Umeed was standing at the bus stop, rain pouring down around her, creating little streams that flowed along the street. She absolutely loved the rain; it brought a sense of renewal and peace to her otherwise crazy life. However, today she was running late for an important meeting, and the bus seemed to be taking forever.
Just as she glanced at her watch for the third time, a man hurried to seek shelter under the bus stop, shaking off his umbrella. His dark hair was slicked back, and his coat was soaked, but he had this calm, almost serene look on his face. He glanced over at Umeed and gave her a smile.
"Kya aap mere saath umbrella share kar sakti hain?" he asked, pointing to the one she was holding above her head.
"Ji bilkul" Umeed replied, scooting over a bit to make room. "Mera naam umeed hai."
"Farjaad," he introduced himself, extending his hand for a handshake. "Aapse milkar khushi hui"
They stood there in comfortable silence for a moment, just listening to the rain's rhythmic sound.
"Kya aap aksar is tarah barish mein bheeg jaate hain? " Umeed asked, trying to strike up a conversation.
Farjaad chuckled. "Most of the time, lekin mujhe baarish mein hmesha sukoon milta hai. Aapka kya kehna hai?"
"Haan, mujhe bhi baarish pasand hai" Umeed said, her eyes lighting up. "Baarish mein kuch sukoon sa hai, haina?"
Farjaad nodded. "Absolutely. Ye jaise duniya ko thodi der ke liye rok deti hai"
Just then, the bus arrived, and they both got on. To Umeed's surprise, Farjaad sat down next to her. They easily engaged in conversation throughout the ride, discovering shared interests and sharing laughter over small jokes. By the time they reached Umeed's stop, she almost didn't want to leave.
"Mera stop aagya" she reluctantly said, standing up. "Aapse milkar acha laga, Farjaad"
"Rukein" Farjaad said, quickly jotting something down on a piece of paper. "Ye mera number hai. Shayd kabhi hum coffee par mil sakein?"
Umeed smiled, taking the paper. "Mujhe bhi acha lagega"
As she stepped off the bus, the rain continued to fall, but Umeed felt a warmth spreading through her that had nothing to do with the weather.
Perhaps a fairytale is about to begin, where the most unexpected encounters could lead to the most beautiful beginnings.
