The Schedule

Shaunak Sinha was a lonely alarm clock. To call him something else would be a figure of speech, a hyperbole, an exaggeration. Often mocked by his peers for being such a follower of time, he was still stubborn. You could not stop this man over time. To expect him more than usual time was an expectation to be broken. 

One day, Savita, a girl Shaunak's age came to live in his society. She grew popular among many people of the colony. It was just a matter of fact that Shaunak saw Savita on his way home from Office. She looked beautiful. He wanted to ask her out for coffee. But Our Shaunak did not find slot till next weekend. But he has to follow time. He cannot let the clock tick off. 

Time passed, and he saw her with another man. He looked at his clock and said, it is still time for weekend and rushed to office. On that day of asking her out, he dressed up nice, brought some flowers and came back to society to find Savita. 

Savita's home was locked from outside. He was about to go home when he saw her sandals and shoes on on the shoe-shelf, which suggested she has not gone out. He knocked at the locked door. Nobody moved. Within a second, he thought to take a look at the window of Savita. He went outside. He saw nothing. He was not able to join the dots. He went to the apartment diagonally opposite to Savita's. It was Mukesh's. Mukesh was surprised to see Shaunak since he was almost like a full moon to be seen once in a while. Shaunak asked Mukesh, "How are you, Mukesh?", "Fine, what about you?" asked Mukesh. Shaunak said, I will be much fine if you let me use your Balcony to see Savita's Balcony. Mukesh smirked and taunted Shaunak, "I did not know Shaunak that you are such a creep! you should hang out with me more often, and Savita, oh! God, she is an amazing girl, so hot!" Shaunak, as if deaf, asked, "Can I use your balcony or not?" "Go ahead!", Mukesh was weirded out. 

Shaunak reached out to Mukesh's Balcony and looked at Savita's. He was handcuffed and had bruise marks on her face and neck. She was gagged on her mouth with a cloth to stop her crying. She seemed to be in pain. She seemed to be kidnapped in her own home. Shaunak took his phone and called the Police. 

Police came and Savita was rescued. It was found that his boyfriend used to beat her and planned to kidnap her to ask for a ransom to his parents. Savita had come from a small town for a job in the city. Shaunak's efforts saved Savita. Savita came to Shaunak's home at evening. She had heard of him but had heard only stuff like he is the most boring person one can get. She used to maintain a distance from him thinking he is some sort of a weirdo. She thanked him, "Thank you Shaunak, if you had not been there, I wonder what would have happened!" Shaunak smiled but said nothing. Savita looked at Shaunak and something about the smile made her smile too, it was one of the most precious things she was looking at, however she did not know this. Further she asked, "But why did you come to my door today? did you need something?" Shaunak looked at his clock and said, now is my time to get dinner and sleep, I had planned to ask you out for a coffee as a date since I liked you. But the time slot for that particular task is over. I will try next week. He smiled and said, "See you tomorrow!" Savita looked him with amazement. She looked at the sheet sticked to his fridge, written "10 AM to 4 PM: Ask Savita out for a date". 

She bid him goodbye and left him with one final thing, she said, "I will wait for next week at 10 AM, Shaunak". Shaunak smiled. She respected his adherence to time. Shaunak's adherence to schedule was finally not boring but cute to someone.