Love is so blind that it just happens unexpectedly.
You may fall for anyone!
Would you let go of your policy if you fell for someone you shouldn't? What would you choose-your policy or your beloved?
We sat back on the very first couch of the dining hall. I leaned on his shoulder. He let his fingers through my hair. "Your hair is smooth and silky like that of my younger sister's childhood doll. You too are like a doll..." I sat erect and shrugged at him. We smiled at each other. As he looked at me, my eyeballs rolled from the left to the right and vice-versa, just like the water moving inside a bottle when a kid keeps turning it upside down, moving it in all the possible directions with a great pace.
"No, don't misunderstand me again. I meant you are pink and pretty. You look like a girl made of pink roses!", he complimented. I looked away and blushed to myself. I pretended to frown as I turned back to face him. "Just a compliment...Take it easy!", he explained. I shrank my eyes, looked up at the ceiling, and burst out a round of laughter. I turned back at him only for his chuckle to accompany my roar of laughter. I nodded at him, blushing again and acknowledging, "Thenkx, Akshat sir." We smiled again with our eyes capturing each other.
"Sir, may I ask you something if you don't mind?", asked I.
“Ask”, granted he, nodding a little and smiling along. My eyeballs forgot to roll hither and thither for a second. "How does he read my mind so well?", reflected I.
” Hmmm…Hmmm. Hmmmmm”, dragged I. He smiled, nodded, and pressed my palm in an attempt to make me feel free and comfortable.
“I don’t know what you will think…but…”, I continued to drag.
He interrupted me,” But, I want to know who are those rats running restlessly within your intellectual brain!”
I closed my eyes, breathed hard, and hurried,” Kiku, are you dating or are married? “
He laughed and asked me to open my eyes. I refused saying that my abrupt question might have annoyed him.
“I will reply only if you open your eyes”, insisted he.
I slowly opened my eyes. We were busy into each other's eyes again. I got up and justified, walking slowly towards the balcony, “Akshat sir, the question flashed my mind suddenly…" I slammed my own forehead and completed, "No worries, I thought of asking but it's fine if you don't wanna share. I am very sorry…”
“No, not at all!”, uttered he. I turned back to face him as he came walking towards me. He blushed, clarifying, “No, I am single. “I smiled and he concluded, “It's fine being friendly and personal with me. I don’t mind at all!”
He asked me, “Do you have a boyfriend?”
I shrank my eyes and refused. He blushed, clarifying,” Kiku.I am sorry if I was getting personal with you…” I blushed, guaranteeing that I too had no problem.
Walking back to the couch, I shared that I had a slight passion for literature besides law and studies and that I had been reading a lot of Wordsworth's poems and Shakespeare's love stories at times.
“Sexy! Me too! Literature is amazing! I read Tagore's too but not many poems.”, he joined, extending his palm for a hi-fi. We hi-fi-ed as we sat back. We were surprised to note two similarities between us on a single evening!
We heard an enormous yet relishing sound from outside. Akshat turned behind and witnessed millions of long drops of rain drenching the road. I needed a third eye to see the water flowing down the balcony’s glass.
“Rains!”, exclaimed Akshat, jumping down from the couch. I noticed thousands of torchlights illuminating his face. His wide smile, although had always been real, sounded extremely genuine and natural at that moment. I could see it coming out of his heart and showing up on his face. Every time he pointed out the rain through the balcony, he smiled wider and wider.
“Rains! Woohoo!” squealed he, running upstairs. I chuckled at the young boy of six reborn in him. I ran behind him and saw him standing in the middle of the terrace, looking up and whistling happily.
"Why would one love rain so much that one would forget everything else?", wondered I.
"Nature is lovely and rains add colours to this love. But, so much love?", I was startled.
I pitied his neatly ironed formal suit bathed in the heavy downpour. I stood at the entrance of the terrace, smiling at him and ensuring that I stayed away from the natural shower.
