Once Upon a University Campus

What Happened in Paris Stays in Paris

It was a moment in Paris that was basking in a golden glow when silence spoke louder than words ever did. The enigmatic smile of Monalisa was just a stone's throw from Mr Outsider and Ms Sunshine as they sat next to each other on a wooden bench with wrought iron legs. Seine too flowed quietly beneath their feet as if she knew the need of the hour was silence. But the silence was pregnant, open to interpretations. Annika was taken by surprise at this audacity, at this new found familiarity and the liberty he had started taking with her. Despite the golden light around them, the red on her ears and face was obvious. She did not dare look into his eyes and he would not take his eyes off her. The log jam continued till a romantic tourist couple requested him to take their picture as they kissed each other with their eyes closed. In the age of selfies, that was probably one of the harder poses that the subject could not have done justice by himself/herself. Photo clicked, camera returned, the amorous couple continued their act and Annika started getting uncomfortable. Noticing her discomfort, Mr Outsider got up and suggested they start walking. Though she was tired, the walk was still pleasant. Cruises with hanging lights passed them on the gentle river. Annika was by now oblivious to everything around her. It was only his eyes and a better than Mona Lisa smile that occupied her thoughts. As they languidly walked by the river, Mr Outsider checked his watch and suddenly asked her to hasten. Annika struggled to pull herself and keep pace with him but she was slow.

"Ms Trivedi, you got to hurry up"

Mr Outsider called her out from a distance. She tried her best but her pace was not good enough for him. He rushed back to her, caught her hand and started tugging her. Her hand in the grip of a warm, comforting hand, Annika could think of nothing else. A stupid smile almost gave her away. He stopped at a stretch with a beautiful view of Eiffel Tower, no trees or other obstructions, just across the river. The golden eiffel and its golden reflections gleaming in the water were sure beautiful but not as beautiful as the pair of hazel eyes or the Mona Lisa smile.

"Keep watching " he announced her hand still in his as they stopped to catch their breath.

She needed reminders there because all she could think of was the hand holding her hand. But then something special happened. Eiffel Tower started sparkling, as if tens and thousands of stars had descended on the tower to make it prettier. Annika watched it with the excitement of a kid in a candy store and a spring in her feet. And he watched her watch the sparkly tower. The sparkling lights turned off after the brief show and the awkward silence returned between them when they realized their hands were still together. He set her free. They languidly strolled around the edge of the river when Mr Outsider announced that he was hungry. She started scouting for crepes carts.

"The only thing missing here are the peanut and roasted chickpea hawkers. You might not know, but back home hawker sell roasted peanuts and chickpeas in tiny cones made out of newsprint." Annika tried her best to act normal.

"There you go, forget about the peanut hawkers. Would you not want to sit down to a proper meal after this long a day."

" I can sit down to a proper meal once I am back in my hostel!" She replied feigning normalcy. .

"Let's do it the Parisian way. Let's go to a historical restaurant, something that has been around for 400 years or so." He declared.

"400 hundred years old ? They had restaurants 400 years ago? We only have 400 year old forts and tombs in Delhi" She said in disbelief.

Soon they were seated in a very nice restaurant. Mr Outsider ordered for the two of them all in French. It make no sense to her, but now she trusted herself with him now, a restaurant menu was hardly anything. The menu made no sense to Annika but the prices she could make out was very steep.