They kept walking without talking.Neil had his eyes fixed on the possible trouble makers.Two out of the four started walking in their direction.Neil could see the other two men reasoning with the and trying to pull them back but all in vain.

Sensing the gravity of the situation he held her hand in a tight grip and pulled her behind himself.The two miscreants were too drunk to utter anything discernable.They tried to walk past Neil to catch hold of Ananya.He grabbed one of them by his collar and punched him right in the face.The guy lost his balance stumbled back a few steps.Neil caught hold him again and threw in a few more punches till he fell unconscious.

Just then a realisation stuck him that he had left Ananya alone.He ran back to her only to find her safe and sound. The guy on the other hand lay on the ground groaning in pain.What Neil could discern was that she had emptied an entire bottle of pepper spray on his eyes and when he had fallen down on the ground she had kicked him till he couldn't get back on his feet.The guy had his eyes closed and held his stomach with his hands and was screaming in pain.

His widened in disbelief.

He smiled at her all impressed.

''Good job ''

He raised his hand for a hi five but was dismissed by Ananya who instead walked ahead as if nothing had happened.

                             ***~****

Putting her hands on hers hips and breathing heavily she came to a halt.

''Tabse gol gol ghumha rhe ho.Aakhir ye cafe hai kahan?'' 
( We have been in circles since then , where the hell is this cafe ??)

'' yahin toh tha.Google Maps bas yahin tak dikha rha hai''
(It was just here. Google maps are showing this as the location)

''Google Maps!!!!!!!!  Are you kidding me?  ''

''Stamina  zero hai tumhara.Kitna hanf rhi ho''
( Your stamina is zero. Yours lungs have given up with this much walking.....look at you panting )

Her eyes looked so fiery at that moment that he could feel them boring holes in him.

''Lets go back''

''Wait.I think right turn pe koi sign board hai ''
(Wait . I think there is a signboard just at the right turn ahead of us)

''I can't see anything''

''Han kyunki shayad board mein koi problem hai.The light is going on and off.Come lets go check it out''
(Yeah cause the board's lighting keeps flickering. Comd lets go and check it out)

She tried to put on her brave face though in her heart she wasn't so sure.On reaching the corner all her fears vanished.The Moonlight cafe looked like a happy place, filled with people chattering away. It was a lot busy for a small cafe.It was a rooftop cafe...which he had intentionally forgot to mention.The smile on his face on seeing her surprised said it all.They climbed the spiral staircase to reach their destination.

''What can I get you Sir and Ma'am?''

'' A black coffee for me.What will you have ?"

'' Cold coffee''

'' Raat ko,  itni shardi mein coldcoffee?? Really??''
(You want cold coffee this late at night , in this cold weather ??Really ??)

''Shardi mein coldcoffee ka maza hi kuch aur hai!! You should try it sometime''
( Winters and cold coffee make an amazing combination. You should try it sometime)

'' Brain freeze ho jayega''
(You will get a brain freeze)

''Ussi mein toh maza hai.Black coffee mein kya hai?Its boring''
( Thats the fun part !! Whats fun about a black coffee ?? Its boring !")

His smile was effortless.He must have heard a lot of people say the same statement.But something about her screamed different.

''Excuse me.Can you make that two coldcoffees?""

The waiter nodded in affirmation and changed the order.

 As he changed order, Ananya noticed blood on near his knuckles.He must have got hurt during the fight she thought to herself.

''Here... take this''

Neil looked at her holding a band-aid in her hands.

''Why?'' he asked not realising he had been wounded.

'' Chot lagi hai tumhe''
(Your hard is hurt )

'' Its just a scratch''

''I know.Infected ho jaega...laga lo''
( I know . You dont want to get it infected....just put the band aid on)

He heard concern in her voice ...though she pretended not to care.He took the band-aid.

'' Band aid koun rakhta hai bag mein.Girti rehti ho kya?"
( Who keeps bandaid in their bag ? Do you hurt yourself that often ?)

