What to name?

                                Sometimes crowded bus journeys are fun, that’s what he feels.Invariably the time he starts to the office, he obviously ends up in those crowded buses. Three stops from where he boards the bus, is a college. Usually, after that stop, half of the bus becomes empty. Since he is used to travel in one particular timing, he knows most of the people travel at that same time. Usually, after the third stop, he gets a seat and he ensures he always sits in a window seat. With his handpicked choice of music beaming in his ears, he immerses himself into his own world. I leave it to him to take over from here.

                              It was a very pleasantful morning, it was one of those days, when outside climate makes you feel its only 6 am though its 8 , somehow, after getting ready, such a climate outside charges me with more enthusiasm. I was feeling very happy, as I walked towards the bus stop, there was a slight drizzle, without harming anyone it played its music over the air. The bus was on time, even the crowded bus didnt deter my mood, unlike other days, I preferred footboarding. It was the third stop, I stepped down giving way for others to get down, as I moved a bit aside to make way, something got my attention, an umbrella, a small one, just next to me. I couldnt see who was holding it. After everyone got down, one by one started getting in, as usual I chose a corner seat. The bus was almost full that day. As I sat and looked around, I saw the same umbrella, this time folded, naturally I looked up to see who is holding….how do I say? Wait..I need to regroup, I dont get any superlatives at this point, she is the most beautiful person I have seen… c’mon I can’t say that… it’s unfair to compare . Let’s keep it simple, she is beautiful.

                              I forced myself to turn away from her, took the headphones, by then someone was beside me and asked, someone coming? I turned, didnt expect her to be asking the seat next to me, with all the happiness said no. I have started playing the song, but all my attention was with her. Strangely, time flew and 30 mins journey seemed few mins, she got down one stop before mine. Even then thoughts about her were lingering around in my mind. As I was about to get down, noticed she left her umbrella, smile came to me naturally, took the umbrella got down. While walking towards the office, decided I will hand it over the next day, the mere thought of going to meet her again pushed the day for me, not sure why I was so excited, fine, fine…. no showoff from me, after all its that age you see…

                              Next day, I got ready some good few mins earlier, reached the stop, took the same bus, as the third stop arrived, for first time over the years, I experienced a very strange feeling. Probably anxiety? Anyways noticed that she wasnt there in the stop, I got down and decided to wait. Finally she showed up, I have planned so much so far, it was a pity I didnt have courage to go tell her that this is her umbrella, I was looking at the road, people passing by,buses etc.., then will glance at her as well. She didnt seem to bother much about the people around, not surprising to me as she would be used to stares and glares than she looking at the strangers. After few mins and buses past by, the number of people in the stop were reduced to very few, I gathered all my courage walked towards her and said, “Hi, dont know if you remember me, but we travelled in the same bus yesterday and you have left your umbrella” , said all this without any break. She looked at me and the umbrella, Thanks and took it as I handed it over, ofcourse, with a smile . I wanted to ask many things, but then I didnt want to spoil things, I walked back and started looking for the bus and controlled my desire to look at her. I knew she will also be coming in the same bus. Bus came. We ended up sitting together again, dont ask me how , just imagine yourself.

                             Instead of hooking myself to the music, I turned towards her, what you thought when you realised that you  lost your umbrella yesterday, I know… bad start… but ppl… its all to do with nervousness… infact reply didnt indicate any disapproval to the question from her side.”I never thought I would get it back, Thanks once again”.She said.”Hey not a problem”. So, you work? Or study? I asked, I was more than happy to continue the conversation. No, searching for one, came a week back and currently going to a training institute, she explained. That also clarified why I havent seen her all these days in this route. Engineering? I asked,”Yes” she said. If it’s ok, can you send me your profile? There are some recruitments going on in my company, I said. She seemed hesitant, but said ok. There started a fairytale.

                             As the days went by, not only we started travelling together but it extended to calls as well. Dont exactly remember how long, but for sure I had time of my life. Days became weeks, weeks into months, and it’s almost a year now. We have become more closer, it’s a feeling of having someone whom you could blindly trust, It was then one day, when I met her, in middle of a conversation I asked, You know what?, what? she queried, Most often in our lives, most beautiful moments are the ones which we lived past, rarely do we experience such a vibrance while we live through the present, I realized one such experience, it was stunningly beautiful,I stopped, she was looking at me wide eyed,and all because of you, I completed. I was very happy I said that, I said it with such affection that it filled my heart, but never thought it would only shortlive. She looked at me still, and then said, I have to tell you something… I become nervous for some strange reason, this is because of the growing sense within me that I like her more and more,I couldnt wait to hear next, my parents have finalised an alliance for me, she said with soft tone looking at the ground, whole world around me went into mute, I knew at some point all these joyous would halt, what I never thought was that it would happen so sudden. Congratulations, I tried hiding my tears, only when she told me that she is going to be married, it striked me how much I loved her,my time has aready past, I was not able to speak anymore, she looked at me and noticed the tears, but she didnt seem bothered, you will not ask me who is the person?, this made me think, for now I was sure she never had any kind of feeling towards me unlike what I had for her, she has considered me only a good friend, it thrashed my heart, I was not able to digest that nothing was there in her mind about me.

                             I somehow managed to regroup, I didnt want her to know I was having such a thing in my mind. So, how it happened, what is he? I enquired with painful heart. Hmm… to be honest, I chose the guy and my parents accepted, she said, as I was thinking the worst was over, this hurted me to the extent I never experienced in my life, all these days whatever she spoke with me and closeness she shared is not special? There is someone else in her life more important than me? that mere thought killed me, I wasnt able to believe what she just said, I thought I knew everything about her, ah… whats happening to me, overwhelming emotions seeming to take control of me, she continued, it was an exhilarating experience, a sense of strength knowing him by my side, even when whole world turn against me, I know at the end of the day, a call from him would turn it on it heads. Its difficult to pick one special moment throughout, a little chat to subtle misunderstanding, all of them seems special. We don’t have anything in common… we don’t listen to each other, don’t know if that was the one created the affection between us, whatever it is,for sure, I knew one thing, most often in our lives, most beautiful moments are the ones which we lived past, rarely do we experience such a vibrance while we live through the present moment, I realized one such experience, it was stunningly beautiful, she stopped and looked at my eyes, all this while I was looking at the ground allowing the tears to flow down, after what she spoke at the end, I looked up, she was looking at me, and you know its all because of you, she completed. I realised Im the one whom she had chosen, mixed emotions went through me, didnt know what to do,I was lost for words,nor did I want to say something, I put my arms wide, she came in, hugged her, spurt of tears flowed from my eyes.

                            Once everything settled down, I asked her, why was she so cruel in explaining about her marriage part, she said, well, I havent been as cruel as you have been without telling what you have felt for me, do you know how much pain I have gone through? , there was a momentary silence, I looked into her eyes and said “I love you”, I didnt want to say anything else.She smiled, so am I now as I take over from our guy. I have been thinking of writing one such for some time now, finally could pen down, by the way, all characters and events in this post are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons or real events is purely coincidental

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