Dreams Gone Wrong

This post is an entry for Blogeshwar's "Dreams Gone Wrong".

She walked into the shop, her jet black hair with hints of burgundy, shining in the mild sunlight of what remained of the afternoon. Her attire was as usual simple & showed signs of a sensible girl-a white cotton kurta with a matching chudidaar, bracelets adorned one hand & a watch on the other. Not something you’d find in today’s college going girls I tell you. I’d know, I go to one. “You have Maggi’s Magic Masala?”, she asked in her lovely voice. The voice I’d love to be woken up to in the mornings, the voice I’d love to hear being whispered into my ears….. I’d to stop daydreaming & get back to work. Dad was watching from the counter. I brought out the things she listed & too soon the bill was made & she left. I was left staring at her back wondering when would I get lucky again.

She was my crush or maybe something more. She had first walked into the shop last winter. I still remember the morning, it was foggy with a dry wind blowing. At first I’d not noticed her waiting patiently at the counter. Only when I approached her to ask what she wanted & she removed the scarf covering half her face did I realise what a mesmerizing face she had. And not just the face, her whole demeanour was charismatic to say the least. The way she walked, the way she talked & even moved was like watching an artist perform. She looked a year or two elder to me, but then who cares?! Love doesn’t see all that…age, caste, religion…wait, did I just say love?? I don’t know….

“I’ve never seen you so excited about the vacation, even when we are not going on a trip!”, Mom raised her eyebrows. “Gimme a break Mom, it’s the holidays!”, I said. But seriously it was difficult not to be happy. Now I could stay all day at the shop & never miss a chance to see my girl! Dad would be happy too that I was helping him. Killing two birds with one stone or should I say one Angry Bird killing 2 pigs??

That night I couldn’t sleep. “You’re Santosh right?”, she had smiled at me! I’d only managed a bleak smile unsure how to respond. But not any more…it was high time I asked her for her number. Her address…name..anything at all. Such surreal admiration wasn’t helping. Now I was growing restless. I sat down at my desk. Never in my life had I written a letter unless it was worth 10 marks in the exams. But tonight I shall pen down my feelings for her. The next time she drops at the shop, I shall place this in her bag. She’s of course get to read it then. It was risky but what other choice did I have with Dad at the store?!

The letter felt like hot coal in my pocket. There she was, walking down the road. Hair flying in the wind & a smile on her face. Today I shall reveal my feelings. There was someone walking beside her, I couldn’t see clearly as a car blocked the view.

She reached the shop with a boy beside her, holding her hand. That kid….my junior from school, 14year old Rohit, looked up & said-“Mom, I told you I don’t wanna go grocery shopping with you! I wanna play cricket….! Santosh bhaiyaa tell her na….!”

Damn you Santoor soap & age-miracle creams!!

Kindly Do Not Sue ;)