Smoking was something Roshni never indulged in, yet today she laughed uncontrollably every time she tried making rings of smoke. Almost every time she tried, smoke came out looking more like smoke from Aladin's lamp, and in her current state she laughed and waited for the djinn to come out and join them on the terrace.
All this while Arvind just stood in a corner, the ice cubes slowly melting in the glass, smoke slowly escaping out of his amused smile. He had tried his best to teach her, but today wasn't a day when success would have come to him easily. He stood back and looked at her, but saw nothing. It was a space filled with his past, filled with remorse. Looking at the perfect arches of now redundant yet iconic Ellis Bridge beyond the curls of her hair, he tried to keep his mind from wavering
Without any warning, Roshni came close, stepped on his feet and
blew the last sleepless, shapeless smoke ring directly on his face. Taken by surprise he held her back and slowly turned her
around towards the river so they both faced the bridge, the peaceful and sleeping river, the life lazily passing by. They had so many of their memories centered around the bridge, of the many vacant evenings spent strolling on it. It was one public space they could secretly call their own...
It was late in the night and with a few lights to
disturb their view, they could clearly see the city beyond the river and
its numerous bridges. Instinctively Arvind lightly wrapped his arms around
her and smelt the fine fragrance of her hair. It was beautiful, more
beautiful than anything else he could imagine at that time. She turned around, reached up and lightly brushed her lips on his, stroking
his hair with her fingers, leaning against the terrace wall, her cold
fingers curling around on his ears. None of them knew what was going on, none cared.
Arvind moved back as he heard the sound of approaching
footsteps; no one came up from the party going on in the open verandah of the old house, no one saw them there. He offered her another cigarette, this time she
refused. The spell was broken, the moment was gone. He went back to his
glass of whiskey, while she looked on towards the bridge, playing with the rings of her hair.
While other guests at the party were still asleep, some drunk while others high with the smoke of marijuana, he walked her back to her house in the wee hours
of the new day. The laughter was lost, the
silence between them had become overbearing. They both wanted to go back to those
few seconds of intimacy, yet knew it would never happen again. She had
pined for his touch for so long, and knew that it was the last time she
would see him. Her mind kept going back to the few beautiful, rushed days they had spent
together years ago, to the moments that were fading fast from her memories.
---
Walking alone in the slowing awakening pols of the old city, Arvind took the last drag from the last cigarette on him. His insomnia was back, he knew the memories from last night won't let him go back to his life again anymore. Stubbing the cigarette, he finally made up his mind and decided to go back to Roshni. It was an end to a life long struggle for him. Finally.
---
Later she sat alone on the balcony as the sun lazily rose across the river, oblivious to the golden light filtering through the rich flora. A long journey awaited her, a place called home was calling her back. She decided to let go of the struggle inside and move on. Arvind was past for her. Finally.
image source: www.corbis.com
---
Walking alone in the slowing awakening pols of the old city, Arvind took the last drag from the last cigarette on him. His insomnia was back, he knew the memories from last night won't let him go back to his life again anymore. Stubbing the cigarette, he finally made up his mind and decided to go back to Roshni. It was an end to a life long struggle for him. Finally.
---
Later she sat alone on the balcony as the sun lazily rose across the river, oblivious to the golden light filtering through the rich flora. A long journey awaited her, a place called home was calling her back. She decided to let go of the struggle inside and move on. Arvind was past for her. Finally.
image source: www.corbis.com
