On a rainy 15 June morning, you know, when the school reopens, he was rushing off to school..
He saw the local train standing at the platform, he ran, 20 steps down the foot over bridge, just in time to board the train..
And there she was, in the first class ladies compartment, talking to her friend.. They wore the same school's uniform as his.. but he had trouble placing them.. How could he miss such a pretty girl studying in the same school!
Dunno if it was the rains or sumthing but she seemed perfect.. Long hair and the works, her eyes had an innocent quality bout them.. He looked at her, and kept looking.. She caught him looking at her, and blushed.. It comes naturally to 15 year old girls.. The train started to move.. He just stood there watching the compartments pass by him.. She looked back to see if he was still there.. she smiled..
The train left the station..
His heart skipped a beat..
And he thought this isnt love..
And there she was, in the first class ladies compartment, talking to her friend.. They wore the same school's uniform as his.. but he had trouble placing them.. How could he miss such a pretty girl studying in the same school!
Dunno if it was the rains or sumthing but she seemed perfect.. Long hair and the works, her eyes had an innocent quality bout them.. He looked at her, and kept looking.. She caught him looking at her, and blushed.. It comes naturally to 15 year old girls.. The train started to move.. He just stood there watching the compartments pass by him.. She looked back to see if he was still there.. she smiled..
The train left the station..
His heart skipped a beat..
And he thought this isnt love..
"Ofcourse this is love!!"
The problem with high school is that your best friend is the only one who you can talk to such stuff bout. And unfortunately his interests include watching Karan Johar type movies and collecting perfumed erasers!
"Oh, cumon! I dont even know her.. I dont even know what division shes in! "
"Oh.. Shes in C or D division for sure..."
"How do you knw shes in C or D"
"Coz their class is on the 3rd floor and we never go there! Plus there is no girl on our floor whom the J-man doesnt know.."
"Whos the J-man?"
"Me!! Whats wrong with you?!"
"Oh.. I didnt know ppl call u tht.."
"And you are supposed to be my best friend.."
By lunch time, the J-man had found out everything there was to know bout her.. What division she was in, what she liked, what she didnt, stuff like that.. and yes.. apparently we had a lotta common friends.
"You know man, shes kinda shy.. takes time to open up and she likes intelligent guys.. You dont stand a chance, mate.. "
"Oh cumon.. I dont have a problem with shy girls, infact I like shy girls!"
"Er, thats not the problem, she likes intelligent guys.. thts the problem.."
So much for friendship..
It turned out that they had a lotta common friends, they were formally introduced..
At first, they met during the lunch break, she would come down to meet him on the first floor, they talked, about general stuff, bout their fav actors and movies.. And he asked her if she would like to come to a movie with him. It was a big deal during those days, guys asking girls out(it still is!)... btw, she agreed..
In the dark, cosy confines of the theatre, he tried the oldest trick in history to place his arm around her shoulder.. This trick is almost as old as the cinema halls themselves.. It is the stretching your arms trick, where you stretch your arms and then slowly place it on the adjacent chair.. He tried this trick 3 times, just couldnt gather enough courage to place his arm around her shoulder.. The 4th time he tried it, she looked at him, smiled at the naivety and the gutlessness of the dude she so liked by now, she held his arm and placed it around her shoulder..
His heart skipped a beat..
And he thought this isnt love..
They started meeting outside school.. They spent hours on her terrace.. They were loners, both of them in their own right.. They would keep looking at the evening sky, as it changed colours by the minute..
He was used to seeing her in the school uniform. The salwaar-kameezs that she usually wore when she came to meet him, made him realise how the girl he so adored was turning into a young woman.. and a lovely one at that..
They talked for hours.. bout him, bout her, bout life..
"We will always be together", she'd say..
"Always"
"If I dont get to share my life with you, I wouldnt share it with anyone else.."
Such words coming from a girl who he had always thought to be delicate.. fragile..
Such wisdom could come only from the very young, the very naive..
And though he thought he would give up the world for her, he didnt say it.. It is a guy thing, no matter how much he likes her, he always has trouble putting it into words..
They searched for excuses to touch each other.. He thought it was all a dream.. Was she for real...What if he loses her.. He held her close.. She melted in his arms..
Everything was a blur..
She felt happy.. and the very next second sad.. happy, coz she had found what she wanted.. sad, coz she knew he could be taken away..
He lay on the bed looking at the ceiling all night..
She lay awake, looking at the night sky out of her window..
Sleep eluded them..
Who wants to sleep and dream, when reality is so beautiful..
And he thought this isnt love..
He was just 15! They say you cant fall in love that young.. What did he know bout life? He didnt have a career yet.. What the heck, he hadnt even cleared the X board exams yet! And maybe its just attraction.. How do you know it is love..
