*The spark of the first moment doesn't last long,
but it does light a flame that would keep us warm!*
She had marvelled at the beauty of the sentence right from day one. And now again when they met after 3 months, it still felt the same. The spark of the first moment was still there. They never had to say a formal 'Hie' or shake hands when they met, it was always said and done by their eyes and their mere presence. What a handshake did for others, a simple smile did it for them. The fact that they had not been in touch at all through-out these 3 months suddenly seemed so unreal. It didnt feel like they had vanished from each others lives for such a long time, the spark was still alive!
"Where had you been all these months? You just vanished from the face of earth!!"
"Yeahh.. I was in solitude. I just had to be alone. I needed that. I avoided everyone. But now I am back!" He grinned at her.
There was no awkwardness, no hesitation, no anxiety, no second thoughts. It seemed like they started it again right from where they had left it back then. The same sentence, continued after the coma. The same story, continued after the interval. He was still the same talkative, calm & sensible as he was before and she was still the bubbly butterfly.
"Sit, we are going to Gorai!"
"Gorai???!!" Now she was jumping happily.
"Yes madam, Gorai." He smiled. He was always amused by the sight of her jumping like a kid on the streets and clapping. He suddenly had the urge to call her a kiddo, he knew how much it annoyed her. 'I am NOT a kiddo!', she would always say, but suddenly she got serious.
"Okay, we will go to gorai, but on one condition. I'll ride!"
"Sure, but you have to wear the helmet!"
"No helmet pleeeaseee!!! I hate helmets!" She pouted.
"If you wanna ride, you have to wear them. They are head-condoms!" And she burst out laughing.
"Pleeaaseeeee...."
"No. You have your licence with you?"
"Bwhahahahahaa... I dont have a licence yet!! I've been riding without a licence since ages! Heeheehee.."
His straight face made her stop laughing.
"So you dont get to ride. Simple!" Now it was his turn to laugh, and she pouted.
"Pleeeaaseeeeee....."
"Okay, but not on the highway. And you'll have to wear the helmet."
She pouted again, "hmmm... okayy...!"
She was riding the bike after many months, and she felt exhilarated. Freed from all the chains that bound her lately.
"Slow down... we are going very fast..."
"But its just around 50, I ride at a speed of 70-80, on the highway, without a licence, and without a fucking helmet on my head!" she giggled slowing to 40kmph.
She waited for him to say something, but when he didnt she slowly increased the speed again.
She was thrilled by the ride and the only thing she missed was the breeze on her face, the 'head-condom' was being the spoilt-sport!
"Can I please remove the helmet?? Pleeaasseeee.."
"Hmmm.. okay..!" They were in the village lanes, and now he trusted her driving skills.
The breeze was hot and humid. It hadnt rained since 3 days, and she was secretly praying for it to rain now. She liked the wind hitting her face. Her hair flying wildly behind her, and a happy grin plastered on her face. It was bliss. A perfect moment. A perfect day. A perfect memory. But then, he always had created perfect memories for her. Right from their first outing, to till date. He had given her perfect memories to cherish. Be it the early mornings on marine drive or the long walks in the unknown lanes of colaba, they were all beautiful perfect memories.
"Lets sit on those rocks!" She pointed. Gorai had always been her get-away-destination. A quiet beach in the outskirts of Mumbai with the sceneic beauty that hardly any beach offered. They climbed the rocks and sat facing the sea. The breeze was cooler and the dark clouds floated on top, promising a good shower in a few hours. And they talked. And talked. And talked. They were both happy to find each other's company after so long, and talked about every possible topic on Earth! They laughed, on jokes, on each other, on themselves. Just laughed. Careless laughter.
"I have decided I'll marry a guy, I'll have sex with girls ofcourse, but marry a guy! Homosexual!" He said with a wink. And it took her several minutes to stop laughing.
"What??? Why??" she managed inbetween her laughter.
"coz girls are so cranky. They are intolerable sometimes. They freak-out so often and have so many mood swings and have problems with everything that guys do! So I have decided, I'll marry a boy and live happily ever after!"
She laughed harder.
"You know, I sometimes miss those winter days, those early mornings on marine drive."
"Hmmmm... Sometimes even I do." She smiled and looked at him, and he was lost in his thoughts. Those days were truly nostalgic! They were simply beautiful!
"We'll go someday again soon. What say?"
"Sure, I'll let you know when I'm free!"
"Yes miss busy bee!"
And she giggled again.
"Okay, tell me your best memory of us."
"Umm... Its when you first picked up the yellow flower and turned to me, and suddenly ate it, saying this yellow flower was very delicious! Damn, I thought you would give it to me, but you ate it... ATE IT??!!....." she cried with laughter.
"okay okay.. stop laughing! Its embarassing!"
"But you ate the flower !!!" and there she went again. Her stomach was aching, but she still couldnt stop laughing.
"I picked it up to give it to you only, but I got so nervous when I looked at you, and you were constantly staring at me, that made me all the more conscience, and I froze, and couldnt give it to you, so ate it!"
And that followed another cachinnation.
They were on their way back home, and suddenly she didnt want the day to end. The day had unfurled rather quickly and it was evening already. She wanted the time to stop, so that she could enjoy a few more hours in a few seconds. But the irony was that hours had flown by just like seconds and they had to go home now.
"Where do we go the next time we meet?" she asked quietly and nonchalantly, hoping he didnt read between the lines, but how could she betray him! It was him, who answered her every question before she could frame it in her mind. The door to her mind was still open, and he still frequented it, with or without her knowledge!
"Hmm.. so you are already waiting for the next time?" Although she couldnt see him, she could feel his smile grow wider with every word.
"We could go anywhere you want, you think and decide and let me know, ok!"
She was again grinning like a idiot.
"Okay!"
He dropped her outside her gate, and before she could turn back and head home...
"By the way, you are looking really pretty in this top."
She blushed. She wondered how he still managed to make her blush and giggle all the time.
"Thank you!" and she turned back and again he stopped her.
"Oh by the way, I got something for you....." and he removed the yellow flower from his bag, and handed it to her. She was completely balled over. Suddenly nostalgic and astonied. He had always given her that same yellow flower everytime they met, and he didnt forget about it today! All she could do was stare at him and smile. Silence always spoke for them, and even now, she left the unspoken words for silence to convey.
