THE WAIT.
I used to visit the garden of our colony whenever I got bored or exhausted from my daily life routine. This place always grants me such a peace. Seeing the small children playing, old people walking around the periphery of garden, couples sitting and chatting together always pleasured me and always fresh up my mind. One evening, sitting on the fancy iron bench I noticed a girl, entering the garden. She was in a college uniform, carrying a bag maybe she directly headed to this garden from her college. She was five feet and four inches tall, smart, slim and of fair complexion. She came and sat on the bench next to mine. Watching her in that uniform reminded me of my college days and I kept staring her. She was waiting for someone, as she constantly looked at the gate of the garden. She seemed sad. Her red eyes conveyed that she must have cried a lot. Watching her gloomy face I went into my own thoughts guessing that what would have happened with her, why is she sitting here, why she’s crying and all sorts of questions popped in my head one by one. I craved for the answers so I too waited over there to see what happens next.
Few minutes later, suddenly, a wide smile spread on her face, her eyes gleamed with the longing of happiness, as if she was waiting for this moment only. I tried to figure out the reason of her smile but didn’t come up with anything. Then, I saw a young boy coming towards to her; got my answer. He was a very handsome guy; a college student as he wore a college uniform. He sat next to her and they both hugged each other, this made a tear rolled down her cheek. Her smiling face represented that the tear was the proof of her immense happiness; happiness of seeing him.
They both started talking to each other. Girl seemed to explain him each and every problem of her life. The boy listened her patiently. I noticed something weird about her, as her expressions turned from dull to bright just by speaking of her problem to him, like only by sharing herself with him, her world became a happy place. After that boy too spoke out some words that cheered her up and yielded a chubby smile all over her face. Conversation ended and both got up. Girl was happy enough that her body language showed me that her inner self is dancing. She didn’t move her eyes away from her friend. And they left the garden happily.
This happened for so many years as whenever in the evening I visited the garden at 6’ o clock, I would watch her waiting for the boy. Her wait used to get over and same smile used to cover her face by catching the glimpse of him. Like an angel, with a magic wand, he visited her and then he’ll swing it in air and would turn her tormented world into a peaceful bliss. Those days of her were truly blessed, as the love was together and no worries were there, just love for each other. And this continued for next few more years and one cursed evening I came into the garden, late at eight O’ clock, and it shocked me to see her sitting on that same bench, alone. Where was the boy I wondered, what might have happened? Is he stuck in some urgency or is there something else? I decided to stay there; I didn’t want to leave her alone. Some perpetual force made me to believe that he’ll come to meet her. Slowly the night approached, crickets started their song, garden had no one left but only me and this girl, I looked at my wrist watch, and it was 10’ o clock. Security guard, of the garden, came to her and asked her to leave as he was meant to close the gate. After 4 hours of long and disappointing wait now she stood up, somehow, with a gloomy face and walked out of the garden. Watching her broken broke my heart. The boy didn’t come. This made me feel so filthy; I wondered what she must going through, how she must be handling all this. My optimism said that he’ll come next day. So the next day I visited the garden to see her but again I saw her sitting alone on the same bench, with such a dull and lifeless face. This repeated continuously for some more days; she used to sit alone and wait for him daily at the same time, on the same bench. The girl was quite strong that she didn’t lose any of her hope; not even after so many days.
One day, losing all my patience, I approached her and asked, “How long are you going to wait for him?” She lifted her head and faked a smile, maybe she’d noticed me earlier that I am following her, and then she replied, “I guess, till my last breath.”
- a story by Akansha Singh.
Few minutes later, suddenly, a wide smile spread on her face, her eyes gleamed with the longing of happiness, as if she was waiting for this moment only. I tried to figure out the reason of her smile but didn’t come up with anything. Then, I saw a young boy coming towards to her; got my answer. He was a very handsome guy; a college student as he wore a college uniform. He sat next to her and they both hugged each other, this made a tear rolled down her cheek. Her smiling face represented that the tear was the proof of her immense happiness; happiness of seeing him.
They both started talking to each other. Girl seemed to explain him each and every problem of her life. The boy listened her patiently. I noticed something weird about her, as her expressions turned from dull to bright just by speaking of her problem to him, like only by sharing herself with him, her world became a happy place. After that boy too spoke out some words that cheered her up and yielded a chubby smile all over her face. Conversation ended and both got up. Girl was happy enough that her body language showed me that her inner self is dancing. She didn’t move her eyes away from her friend. And they left the garden happily.
This happened for so many years as whenever in the evening I visited the garden at 6’ o clock, I would watch her waiting for the boy. Her wait used to get over and same smile used to cover her face by catching the glimpse of him. Like an angel, with a magic wand, he visited her and then he’ll swing it in air and would turn her tormented world into a peaceful bliss. Those days of her were truly blessed, as the love was together and no worries were there, just love for each other. And this continued for next few more years and one cursed evening I came into the garden, late at eight O’ clock, and it shocked me to see her sitting on that same bench, alone. Where was the boy I wondered, what might have happened? Is he stuck in some urgency or is there something else? I decided to stay there; I didn’t want to leave her alone. Some perpetual force made me to believe that he’ll come to meet her. Slowly the night approached, crickets started their song, garden had no one left but only me and this girl, I looked at my wrist watch, and it was 10’ o clock. Security guard, of the garden, came to her and asked her to leave as he was meant to close the gate. After 4 hours of long and disappointing wait now she stood up, somehow, with a gloomy face and walked out of the garden. Watching her broken broke my heart. The boy didn’t come. This made me feel so filthy; I wondered what she must going through, how she must be handling all this. My optimism said that he’ll come next day. So the next day I visited the garden to see her but again I saw her sitting alone on the same bench, with such a dull and lifeless face. This repeated continuously for some more days; she used to sit alone and wait for him daily at the same time, on the same bench. The girl was quite strong that she didn’t lose any of her hope; not even after so many days.
One day, losing all my patience, I approached her and asked, “How long are you going to wait for him?” She lifted her head and faked a smile, maybe she’d noticed me earlier that I am following her, and then she replied, “I guess, till my last breath.”
- a story by Akansha Singh.
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