1 Missed Encounter

Ziyi picked up the phone lazily and answered "Hello" in a husky voice mixed with some anger.

She was deadly irritated since someone disturbed her happy sleep in the very early morning.

"Ziyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii !!!!!!!!" she could hear her best friend's shout from the other end. Listening to her dearest friend's scream, she wanted to say, "I think we should save the call charges. I could hear your voice even with out a mobile". But, however , she doesn't want to say that on Angela's face. She could only worriedly ask "Hey Angel, what's up?? You gave a call so early in the morning. Is everything okay ??" Angela sighed and said "My goodness Ziyi, as expected from you. Don't tell me that you forgot our plan to drop Zaw at airport today. "

Ziyi apologetically said "I'm sorry about that. Just slipped out of my mind. By the way, if I'm not wrong, his flight is at 5 PM right ??" . Angela answered "Yes, it is !! and for your kind information, it's not morning but afternoon instead". Ziyi was startled for a second and asked " are you kidding me??". she thought it was still 6 or 7 AM in the morning.

Angela coolly said "For the heaven's sake open your room curtains and see the bright sunlight outside. I feel pity for the plants in your room. They are malnourished due to lack of sunlight while get to enjoy tasty foods." Ziyi laughed out loudly and said "Don't worry. I just opened my curtains. Will be ready in 30 minutes. Sorry, my love"

"Just 30 minutes okay?? Make it quick. AJ said he and Aseem would pick Zaw from his home and will arrive directly to your house. So, please be ready soon" said Angela and then she cut the call.

After the call Ziyi noticed that her home was a mess. Even the word mess can't describe the mess in her home. She was really busy with her exams for the past two weeks and left all her books and note spread openly on the floor. She decided to clean them at least a bit, before her friends arrive else they may faint looking at the state she is living in.

Exactly with in 5 minutes, she cleared the obstacles in the hall and thought to get ready. As she was about to go, she got a call from her other friend AJ. She picked up and answered "Hey AJ. Where are you guys?? Angela said that you would arrive in 30 minutes"

AJ said "yeah. First tell me, have you got ready ??"

Ziyi looked at herself from top to bottom in the mirror and said, "Yeah I got myself ready and waiting for you guys." She laughed at herself and thought, I still got 25 minutes So, I can be ready by the time they arrive. Suddenly someone knocked on the door and she opened the door wondering who it was. AJ, Aseem and Zaw are standing in front of her door and their car was parked at a walk-able distance away.

Ziyi thought facepalm. She grinned her teeth and forced a smile to welcome them. Zaw smilingly said "I could see your absolute readiness. Shall we start immediately and pick Angela on our way?. Ziyi doesn't have any issues from her current appearance and thinks she is ready to go. So,we shouldn't mind either. Am I right,dear ?" Ziyi thought Zaw's unique habit of embarrassing people is never changing.

Finally, she admitted, "Guys, I am so sorry. Just slept a bit overtime". Give me some time. I will get ready in a couple of minutes.She ran upstairs to her room and picked up a violet colour sweat shirt and cream pants from her closet. She got herself freshened up and arrived downstairs in 45 minutes. By the time she reached downstairs, she could hear laughter coming from the hallway. She noticed that her best friend has already arrived and started chatting with others.

Ziyi hugged Angela and said "See darling.. I made it in time."

Angela said "You are already late. Better snap out of your illusion. Guys let's leave immediately. We are already running late "

Ziyi said "Aseem, you better drive faster. We must be there before 3 PM"

Aseem looked at Ziyi and said "If Zaw misses the flight, thanks to someone. I am not responsible for it Ziyi"

Ziyi prayed "Oh God !! please save me from this trouble. Please let us reach Manchester as early as possible "

After 30 minutes the car broke down near Barnsley and everyone's face became pale. They all were worried if they could reach airport in time or not. Ziyi said "let's ask lift from any of the passing cars and one of us can accompany Zaw". Everyone agreed that it's the best possible solution and suggested that Ziyi should ask for lift.

Ziyi agreed to their request and waited for the cars to pass by but unfortunately not even a single car arrived. Finally she couldn't wait any longer and thought "Dear Mars and Venus, please make Pluto appear" and luckily the heavens heard her.

A black classic Lincoln limousine was passing by and Ziyi rushed to ask for the lift. The driver slowed down and the person in passenger seat is a handsome guy. He asked for the issue. Ziyi conveyed the problem and asked him if he could help her friend. The man thought for a while and agreed. He said all 5 of them can get in and he would drop them near airport as even he is heading towards airport.

Ziyi thought, she should visit Buddha temple and thank him for today's blessing. They all were relieved but stayed quiet smiling at each other. BBC Sheffield radio is announcing the weather report and mentioned that it's going to snow today.

Angela is so excited and said "Ziyi, today is going to be first snow day!! Wow, I am super excited. You know what, they say that you can meet your true love on the first snow day. Hope we both meet someone like that "Ziyi just smiled at Angela's excitement.

Suddenly ,AJ intervened and said," Hello how come you both forget me and Aseem. We both are singles as well". Zaw said "Guys, I am yet to be engaged. So, even I am considered to be a single as well ". Angela said "Repeat it again Zaw. I'm going to record it and send it to your fiancée"

Everyone burst into laughter and they didn't notice that they are almost close to the airport.

The Limousine reached airport in another 5 minutes and all of them got down. They thanked the handsome guy and rushed inside the airport. They entered the airport at exactly 3 PM. They wished bon voyage and later Zaw went to the security checking.

Later, they noticed that the train from Manchester Airport to Sheffield is at 3:40 PM and the time now is 3:35 PM. So, they started running from terminal 2 towards the train station.During the rush, Ziyi hit a man coming in the opposite direction from terminal 1. It started snowing at the moment she hit him. She just apologized without turning back as Angela dragged her hand.

The man stopped for a second and felt a strange sensation in his heart. His heart was beating loudly and speedily. He wondered whether if the girl who hit him was her?? But her English accent seemed to be very different. But unknowingly, without consciousness, his legs were dragged towards the direction in which the girls went.

By the time he reached the train station, his heart felt unsettled. He looked at the sky and took a deep breath and thought to himself, "Today is the first day of snow. I wish if I could see you at least once. Why do we just have missed encounters ??No matter where ever you are, I am going to find you "