EMPTY SOULS

MY JULIET

When your eyes search for only one person,when your thoughts are occupied by one special human, when you realize that there is one heart inside your chest which has the ability to love someone, when you understand that life can still be spent beautifully instead of all the heartaches. When every time you smile, a face which makes your smile even more wider strikes your brain, When you close your eyes but, darkness does not prevail, lights of love keep flickering everywhere. When you observe your flaws, but, wish they seemed somehow beautiful to that one person who has started to reside in your world invisibly.

I was writing my thoughts in my diary after offering my Fajr salah( morning prayer) and my thoughts just kept flowing and my hands kept writing each and every feeling on these papers who were my only secret friends after Ateef has changed too. That friend of mine who was there beside me, in those days of my life when I wished to taste death and it sounded peaceful too. That friend of mine who degraded himself and praised me all the time, encouraged, loved, fought, cared and caught my tears and tried converting them into laughter and smiles. Who never stepped backward from being my only parent and today, I see him changing colours and that too for a feeling which will probably be attraction. And that too with a girl so sweet like Wajiha. I think of talking to him at times and clear up all this s**t but, I cannot risk Wajiha's character and my own life for this, as at this point he is no way less than a threat for both of us.

I left for the college trying to forget everything and just focusing on my plan. When I entered the college, the very first person whom I came across was my Professor who teaches us Literature.

"Good Morning Mam!"  I wished and gave a formal smile.

"Oh, Good Morning Aleem! I was looking for you." she stopped by and smiled back at me.

"For me?but why?" I asked confusingly.

"I have put up a good news on the notice board, just go and check it out!!" She said and walked off.

I proceeded towards the  Library where we have our Notice board. 

Dear students,

Get ready for the biggest competition of the year. ACTOR HUNT!! As you all are aware that this competition is held twice in a year and the students who get selected from our college will compete with Students from various colleges and winners will be offered  a trip to Switzerland. The play chosen for this year is ROMEO AND JULIET. Auditions will be held in our Cultural hall from today at 10:00 AM. 

The first thing which hit my mind  was Khateeja. I started laughing thinking about how i fooled her 2 days back and it turned out to be true. I was placing one hand on the notice board and hitting one hand on the wall and laughing silently when suddenly i observed a girl standing behind me and reading the other instruction on the notice board the characters involved and the time limit being given. She was wearing an identity card number which I believed was given to the students coming forward for the Auditions. Her number was 12. I then felt a little bit embarrassed and left that place and when I was heading towards our class and then, I stopped by the cultural hall just to refresh that incident which took place on the Fresher's day and was smiling aimlessly again. When I heard someone,

"Excuse me." khateeja called.

"Oh, You here?" I asked.

"Guess you are the Romeo?" She asked raising her eyebrows.

"No, obviously not." I cleared without even smiling a bit.

"But, you said you were in the play?" she starting throwing her useless questions towards me now.

"I thought of being but, I am still unclear. Let's see what happens." I said and walked away from there for the discomfort I was facing because of the unnecessary lies being told. 

I just decided to go and rest in my class and was walking towards the lift when I heard a familiar voice, 

"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

Deny thy father and refuse my name

Or if thou wilt not.." She said and started to laugh loudly with those changing and unavoidable expressions on her face. 

Wajiha was reading the script in front of her friends and I found out that number 12 was one of her friend.

"Look, I don't think it's possible. Imagine me being a Juliet of that Romeo whom I don't even know and I start speaking all this bullshit which does not make any sense to me. I cannot feel it man! I won't take part. I know I love to act but, with someone I don't know and with someone I will not feel comfortable? No ways just forget." She huffed out loud.

I still stood there shamelessly listening to their talks behind the wall, with the fear of being caught by the cameras or by her friends.

"Okay. Whom do you want as Romeo then?" Number 12 asked.

"Aleem" Another girl from her group whispered and Wajiha went red, asking her to shut up and said them to forget about the play and our Switzerland plans. While others said we are ready to give auditions for the other small characters and be a part of the play and started to convince her for the role of Juliet!!

I then went red too..how will it be if wajiha becomes MY JULIET? We can even go to Switzerland if we win. If not that, I still have the opportunity to act as the love of her life in a play at least for once. If I cannot be her's in this real world, why don't I try being her's in this one play. 

Then I ran towards my class to give this news to Ateef and atleast get his help, as he knows about my Love for acting. 

I reached the 2nd floor and was about to enter my class when I saw Ateef reading the script.

"O, speak again, bright angel, for thou art

As glorious to this night..."

And I stepped back again taking myself into the world of Questions whose Answers are near my bestfriend, who has started to play some creepy games.

I was walking down to the Washroom again, When Vani came running to me,

" Will you be my Romeo?" She asked.

"Are you selected as Juliet?" I asked.

"I will give my best if you are going to play Romeo." She smiled and started showing her teeth.

"Ateef is also planning to play  Romeo, why should I compete with him?" I tried playing some games here.

"He is practicing because he wants Wajiha to be her Juliet." She continued forgetting that Ateef and him hold some secrets and I successfully completed the first plan of my mission. Now, let's just focus on being the Romeo, fool Vani and Ateef and get MY JULIET!!

A/N: WHAT A TRANSFORMATION? LET'S SEE WHETHER HIS TRICKS WORK OUT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. BECAUSE ALEEM HAS GOT SOME SERIOUS PLANS.

HAPPY READING.