Heart-strings

Chapter 15

It was already dark until I finished my practice at the dance class. I left alone for home. I dragged my feet on the busy street because I did not want to reach so soon. The post lights glowed vividly in such evening when the sky was densely covered with gray clouds. It was a breathtaking view. Suddenly lightning took place and thunders accompanied it. A few drops of water fell on the road and the earthy scent could be smelled. Within a few seconds, it started to rain heavily. Pedestrians ran for shade while I still walked amidst the rain. I loved rain since I was a child. If I felt sad and it happened to rain, it would surely cheer me up.

"Nandini", a voice followed from back. I turned to see, it was Darshan. He too joined me. "Hey", I said. He replied looking at me, "Hi", and continued, "Do you like rains?". "Yes, more than anything and what about you?", I asked smiling. "Yeah, I just love it. It makes me very nostalgic", he said looking front. "This weather is really beautiful, isn't it?", I questioned him. "Yes, and the beautiful girl who is walking with me is adding more to its beauty", he complimented. My cheeks got tinged with red. I was the one who did not know how to take compliment but at that instant, I realized that he felt shyer than me. I looked at him; he was biting his lower lip with his teeth and was avoiding my sight too. Often we blush when someone compliments us but he was someone who would blush after complimenting anyone and I liked him for that. He was cute and decent.

It continued to rain and we continued to walk amidst it. We were about to enter the street where my home was. "Listen, I wanted to tell you somethi...", he was about to complete when a car just passed by and splashed the water-laden mud on him. Although I did not want to embarrass him, I burst out in laughter. His fair skin turned slushy-brown. He resembled a chocolate ice-cream and it was so difficult to resist myself from wiping it off his face. He put his hands inside his pocket but could not find his handkerchief. He looked at me and passed on a playful smile. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion and finally understood his intention. "Darshan, no. No! Don't!", I warned while he raised his hand to clean his face from my scarf which was hanging out of my bagpack's zip. I tried to run sideways but he managed to pull it out and literally dirtied it with mud. "How could you?", I cried out and he just giggled with a childish-look.

The sound of rain was too loud and I could not even see an ant on the road. I turned towards Darshan and said, "I'll go now". He moved a little closer to me, "Wait. I want to tell you something". Even I wanted to tell him something, something very important but I did not have the courage to speak. "Umm, sa...say", I stammered. "Since mon...", his phone rang as soon as he started. "Your phone is ringing. Pick it up", I suggested him. "Let it ring. I've something really important to tell", his voice sounded intense so I chose to zip my mouth. My heart was thudding against my chest as I had no idea what he wanted to share with me.

"We have known each other since long, even before enrolling in college, but we hardly shared a conversation. It was the dance competition which made our friendship grow, after that too we completely lost touch. But see, we met again; maybe it was destined to happen. Mumbai brought us together", he spoke with a broad smile on his face.

"I don't know if you reciprocate this feeling or not. I don't know if I deserve you or not but my instinct tells me that I should not hide it anymore. I won't force you, the decision will be yours". "What... feeling, decision, friendship...What do you mean to say? Speak straight", I somewhat knew what he meant but still I questioned because I wanted him to confess.

"Okay, I think, I should not delay in telling you that I really love you", he uttered in a breath, closed his eyes and inhaled. I spoke slowly, "I love you too". "What, you do?", he asked, unconvinced. I nodded my head and said, "Yes, I love you Mr. Darshan Raval. I wanted to tell this to you long back but I always confused my feelings with friendship and I doubted that you're still single as you always talk to your friend...Divya. I thought you were in relationship with her that's why I never spilled out the beans to you". "What? Divya", he burst out in laughter and I felt awkward because I was expressing my feelings to him and he wasn't supposed to react like that. I looked at him, stunned. "Oh, oh, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have laughed like this. Actually, Divya is my male friend's name", he explained. "What? How can a boy keep a female name?", I yelled. "Boys can keep that name, after all it's used for both genders", he replied back and still giggled. "Jeez! I feel so embarrassed. What the hell was I thinking?", I chuckled, for the nuisance I thought of.

"You don't need to feel embarrass. Come here", he said in a comforting voice and opened his arms; I moved forward. He embraced me. I held him tightly wrapping my hands around his back as if someone was going to steal him away from me. I pressed my chest against his and rested my head on his shoulder. We both were wet because of the rain but his hug did warm me. It felt like home which I never ever had, rightly. That moment was too emotional to control the tears from rolling down my cheeks. This time I did not stop myself from showing my feelings to someone as he was my 'everyone'. I soaked the shirt of the right person. I did not want to break out of the hug. I just wished if I could stop the time and be forever in his arms because his hug was the safest place. "Are you crying?", he asked. I said somberly, "No, it must have been the raindrop". "Come on, the raindrop cannot be as warm as a tear drop", he replied and broke out of the hug. He cupped my cheeks and wiped off the teardrops with his thumbs. I felt so good that he read and understood me. He was the best guy for me and my friends were right, no one could ever love me the way he did. "Now, I'm with you. You don't need to cry", he soothed me and I nodded.

I sneezed loudly. "I think you've caught cold. I will drop you to your room", he suggested. "You don't...", I sneezed again. "I am not asking you, I'm telling you. So walk with me", he held my hand and dropped me to my room. "I'll go. Take care and give yourself proper rest", he smiled and hugged me again for a brief time, leaving his warmth with me. "Go safely", I said while he climbed down the staircase and then we parted.