The Cliched Love Story

It was a cold morning, not only the climate but also the things that were going to unfurl. I couldn't wake up for I never slept. The reason being outrageous possessiveness.

I kind of felt uncomfortable in meeting her but nevertheless I got ready. Clad in best tee and jean from my unwashed collection, I decided to make a move to the cafeteria for my impatience was nagging and eating me alive though I was going to be an hour early. I asked the cheta there for a coffee giving him a ten rupee note for 6 bucks coffee. Collecting the coffee and the  change I kept to my usual place. Sitting down and staring into the void, I had this pale as a corpse expression in my face.

My brain was flipping through the pages of the novel of my past four-and-a-half months of life. Seeing that I no option left than to wait, I was brain storming my past and here is how it happened,

"It was my fourth year of college. The year began well for I never imagined I would get placed but miracles do happen and it did. As usual I skipped breakfast at the mess and headed towards the cafeteria to have a decent meal. Also there is nothing better than a morning's coffee at the cafeteria.

Walking all the way, I headed straight to the billing counter without having to look at the menu for I became a regular here over the period. There wasn't much of a queue and I stood behind two girls. The aroma of coffee was already refreshing my mind. The two girls were in a hurry I suppose; they forgot their change and headed to get food.

The cheta at the counter kept calling them but they simply walked away. Getting my bill and their change I went after them to give their change.  And that's when I met her for the first time.

Neha was her name which I didn't know at that instance. Anyways I walked up to them and explained what had happened and gave them their change. They thanked me and smiled and introduced themselves making me do the same. I told them I hadn't grabbed my food and forced myself out of an awkward conversation.

I met her again the very next day at the cafeteria. She was having cornflakes from what I could see in distance. After coming a bit closer, I bid her a hi and walked to the billing counter and placed my order. After having got the food, I was searching for a place to sit and that's when she called me to sit with her.

I had this long weird walk to the table and pulled a chair and sat opposite to her. She started asking me questions and that was the start to our first of many conversations that were soon to follow. She was indeed attractive.  She was in the third year which meant she was my junior. I couldn't help notice how her hair covered her eyes  every time she bent to feed herself a spoonful of cornflakes making sure the milk doesn't spill on her uniform. ( Yes uniform :|)

We exchanged numbers and left the cafeteria. I promised myself that I would get to know her. Being in fourth year meant lot of free hours and lot of time to spend either in my room or in the cafeteria looking at people and munching.

I kept bumping into her often; at first it was all unplanned but soon after we started texting, it became otherwise.

I kept calling her to the cafeteria but not very often because I didn't want her to think I was hitting on her already which I clearly was not. Or was I?

She had issues in the beginning meeting regularly but she came every time I called her which made me feel she had a thing towards me. But my inner voice which had never popped up till then made me think she was just obligated to come for I was her senior.

She started getting friendlier and comfortable than how she was initially. She started conversations through texts and I thought this was progress. But I never did expect any progress. Wait, now do I like her? It was strange. I never openly succumbed my feelings to love but this was different altogether. I was happy around her.

One day I was in my class and my phone vibrated. I read the text under the professor's nose and it read, "Cafe 4:30? :) :) :)"

My hand was shivering and I started to sweat. I was able to feel my skin's temperature rise. She called me to the cafe for the first time and I was wondering why. Controlling my excitement, I simply sent a yes.

Later that evening I met her and she ordered coffee for both of us and we both sat opposite to each other sipping the coffee. She asked me all of a sudden as to what my plans for her birthday were. I was puzzled. I thought it was her birthday and that I didn't know. I apologised shamelessly for wishing late and she started laughing.

Her birthday was the following day and she was as surprised and a bit disappointed that I didn't even know her birthday. That's when I actually realised I had feelings for this girl. Just 4 and a half months and here I was being consumed by feelings towards a girl.

I didn't make any special arrangements for her birthday for I didn't want to be all cheesy. I wrote a birthday letter hoping she would like it. I called her exactly at the stroke of 12 to find the line busy. I was disappointed much. I kept trying again and again only to find the line busy. I gave up in frustration and slept in anger.


