Enigma

Thoughts

Tejasswi and Karan entered the class almost together. Awkwardness was quite visible on both of their faces. Dame noticed it and asked Karan
"Bhai,kya hua shakal pe barah ku baje h?"
"Kuch ni yar...vo (he explains everything)"
"Ohh....to isme awkward hone vali kon si baat hai....dekh tu awkward hoga to use to aur bura lag rha hoga...you should have not reacted that way....friends bhi to hug karte h"
"Yeah...you are right...but..."
"But kya..."
"Kuch nahi...let it be..."

On the other hand, Tejasswi was silent. She was feeling guilty seeing Karan's reaction. She was also quite excited and hugged him out of her excitement. She decides to apologise to Karan during break.

It was break, everybody was moving out of the class. Teju called Karan from behind...so he stopped. She came closer and said,
"Vo...I am sorry Karan.....I was just too
excited....but I should know my boundaries .....and I'll be careful the next time....I am really sorry"
"No no...you don't have to apologise....actually, I too behaved like a kid. It was okay... there's nothing wrong to hug a friend. "
"Okk...but I'll be happy if you allow me to take you somewhere."
"Huh ...where ?"
"Just meet me after college. Don't ask questions."
"Ok...."
"Bye"
"Bye"

The college ended after two more hours. Karan met Teju at the college entrance. From there, they went together. Teju took him to a beautiful offbeat sunset point. From that place the entire city was visible. Flowers blossomed all over the place. There were very less people around as not many people knew about this hidden beauty in Dehradun.

"Wow...."
"Breathtaking... isn't it."
"Yes, ecstatic. I have been living here all my life but this place was alien to me till now. How did you get to know about this place?"
"When I was little and used to visit nanu nani...nanu always brought me here...My life has not always been peaceful. Mom and dad kept fighting always. It used to hurt the little child in me. Nanu knew it...and so to find my peace he used to bring me here. From then on, this place has become my only escape. I might not know the roads of Dehradun but I definitely know the way to this place. "

"Ok, so tell me about your life in Mumbai, how was it, what did you do for timepass....?"
"I was always the introvert and studious kind. But since Amrit came into my life, every weekend, we used to hang out with our friends.To be honest, I completely changed myself for Amrit. But now, I have realized, never change yourself for anybody. So yeah this is me. The real me. And I am finally happy to be away from all the drama.....okk enough of my story ..now you tell me about yourself...."
"So, i live here with my mom and dad. Dane is my bestfriend....you know that already ..and Avika is my childhood friend, then my girlfriend and now she is my ex who can't turn into a friend anymore.....so that's that. My mom is the sweetest...trust me... you'll love her....and dad ...about dad ...i would say....he is like a coconut....hard from the outside but softy from inside. I know he loves me but never shows it...though I want him to show his love more openly but....it is what it is. Although my father is one of the top businessmen but my mother keeps me grounded. She would never allow me to step out of the house after 8...no drinks, no car, no extra cash except my pocketmoney. "
"Wow.... that's really nice. "
"And don't you have any siblings?"
"I do...my older brother...Tanuj....he is in Mexico. I miss him alot. Specially the time I was shifting here. But I couldn't share it with him.... he's always so far....away from home....So I had to pretend that I was okay...otherwise he would have left everything and came running here just to be with me.
"You are very strong ..you know that right "
"Huh.."
"Yes ...I won't sympathize with you...You are not weak ... whatever happened in your past, doesn't make you weak ...it makes you strong."
"Thank you"

"Can I click a picture ....of us ...and the sunset ?"
"Yeah ..why not!"
He clicks a beautiful picture and says
"I'll akways hold this picture close to me. "
Teju blushed hearing this. She was having the best time of her life. Away from the chaos of the world, she was here, in solace, with a person who values her presence, whom she loves spending her time with.

They sat there for some time, saw the sun set and now it was time to go back home. Teju says
"It's getting dark... let's go home."
"Yeah ..the time stopped for me. Pata hi nahi chala kab do ghante beet gaye. Esa lag rha h abi to aye the .."
"Glad to know...that you liked this place."
"Yeah ..I liked the place and your company too."
Ohh God, he keeps saying things that does something to her heart. Just a very simple statement holds the power to make her feel things she isn't supposed to feel. She smiled at what he said. Karan dropped her first and then went home.
On his way, he was constantly thinking about hus conversation with Teju. He didn't know how the time passed. Teju was like a force that he wanted to resist but couldn't. The more he wants to stay away, the more he gets closer to her. Honestly, he wanted her to be there for some more time but time waits for none.  All of these thoughts clouded in his mind and he reached his home.