life - only the strongest survive #Wattys2016

Part 1

"What the... you look like shit Hameed," I told him, shaking his shoulders vigorously.

"Long story." he said as we walked towards a shop.

On seeing him the shopkeeper pulled out a pack of Marlboro and tossed it. He pulled out one from the pack looking at me.

I hurled the lighter at him. It hit his head but still he stood there motionless.

"Kya hua bhai," the shopkeeper asked him laughing.

It was our usual smoking joint, where once a horde would sit together emptying packets after packets. Now it was just us left.

He picked up the lighter and lit his cigarette without a bit of reaction.

"Let's grab a seat", I said pulling out another from his pack, it was my fourth cigarette from past half an hour.

"What's going on?" I asked as I looked at him. His eyes were a window to the storm that his soul was dealing with.

"Who is that girl?" I asked him laughing.

"Asra" he replied.

Tears rolled down his eyes as he sat there smoking quietly.

One might tend to forget the number of people they've been with but never the first love. Though time passes by, the treasured memories seldom leave the mind.

Feelings, fate's favorite past time. It is something that always ends up getting played with. There is always a heartbreaking story behind every happy face.

It would have been better if we would've been warned at birth. When a child comes out of a mother's womb the first thing told should've been, "Welcome to hell, soon you will fall in love and die each day."

Love is a beautiful term which holds many meanings within itself. People fall in love knowing the consequences and live with false hopes.

Not everyone who falls in love gets the person, not everyone who gets the person they love is able to spend their life together. Sometimes things are worse than one can even ponder.

"Asra" she was his world, his first love. Their meeting was not something that would stand out but their love sure was.

...

"Never seen a girl before?" she asked as she came towards him.

It was the first day of school, he was with his group of friends and so was she.

"N-no I-I w-was n-not looking at you" he stammered trying to hide the obvious. He looked away avoiding contact with her eyes.

"I expected a filmy dialogue," she said laughing at his nervousness. Her voice was so melodious that a Nightingale would be put to shame.

He smiled, she laughed, everyone laughed...

Day's passed by, stealing glances at each other. The more they looked into each other's eyes, the more they fell in love.

"CCD evening after class?" he wrote in a piece of paper and placed it on top of her desk as he passed by. He walked hastily without a pause till he reached his desk.

Sitting down his eyes gazed upon her. She clutched the piece of paper tightly in her hand and turned back. Their eyes met. Blood gushed to her cheeks and then a sly smile crept up her lips. She turned away embarrassed avoiding eye contact with him.

Suddenly the horde started howling out his name, she turned back and their eyes met. They gazed upon each other. She blushed and turned back once again. He thanked all the animals in his heart.

He sprinted to CCD after school; though it was at a walk able distance. He opened the door and peeped inside.

Standing there for a while he scanned the place. His eyes fell on a table near the wall in the farthest corner.

Grabbing a seat, he sat down and let out a breath. From the corner of his eyes he could see her coming. A smile crept up his lips.

"Your order sir?" the waiter asked looking at him.

"Oh...Siiirrrrr" she teased him pulling the word long enough to embarrass him.

She laughed, he laughed, the waiter laughed...

Days passed by. Exams were round the corner. Everyone rushed up and down with books in their hands and so did they. Not a day passed when they didn't see one another and nor did a night crawl without each other's thoughts.

Exams were followed by holidays. She had to leave for her hometown. They both dreaded the holidays. The mere thought of a month without meeting the other was devastating.

The next morning, with a heavy heart she sat inside the cab.

"Airport please," she told the driver staring at her phone.

She stepped out of the cab; turned back after paying the driver just to find him standing right behind.

"You look lovely as always," he said smiling at her.

Her lips curved into a smile. Tears flowed down their cheeks. He tried to hide it and so did she.

He cried, she cried, they both cried...

Finally, the bell rang. He rushed out to the corridor to check the other classrooms. There she was in the class next to his. He hid behind the window and peeped at her. She looked stunning. No less than an angel who descended down from heaven. Her eyes were radiant as ever and that milky skin devoid of any impurities was so tempting.

"Will you come in or stand there peeping all day?" a girl asked as she laughed, it was her friend.

He peeked inside she wasn't there at her place. He stood up and there she was right in front of him, on the other side of the window. Their hands touched, her heart skipped a beat. She ran to her seat blushing, he stood there perplexed.

He was happy, excited, sad, shocked all at the same time, their eyes met again. The time had seemed to stop. Everything was still. In that moment it was just she and him. The shrill sound of the bell echoed through the bleak corridors bringing the two love birds back to reality. He went back to his class and sat there smiling like an idiot for the entire day.

He smiled, she smiled, both smiled...

Time went by and they passed out from school. It was time for their college life to begin.

They fought and argued but at the end of the day, back together. Nothing could break them apart.

College life was pretty easy. He had told his mom about them both. His mom wanted to talk with her and that turned out to be a herculean task.

Finally, he managed to convince her to talk to his mom. Once he returned home from college he dialed her number and gave it to her mom.

"Just answer whatever I text you" He assured her that things would work out perfectly. So he settled on the couch beside her mom while texting her.

She asked her many things and he texted her answers for all. Finally the interview with his mom came to an end.

"What do you think about her mom?" he asked, following her all around the house.

She just looked at him, smiled and went into the kitchen, his happiness knew on bounds.

He knew she would be his forever, nothing could tear them apart.

He smiled, she smiled, both smiled...