He was struggling to put it on with his left hand.She took it away and applied it on his hands gently.

''Emergencies ke liye.Kya pta kab kisko jarurat ho''
( Its for emergencies . Who knows when someone might need it)

'' Waise uski sari galti nai thi'' he said trying to change the subject.
(By the way , he wasnt completely at fault)

''Uski kiski?''
( who ?)

'' You know that guy at the bar.Ab ek khoobsurat single ladki akeli baithi thi...so uska attention toh wahin jayega na''
( You know...that guy at the bar. When such a pretty girl is sitting all alone at a bar.......its attracts attention quite easily)

'' Are you trying to flirt? Or are you just defending him"

''Har compliment ka matlab flirt karna nai hota ''
(Not all compliments equate to flirting)

''Aur har akeli baithi ladki single nai hoti''
(And every girl sitting alone isnt available)

''Oh! So you do have a boyfriend'' he was amused .

'' Han hai...bilkul.Tall, dark and handsome types ''
(Yes ofcourse . Tall , dark and handsome types)

''Acha.Mujhe yeh 'dark' ka concept samajh nai aata.Tall and handsome tak toh thik hai.Why do girls add 'dark' to it? I mean are fair guys  not good ?''
( I dont understand the concept of "dark" being the criteria for a suitable guy )

She looked at him intently.The guy was quite fair she noted ...probably a shade more than her.

''Tumhe kisine reject kar diya kya? For a dark and handsome guy?''
( Did someone reject you for a dark and handsome guy ?)

''No ! I was just asking in general''

''Mujhe kya pta? Hadd hai yaar.Maine research nai kiya hua hai''
( what do I know ?? I havent gone and researched on the topic)

There was silence again.She kept looking at the stars and he searched his brain to find something to say instead of staring at her.

''I think I saved the guy from you''

'' What now?!!!!!'' she looked puzzled.

''Arey main time pe nai aata toh tum toh uss bechare ka muh hi tod deti Miss black belt''
(If I hadnt arrived in time , then you would have broken his face, Miss black belt )

He had finally managed to get a smile out of her.And it was like a breeze of cool air in a hot summer.

'' Yahan se sky kitna clear dikh rha hai na.Its a breathtaking view"
( The view from here is breathtaking !! You can see the skyline so clearly from up here.)

" Choice kiski hai'' he said proudly
( Well I chose the place , didnt I ?)

'' Credit toh aise le rhe ho jaise tumne hi banaya ho!!''
( You are taking credit as if you made this place)

'' But I did suggest this place."

''Ya ya Mr Know it all''

Her annoyed expression changed into a broad smile seeing  her cold coffee that had just arrived.Like a eager child she started sipping it.In her mind she was thanking him for bringing her here but she was never going to say it aloud.She loved the view and the ambience.It was more to her taste and she felt comfortable here in the company of a complete stranger. 'Weird' she thought to herself.

She was beautiful he observed.Simple yet beautiful.No make up yet her face was lit.Her smile was her best accessory and she used it like a precious jewellery. A unruly strand of hair kept disturbing her moment with the coffee.He had the supress the urge to side it with his hands.

Her phone rang disturbing his thought process.

"My friends called.We have to leave''

'' Oh.Let me pay the bill.''

''Why? ''

'' Because I insisted we come here''

''So? I'll pay, that is if it doesn't hurt your male ego?''

''Are you trying to provoke me to fight? '' he chuckled.

''Are you offended?''

''Nope.Go ahead and pay.Pehle bta deti coffee free hai...coffee ka taste enhance ho jata''
(Had I known the coffee was for free , it would have tasted even sweeter)

He kept smiling at her as she paid the bill.The return journey was uneventful.They walked back to the club where her friends where waiting outside.

He waved her a goodbye.She returned it with a genuine smile.

Two strangers who had met by chance parted ways leaving their fates to chance.