It Wasn't Love at First Shalini and I Read Online Free PDF

started listening to me.”
She gave a mischievous smile from behind those tears and I
reciprocated with one as well.
    “In fact it was the day you started listening to me that I decided
that I want to marry you. Hehe. But on a more serious, and true
note, I knew it was you after the first time we went out. You treated
me not like a girl, but like a lady. Every small little thing you did,
and still do, like opening the door for me, wait for me to be seated
before you sit, always pass the menu to me first. Above all, it is these
little things that a girl looks for in her partner. She looks for respect,
and then she looks for love. That is the path you followed.
    Even I had so much written in so many sheets of paper for this
very moment, but as you said, I will also speak straight from the
heart. The day your car broke down and I haggled with the auto
driver, I noticed that you spent almost the whole night at the mechanic
to ensure that such a thing never happens again, the day you started
sweating it out in the gym to get into shape for today’s pic, I knew
that you will do anything to make me happy, the way you looked at
me when I finally selected the wedding ring after days and days of
shopping made me sure that no matter what, you will always hang in
there for me. And the way you look at me not only now, but every
day, further makes me sure what a great husband you will be. I have
said this many times before, but mainly in front of the mirror and
never in front of you. And I really don’t care if there are 200 people
in this room or just the two of us because no moment could be more
romantic. I love you.”
There was a huge applause from everyone present and she placed
the ring on my finger.
    That was it, we were officially engaged now. Just then all the lights
went out. I heard Hari’s voice over the microphone. “Ladies and
gentlemen, as a tribute to the very dashing to be groom and way out
of his league beautiful to be bride, we have prepared a little something
for them.”
    A screen appeared out of nowhere and music started playing and
photographs from my childhood started appearing. It was a collage
of all my greatest memories- graduation pics, pics when I got my
first job, my first paycheque, my first gift to my mother with my
first paycheque, admission to the business school, graduation from b
school, the day I met Kriti for the first time etc. Then there was a
similar collage of her photographs with similar details.
    It was beautiful, and just like that, the evening was over. I was
engaged. As the engagement was more of a family affair with no
alcohol, atleast no alcohol officially, I had to take my friends out for
a drink to celebrate the end of my freedom. It was an only guys night
out and Kriti jokingly asked me to stay away from Hari and left to
be with her parents. There were 8 of us guys and we went to a new
bar which had just opened in Gurgaon. It supposedly had great live
music and a great blend of cocktails. We settled into the bar and
ordered a round of drinks. All lights then went out and all the focus
shifted to the stage. Apparently some locally famous singer from US
was playing. She had recently started making a mark on the American
stage. The lights went out, and then all of them shone at one bright
spot on the stage.
    She was in a black dress. She was fair, had a dimpled chin which
gave a something special to her smile, long eyelashes, curly at the end,
like a princess would want them, kajal around her eyes, kajal to keep
away the bad omen from her beautiful face, a small parrot nose, which
twitched when she frowned, and black flowing hair, which I would
later know, she thought were brown.
It was Shalini.
1992
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he first time I met Shalini was in the early nineties when twelve
year old boys still had innocence and girls still had the elusive
charm.
    After a whole torturous year, class seven was finally over. Kids say
that they gradually start liking school as they grow old, but that is
not