Chapter 4
1019 Words
I was hungry, lonely and scared. I didn't know where was I heading, what did I want? I wish I wouldn't have ruined my personal life over Sameer.
"Home" I whispered
Ahaan kept looking down at me, his own eyes reflected compassion for me.
"It's fine if you don't want to go" he said flatly. He had his hands stuffed inside his jeans pocket, reflecting a causal attitude.
"Don't you have to go back?" I asked, unable to stop myself.
He looked away at that. I saw him taking a deep breath and finally he replied, "I don't want to"
Oh.
“Why?" I asked, thoughtlessly
Sana are you crazy?! Do you even know him!
He looked at me closely, which made me look away with embarrassment
"It's fine. You seriously don't have to answer that" I laughed slightly, just to make the conversation less awkward.
He smiled a bit and ran his hand through his hair "I don't know.” He replied “Maybe something is missing, and I’m unable to piece it together”
My breath stopped at that. Is he in the same situation as I?
After a moment, I nodded.
"You can have your food" he pointed towards my food with his chin.
I lifted my food and smiled. "You want to join?"
He took a small pause before smiling.
"Why not?" he replied
We both got settled inside my car. Me at my driver's seat and he on the passenger's seat. I started eating but he didn't.
And then suddenly he asked, "What's your excuse?" while I was busy in stuffing the food inside my mouth. His voice sounded calm and his eyes kept looking at my face. I paused.
I knew what he was asking. My excuse of being here at such an odd hour.
But do you want to answer that, Sana?
It won’t even matter anyway, he is just a stranger, God knows even if I meet him again.
"I seriously don't know why am I out at this hour? What do I want? What is going to happen? I am just fed up!" I looked up at him. He didn't smile, he understood. And then nodded.
"What is the biggest dream of your life?" He asked, out of nowhere.
"What?" I said, confused.
"Just answer first."
I didn’t, but kept looking at him and realized he was not one of those showy kind. He looked calm and considerate. His eyes- reflected honesty and respect. Respect for girls.
And almost involuntarily I answered, "I always wanted to travel the world"
Having said that, I don't know why but it felt good. It felt good to relive my childhood dream.
I don't know why I stopped thinking about it. Earlier when I was a teenager I used to always day-dream about traveling the world. But in recent years, I guess it's not the world, but me who has changed.
"Felt good to relive the dream?" His voice pulled me out of my thoughts. And I smiled heartily.
"I don't know why I stopped thinking about my dream" I smiled, still lost in the paradise
"May be you were occupied with something else." He said, making me keep quiet.
"And what about you?"
"My preoccupation or my dream?" He asked while his eyes looked amused.
"Latter" I smiled while he thought about it.
I looked out and around. We both were sitting in the car, in that shady parking lot. Darkness covered the entire area. The only source of light were the street lights. Isn't that strange?
But I don't know why having Ahaan with me in the car, made it easier for me. I smiled and then suddenly he answered, "I just want to put the burden off me right now and be happy."
His statement pinched my heart. He looked hurt and lonely.
"Then what should we do to make you happy?" I laughed, trying to cheer him up.
He laughed and looked out.
"Where would you want to go first if you have a chance to travel the world?" He asked.
That question made butterfly flutter in my stomach.
"Um..I don't know. Prague may be?"
He frowned a bit and then smiled and nodded.
"Why don't you just go there?" he stated, as if it was that easy.
And my heart stopped beating.
"What?" He asked. Maybe he got something from the look on my face.
"Money problem?" He asked, casually.
I shook my head. That's not my problem.
"So? Planning to go back to your home?"
I made a disgusted face.
He laughed.
"Prague's a beautiful city, by the way" he said that calmly.
What?!
"You have been there?" I asked, all excited at once!
He laughed, looking at my excitement.
"Yes"
"Whoa man."
Of course he is rich. He looks rich.
After that we didn't talk much. He didn't want to insist me to do something that I was not comfortable in doing. Overall I sensed him as a very understanding person, who had been burdened by work or may be something else his entire life.
We talked a bit about the area and I don't know when sleep came in.
I drifted off sleep by a knock. Who the hell is knocking at my door right now? I opened my eyes and blinded by the sun's light. Damn! I am in my car. Sleeping here like a junkie.
I slid my window down and the watch man asked to move my car away.
As the sleep went off, I started remembering about the last night. Ahaan. Where's he?
I drove my car out of that parking area. The moment I was on the road, I stopped the car and came out to look for him.
I looked in the entire parking area, ran back inside the restaurant I went to last night but couldn't find him. I searched for him in the washroom but he was nowhere.
May be he has gone back to his home.
I don't know why, but I felt disappointed. May be I wanted a good bye.
- Writer
