Beauty and the Boy from the East

Chapter 29~ I dreamed a dream of times gone...

I dreamed a dream of times gone…

I dreamed a dream of times gone wrong… or where they?

I lay in bed my bed, staring into bright darkness.  Why is it always that before we sleep, our mind suddenly becomes awake and alive. It monitors every feeling you had that day and relives experiences you rather forget. Even with a body that was aching to sleep, even with a mind that reminded me I had a flight back to Delhi soon…my heart opened its chambers to the songs of the subconscious, the melody of mysteries and the fears we cannot trace.

I suppose overthinking makes one into a poet. Or maybe it’s from analysing too many plays in English class… (NB: idk in Australia I’m reading plays, not sure if Indians do that..I will check on this!)

But the image of the boy the flight attendant reminded me of (chapter 27 reference) appeared clearly in my mind. Studying it, I realised the differences they shared. The boy who was in my mind’s eye was skinny for his height, average height for his age with hollowed cheekbones and a sharper chin. Not a boy anymore, yet neither was he a man yet. But he was perfect to me…or used to be, before he got angry at a stupid fight we had and both of us never really forgave each other. Sometimes I saw him on the buses in Delhi. Once when I said hey, he smiled at me, and we it was taciturnly (silently) understood that we were not enemies anymore- but neither were we friends. A part of me was glad. He had probably changed in the two years since we had last talked, shared conversations, whispers, secrets…hugs. But a very, very, very small part of me wanted him back, and I wondered whether it was the memories I missed or him. I could not tell you what we talked about, but we talked for ages, about the most trifle things to the deepest conversations. He could be serious at those times when I needed help and advice. All the other times though…we made each other laugh, a laugh we kept only for each other.  Maybe we were too alike…too proud and unwilling to accept who was at fault. We blamed the other; and in a week we had lost one another too.

Unexpectedly, the moist liquid of tears pooled in my eyes. They were gone as quickly as they had come, but my upper body was heaving and I muttered aloud, “Come back to me…please!”

Gentle hands pulled the hair away from my eyes and away from the dream my subconscious had forced upon me . Akash’s palms smelt of sandalwood and trees. Now was I was awake, and I felt a dull throb in my heart; a mixture of sadness and anger overwhelmed. 

“Go away…I’ll punch you!” I whispered threathingly, but my voice had become hoarse as my throat become raw.

“If you punch me…I’ll just hold you in my arms. I’ll embrace you and hold you very tightly. “

“I can still punch you.” I said, trying to be vicious.

“No, you can’t…not if your hands are too busy….” He trailed off, and I suddenly became angry at what he might have meant.

“What?” My breathing had become regulated again, allowing my voice to become stronger.

“You have to hold me as well, you know…isn’t that romantic?” He changed his voice into an innocent boy’s again. Urgh. He reminded me of a baby that still hadn’t grown up. Why does he have to be so cute, it was unfair.

“Romance is a lie…it never lasts. Lust never last, and love rarely so.” I could hear the bitterness in my voice, and I knew Akash noticed when he changed his tone in his reply.

“Then…what does last for you? Life never lasts forever…but it can be beautiful if you make it so.” He glanced up at me, and I could see his almost- hazel eyes were quizzically sad.

He was right. So much for being a baby I guess. Mature Akash 101, delivered to you express Miss, I thought.

“How did you know I was sad?”

“Because I care.” He replied simply, leaning forwards and kissing me on the forehead.

“I care too.”  But he was gone, and the words were only alive for a few moments before everything was black again. 

I dreamed a dream of times gone...

(A/N: How did you like it? Please comment/vote/fan/follow, i really appreicate it! I know it was a short story, but i just wrote it quickly cause i think their romance needs more rekindling...this is dedicated to someone who read my WHOLE story and gave me all her advice and so i tried to answer her questions/confusion and request for more romance here :DD thanks for your support everyone, goodnight xxx)