The moon shone as though it was intending to impress someone. The night wind was fast but soft. It could easily bring a smile on Jen’s face. The night was beautiful. She had never seen a more breath-taking blackness before. She wanted to know if it was really that beautiful or if it was just her heart. It was beating fast but not frantically but with a rhythm. She could hear it’s beat speaking clearly about how it missed someone. She acted as though it was inaudible. She gave Breeze to the care taker and walked to the gate. She heard the sound of the bike coming nearby. She was surprised to see how she could recognise the sound of his bike like she had heard it her entire life time and even before that when she had only heard it a few times before. The sound as she understood was imprinted in her soul like the smile of the person who took off his helmet and got down from the bike.
Harsh was tensed. Whole day, the day before that, the entire week. Since he had heard that Jen was going to get the award, he wanted to congratulate and he tried many times but failed miserably and somehow he managed to get courage last evening to tell her how proud he was and wished her luck before she left for the award ceremony.
It took him another twenty-four hours to compile enough courage to ask her out. She didn’t say anything at first. He thought that he made a mistake but then she called and said yes. It was like seeing rain in a desert, that feel, being able to be with her just her and the rest of the world a blur.
Harsh got down from the bike and took of his helmet and smiled at Jen. She smiled back. The shy smile that he knew she kept only for him or was he reading too much in to it. Maybe she saw him as a friend, there was nothing else. That thought drained his peace. He skipped the thought and looked at her. She was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans and she was beautiful. She was so casual and simple and yet the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.
Jen walked to him. She thought she was shaking and had no idea why she was shaking. She tried her best to hide her excitement as much as she could. She didn’t want him to feel awkward at all. She took the helmet he offered and got on the back seat of his bike. She held his shoulder with one hand. When the bike moved she felt as though it was the safest and happiest place she had ever been in. Harsh drove slower than usual. He wanted to make sure of her safety. He could drive fast and show some skills and impress her but more than impressing her, it was her safety that mattered the most to him. Her smile, it was heaven and he intended to keep it forever, and to see her happy a forever seemed too short a time. The bike moved and the wind played with Jen’s hair. It was a beautiful feeling. To be free and happy and both at the same time and that too with someone’s company. She felt as though the world was a new and that is what that had changed the way her heartfelt.
Harsh drove to the beach. It was the middle of the night and the stars and moon shone brightly like they had a celebration of their own.
He stopped the bike and they got down. Jen was excited but she was calm like his very presence made her feel safer and calmer. Harsh was confused for a moment. He didn’t know what he had in mind to do and just looked in to her eyes and blended himself in their depths. Then Jen smiled and suddenly he realized why he had come there.
He took a packet from his bike and kept it on the sand. He opened it while when Jen watched. In the street light that glowed from the road side she appeared like a fallen star. He opened the packet and took out a cake. He did not eat cakes but it was her day and it had to be celebrated. He took the knife and gave it to Jen.
She hesitated but took it, she felt shy. She cut the cake and gave a piece to him and he gave one to her. They smiled and looked at each others eyes. The waves were singing lullabies and it was so soothing. The sand felt soft under their feet and the sky a magical kaleidoscope that showed only wonders. Harsh looked in Jen’s eyes and he whispered as though to the wind ‘I Love You’. Like she was waiting to hear it since forever she replied ‘I Love You Too’. Harsh thought his eyes were tearing up or was it hers. He touched her hands and kissed her forehead. And they hugged each other as though never wanting to let go.
Amrutha
