[This short story love is selected for Love’2012 Story Writing Competition]
Short Story Love – Rose of My Life
Delhi summer was as usual very hot and humid that evening when suddenly Akhil came into the room and shouted loud.
“I saw the prettiest girl of my life today!!!”
“Say something new”, I replied in same high pitch voice.
“No dear… she is very different. She is not like others”. He exclaimed in over excitement, I gave him just a cold smile.
Akhil and I both were friends from our childhood, studied together in school, and after 12th standard we came to Delhi from small town of UP to do engineering coaching. He was dynamic and smart, after classes he usually used to roam around and come back in evening to tell story of some or other girls. On contrary I was typical studious guy who want to join top engineering college and give all my time to thick books.
But it was something different… an offshoot of ‘special’ feeling growing in me as Akhil kept talking, for one whole week, about the same girl, “She is so cute yaar.. wow…” which was not his nature, talking about only one girl.
One day in serious node he told me “Do you know Raj, she is like angel.. no.no.. bird – the Dove, no.no.. flower… YES!!! FLOWER… she is ROSE, spreading sweet aroma where ever she goes”
“Settle down man..!! IS IT, But all the girls look either beautiful or more beautiful when they are in 16..?”, – I smiled back without knowing that Rose has already entered in my heart.
“What is her name?” – I asked.
“Don’t know man!, we all just watch her when she come out of Coaching classes…”
Slowly I started loving to listen story about her and wait every day that in evening Akhil would say something about her. These listening and narrating goes for a month.
That was Sunday evening when we went Delhi Haat, as he stepped down from auto, he exclaimed – “Raj, see ROSE”,
I quickly get down from auto, but could only able to see the glimpse of her from side; a slim girl with long black hair in white traditional Indian dress just sat in auto. And auto driver ran away like bullet. First time I felt auto can also run so fast. But after that mesmerize glimpse I was very keen to see her..
Next day I went with Akhil, with great expectation to see her face at least, but she did not come for coaching that day. Akhil teased me. I felt bad but was desperate to see her at least once.
Next whole week Akhil did not say any word about that girl, I asked Akhil – “What happen to your ‘ROSE’, you are no more talking about her?”
He replied – “Don’t know where she left, we are no more seeing her in the coaching seems she changed or moved some where else.”
“Did you not try to find her… where did she go?” – I asked
“Are you crazy? We have lot of other ROSE to watch in DPS” – He laughed
I felt something broken inside me, might be because I realized I wouldn’t able to see her any more. I asked Akhil “is it possible that you can find her address and we can go and see her once?”
He tried to convince me that it is not of any use, but knowing my nature he agreed and told me that he would try his best.
He could even manage to do friendship with some of her friends but all the effort went into vain. Her father was transferred out of town and no one was in touch with her.
Eight long years passed. Life changed lot for me, but still when I used to see any pretty and innocent girl I always remember “ROSE”, and remember all the stories by Akhil, I never believed that I can miss some one so much without seeing her once. “Am I destined to meet her ever?” Just thinking of her used to fill lot of excitement in my heart… cupid with love arrow… ringing of musical bell… showering of red rose’s petals… heavenly signal…
Like a traditional Indian way my marriage got fixed, there were no feeling in my heart; it was vacant. No excitement… no love… no cupid with love arrow… no ringing of musical bells… no showering of red rose’s petals… nothing but just a boring customary life… “It is not a movie but real life. Let’s accept as it comes” I just surrendered to my fate.
“Wow… we are getting prettiest sister-in-law”, my cousins started teasing me – I gave them fake smile. My would-be, Arshita, was indeed the prettiest girl I had ever seen but I could not feel heavenly signal yet, as I used to feel when I remembered nearness with my dream girl ROSE…
On the eve of our marriage I was sitting on the stage, Arshita was stepping towards me with small steps surrounded by her sister and cousins and garland in her hand, her face was blushing and she was looking down, I found her really pretty, just like a bollywood’s bride.
Suddenly from the behind Akhil who visited with his family from abroad for my marriage whispered – “Oh my god… how did you find ROSE!!”.
I looked at him, surprised expression and wide open eyes was telling the truth.
Suddenly my heart started pounding very fast and loudly!!! I started getting the heavenly signals… cupid with love arrow… ringing of musical bells… showering of red rose’s petals…
___END___
