The Eternal& The Ephemeral

Chapter 10

Chapter 10-In light of things

Hand in hand, Rosanne and Roman winded through the crowd.

They reached the gate exit of the university.

"At least tell me where we are going?" Rosanne said, as he guided her out of the campus.

"You'll see."

They started to make their way up the cobblestone streets, lined with Victorian lights on either sides. They were very few people out on the road this late. But it was still idyllic and beautiful.

"So this is it? Meandering around- this your project?" Rosanne joked.

"As I stated earlier I am a man of many talents." Roman humoured her.

Rosanne eyes narrowed playfully, as she tried to hide her smile, and look at him smugly, "ah! I don't remember that being stated," and then whispered, nearing him, "I think you said that to some other girl on campus,"

Roman smirked lightly, "no that's impossible."

"Why impossible?" Rosanne frowned.

"Well, I haven't really spoken to any other girl on campus, I've been preoccupied with my work- until recently." His gaze penetrated her face.

Rosanne gulped, holding his gaze, and then as though donning on her smug persona, spoke, "does that act still work?" 

"What act?" Roman asked, not breaking eye contact.

" 'I don't talk to other girls' act ." Rosanne mimicked.

"You'd be surprised." He leaned down, with a tiny smile.

"Ah!" Rosanne chuckled.

"I actually haven't, I don't prefer dating," he said, suddenly his face acquired a grim countenance.

Rosanne nodded slowly, not wanting to probe any further.

They walked in a comfortable silence for a while.

"So you're not going to tell me anything about your little project?" Rosanne said, narrowing her eyes on him.

Roman smiled, rather than answering her question, he said, "turn around."

Rosanne did- and the sight in front of her eyes- was not short of a miracle- the entire town lay in front of them, as they had walked up to an alleviation, and the a million of stars lay glazed up in the night sky- little cottages, the lake, cobblestones streets and shimmering stars, something about the scene before her told her she would remember this for the rest of her life.

"This is- it's beautiful." Rosanne exhaled.

"It is." Roman seconded, but his eyes didn't leave her face, not even for a moment.

"It's a reminder-how small and insignificant we actually are, look at all those glittering lights in the town, how afar they seem and the people-even more so and then look at the stars up there, millions and millions of miles away-yet they shine with a greater light, for these stars- we are all collectively just a dot, this entire world combined," roman said nodding to the scene, "reminding me of all that-it keeps me grounded."

Rosanne simply stared at the man-in that Moment he seemed like someone- who through experience and hardship had acquired a certain degree of wisdom that a common man could not have.

"That's actually really beautiful way of looking at it," Rosanne said, and then lightly added, "but i must confess- I didn't know you were a pro at philosophy along with astrophysics, quite the versatility."