All names in this story are fictional. They are no way related to any living person in what so ever way.

‘Beep… beep’ I received an SMS from an unknown number. ‘Hi handsome, howdy’ the SMS read. ‘Who’s this’ I replied back. I anticipated a reply but there wasn’t any.

‘Call +919x9x9x 8x8x8x’ and I moved my finder onto the accept button. ‘Hello…’ a sweet voice spoke from the other end. ‘Ma’am I received an SMS from your number…’ even before I could finish, the voice said, ‘Hey Ravi, have you forgotten me man…’

‘Miss, this is Akhil, you have perhaps called a wrong number’, I said. ‘Ravi, I know it’s my mistake. My short-tempered nature is responsible for the situation we are in, today. For a year I have suffered enough. And I found you number with great difficulty from Swati’

‘Ma’am’ I tried to explain, ‘I am Akhil. And you have called a wrong number’

‘Ravi, just don’t lie, I can recognize your voice very well. I am sorry for my mistake. And I know that you are still angry with me. I have heard that you have a new girl in your life and that’s the reason why you are pretending as if you don’t know me’ she said.

‘Ma’am, I don’t know who you are and it’s a mistaken identity. You are talking to me and probably misinterpreting Ravi. Going by your determination and the longing for Ravi, I understand that Ravi is some one important to you. Don’t arrive at your own conclusions. Please get in touch with your friend Swati and get the correct number’ I said.

‘Ravi, don’t be so mean. I know its cos of your new found relation that you wanna avoid me’ she said and even before I could say anything she hung-up.

I smsed her back saying that I am not Ravi and that it’s a mistaken identity. She called me back saying and I asked her, ’How can I prove myself that I am not Ravi but Akhil? What’s your name?’

She answered, ‘My name is Jahnavi and I want to meet you. Tomorrow evening, 6 O’ clock at Eat Street’ and I said, ‘I’ll see’. ‘You are gonna come and I will be waiting for you’ she said and hung up.

‘Krishna….’ I called him up and explained him. ‘May be your girl is setting a trap. Let me tell you a confidential thing. Divya called me up and said lets test Akhil….’

‘Yeah… bullshit I believe you. Just that you don’t wanna get your ass along with me to the eat street, you saying all this stuff…’ and later I hung up.

‘Man, who can be this girl? I hope someone isn’t trying to fool me…’ I called up my friend Rakesh. ‘Shit man, I am out of town at the correct time else I would have approached her. Anyways you do one thing. Meet her tomorrow and tell her that Ravi is out of station and that he sent you and Ravi will meet her the following week. I will go and meet her then’

‘You are a genuine jack ass…’ I said and he started to laugh.

‘What’s the point in me having friends, man? None of you come to rescue me. What if that girl belongs to a dacoit group and they are planning to rob me…’ I said. ‘What do you have and that they want to rob you of?’ Rakesh asked. ‘I am a guy, you know, I have many things to be robbed of…’ I replied and Rakesh burst into laughter. ‘I mean credit card, mobile etc etc..’ I continued. ‘Man, I have an idea. I will introduce Krishna as Ravi and ask that girl to meet him. Depending on the consequences, I will either go there or flee the place…’ and both of us burst laughing.

‘Anyways, let me wait for her call..’ I said and then hung up.

Later the same night, I received another SMS. It read, ‘I am so sorry Akhil. Swati gave me a wrong number. You have been so sweet to me Akhil. Can we just be friends?’

And then I called her up.

‘I am really sorry Akhil. Swati’s mistake that she’s given a wrong number. I am really sorry. But you have been so nice to me and so soft spoken. Please, can we be friends’ she said. A few questions ran through my mind. I am already committed to Divya. Why is that I like to talk to this girl. Divya’s so possessive of me, in case she comes to know about this, I am a dead duck. No problem, I don’t have any bad intentions in my mind other than helping Jahnavi.

‘Yeah Jahnavi. And that’s your real name I guess’ I asked doubtfully. She smiled and said ‘Yes’

After a few initial questions about our profiles and life, the conversation was going at a good pace. I have spoken to a lot of girls but I was very impressed with Jaanu’s, that’s what I started calling her, talking style. When you talk to some one you have a feel that they are some one close to you or some one who’s gonna be a friend for life. I felt closeness in her voice. She spoke about Ravi and asked me to help her and I said I will do my best. After talking for a few more minutes, she said its time for her to have dinner.

I will ask her to still keep the date, the next time she calls me. And I was eagerly awaiting her call. ‘It’s just friendship… just that it’s a new relation, I am so interested in her… nothing much…’ I reassured myself. I was looking at my mobile now and then for any SMS or a missed call, very impatiently.

And then I got an SMS. ‘Vodafone caller tunes…’ it read. ‘Crap shit… why the hell am I so impatient…’ I thought and finally Jaanu called me. ‘Jaanu…’ I said even when she interrupted and said, ‘Akhil, why don’t we keep tomorrow’s date…’ and I said ‘sure…’
Then she said, ‘Sorry Akhil, you have been so nice and sweet to me that I wanna tell u my complete story about me and Ravi’ and she continued. It took about fifteen minutes for her to complete her story. And later she asked me about mine, if I had any and I went on with mine and Divya’s story.

‘Okie, then Akhil, as I already said, we’ll keep the date, tomorrow 6:00 PM sharp at Eat Street’ she said and hung up.

The next day my mom would have known that I am one crazy guy in this entire world. ‘Are you going on a date’, she asked me. I just smiled with me blushing and my cheeks turning pink. Moms are impossible. They get to know each and everything about their sons.

And then I reached for the almirah changing shirt after shirt and posing in various styles in front of the mirror. Perhaps the mirror would have blown into pieces had I continued my antics for a few more minutes.

I picked up the keys and rushed to the car. ‘Oh shit, I forgot my watch’ when I rushed back and strapped it onto my wrist. I looked at it and its still 3:00PM.

And I switched on the TV to kill time and I slowly slipped into sleep. Suddenly my mobile rang and I woke up with a jerk. ‘Akhil, you aren’t here still…’ Jaanu was on the line. Oh shit, it’s already 6:30PM and I said, ‘I am there in 5 min’ and I hung up.

And I had Eat Street in 5 minutes as I promised. And I walked into the place and called Jaanu on her mobile. ‘Where are you?’ I asked her. She said, ‘Pink skirt sitting on the first floor restaurant…’ she said. I ran towards the stairs and even before I fully reached the first floor open top restaurant, I could see a girl wearing a pink skirt and seated along with another guy. As I approached her, I got the shock of my life.

‘Aishu, what are you doing here…when did you come to Hyderabad from B’lore’ I asked her still reeling under shock. ‘You were expecting Jaanu, I guess…’ she replied. ‘So, you are Jaanu…’ I was flabbergasted.

She laughed for a minute before she came close to me and held my hand and then pointed to a guy sitting with her at the table. ‘He’s Ravi, my lover. Whatever story I told you, it’s all real except for the fact that me and Ravi are together. You only have to tell mom and dad about our love…’

I smiled and she came running towards me and hugged me. ‘How well you modulated your voice, man, I swear I never even doubted you were behind this...’ I said.

‘When did you come and what are you doing here without coming to home…’ I asked. ‘I have come here with Ravi to introduce him to you so that you will have an idea about him.. and our return flight is at 10:30 PM… so me leaving in a few more hours…’

‘But you should promise your sister, that you are gonna help her out, in her love… Some unknown girl Jahnavi itself, you promised that you will help her find Ravi. I don’t need you to find Ravi, but you can given my hand in marriage to Ravi…’ she said. And I smiled.