WET TOUCHES OF AN OLD AUGUST - ARINDAM DEY

The boy looked outside the window. Little drops of water kept playing with the glass pane. The clouds were still heavy. There were no distant possibility of the rains to stop. The class inside was pretty boring as well. Almost two-thirds of the class was absent due to the overnight rains that continued in the morning as well. Even most of the teachers were absent. But he came. He had to come. Because she would come too. And she had.

 

And it was just after the fourth period that the school decided to call the classes over. Every one was happy, but not him. He had missed another three long periods of looking at her. Looking at her smile, talk and even at times glancing at him. And today even the class pressure was not there. What could have been more romantic than a day like this! 'God must have the worst sense of romance' he thought.

 

The streets were all water logged, not uncommon during this time of the year. While the elders cursed the government for it, their younger counterparts enjoyed it like anything. The boy came out with his umbrella & bicycle. He was just about to ride it when he saw her coming. Today, just like his friends, all her friends were absent too. So she came playing with the water by herself. She didnt have an umbrella. He waited for her to come up.

 

"Hi!" she said, "so you got no friends today?"

"No" he replied, "so it seems with you too."

"Yeah!" she smiled, "a little rain and they are all shut inside."

He smiled, "So ... you got no umbrella?"

"Oh ya i have" she said, "I used it while coming, cause i didnt want to get wet then. But now that i am returning home, i dont mind the rains!"

"All right then" he smiled and folded his umbrella back into his bag.

"Arey, Why are you closing it?" she was confused.

"Well..." he said hesitating, "if u dont mind... then... may i give you a ride to your home?" and then added immediately almost as an excuse, "its actually on the way to my home you know..."

She looked at him for sometime and smiled, "Okay."

 

The two rode through the water logged isolated streets as the drizzle kept on soaking them. For him, it was like a dream. And sitting in front of him was the very princess of those dreams. He felt strong and yet he was scared. He didnt know what he was. He could smell the wet fragrance of her shoulder, and the scent of her hair almost mesmerised him. The feeling of her cuddled into his arms there invoked a strange unknown feeling of ecstasy in him, as if he was living a moment called forever. A moment that was his very own. A moment that no one could ever take away from him.  He wanted to drive the cycle in the best way he could making it as comfortable for her as possible. He was nervous. And so was she too. Never had she done anything like this before. She could sense his warm breath on her shoulders and neck, and feel the flex of his muscles around her. She didnot know what went on inside her but she knew that she wanted every moment to linger a bit longer. Never had she felt anyone so close to her. And something inside her told her that she was happy it was him. They tried to talk but something kept them silent. Perhaps they didnt want their voice to disturb the warm intimate dialogue that their hearts were having in their silence. Minutes passed like that. The only thing that sounded was the little droplets of water blessed from the heavens. Gradually they came near the girls house. She got off.

 

"Thanks" she smiled.

"You are welcome" he said with an effort.

 

He looked at her. She stood in front of him completely drenched. He could see the little droplets that ran down her cheeks. Her uniform clung onto her body, totally soaked. He swallowed a lump.

 

"What?" she asked softly.

"No... nothing" he felt caught, "you are fully wet. Go in quickly or you might catch cold."

"Why dont you come in? Till the rain stops?" she asked.

"No" he said almost against his will, "i'll be fine."

"Why?" she said, "I can catch cold, cant you? Are you so differnt from me?"

"No-no" he was embarassed,  "i didnt mean that."

"Then come in" she insisted, "look at yourself you are totally wet, head to toe. Let me give you a towel, rub your head. you'll go once the rain stops."

"Actually" he said hesitatingly, "it seems the rains will only get heavier. So let me go before it starts to pour hard."

She looked up at the sky. the clouds had no doubt got darker. She gave up, "Ok... but you'll be okay na?"

"Oh yes" he smiled assuringly, "My home is just ten minutes ride from here."

"Ok" she said slowly, "just go carefully. See you."

"Yup" he mounted his cycle, "see you tomorrow."

He had barely gone a few yards when she called out, "hey just a second." 

He stopped. She came running to him.

"What?" he asked.

 

The water drops were still rolling down her cheeks and neck. She looked around once. And then brought her face near his. As if sensing what she was doing, he leaned in too. And she whispered earnestly in his ears, "Are we really that different?" and planted a soft kiss on his cheek and stepped back. For a moment she stood there giving him the most incredible smile, and then she ran back. He stood there, stunned for a few seconds. then he looked up at the heavens once as the rain drops doused his face. 'Not that bad sense of romance after all' he thought smiling and rode off...