"Arre you will know.." It was the J-man talking.. "You just wait for the sign.."
The results for X board were declared.. His grades had plummeted.. There was an no chance of him making it in a good college..
Like all guys, he blamed the girl.. Like all girls in love, she took the blame..
She moved to a different part of the city.. Cut all ties with him.. She wasnt angry, she was sorry for what had happened..
He engrossed himself in trying to become someone.. He had to set his priorities right..
Ages passed by, he became everything he wanted to, and somethings he didnt want to..everytime he met one of their common friends, he asked if they knew where she was and what she was doing.. And if they had her number..
The answers were always incomplete..
first he thought that she might have asked them not to let him know, but then it dawned upon him that even they didnt know much bout her.. She had consciously kept herself out of the loop..
On a rainy June morning, he was rushing off to work..
He saw the local train standing at the platform, he ran, 20 steps down the foot over bridge, just in time to board the train.. He couldnt believe his eyes.. there she was, in the first class ladies compartment..
She was still perfect.. Her hair werent that long now, but her eyes still had that same innocence they had 7 years ago.. He looked at her, and kept looking.. She looked at him..
Rushing emotions made it difficult for words to come by.. He didnt know where to start.. The train started to move.. She kept looking at him.. He wanted to ask her to forgive him..But it didnt matter any more... She had forgiven him.. He had forgiven himself.. After 7 years, he met her, but couldnt even say hello.. He wanted to tell her how much he missed her and how much she means to him and he would giveup the world for her.. But he couldnt..
The train left the station..
His heart skipped a beat..
The sign was always there..
And he thought it wasnt love..
___________________________________________________
I am a sucker for happy endings.. And I know this is not the ending that you guys wanted.. But this is how life goes.. Plus who said this was the ending, maybe they meet, and live happily ever after.. And when they do, I promise, I will keep you posted...
Editor in chief Arshat Chaudhary
Current Issues: high school memories, life, love
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Kunal Tikare said...
Cool man!
awesome story!
and all stories dont necessarily ned to have happy endings
i liked the ending most!
we can imagine ourselves in place of that guy! its that kind of ending, realistic one
Anonymous said...
great one. thought you are writing my story though the character the location everything is different it was my story. the only thing is that i know that she is happily married.
What ever may happen but you have the skill that keep the reader glued to the screen no matter whats the length of the post. kudos. simply great.
Harish said...
Somehow felt strange after reading this post...ur most moving post till nw has been 'Raka calling' But somehw i feel this one might be more important to you than that!!
Im sure (atleast I hope) this story ends in a happy way. You see its important for me...Remember that group chat with Shweta :P
On a serious note, I prefer ur posts which have a hint of reality in it. You see I can relate more to it...way to go!!
Srinivas said...
Good that your stories doesnt feels like a story in its narration.
Keep writing!!!
Arshat Chaudhary said...
@kunal
Thanks man.. I kinda knew you will like the realistic ending..
@santosh
Wow.. really? I think I know what girl you are talking bout.. You have written a post bout her on your blog if I am not wrong..
@harish
thanks mate..
Both the posts mean a lot to me.. Though as far as writing skills are concerned I think Raka calling was superior..
I m glad you liked this, I was hoping you wud..
@sri
Thanks for the kind words sri... :)
HIREN aka lamda said...
awesome man.........
too gud post...
y dont u help karan johar in writin scripts??????
Arshat Chaudhary said...
@hiren
Thanks man..
Dunno if I can write scripts for KJo, too many characters thr, and one of them is always srk! :p
Nupur said...
Are you a K-Jo fan... i feel so bse
1)You keep mentioning him so often
2)The last line of the post said you're a sucker for happy endings!
In any case, the story was fantastic! Amazingly written...felt like you too are there on the platform witnessing the proceedings!
Two lines which I just adored were
1)Who wants to sleep and dream, when reality is so beautiful.
2)Like all guys, he blamed the girl.. Like all girls in love, she took the blame..
Ah! Touche!
And you say guys have a trouble putting feelings into words!!
Arshat Chaudhary said...
@nupur
nahi re.. i m not a KJo fan.. but am a sucker for happy endings..
Thanks for the kind words.. glad you liked it..
Anonymous said...
Really a well written and a good story
Anonymous said...
Lovely one, and the train ..... wonderful ending
Dave said...
If this become a story of Karan Johar,
Then instead of local train, there will be airoplane or private chopper.. ;-)
or who knows ..?? after india reached at moon....now it may be some spacecraft..!!!!
Janaki Sincro Mulay said...
You write beautifully!
I have really enjoyed everything you have written and I've read so far!!
Keep up the good work!