Tina woke up that morning elated, she jumped out of her bed wishing morning to her Mom, dad and Nikki her puppy too... "Nikki" she smiled at the name....

Mom gave a weird look, she was surprised to see Tina today.  Everyday Mom had to cajole Tina out of the bed and it's not easy a task.

"Mummy"!!!!!!!! yelled Tina from the bathroom.

No response.

"Mummy", she yelled again. Tina's dad, who was sitting on the drawing room, reading newspaper called out to his wife..."Vani, Tina is calling out for you for quite sometime, can't you attend to her?

Mom grumbling, called out, "What do you want, Tina?"

Tina replied, "I forgot to take towels, can you give me one? Sorry mom! for troubling you".  Vani was surprised, her daughter saying sorry... She shook her heads and gave the towel.

Vani felt proud at the way her daughter looked, she barely wore any makeup, her skin glowing and the smile in her face made all the difference.  Vani dragged her daughter and kissed on her forehead. "You look lovely baby", she said. "Not half as lovely as you mummy, you look gorgeous, the other day Vini told me that you look like my elder sister, I felt really proud."

The car was waiting as Tina neared the bus stop and Nikhil was waiting patiently for her at the other side.  He smiled at the way, she tried crossing the road.  She was moving to and fro and came running.  His heart swelled with love and pride. 

Tina opened the car door and sat to Nikhil's left.  Her right hand as usual she placed on the gear and Nikhil's hand covered hers.  Every time he changed gears her hands were pressed and they got a thrill out of it.  For the hundredth time, she told him how soft his hands are. Tina smiling to herself leaned back on the seat, relaxed with a smile.  Nikhil who is always used to Tina's non stop chatter was confused, he couldn't turn and look at her as he was driving and asked her "what's wrong with you, Tina? Why are you silent?"

Tina said, "Nothing, everyday I only talk, why don't you do the talking once?" 

Nikhil said, "You know I am bad at starting conversations... why suddenly?"

Tina asked him, "What time will we reach? How long will it take to reach Pondi?"

Nikhil asked, "What did you tell your parents? What did you tell your friends?"

"I told my mom that at I'm going on a picnic with friends, told Shravanthi that I am going on a picnic with my school friends" said Tina with a huge smile on her face... "See, how clever I am?", she gave a squeeze on his hands and he smiled at his clever Tina.  He thought how clever girls are to when it comes to planning and executing things.

"3 hours" he said.

"What!?!" Tina asked.

"It will take 3 hours to drive down to Pondi."

He inserted a disc and music started to play.  Tina's hand now placed on top of Nikhil's hand and she started to trace patterns on his hand absent mindedly and Nikhil wanted to shout, "Stop! please".  

Tina was now talking about the first day they met. He was wearing a white shirt with blue stripes... She turned and asked him, "Do you remember the dress I was wearing that day?"

"Now I am in trouble..." Nikhil thought loudly and Tina jabbed her elbows on his ribs.

"Ouch!" he cried out and pulled her hands and held it to his chest and kissed and nuzzled her knuckles. Tina's eyes widened and she hastily drew her hands.

"What's wrong?" asked Nikhil.

"Nothing" said Tina.  She became quite and it started to bother Nikhil.  He was cursing himself for rushing her.

He tried to explain to Tina. "Listen Tina.... I am this way and I am a physical person and I don't shy away from showing my affection this way.  If you don't like it, you just have to tell.  If you think, I am going to say sorry for kissing your hands, just forget it."

"Are you taking advantage of me?" asked Tina.

Nikhil's face was livid with anger.  He slowed down the car and looked at her and when he saw the genuine fear in her eye, his face slowly relaxed.  He stopped the car and took her hands in his and told her, "If that's what I wanted to do, I wouldn't have waited for 6 months.  Listen! I wanted to tell you something, for quite sometime now.  I love you! I love you like hell.... I want to get married to you and have kids who are spitting images of my Tina."

Tina's eyes welled with tears... She didn't know how to react.  She loved Nikhil more than her life but was not sure of his feelings for her. "What if he thought me as just a friend?" was the question, which always stopped her from telling him how she felt about him.  She sat there silent, shell shocked.  Nikhil was confused at the way she reacted.  He cursed himself for blurting himself out this way. "Tina" he pleaded.  It's now Tina's turn, she leaned and kissed Nikhil on his cheeks and told him, "I love you Nikhil.  Today is the happiest day in my life.  I will never ever forget today." She then sobbed. Nikhil held her shoulders till the tears stopped and whispered sweet nothings in her ear.

Then it was fun.  They teased, played, called names at each other, joking and commenting about people passing by and Nikhil stopped at the resort, he planned to take her.  They had lunch, icecream and played in the waves. They took turns and changed in the room they booked.  It was then things happened.  Nikhil took Tina in his arms and kissed her.  He fished a jewel box from his jeans pocket and showed her the ring.  Tina cried out at the sheer beauty of the ring, cluster of diamonds adorning a platinum band and he slipped the ring in her fingers and asked her, "will you be my wife?" She was stupified and was in a daze loving the ring that moment and cried out...."Beautiful... I love it" then she said "ofcourse! i love the idea, and if you promise to give me another ring as beautiful as this for our wedding" she smiled saying this.

Nikhil looked at her, before I start something and we both would regret later, let's get out of here.  Tina called him "spoilsport" and Nikhil took her out for a walk on the seashore.  The sun was hot but they didn't mind.  They talked non stop about their families, friends, their future.....

It was close to 4 PM, when Nikhil said it was getting late and they had to leave... Half heartedly they started the car and drove down towards Chennai.  The return journey was content and the music was playing.  They barely talked and as they neared the city, Nikhil turned to ask Tina, if she can take an auto from Adyar to her place.  He said he was feeling little tired.  Tina surprised looked at his face and hastily said, "yes ofcourse!."  He turned to check his Blackberry and started to message and check mails and she twisted the ring on her fingers and then she removed it and slid it in her chain like a pendant and wore the chain on her neck.  Both there minds went back to their family and the next day.

"Are you sure? or shall I drop you?" he asked.  Tina who knew Nikhil, also knew that whenever he added something to the primary question, he leaves it loose and he would feel happy if she doesn't take it.  She said "I am sure... stop the car when you find an auto close by no need to drive till adyar.... this will be closer to your house isn't it?"

"Sorry dear", Nikhil said. "Don't know why, but I feel damn tired, else would I ask my princess to go by auto?" He touched her hand and gave a gentle squeeze but there was something missing felt Tina.  "Did I say or do something wrong?" Her mind slowly replayed all the scenes and everything was so right.  She hoped he doesn't change his mind.

She turned as she was about to get down, "Nikhil, are you sure?"

Nikhil's turn to ask, "sure about what?"

"Sure about your love for me, you gave me a ring today, are you sure about this? you just have to tell me. I can understand and won't mistake you."

"You silly!" said Nikhil... "I love you baby, I am little tired that is all.  We will meet up tomorrow and you will know if I am serious... this time it is not going to stop with a K....". She closed his mouth....."NOOOO! don't say anything, till wedding no touching... got it?"

Nikhil pursed his lips and said,"OK, if you say so."

Tina got down and was bargaining with the auto driver and got in to the auto.  Nikhil started his car and he thought, "Maybe I should have waited for few more months....was I hasty?"

Tina was thinking, "Did i do a mistake by accepting?  maybe I should have waited for few months...."

That night they texted each other, "I love you", but their minds clouded with uncertainity...

But the drive to Pondy, should definitely be "A drive to remember!" in both their lives...