She thought he was joking. He was looking intently in her brown eyes, waiting for a reply. The corner of her lips curled a little. His gaze became more focused. He tried to find some seriousness in her expression. She frowned. She looked confused now.
"Surely you are joking!" was all she said before breaking out into laughter.
The summer wind blew. It struck into his tanned face. "No I am not" was all he said in a low voice..
She stopped laughing abruptly and looked into his eyes. They were like shining black marbles, innocence and purity writ on them. She tried to form
words but didn't come. She was taken aback by his seriousness. She never expected this.
"But that is impossible Shantunu!" she finally said with despair.
He grabbed her hands frantically and his intense black eyes were glowing with fire. Her face flushed. Her eyes like that of a doe seeing a tiger.
"But I love you Ishika! Don't you understand!" he shouted at her.
She freed her handa from his. She was utterly shocked by his actions. She has never seen such a wild form of him. She couldn't decide what to do next. She was scared. She was sad.
"I can't ! I can't marry you. You know its not possible. They will never accept it." she said in a low soft voice.
"Then why all this Ishika ! Why! You love me ! Don't you!" He said. His eyes watering.
She moved back a step. "I can't love you anymore. Goodbye!" She turned and ran as fast as she could. Tears rolling down her cheeks. The ground heat burning her feet.
He saw her disappearing down the hill. The summer heat escalating and burning now. His shadow piled up like a pool of mud at his feet. A drop of sweat bead rolled from his hair to his bare right shoulder. He kneeled down and sobbed.
Memories of his childhood flashed in his head. He saw the face of a small girl, ever smiling and those brown eyes which he always knew to be focused on him. He saw two half naked toddlers rolling in the mud. He saw a beautiful girl emerge from the pond when he was fishing. He remembered how she stole all his fishes that day. That moonlit night by the hillside when they had a bonfire, he sang and she danced. They counted stars together. How fresh and soft her lips felt on his cheek. She was always there in every part of his memory.He couldn't imagine life without her.
