Comfort

I will be be gone with the winds

Blowing through your open hair

If you wish, ask me to stop

I will stay back embracing your soul

I will bring freshness after the mid-day rain

Fill your senses with the smell of petrichor

I am the warmth of the fireplace on a snowy evening

And the scent of a blissful garden

I won’t leave you ever alone

I will be the air you breathe

Time: late afternoon

Place: Akash’s room

Lazy Sunday!! Akash checked the movie booking app and found couple of good seats for the new movie. He wished for a 2nd date with Sreya, but didn’t know how to approach. So he dediced to ask her out for a movie that evening. When he found good seats, he messaged her immediately. “if you are free, can we go for a movie this evening?” After a couple of anxious minutes, Akash saw Sreya typing, and after a few moments it stopped. Akash was waiting with hope that there would be a positive response and his lazy Sunday will become beautifully exciting. After 3 more minutes her response was, “I need to go to a relative’s house with my parents”. Akash’s hopes dwindled. But family comes first and she has plans so there was nothing to do. “ Ok, enjoy the evening” Akash wrote back. Now Akash had nothing to do expect wondering what to do. In an instant he thought “let me go and see the movie”. It has created a buzz at the box office and Akash really wanted to see the movie. Also this is one of the many occasions he will go to see a movie alone. Without wasting time he immediately booked a ticket and got a good seat for himself.

Time: movie interval

Place: near Screen 2

Sreya was feeling remorse after she lied to Akash. She is not going to her relatives, instead wanted to keep a promise he made to a boy. She had reluctantly agreed to go to a movie this evening with him for the first and last time. This guy has been pestering for her attention for long, and she wanted to finish it off today. She had already developed a strong feeling for Akash and wanted to take it forward. She constantly kept thinking about Akash and feeling guilty for lying to him. Lost in her thoughts, her eyes met with Akash standing in the queue to buy pop corn. Immediately she understood the pain that Akash felt. Sreya’s world came shattering down at that very moment and she felt a mountain inside her chest.

Time: late evening

Place: inside Screen 4

Akash was going through a plethora of emotions. He was amid a sea of people cheering for the protagonist , but he felt lonely and lost, like a note in a corked bottle thrown into the sea.

When he first saw Sreya at the lounge he was delighted but when he understood that she had lied, his delight galloped away like a grand stallion. Adding to that, when he realised that she was with another boy, a tempest rattled his soul. In spite of his inner war, he showed no emotion and greeted them in his usual charming way.

Akash tried to compose himself. Sreya has every right to do whatever she wants. Her life, her story. He has not expressed his feeling and he cannot keep any expectations. His mind was trying to gain hope with these logical conclusions, but his heart is turning out to be stronger today. He felt heartbroken and hope seemed to be a mistake as it cannot mend his broken emotions. All his dreams with Sreya seemed to be an illusion like a magic. Akash felt a strong emotion of despair and a dumbness spread all over his hand and feet.

Time: end of Akash’s movie

Place: the staircase near the exit to screen 4

Akash hurriedly walked out of the exit. He wanted to go home and sleep. A new day may bring in new strength and help him rise with renewed hope. He will not blame and pursue Sreya as it is her life, also he will not let his emotions make him immobile. He walked as fast as he could when he again saw Sreya standing near the railing beside the staircase. His pain got a new strength to overwhelm his composure he could gain in the last couple of hours while fighting the devil within. He looked at her eyes, usually deep like an ocean but calm like a lake, but today they were filled to the brim waiting to over-pour with tears of sadness while searching for him. He could sense the guilt and anxiety she was going through. His pain gave way to affection. He realised that he doesn’t want to see her in pain and silently promised to be the best version of himself and give her all happiness in the world.

Sreya came out of the movie alone and well before it ended. She was not able to comprehend what she has done and didn’t want to be the good girl to this boy anymore. She had already started building her world around Akash and wants to decorate it with everything merry. She had seen Akash going into Screen 4 and decided to wait for him as long as it takes. Akash may not want to talk to her anymore, but she will not give up without trying. Sreya would explain herself and hope Akash would understand.

Epilogue:

Akash approached Sreya, his heart beating 1000 times faster. He has already forgotten what had happened earlier and only wanted to see her smile. She was wearing an off-white top and skirt, elegantly combined with a blue butterfly shaped earring. Her face was red with anxiety. Akash couldn’t help appreciating her beauty even in this situation.

They did not speak for a couple of minutes. Sreya wanted to apologise but seeing Akash’s affectionate and understanding eyes, she melted. She wanted to hug him and cry herself out. Akash gave a light pat on her and gently held her hand. Sreya held his hand back tightly. It was 10:45 PM. Two drops of tears rolled down her eyes, a sign of her relief and a longing for a beautiful ride back home with Akash.