A Serendipitous Encounter on the Delhi Metro

On a crisp spring morning, I boarded the metro from Karol Bagh station, headed to college. Traveling alone, I immersed myself in the soothing melodies of A.R. Rahman, my favorite singer. The weather was delightful, and I was absorbed in my mobile phone. After two stops, we reached Rajiv Chowk, the bustling heart of the Delhi metro. Amid the usual rush, a young girl in a yellow Punjabi suit caught my eye. She was engrossed in her phone, looking charming, innocent, and incredibly lovable. Her self-assured and confident smile stood out. She was slightly chubby, yet adorably so.

Throughout the journey, I found myself glancing at her repeatedly, though she never seemed to notice me. That hour-long trip felt like mere seconds. She deboarded at Noida Sector 15, while I had four more stations to go. As she left, I wished I could meet her again, but it seemed unlikely given the countless faces one encounters daily on the Delhi metro.

The next morning was routine as I boarded the train from Karol Bagh, not expecting to see her again. Immersed in my course book on my phone, I was startled when she boarded at Rajiv Chowk once more. I couldn’t believe my luck. This time, she wore a white suit, and her kohl-black hair, slightly wet, draped over her shoulders. She stood near me, and her exquisite perfume filled the air. I saw an identity card from Dell around her neck but couldn’t make out her name. It was clear she worked there and was older than me, a college student. Despite her higher status, she occasionally glanced my way.    
One particularly crowded day, I stood by the gate. She boarded, wearing a red suit, and her earphones got caught on my wristwatch, unplugging from her phone. I handed them back, and she thanked me with a beautiful smile. Her voice was sugary and exotic. Though usually confident, I was tongue-tied. We made our first eye contact, and her big, expressive eyes conveyed confidence and independence. As she deboarded, she looked back and smiled, leaving me with a dewy feeling.

We continued to meet daily, standing close but never speaking. Then, a school project took me out of Delhi for over 12 days. When I returned, the first thing on my mind was her. I eagerly boarded the metro, but she wasn’t there. Disappointed, I wondered why I felt so sad about someone I hadn’t even spoken to. Perhaps it was attraction or the connection forged by our daily encounters.

Days passed without seeing her, and I gradually stopped looking. Then one day, engrossed in the novel “Zero to One,” I looked up at Yamuna Bank and saw her in front of me. Overwhelmed, I stood up and offered her my seat. She thanked me and sat down, wearing a stunning black suit. Her smile felt like sunshine on a winter day. I wanted to ask where she had been but remained silent, simply basking in her presence. When she deboarded, she thanked me again with a smile.

Our daily encounters resumed, and each morning, I woke up hoping to talk to her. One day, she sat near me, and to my surprise, asked if I wanted to play a game with her on her phone. I was so surprised that I barely registered her words. She handed me her phone to play Ludo, and we chatted. She asked my name, what I was studying, and other questions. Though I didn’t learn her name, our brief conversation felt like a dream. As she deboarded, she smiled and told me to take care.

Unfortunately, exam season changed my college schedule, and I never saw her again on the metro. Yet, every time I boarded the train, I thought of her. The one thing I regretted was not asking her name or anything more about her. All I knew was that she worked at Dell.

Even now, whenever I ride the metro, I think of her and hope to see her again. I wish I could meet her just once more, to ask her name and tell her how I felt. This brief encounter on the Delhi metro remains a cherished memory, a reminder of how a chance meeting can leave a lasting impression.