Rosa's Affair

CHAPTER 15(a)

"The starry sky is absolutely gorgeous tonight. Maybe I'll see a shooting star and can make a wish..." said Kiran.

Kiran and I were sitting near our banyan tree spotting the stars in the blue yonder. It was on 2nd April 2011.

The whole country was watching the world cup match whereas I laid under the tree gazing steadily and intently at the stars in admiration. I was not unhappy and I enjoyed the companionless night with a puny smile playing on my lips seeing the bombshell night. I thought I would enjoy the night, but within seconds Kiran was next to me and I felt a little anger towards my trouble maker.

"Kiran...go inside and watch the match, don't blame me later," I said, not tearing my eyes from the sky.

"Is it so beautiful...that you couldn't tear your eyes from this inky sky?

I was silent for a while observing the beauty. It was one beddable night with the sky full of stars. Some stars were bright, big and were in clusters. I stood from my lying position and climbed on one branch in the banyan tree, Kiran watched me like gawk not saying anything, but soon my trouble maker sat near me in the same branch. It was dark yet we could see each other very well. All thanks to the rice string decorative lights which illuminate the tree.

Kiran caged me with one arm around my waist and I turned my head forty-five degrees to take a glimpse of my darling. Kiran was happy as I didn't struggle much like earlier days. "What do you like?"

"Huh?" Kiran turned my direction and our lips were gyrating in the perimeter of two-inch distance. "What do you mean by...what do you like?" Asked Kiran.

"The decorative lights or..."

"Or the dim light from the stars. Am I right Rose?"

I smiled listening to Kiran's advanced thinking.

"I can predict anything...anything that concerns you," said Kiran, pinching me on my waist. Though the clothes were there to protect my skin, I felt like even clothes didn't have the capacity to protect me from my darling.

"So...what do you like?" I nudged again.

"Rose...do you know any profession which requires more thinking and less alcohol?" asked Kiran out of the blue.

"More thinking...and less alcohol?" I raised my brow.

"Less alcohol leads to good thinking...If I put the words properly, artists are usually passionate and when alcohol drowns a man, they get inspired, inspired by any single unwanted thing. Rose..." Kiran brushed my hair along with the soft wind. "Rose! You are an artist, an artist likes star lights which come once in a while, for some it may bloom their heart and for others...they don't even know the existence of those stars. That's the bubble we live in. I am not mesmerized by these stars because apart from giving some happy seconds, it's not going to bring any change in my life. So...I prefer man-made illuminators, at least it would provide food to some humans and throw lights on the darkness around us."

"Good thinking!" I appreciated Kiran. Kiran is one person who doesn't candy-coat the words for anyone.

"But..." my heart stopped for a second listening to the 'but'. "But those few happy seconds, watching the stars with the person you love, will stay in one's memory forever. That's why I am studying the stars sitting with the person whom I love so much. One day...when you stand beside another person and watch the stars...you will remember Kiran."

Kiran was right! I am standing next to Jacob holding my hands with him, but my memory lane took me to Kiran.

"Jacob!"

"Tell me, Rosa!"

"Do you know when was the first time I saw a shooting star?"

"Is it with..."