I love you the way
an abandoned house might love
a person who stumbled across it.
With sheer desperation and
a pinch of hope.
-Saiber, 1/30
-Aryan-
I stood at the balcony looking out at the sea, the only constant thing in Mumbai, trying to measure its depth. But the more I looked at it, it seemed impossible to make anything out of it. The sea reminded me of Manasvi, every time I gazed at it, in ways I could possibly understand. Manasvi had her own secrets hidden deep inside her, I thought, and the more I met her and tried to understand her the more I fell short. Now, I only hoped for the day when Manasvi came up to me and told me everything that ever disturbed her. To me, Manasvi was a puzzle I was struggling to solve. Honestly, I was falling in love with the struggle, because only the struggle gave me an excuse to be closer to her.
"Hey, man!" I heard baba's voice from across the room.
"Baba." I said, excitedly.
"May I come inside?" he asked. I was puzzled at the question.
"Of course, you can. Why are you asking such questions?" I pronounced. He entered my room.
"You're a grown man now. Moreover, this is your floor, your bedroom. Your privacy." he said, standing next to me.
"Yes, you're right, but, baba, for you I'll always remain your lil aryan, ain't i?"
He laughed out loud. "And, moreover, there's nothing that I don't tell you. So, there's no need to worry about privacy. Okay?"
"Hmm." he settled on the chair kept in the balcony. "I don't think that's true." he continued.
"Why do you say this?" I said, settling on the chair opposite to his.
"There's something you have been hiding from me. I am your father, I just know it. And, it reflects in your behaviour too. Positively though." he said.
"Baba, you know, you're not just my father, but you're also my best friend, and will always be." I said. I got up from my seat and sat on my knees in front of him, "But, yes, this time there's something I haven't told you."
"Which is?"
"Baba," I took a deep breath, "Mohabbat ho gayi hai mujhe." I pronounced, trying to look him in the eye and say it. It's strange, I've never told this to anyone. I had never confessed something like this to Baba about any of my girlfriends. But, Manasvi, she's neither my girlfriend nor any random girl. I looked away. "Anyways, I'll bring some whiskey for us to drink." I got up hesitantly.
"Wait. I'll join you." he said, walking beside me.
As we reached the rooftop bar, a helper came up to serve us, but baba gestured him to go and take rest in the helpers' quarters. Perhaps, he wanted to spend some lone time with me.
"What happened, don't you want to break it out to me?" he said, as I started pouring our drinks.
"No, baba. There's nothing like it." I handed the glass over to him.
"Then?"
"Baba, it's quite weird, I've never felt this way. It's a new feeling, a new emotion."
"I can understand. First love, it is?"
