The Artist

A CHOCOLATE BOX

"How beautiful Zahra is?" thought Ali lying on the bed and staring the ceiling fan. He was a thirteen year old ectomorph boy who had no idea what was going wrong with him now-a-days. He didn't feel like eating anything, spending hours thinking about Zahra, his classmate who had apparently become so important to him that his mind was filled with her thoughts all the time. Love is tricky business but it is such a magical feeling when it is for the first time and for Ali, Zahra was her first love with whom he wanted to be all the time.

"Tomorrow is Zahra's birthday I should give her a gift" thought Ali now playing with the switch of light on and off. "I think I would buy her favorite chocolate, but it is very costly too" thinking that he jumped out of the bed and went near the cupboard and put out his piggy bank and start counting the money in it. It all summed up to forty five rupees.

"still I need fifteen rupees to buy the chocolate, I would ask 15 rupees for mother " thought Ali and went to sleep in the magical dream of he and Zahra getting married and Ali riding the horse with Zahra on the back holding his waist and both laughing.

Ali got up early next morning and dressed up himself for school. He picked the money and put it on a chain of his bag.

"Mom, I need fifteen rupees, I need to buy a notebook" lied Ali

"You seem a little worried these days, what's the matter? Is everything fine at school" asked Ali's mother

"Yeah! I am a little worried about my exams. Mr. Malik says he is going to make a tough paper" he said cunningly hiding his immense feeling of love for Zahra

After getting fifteen rupees he got straight to the famous bakery of Yousufs, and buy the expensive chocolate and wrapped it up in shiny red with a card written "Happy Birthday to the most beautiful girl in the world."

He was exalted and thinking that after getting that note and chocolate Zahra would go out with him around the lake at the edge of the town and both of them would sail across the river in the evening talking about various exquisite things.

While reaching at school he silently hid the chocolate wrap inside the bag of Zahra, and waited for her to wish her happy birthday. Class started and teacher told everyone to bring out the books of science. Ali was watching restlessly to Zahra and she opened her bag and the shiny red box bearing a card fell out of her bag.

"What's it" she thought lifting the box but the teacher started teacher and she had to put the box inside the bag. Throughout the entire lecture Ali couldn't concentrate even for a second and just thinking about Zahra opening the box. Finally the bell rang and she jumped out of his seat to wish Zahra 'Happy birthday but he saw Murtuza , the brightest student of the class was talking to Zahra.

"what is this rabbit doing here" he thought, the equation of Murtuza and Ali was very sour and apparently they both hate to each other but Zahra was friend of both and worked as a bridge of joining them. Ali knew that Murtuza also liked Zahra and the sight of them talking together was unbearable for him. Just as he was thinking of saying happy birthday to her -Zahra came running to Ali and said "Look,
Ali, Murtuza gave me a beautiful ring on my birthday" . Ali was silent he didn't know what to say the thought of Zahra talking about Murtuza blanked him. " and you know, his father gave him two tickets to the concert of best musician in the town Mahmood Husain, and he is taking me to that show, I am so excited" said Zahra with her brown hair playing gently with the wind- that look was slayer for Ali.

Ali got desperate and said "but I thought you and I would celebrate your birthday on the lake"

"Yeah , but I think concert would so much fun, anyways you should complete your homework otherwise Mr. Rana would punish you again in the class, and besides, I don't have extra tickets" said Zahra zipping her bag.

The final bell rang and Zahra still didn't notice the box of chocolate for which all had spent all his pocket money. Ali was dejected and he decided not to talk Zahra now on. In his desperation he was coming home lost in envious thought about Murtuza but suddenly car hit Ali and he lost consciousness at the moment and opened his eyes in a hospital and saw his father and mother who seemed very worried.

"Are you okay, Ali beta" asked her mother sliding her hand on his forehead.

"ammi, what happened with me" asked Ali with his voice faltered.

"you lost consciousness in the middle of road in front of the car of Zahra's father, he picked you up and brought you to the hospital" said she

"With god grace, you are fine now" she added

For Ali it was a horrible day it was ! ?It's Zahra birthday and he thought of spending time with her rowing the boats in the River , but alas ! he was lying on the hospital bed injured and Zahra was having a great time with Murtuza and dancing .

"He would have wrapped his hands around his waist, and they are not touching the ground" he thought and his heart filled with emotions. Love is cruel dose, it gives pleasure and sometimes the pain is like being burning in the fire.

"Knock, knock" suddenly Zahra entered in the hospital room, and Ali thought that he is certainly hallucinating. But she was really there.

"Are you blind?" shouted Zahra

"but you were going to concert," asked Ali still perplexed, the sight of Zahra was the most satisfying thing for him and it was like a lost person in desert got a source of water.

"Yeah, But dad told me about you, and I also found my favorite chocolate with a lovely massage?" said Zahra, and she bent toward Ali so close that he could feel her breezy breath. And she kissed him gently on lips. And Ali was feeling the most pure feeling of his life, the love.