WITHERING ROSES

Fate is a coin

She looked at me, wiped her tears and smiled, reminding me of the beautiful girl I once knew. She looked beautiful. She gave me the stare of love. This time I was happy that Catherine wasn't around and you know why... there was no one on the street, it was quiet. Just me and Ankita sitting in the bus stop.

          She kept looking at me. She came closer. No one was there, I was scared. I don't know why, I don't know if I was scared exactly, this was a feeling I didn't get often. My heart pounded against my chest and I could feel it, we came closer. Our foreheads met, the contact gave me goosebumps. Would this be my first kiss? If yes why did it feel like I was gonna embarrass myself in front of a stadium of people? She smiled. her smile seemed so beautiful this time, she then closed her eyes slowly. I could feel her breath on my face. Warm. Our lips were micro inches away when

"oh please! Give me some money! You will be blessed!!"

        A beggar interrupted us, came out of nowhere...WHAT IS WRONG WITH FATE? First Catherine and now a beggar what next? A stray dog peeing on me inside a building? I wouldn't be surprised if that happened. I gave him the 10 rupee that I had and he left, while Ankita was laughing.

"we were so close!!*laughs*" she said.
"I know right!!*laughs*"
"first Catherine and now...*laughs*"
"fate is planning to make a joke out of me*laughs*"
"you and your false jokes Kalyan*laugh*"
"wait so where we gonna...."
"*laughs* what?"
"where you uh...... where you gonna kiss me?"
"........."
"hm?"
"yes." She said calmly.
"*smiles* what happened to no physical intimacy?"

                 I loved the way she looked when she was surprised.

"you-you still remember that!?"
"oh I remember a lot. The times you told me that I'm a really nice boy as we drew something together, the idle and stupid jokes we cracked, that time you chased me when I told you my birth date, the way you got so hyped for little things, the times you comforted me when I broke down explaining my feelings......the first time we spoke......"

      She looked dumbstruck. I loved her face, it looked beautiful in whatever expression she made. I kissed her cheek, she smiled. Over the next 20 minutes I was telling her how much I missed her over the year, about all that happened in my life when she wasn't there. Then we started discussing about where to go in the city for the next few days that Catherine was here. She spoke very less about what had happened to her over the past one year. I guessed that a lot had happened in her life and that I'd let her share everything to me when she was ready. It's funny how strangers become the best of friends in a short span of time. For some it's talent, for some it's jerkiness. Sometimes people don't know the next step and sometimes they do stupid things without thinking.