When all the leaves fall

Ding-dong the door bell rang, I peeped through the door hole and all though I acted nonchalantly. To be honest my whole body was shaking as the time we spend together flashed like a movie scene at the back of my mind and as if I was teleported back in time when we were just young buds, finding their way learning how to blossom in life.

My soul turned teen again when we first met at the overbridge, you were soaked in rain, carefully watching trains pass by. I could still vividly remember it as tears were rolling down your face mixing with the rain drops, they were shining in the moonlight when my cycle collided with you as we both fell, drenched in rain. Wiping your tears, hiding your teary face you ran away as I confusingly stayed.

The very next day, when I caught a cold and saw you in the infirmary only then did I realised that we were in the same school. You looked a bit taken aback when I asked you"Ooh...Aren't you the bridge guy?" The embarrassment in you eyes could be felt from a distance so to bush off the awkwardness I immediately proceeded to introduce myself "Hi, I am Juhi. The one who ran over you with my cycle." to which you replied "Don't people usually tell you that you are a little weird?" for some reason I found that comment very funny, maybe it was the straight face you made while saying it or maybe because I agreed with you. Unfortunately just when I thought we were getting a bit more friendlier, the teacher called for you but thanks to her I found out your name, Joshua. And then we met again at the bookshop, I had been visiting it since I was a kid but why didn't I noticed that you were the son of the owner. But then the same can be applied for you, "Are you stalking me now? I'm aware of how handsome I am but you do know that it's a crime right, like I can report you." cause that's what you assumed and "I might be weird but I'm not blind, why would I stalk you...handsome more like SOME...some random guy." was what I said and the combo attack was when your dad came at the right time and teasingly joined saying "Juhi just ignore this human being, he is so full of himself."

I frequently visited your bookstore Books & Tea because one could drink some tea while reading a book, it was more like a book cafe. We naturally became friends, but the day when I felt the most close to you since our first meeting was when you were running an errand for your mother and I was returning from a game, coincidentally spotting each other, we were just walking across the alley. When we saw a bunch of minors smoking and as we should, we called them out for it but in the process of educating them we ourselves learned a lesson ' You don't mess with teens and certainly not when they are in a group.' For they chased us like mad dogs and we ran hand in hand like scared cats running for holy life. Thankfully they lost us near the local park, we sat on the swing as I finally asked you something I had been curious about for a long time "Why were you crying at the bridge that day?" to which you plainly replied "I used to be a swimmer, it was all that I had but due to an accident last year...My shoulder was injured and I had to stop...And that day I meet my fellow members...they had improved so much since last year and the thought that I could no longer continue something which I had been doing for a very long time...broke me. It was like I had lost half of myself...that's the only thing I knew."

"Well then you can start looking for something new...If you can no long continue it...that means it was never your destiny, something much more grand might be waiting for you...Josh, you just haven't found it yet." was what I said when you asked "What's your dream then?"

"Mine is to be an editor, sounds grand right? Haha..ha"

"Then I'll be a writer, now you can't be all grand by yourself. "

That was how we joked about it to lighten up the mood.

Few weeks later, Books & Tea organised a gathering in celebration of the autumn festival, the festival lights were like stars covering the dark blue city streets at night. As if the night sky was the canvas on which the golden light bulbs were painted, a scenery I still hold dear in my heart. And also because it reminded me of the time when the dazzling moonlight was shinning on you as the rain reflected it and the bright drops decorated the view as festival lights. We danced quite awkwardly exchanging admiring gazes and silly smiles when we seldomly stepped on each others' feet, we certainly were not talented at dancing.

Though, the most memorable of it all was when we climbed the terrace to watch those ascending fireworks which covered the whole sky, even the sparkles, which fell after the fireworks were exhausted were amusing to experience. You rightly described the moment as "The clock of the universe seems to have paused, countless lights are flying to the horizon, even if one falls the other will take its place, we won't even notice the change. Isn't it wonderful, seeing this phenomenon with you Juhi, makes it extra special."

But what fate we have, when we were in the phase of learning more about each other, the god of destiny played it's turn and your family for financial reasons had to move away.

The tall trees standing beside the sidewalk of the local street, fallen leaves gently laid as if it were a carpet made for the royalty. The last memory of you and me, as you said "Juhi, I know you are easy going but I think you should have got the wind by now. I hope you know how I feel."

as I replied with my usual smile "I am not stupid or slow witted Josh, I feel the same way...but if you are moving away then it might not be for me...I know it sounds weird but I want this to be our parting, a melancholic ending to another chapter of life."

As you walked by I could see you cry, your back looked sadder than the ending of many stories, the blunt rejection of one's first love and I don't know if you saw, tears gushed down the stream of my face as a river while I stood there for minutes before I finally went my own way.

And here we are again, how I realise, we are only pawns in the game of life, where I became an editor five years later and you are in front of my doorsteps as the writer I will be working with.

JOSH: "Long time no see...uhm..aah..it's awkward right?"

JUHI: "A little bit...a LOT??"

JOSH: "Ha..haha..You still haven't changed...Wanna go out for a walk..for fresh air?"

JUHI: "Sure, the same street...you know it's autumn and we couldn't enjoy fall last time."

JUHI: "Walking down these same streets where a memory of you is also present feels surreal right now."

JOSH: "Do you remember, what I told you when you rejected me that time?"

"If fate allows, lets meet again when all the leaves fall."

"You were the new flower that bloomed when my branch was dry and all the leaves were falling....to think back, fallen leaves were needed for new ones to grow...I am really thankfully to have collided with you that day...I hope we stay good friends."