My alarm rang an hour earlier and only after five to six rings did I realise it was a phone call. I lazily picked up the phone and to my surprise, it was Neha. The minute I heard her voice, I found myself startled. She reckoned we meet at the cafe around 8 for breakfast. I told her okay and kept the phone without even wishing her a happy birthday."

It was like being awoken from a dream. I saw her standing before me clad in a beautiful white salwar making her look more gorgeous than ever. She was wearing bangles and her nails were painted in red. I had never paid heed to many details but now they were right in front of my eyes and I couldn't help but notice how pretty she looked.

I wished her a happy birthday and gave her the letter and a huge bar of toblerone. She smiled and whispered, "thanks", brushing her hair from her face.

We sat next to each other with our plates and started talking. She kept getting prettier and I couldn't help but fall for her. When I was about to confess my feelings for her, She apologised.

She was like, " I saw your missed calls. I am sorry the line was busy and that you couldn't wish. In fact a lot of people had called but to their dismay, I couldn't return even one of them except for yours."

I assured her it was not a problem and out of curiosity I asked her who she was talking to and her reply trickled a tear from my eye and it fell into my coffee.

"My boyfriend!", was her reply.










Disclaimer: This work is purely fictional. Resemblance to any person alive or dead is coincidental.

New Year's Day Contemplation

Today is the Very First Day
The Very First Day of the Very First Year
The Very First Year of a New
And Very long awaited Decade.

I turn my head toward the Future to say
As if to say to all of the Ended of Days
'The Past Year is now all gone away
The New Year is what now is here to stay.'

And then I take off and begin to fly
Toward what is beyond Yesterday's Clouded Skies
And to look into the Virgin and Childish Eyes
Of a Future that has not as of yet
Been seen or spoken to.

I close my eyes to the Passed and Ended of Days
Of the Year has gone before these Hours
It is ended.
It is done.
It can be changed no more.

No more Days to be started anew
No more Sunrises, no more Skies of Blue
Or Cloudy Greys
Or Nights to be Forgotten
From that Year.

The Stars that had earlier shone on those Nights
Had done so without a thought or a caress
For what would come or for what might be
In the Future that they might see
They had continued to shine so Unthinkingly.

They had done so with no Conscious thoughts of Me
Of where it was that I had been
Or where it is that I will be
For when it is that they will no longer shine
When their lights would no longer be Reflected
In the Heavens or in the Seas.

I shall have no worrisome Regrets
For what has been done
That I cannot redo
For what has been done
That I can never undo.
I shall live with no regrets
And I should hope that neither should you.

I shall strive to free myself from that thought
That stone...
That stone that would hang about me as a noose
That dreaded contemplation
Of all that is and what has come before
Of All that has ever been
That I cannot undo
That heartfelt beat of untimely unrest.

We can change it nevermore.

For what's Done is Done
Is Done and Gone
And for tomorrow and today
This very minute
This very hour
This very second
This very day
Are when I can strive to start Anew.

To move ever toward my own Choosings
Toward skies that are ever clearer and more blue
To hold and grasp life's Golden Goose
To sail toward Uncharted Lands
Toward the Exciting and the New
The Past is in the Past
The Future has nothing more to lose.

To inhale Life as a Breathe of Air
To be as Free and Loose as my locks of hair
To live without a care
To be not afraid to dare
To never live in what has been left behind
In the Cobwebs of our last year's Minds.

To Rise and Fall with nothing more left to lose
To hold fast to that Golden Goose
To take care not ever to Lose
Any of your Stones that have been left unturned
And to not lose track of any of your Bridges
Any of your Bridges that you have left unburned.

And not to ever leave behind
A Minute or Second of Life's Cherished Time
To hold that thought firmly in your Mind
Along with your Thoughts and Ideals
That so quietly lie
Underneath those Precious Stones
That so often End up at the End of our Lives
So sadly left unturned.