…And I Had No Answer #3

“Is there something special today?

A hot flush invaded my cheeks as I faced the handsome man sitting opposite me. I unnecessarily glanced at my saree and commented casually, “Not really.”

“Then—why the saree?”

“There was a family function, so the occasion demanded we wear traditional.”

“Hmmm.”

No comments. No compliments. No reaction. Just a silly frustrating ‘Hmmm’. Today, from the very moment I had stepped into the office, absolutely everybody had complimented me for carrying off a saree so beautifully. Everybody except the man sitting across the table— and what an irony it was that his compliment was perhaps the only one that mattered. After spending almost the entire day with me, he had never once mentioned what I had wanted to hear. Now that he had finally raked up the topic, my heart coaxed me to continue the conversation but my bruised ego commanded that I didn’t and after all, in matters like this, ego always won. Therefore, I smoothly changed the conversation and said, “Your meeting’s been scheduled for tomorrow, by the way. I hope Shikha told you.”

For a fleeting moment, it seemed as if he didn’t want to give up the saree topic— but that moment went as fast it came and he remarked, “Yes she informed me. I have  spoken to the department about it.”

Slightly miffed, I was in no mood to speak to non-complimenting people and I determinedly directed my attention towards my laptop as I continued with my work. He obviously didn’t get the hint as he said mildly, “I bought a new phone.”

I suppressed the massive temptation to roll my eyes and without looking up, said coolly, “You already told me.”

“Android Version 5.0.2 Lollipop. Snapdragon 810 Processor. Internal memory 64 GB, 2TB expandable. Supports 4G network—AND most importantly, 21 mega pixel camera.”

At this I looked up. “What? Are you crazy?” I said incredulously, and continued, “I never heard of a phone having 21 mega pixel resolution.Just not possible.”

“Of course it is!” he said steadily and showed me the phone.

I glanced at the model and told him candidly, “This model has a 16 Mega pixel camera. I have the same phone.”

“21 mega pixel.”

“16 mega pixel.”

“21, Nivedita.”

“16, Aaryan.”

“21.”

“16.”

“21.”

“My answer’s not changing!”

The argument was becoming so silly that I just couldn’t help smiling at his stubbornness. At that very instant, he took his phone and before I realised, he clicked my picture. I immediately became stiff, but he had already captured that moment.

He looked at the photo for a while and during those few seconds, I could hardly describe the gradation my cheeks underwent from pink to a flaming red hue. He finally turned the screen towards me and showed me the picture. I was too embarrassed to say anything.

After a pause, he looked at me and said quietly, “Definitely 21 mega pixel. Can’t you see? You look just as beautiful in the picture.”

…And I had no answer.