“But, Who is he ?” Anita asked.
Anita was my most favourite cousin of them all. We’ve spent our childhood together playing dolls and princess games. And knowing that my marriage is on the cards, her super excitement knew no bounds.
Yeah! My family had been seeing a guy ‘decent enough‘ for me as they quoted. Although I was all amazed and irritated on meeting a strange guy I never knew all my life and plan a future with him. But solely for my parent’s peace, I accepted to meet him once and see how things land up to.
“Who’s he? Tell me something about him“. She sent a reminder again to the previously asked question.
My face couldn’t hide the rosiness. He was the bliss that travelled up to being the blush on my cheeks. And then I continued replying to her.
“The silent laughter on my face in the darkest of nights and the gentle blush on my cheeks the moment I remember his conversations.
The smile I most secretively give these days.
And The one I’m giving right now !” I replied with a wink. She laughed.
Honestly speaking, I didn’t even want to meet any random guy and spend my whole life with him.
He was named Manish, a tall, well-built IT guy, my parents came across over a matrimonial.
But I thought to meet him once and for all and see what moved on. The families gelled up well and hence wanted us to meet. We were planned to meet in a nice restaurant on the outskirts of the city which was a beautiful, lush green ambient place.
We met, we talked.
We talked for long hours. We met as if we had met long back. We didn’t seem new at all.
I don’t know what was responsible for this unasked chemistry between us. It was different for sure.
Yes, the first time I met him, I didn’t even realize I’d fall so deeply for him. But we seemed good together.
“But what makes you fall for him each time? Is it the way he looks at you?” Anita asked again prompting me.
I went mad at her question. It reminded me of his cute glances towards me.
“Probably the way he does not look at me! ” I added up.
“When I know he’s trying to not look at me but is already starting with that silent subtle side looks is what makes me fall.
That one look!
I fall at that. Deeply !” I sighed.
And she was all laughs on the crush-fever I had been suffering from. Lol. The infatuation if I can call it.
“What all did you people talk? Didn’t it seem weird being strangers and talking so long?
And how are you so sure that he’s the one?” She asked.
“We talked.
We talked a lot !!
He talked of goals.
He talked of expectations.
He never said if I can cook or how well I can!
He talked about my plans to make my dreams come true.
He talked of spaces, vacuums, stars and the sky.
He talked my heart and brain out.
He talked about life.
But all this while, he also listened.
He listened to me.
Deeply !!
And then I knew, he’s the one !” I smiled and kept thinking of him.
“We talked about everything as if it was our first and last meeting.
And then out of all the weirdness, I asked him my most awaited question. Does he smoke or drink?
And he told me he never touched a cigarette all his life and out of all that silent weirdness, I gauged he did drink sometime.
But then, he told me he had tasted beer once or twice and wasn’t a drunkard. Didn’t he see my raised eyebrows telling him that they wished he didn’t have such habits.
But it’s good he didn’t lie.
And then perhaps, being a teetotaller, why did I bear up with his justification?
Had I already fallen for him? Or did I want to understand him on this?
I don’t really know but I did keep quiet to listen more to him and there was some magic happening in the backstage of our presence.
And then after a few conversations, he asked me if we could be friends?
And I kept him going round and round with a yes or no or maybe or maybe not.
I know that was irritating but all this while I kept smiling a lot inside myself which he couldn’t see.
But the moment he asked me if we could? My fingers stopped intrinsically while gesturing him back and an inside voice spoke out of all the blushy chaos.
“Weren’t we already friends? ” I think that we became one the moment we met within a few weird glances, few sentences and a few giggles.
I didn’t care to discover it then. It was so effortless but yes it happened then and there.
Not completely but at least that was the blossom to it.
Anita was all mesmerized and surprised knowing how love seemed springing up in every little cell of my body. And she bumped up the major curiosity that filled up her mind right from the start.
“But you seem to be a person who doesn’t really like someone so easily. Suddenly how him?”. She asked.
“That he stood away from the glares of those lights and seemed hesitant standing in the dark is what connected to me. I could discover him as one of those mentally attractive people who needn’t speak much but their silent aura speaks.
I wouldn’t really want someone who’d overshadow me.
Rather somebody who’d add to my light.
He’s that one you know.
I guess!“. I replied.
“Unlike others, he was not the one who would praise me always for what I spoke.
But each time our talks came to a mess or the urge to an emphasis; he’d remind me of my very own lines.
In the aptest times. In the aptest manner.
Like he didn’t really just read me.
But he understood me.
Like the one who doesn’t just read minds.
But travels down the soul.
Just like roots.
Just like shadows.
Just like mirrors !”
I could see that soulful smile on Anita’s face. She knew what I had blossomed into. And then all she did was hug me tight knowing it was all right happening in my life. She looked so happy for me.
And that was about our first meeting. And then we met. For the first time to a journey to of a lifetime.
I met him not for the rest of my life. I met him for the best of my life.
I didn’t choose him. I just looked at him and I knew there was no turning back.
And then… Like never before; the canvas around my heart turned red in love!