Feels Of Summer- THE CHOICE

Studies had never been their weak points and they aced it, like everything else. Even then, his chemistry chapter took him little more than three hours,  not because it did not receive his complete attention but because he had deliberately chosen not to attend to the equations of Gas Laws. The only reason he stayed put was to avoid the weekly visit to the  temple in the  suburbs. He knew he would be excused if he seemed to need to avoid it, a board examinee after all. He stood and smiled at his victory. '...Oxygen.' was the last word in his essay. Yes he could do with a deep breath. Freedom from the constant reminders how he needed to study well as even  his 95+ score would fail to impress his mother. Freedom from the time bound study ....the space for everything,  he would be able to carve out. He  knew he would cherish it. In a few months he would face a big question and three big opportunities... each with its own virtues. Freedom, Respect and Her. She mattered too.A lot. The most. Freedom was a weak contestant in this battle. Respect was not, but then that was because he could have Respect and still have her.

She, a couple of miles away, was wandering among somewhat similar thoughts. Her dilemma too was about a choice. Her notebook containing unsolved x's let its pages turn as she thought over everything. Curiosity empowered her and she surfed through those attractive websites. But emotions, difficult as they are to express, are strong enough to hold her back. Actually their was a catch in the choice- choose the right one and you have all three, choose the wrong one and you might as well have neither. Odds, her statistical self told her, were one-of-three. This was again a gamble between Freedom,  Respect and Him.

Somewhere, in the distant corner of their minds, they both knew, there was actually no choice. They had had the choice before, and they had made that choice another day years ago. The only choice they had now was whether to go the easy way or the hard way. And as in every battle, they had come out victors, this one too was theirs.

They both recounted the events of  a couple of years ago...

It was an afternoon after they first met. Their new acquaintances had been only too pleasant. They were fitting in well. As it was, they met and spoke casually. This didn't go unnoticed, however, by the experienced crowd of 'children' fantasized by the concept of relationships. And she had admirers, from the very first day. Joytown's Downtown School seemed to have a group of very talented boys, of great (ill)reputation- all eager to befriend her, for not so honourable intentions. 'Brothers', as she called them, much to their dislike,  he agreed about one thing with them, she was genuinely adorable( though she herself thought otherwise).   In the coming days, many a 'suitors' actually gifted her. He joked around and teased her, but she knew him well enough to look through that. Long chats were the routine and it was mostly him teasing her about the customs of 'swyambhar' and how she could utilise it. He urged her to accept the gifts , acting indifferent, at least, in front of their new friends. But the friends were not fooled by his outward indifference. Experience was something. Deep down, they both saw to each other's pretence and actually figured out each other's feelings. Gradually, they were no more greetings-only-strangers caught while in hurry to the amphitheatre, but close friends and chats became longer. And they continued to be embarrassed, but they really didn't seem to care... they themselves were unaware, or simply way to shy to admit it, they had slowly taken a place in each other's lives far more significant than mild embarrassments. They had already made the choice.

And they made the choice this day, and they would again, some other day. But their choice wouldn't change.

Meet them...

She's here, and he's quite close by, as always, right there.

Feels of Summer-A LONG WAIT

The sherbet had failed to cool him down. His calm acceptance disguised his inner restless mind. The heat had drenched his shirt and dried his throat.He was waiting for her. She was three hundred miles away; and a small three inches away in his screen. He didn't know when she would, he knew she would.  He rested his arm tenderly on the railings and recounted.

No this is no romantic story. Its a story of patience. He was young, the eyes of the world had been his viewer for only a decade and a half. She was young too. But they were not 'children' as law, and everybody else saw them. They had explored the alleyways of their 'new-found' maturity years ago, some of it alone and a lot of it together. Thus while other children of their age playfully toed the line and mindlessly prepared for their terminal exams, these adults had silently slipped away from the bonds of this competition. They were but no rebels, they were academically and intellectually stronger than most of their peers(actually all of them).  They were however very good safe-keepers of their characters. He was hardly an introvert,  reasonably social and had his share of friends. She was a seemingly open-minded girl, friendly, amiable. No one would no their true self, unless they themselves specifically allowed that. Except for this once and then on, forever, her veil of ordinary had dropped before him and so had his coat of simplicity. He knew Her.

Call it the twist of good fate or a miracle planned in advance by the Controllers of  Heaven, or merely a coincidence, their meeting in Joytown was highly unlikely. No that's not a real name but you are an intelligent person. They met back in a day two springs ago... not in-a-park-under-a-tree scenario. It was what two strangers, stranger to one another and everyone around, would do. They got into the tedious business of making friends. They however saw each other as friends they met and not friends they made. She had a charming personality, and rational that he was,  he was not devoid of  the urge of hormones. He succeeded in concealing his feelings for the time-being,  but he knew even his armour would one day give away to her intelligence. And she knew, no matter how hard others sought her attention, he would perhaps disguise himself in some corner, pretending not to notice, but at the end of the week her inbox would be all questions. Smart people understood each other. She answered them. 

And she answered now, 2 years later.

Meet
Her
Him