Note: This is Part 2 of a love story, the first part of which, you can read here!
The rain was coming down hard. Most shops had closed and
people had disappeared indoors. The library, just a few blocks away, would’ve
been a haven, if only she hadn’t left it! The few auto rickshaws standing near
the pavement had already refused to take her home. And Simi stood shivering
under a tree, clutching her backpack tightly. There has to be a way out
of this!
“Hi!”
Simi turned as a young man came rushing in from the rain to
stand next to her under the tree.
“Are you alone?” he asked, taking off the hood of his
jacket.
“Vivaan!” Simi was surprised, and pleased.
“Yes!” he said, with that lopsided smile; “What are you
doing here all alone? Come on over?” he asked, pointing to the direction of his
home, Varsha’s home; that was just around the corner.
Simi looked up nervously. That would be the best thing to
do. Wait out the rain at Varsha’s home. She could call and inform her parents
from there. And once the rain let up, she would be on her way. But she also
knew that Varsha was away with her parents, visiting an aunt. She had left just
yesterday.
Wouldn’t her parents mind if she went with Vivaan now, knowing he
was alone in the house? She knew she should refuse. But I don’t want
to…
“You’ll catch a cold, standing here in this mad rain, come
on!” he almost pulled her off with him, and Simi let him lead her.
They ran the few steps to his home and Simi stood shivering,
again, as Vivaan opened the front door to let them both in.
“That’s some nasty rain!” he said, shaking water off his
hair and putting away the keys on a table near the door. “It’s good I saw you
when I did…”
Simi stood rooted to the spot. She was watching him walk
around, switching on the lights, taking off his jacket… and before she realised
it, he was walking towards her with a dry towel and handing it to her.
“There you go,”
“Thanks,” she mumbled and started to pat her face and hands
dry.
And all the time, she couldn’t help staring at Vivaan, who
was now puttering in the kitchen, filling up a kettle with tap water. He kept
looking back at her now and again, as he collected tea bags, sugar cubes, cups,
and saucers on a tray.
Simi was surprised to realise that she had been to this
house so many times and yet, today seemed very different. She had been friends
with Varsha since school. And Vivaan had hung around with them till he turned
nine, when he went away to a boarding school in Panchgani. Years later, once
Simi had been here, working with Varsha on a class project; when in had walked
Vivaan, looking like a Greek God! Simi hadn’t recognised him; and had been
surprised and inexplicably glad, when he had recognised her and spoken to her
warmly, the way he always had when they were younger.
Since then, Vivaan had always been on her mind. Simi had met
him numerous times after that. And while he was being his usual sweet self all
the time, Simi had come to realise that she was falling in love with him,
hopelessly. It was ridiculous, really, to think that they had played together
as children; and now… this. Not to mention the fact that he was probably not
even aware of Simi’s existence except for the few times he saw her with his
sister.
Given his looks, his skill with the guitar, and his warm,
clear voice; there was no doubt in Simi’s mind that he enjoyed the best female
company his college had to offer. And yet, she couldn’t help but smile, at how
sweet he was to her every time she visited. You are his little sister’s
friend, idiot! Of course he is sweet to you! She often had to remind
herself.
“A penny for your thoughts?”
He stood incredibly close. And Simi took a deep breath to
steady herself.
“What were you doing out alone in the rain?” he asked,
again. Oh,God! Why was he
standing so close! Simi looked up to see him watching her intently.
He was running his eyes over her face, and then he looked her up and down. “You
want to change?” he asked suddenly, “You could change in Varsha’s room…”
But Simi shook her head NO.
“I was in the library,” she explained, walking away quickly.
“I should’ve left earlier and gone home; but I lost track of time,” she
shrugged.
“Well, that was good, wasn’t it?” he winked.
Simi blushed red. Did he actually say that?
“Come on, let’s have some tea! You like tea, I hope?” he
gestured for her to follow him to the table in the open kitchen where he now
placed the kettle, and the tray with the tea things.
Simi walked up slowly and took a chair that he had pulled
out; as Vivaan walked around to sit on the chair opposite hers. The rain
continued to pelt the windows, as the two sat, hugging the steaming cups of tea
in front of them.
“You have grown silent,” he said, cocking his head to one
side. “You used to be so chirpy when you used to visit here to play with
Varsha. Now look at you. What are you so tense about? I am not going to eat
you, you know!”
Simi smiled. Or tried to. She was feeling too aware, of him
sitting so close to her. Their knees were almost touching under the table. What
a pretty picture they must make, she thought, taking a scalding sip of her
piping hot tea – two beautiful people, sipping tea, while the rain lashed
outside – the landscape outside the windows, a grey blur! Other than the two of
them, the world might as well have not existed right now!
He was looking at her with a frank expression, a hint of a
smile on his lips, as if he was reading her thoughts, and enjoying them! She
looked down at her hands, and couldn’t help noticing how close their hands
actually were, on that table…
She had to take her mind off those hands…
“Do you still play the guitar?” she asked him, then;
remembering how he loved to play as a young boy; and trying to shake herself
mentally.
“I do! But not as much as I would like to,” he said with a
rueful smile.
“Play something?”
“Now?”
Simi nodded. She was glad she had brought it up. She could
clearly see it pleased him to be asked to play; as he gulped his tea and left
the table to get his guitar.
When he came back, he gestured for her to come to the couch
in the living room; and sat down opposite her, pulling a chair from the table
they had just sat at.
“Before I begin,” he said to his audience of one, “thanks
for asking. And just so you know, I have never played for anyone before this.” And then he
gave her one of the tenderest smiles he had ever given her; making her heart
skip a beat! And then the notes of his guitar filled the air –
“Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Never let it fade away
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Save it for a rainy day
For love may come and tap you on the shoulder
Some starless night
Just in case you feel you wanna hold her
You’ll have a pocketful of starlight
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Never let it fade away…”
He kept looking at her and smiling intermittently, and as he
continued to croon the Perry Como number that was her own favourite too; Simi
couldn’t help acknowledging the hope his words had given her – “I
have never played for anybody before…”
Emboldened by his admission, Simi got busy drinking his
sight in. As he continued to sing in a warm, clear voice, her eyes busily took
in his straight nose, his piercing grey eyes, high cheek bones, his strong
chin, with a cleft, no less; his firm jaw, with a slight stubble, she noticed…
the Adam’s apple bobbing at his throat… his long, slender fingers playing the
strings deftly, making them do his bidding…
If Simi had any doubt that she was in love with him earlier,
all her doubts vanished now. She knew now, for sure, that she was doomed! It
didn’t matter whether he reciprocated her feelings or not; the intense emotions
she was experiencing right now, would last her a lifetime!
"Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Never let it fade away
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Save it for a rainy day
For when your troubles start multiplying and
They just might
It’s easy to forget them without trying
With just a pocketful of starlight
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Never let it fade away
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Save it for a rainy day
Save it for a rainy day…”
Note 2:
Bonus! Here’s the link
to this beautiful song, so that readers can enjoy the complete
experience of this beautiful story! :)
Thanks!
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