He suddenly turned at me, wiping the water dripping from his hair right on his face. He gestured for me to join him. I smiled, shrinking my eyes and gesturing my refusal back at him. He ran towards me, cheering,” Naomi, come on!”
He bent his head in front of me. He began rubbing his hair quickly with his left palm. The droplets of rain flew to my face from his naughty hair. I closed my eyes and smiled. When he was about to drag me outside, I refused, “Akshat sir, no! “He shouted to overcome the background noise of the rain,” Whyyy? Like just why? The rains are beautiful! I love rains and keep waiting for them all three hundred and sixty-five days…!”
I explained that I would suffer from a viral fever if I played in the rain. He laughed, consoling, “No way! Your parents being doctors must have been extra careful about you, especially during your childhood. For instance, look at me!”
He seemed to have played water games at Wonderland in his suit! I was still scared to make a decision. The carefree guy caught my hand, dragged me, and I was finally exposed to the heavy rainstorm.
It was the first time I had ever gotten wet in the rains. It was like bathing in the shower which I rarely do to ensure that I didn’t waste water-a precious natural resource. This shower stood out from an ordinary shower for the natural rain water didn’t stop at all! Neither must one care about the lengthy water bills. It was a free shower, indeed!
I left his hand and walked slowly deep inside as I looked up at the pitch-dark night sky reigned by the white celestial body. I wondered why the world loathed black color. It’s only the dark color of the sky that could add color to the heavy and beautiful downpour. Gallons of water were incident on my face which reflexed my eyes to close; yet, I shrank my eyes and smiled at the waterfalls embracing me.
First, right leg then left leg then again right leg-I moved my legs to touch the stagnant water upon which I stood. Every time I kicked the tiny pond, water splashed back on me. I laughed, laughed, and laughed, leaving Akshat behind me, in surprise.
I looked behind and exclaimed, “Thank you, Kiku! “He blushed at me. I could see, what I had felt when I saw him getting crazy about rain this time, in his eyes. I closed my eyes and smiled as I twirled; my lehenga whirled along, with my shawl hitting his face. I suddenly stopped and blushed in return.
As he came walking towards me and neared, at last, I threw all the water that I had accumulated in my hands, upon him.” Aye!” exclaimed he. He began chasing me. We laughed as he missed to catch me, just on the verge, every time he neared intending to catch hold of me. I felt as if he were Tom and I were Jerry! At one fine point in time, we sounded like Kabadi players!
Tom broke the record by catching my hand tight. He pulled me towards him. Neither his eyes nor his hand set me free. He removed my Ghajra and left my hair loose. We blushed at each other, as he complimented, “Free hair suits you more…. Also, it’s nice to play!”, exclaimed he, throwing rainwater on my hair, with his hands at my back. I felt as if I were suddenly in Canada for the next moment.” Kiku, unfair!”, accused I, putting my hair in the front, rubbing and drying it.
He laughed, saying that he too had felt the same way when I had attacked him with the rain, right on his face! He tickled me. I squealed and he laughed, proving,” Kiku, this is unfair. That wasn’t unfair.”
I slipped. He was about to catch me but he too slipped along with me!
I fell on the red-colored tiled base of the terrace. He fell upon me. I breathed hard and could hear him huffing too. He pushed my wet hair behind my left ear, came closer, blushed at my shy eyes, and kissed my forehead. I had never been this close to a guy ever before.
“That’s my kiss of happiness. I feel happy about your successful transfer, Kiku. All the best, my dear to-be lawyer!” explained he. He brought his finger nearer and I closed my eyes. I could feel him wipe the big drop of rain, on my nose; it had been blurring my vision a little. I then opened my eyes.
“And this will be my kiss of gratefulness towards you, my sweet Kiku”, said I. I then neared the clean-shaven region above a line of beard which had grown on his face ever since our first meeting. My damp lips were about to soak his face when I heard the screeching horn of a car. I opened my eyes as soon as I recognized it. I had always committed this sound to my memory.
Who is visiting Naomi? Would they misunderstand Akshat being with her all alone on a late evening?
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