Poetic Sensibility

35 - Waltz And Bones

Apologies for the late update! It's been a mad week! And also I guess I am trying to come to terms with the fact that this story will be ending soon! I have learned so much from it and I hope you have too! This one comes with love from Kiara who is having the time of her life in Paris. Happy Reading!

        Kiara stepped outside the little shaft and gazed upon the city of Paris. It was breathtaking. She could see the tiny figures move about at the cafe by the river Seine. Others were lounging about at the gardens and little cars zoomed about on the roads as if they were as compact and light as metallic matchboxes. She was in love. Paris, she decided, wasn't the city of romance or food or fashion or perfume or anything like that. Paris, she believed, was the city of expression.

        She knew that once they would get down, the others were off to take a cruise on the Seine. Keshav, however, had said that he wanted to check out something at Louvre Park, which Kiara believed was the garden right next the Louvre. They had already checked out the Louvre yesterday so it simply made her curious but she didn't question him. She never knew what to expect of him. So they'd all be going off separately because she really, really wanted to see the Paris Catacombs. Sure, seeing the bones of millions of deceased people wasn't the least bit romantic but then it was something she just really wanted to see and know how it would feel.

        As they set off for the Seine, Kiara fetched the map out on her phone and found a route to get to the catacombs.

        "I'll walk you to the station," Keshav announced, making her jump. "I will be passing it anyway."

        Kiara could already see a questioning look forming on his face as she was taking so long to answer. Politely refusing was not an option if she didn't want to embarrass herself so she simply nodded and they began walking on the pavement side by side. It was definitely not a companionable silence as whenever Kiara lifted her eyes and turned to look at him, he was gazing down upon her rather intensely.

        "I am not used to people being this quiet," Keshav finally said. He gave that crooked grin of his. "Probably because of my smouldering good looks," he joked.

        Kiara gave him a small smile and sent up a silent thank-you to God that Keshav could not read her mind because that was exactly what she had been thinking. She couldn't think of an appropriate not-making-her-blush reply so instead she said, "Why are you going to the Louvre Park?"

        Keshav's face had a look of intrigue on it as he replied, "There's a history behind it."

        Kiara waited for him to elaborate. They weren't exactly jogging to the station so there was plenty of time discuss whatever "history" was behind his visit.

        "When we were touring London, we met a traveling musician while taking on of the trains to Oxford. He was a Frenchman. The French nationalism runs pretty strong. He related stories about his home at a small village in Bordeaux and visiting the Sorbonne University. He had the most amazing things to narrate. And he told us that if ever happened to visit Paris, we must pay a visit to some or the other street musician there because he was one once upon a time. And they deserve it. I suppose Romi has forgotten about this but I haven't."

        Wow. Whatever Kiara had thought he wanted to see, this hadn't been on that list. "But if you probably told Romi that you were visiting the park for this reason, she would have come along."

        He surveyed her for a few seconds before answering. "What happened with that man and all the stories he told us struck a chord with me. That is why I remember it. If it had so with Romi, she would too. I believe that the reason she doesn't remember is because she has other things on her priority list. And I don't blame her! It's Paris!" And just like that, he went from his brooding face to his live-life-king-size face.

        Kiara was stunned. And she thought skin-deep was as far as Keshav could go. Clearly she had a lot to learn about him. Which she did in the next ten minutes. She couldn't believe it. So, there had been this rather sweet looking couple who were doing the waltz on a Chopin piece that was playing from a boombox. Kiara had never seen a boombox before. It had that old world look; one that belonged to the rotary dial phones or the T.V. set that came with knobs instead of a remote or the floppy disk camera. It looked absolutely charming. And this couple was teaching the basic steps to some of the enthusiastic spectators who had decided to join in. After a few minutes of watching them with utmost fascination, Kiara felt a tug. Keshav held out his hand. She was mortified. She shook her head and wanted desperately to dig a hole and dive into it but he pulled her hand and they were now standing between the waltzing couples.

        "I'll lead," he said, and began moving smoothly to the music. Kiara was careful not to cause him any misery by stepping on his toes and sooner than she'd have believed she got hold of the basics. She looked up at him shyly and blinked. The guy knew how to waltz. He did some complicated spinning move and then they were back to their original position. As the music piece came to an end, the onlookers began clapping. Kiara could feel heat creeping up at the back of her neck.

        "You've turned a rather fetching shade of... beetroot," Keshav grinned.

        Kiara muttered a reply about not doing well when she is the centre of attention. She then turned to the direction of the station and back to Keshav. She couldn't quite put a finger on the kind of person he was yet. But then she couldn't put one on the person she was becoming, either. She sometimes couldn't believe herself because she then said to him, "Coming to the Catacombs?"