Science fiction. He and his girl

Science fiction. He and his girl

There he was. Finally at the gateway to a new life and new beginnings. And he was still trying to understand how to cross the gateway; because he had never arrived at a juncture of life that in any way could be compared to this moment, and to its overflowing rush of strangeness.

Everything felt awry, and more than anything else very awkward. It was as if life had been sucked out from every moment of time.

He had come here before as well, and we had seen him wearing this expression of strangeness on several occasions, but today it was very different. He appeared different. Because his expression of strangeness had got frozen on his face and he was making no effort at all to replace it with a masquerading emotional layer of joy. And few of us knew he was doing this on purpose, because today he wanted to express his inner mind and challenge everyone who sought to impose their likings on him. Just because they thought they could, didn't mean they should find an easy subject and then make him their victim.

Today he wanted to pronounce this with authenticity and defiance. Those who did not understand this basic fact of life; he seemed fully prepared to explain it to them. Today he was different and this made the day very different. One could feel it.

Here is where and when it all began.

I was going to see my sister, and while I was on my way, I stopped to pick up a few things for her. Things of her choice. Things that a teenage girl usually likes.

I bought a few things and then I was moving into the next shop when I saw him coming from the opposite direction. We were not friends and we rarely spoke to each other. And I had no reason to think that it would be any different today.

So, I completed my shopping and started walking towards the bus stop. He bought a few things from a shop that was next to the bus stop and stood next to me. He was quiet and waiting for the bus that was due to arrive any moment.

The bus arrived, he waited for the passengers to get down so that he could then get on the bus.

As the last passenger got down, there was a group of young boys. And one of the boys from the group called a few of his peers who had walked ahead of him by a few steps. On hearing him, they immediately ran to be beside this boy.

We all were about to get on the bus, when someone from this group of 8 boys said something to somebody. At whom was his comment directed, I had no idea, because it was unclear. The comment was not livid or disrespectful but it was one that could not go unnoticed.

Nothing special happened other than this comment and we occupied our seats. As the bus was about to leave, one of the boys from this group placed his foot between the automated door, and prevented it from closing. Then he forced it open and entered the bus.

Until now everything appeared to be normal because these incidents were common in this town. Then this boy looked at every passenger, and walked upto a girl. When the boy got very close to her, he exchanged a few words with her; and then holding her arm he ushered her down from the bus. The girl did not show much resistance. Even if she would have, the boy from the group would not have cared. The boy was adamant on doing whatever he had in his mind. And the girl somehow did not protest much.

And this person to whom I had referred earlier; I recognised him as someone from the same town but I had never spoken to him. He was now sitting in the front seat of the bus. He got up, stepped down from the bus, went to the shop again; and as he was returning to the bus he noticed that the group of boys had left along with the girl.

He smiled a bit. I believe he thought exactly what I was thinking too.

"Young boys and girls settling their affairs of passion and love." And it is normal because we too had gone through this phase. It could not be anything else because the girl walked with him willingly. Although it appeared he was pulling her arm. But from what I noticed, she was going with him willingly. Although, it could have been handled more decently and with more courtesy.