to lie.

‘I never knew that traffic cheers up for Chennai Super-kings right in the middle of a jam!’ Akanksha knew something was up with him. It was Shrey and he can never do anything straight.

‘Excuse me, are you Akanksha?’ someone patted her back and she turned around.

‘Yes, I am, but I don’t think I know you…’ Akanksha tried hard to remember but the person wasn’t even vaguely familiar.

‘Of course, we are meeting for the first time. I’m Jay, Shrey’s cousin!’ the young, well-built guy stretched his arm to shake hands with her.

‘Oh, I’ve heard a lot about you from Shrey!’ Akanksha tried not to be awkward, but meeting a stranger in the middle of the market and that too on a hot day sounded weirdly awkward!

‘This is from Shrey’s side, he’s sorry, he said he can’t make it today!’ Jay handed over a pack of chocolates to Akanksha that he had been hiding behind his back. Now the scene was clear, Shrey had traded a date with a cricket match with his guy-friends, and sent over a cousin as a ‘replacement’ to woo Akanksha in his favor. Nothing could be disastrous.

‘Really? Shrey and I made this plan like a week ago and today, just a few minutes ago he’s cancelling it for some match?’

‘It’s the IPL finale, Akanksha! Even I wanted to see it.’ the guy sounded a little desperate, but he couldn’t screw it up again as Shrey would kill him otherwise!

‘Oh, you’re free then, please excuse yourself and enjoy the match, I’m done with Shrey and his shit!’ Akanksha tried walking away, but immediately her phone buzzed and it was Shrey.

‘Hey sweetheart! Met Jay? He’s my cousin, you remember my maternal uncle in Delhi I told you about? He’s his son. He’s a cool person to hang out with, so enjoy his company! Darling I had this match-program with my college buddies since three weeks and I knew it only today that it was clashing with our date…you know how bad I am with remembering things?’ his laugh sounded more of cynical to Akanksha.

‘So, now college buddies are more important than your would-be wife? We are getting married in three days, Shrey!’

‘I know, that’s why I wanted to meet them, besides, Jay isn’t that bad. Now you’re insulting him, Akanksha…’ Shrey tried to flip the coin, but Akanksha had stuck it right in the middle of his throat.

‘It’s just your fault, Shrey! You cancelled a date over a match and you think I’m happy in hanging out with your maternal cousin whom I don’t even trust?’

‘Don’t trust? He’s just met you and you already distrust him? What an asshole he is! If he says something, or tries to do something, you spray pepper-powder in his eyes!’ Shrey put forward his fatherly advice!

‘He’s your cousin, hold on…’ Akanksha put him on hold and told Jay what Shrey was saying about him.

‘What a fucking asshole he is! He set me up with you so he could watch the match, what a jerk, let’s go and eat something…’ Jay gestured Akanksha to walk into the restaurant. She gladly held his hand and walked with him.

‘I’m holding your brother’s hand, Shrey and I am sure this  date will be the best I’ve had in a long time!’ Akanksha spoke in a sarcastic tone.

‘What? Wait…’ before Shrey could say anything more, the call was disconnected and the match had started. He couldn’t decide which path to choose. Whether to go and save his date with his future wife, or to enjoy the match with his college buddies whom he met after months! In all the confusion and dilemma, Shrey chose to stay where he was, after all, till the time he could reach Akanksha, they may be free and Shrey would also miss his match.

Shrey could only say one thing at the end of this weird episode – Never trade a date with a cricket match!