looking at him, but little less firmly this time.
“Your home isn’t running anywhere, it can wait and so can the work”
“Please leave me, I have to go. I can’t be with you Mark” she said, almost begging, her eyes closed and tears flowed down her cheek like fresh pearl.
“You have to tell me why you can’t be with me. What is wrong?” he asked with a discomforting voice, “Did anyone tell you anything? Did I do something wrong?”
“It’s not you, it’s me” she said, her eyes all wet.
“At least tell me what it is. Your silence is killing me more than anything else Reena” he held back his frustration that was swelling up in his eyes now. His grip unknowingly became stronger as he spoke.
She shrieked in pain.
Mark instantly left her hand and said, “I am sorry”.
“It’s ok” she looked at him for a while, and said, closing her eyes, “I have feelings for you Mark.”
At first he felt that he had missed the words, but as he realized, every word felt like music to his ears. He would have banged his head to a wall a thousand times to make himself realize it wasn’t a dream.
With an uncontrollable grin on his face and an urge to pull her into his arms, he said “Even I have feelings for you, so what is wrong in that” he took a step closer, looking down on her, feeling her warmth.
“There is, but you will never understand it, so just leave me alone” she took a step back, feeling uncomfortable with the closeness, and missed her balance at the edge of the deck.
Mark quickly moved forward and gave her his hand, she caught it and he pulled her to balance, “Try me” he said calmly, while releasing her arm. It had turned red from where he had gripped it, “I am sorry again” he said.
Reena caressed it with her other hand for a while and said “You will not understand…. Your parents, who were in love earlier, wouldn’t have fought with each other when you were a kid. Your father wouldn’t have divorced your mother when she needed him the most” tears flowed down her eyes as she flashed through all the memories of her past, which she had buried in one corner of her heart. She felt the anger and fear, which she felt when her parents used to fight and when they were divorced. She cried as the memories of her beloved mother turning alcoholic after the divorce and later dying turned ripe. The thought of the difficulties which she had phased in her orphan years burnt badly as if a hot iron rod was stuck in her skin.
Mark patted her shoulder and shrugged it slightly, “Are you ok?” he asked, and wiped the tears off her face.
“Yes” she said, pushing his hands away “What I am trying to say is that you don’t know how it is and you will never understand my dilemma” she said “I have seen it and I don’t want to experience that myself” tears still flowed down her eyes.
He walked a step closer, and again wiped her tears “I agree I wouldn’t understand your pain but just because your parents had a bad ending does that mean you too would” he said, looking at her for a response “we have feelings for each other, and that’s fine… I am not forcing you to jump into a relationship; I am just saying that what is the problem in being friends and knowing each other more?”
He continued “See, if you wish I will never speak to you and will never cross your path again, but I just don’t want you to quit like this.” he said, but there was no response from her side. She was still looking down, not crying now, but quiet.
“Life is too short to carry an old aching that only hurts you” he said, but there was still no response from Reena.
It was frustrating but he controlled himself. He took a deep breath and said “I think I am done here as I am assuming that your silence speaks for you. It is ok, we won’t meet if you aren’t comfortable” he paused for any response, and said when he didn’t receive any “Goodbye” he smiled at her finally before leaving.
He walked away, towards the class building, without looking at her. There were tears in his eyes too but there was also a sense of contentment. A strange feeling had zipped him, not knowing how it felt: happy or sad, but eventually, he was feeling much better. At least he now knew that even she likes him. He understood her dilemma and knew she was somewhere correct in her place. He was happy that he at least tried and said what he wanted to say. He wanted to help her more, but that wasn’t possible without her willingness.
He slowly walked up the gentle grassy slope, looking down all the while. The sky above him had turned red with the setting sun and the evening was getting cooler like yesterday.
He reached the top, from where he could see the class building.
“Hey” he heard a familiar voice.
He turned to look in the direction of the voice and found Reena, standing ten hands away like a flower, with her hands behind, and her legs crossed, smiling at him.
He didn’t say a word.
“You walk too slowly” she said as she walked towards him, still smiling, looking completely different from the girl he met moments ago.
“I am just a little tired” he said, while his eyes were mesmerized by the beauty walking towards him, “So, how come you are here?” he asked, hiding his curiosity.
She walked closer and stood still in front of him, “I don’t want to be friends with you” she said firmly, still looking straight in his eyes.
“That is ok” he smiled and shrugged his shoulders, as he already knew it.
She smiled, controlling her laughter and held his face with both her hands, “I don’t want to be friends with you because I want to be your first love, you idiot.”
“You already are” he said, while he swam in her deep dark eyes. His heart panting and sweating inside like someone who had just ran for his life.
“Then why don’t you hold me closer than your second love” she said with a sweet chuckle which wasn’t less than the music played by her.
Mark didn’t realize when his arms instantly moved around her waist, but it was the first time he felt how slim she was. He pulled her close while she was looking at him with her fascinating eyes. He felt her cold breathe and her warm skin so close, he had never felt like this before.
“You look so beautiful in this night, as pure as a fay” he said almost dreamily.
She giggled and lightly plucked his lips with her, while still holding his face in her hands. He smiled and kissed her again, curling her up in his arms, this time closer.
Suddenly, the water sprinklers were on them, drizzling upon their heads and they both were startled. But it didn’t bother them for long; they laughed at it and again wired up in a sweet long-due kiss…….
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