Dearest friends, this probably the last update before I leave. I will continue on this when I get back…to compensate I wrote this longggggg one…Fall asleep if you have to…I won't mind…
Take care all of you…Love you loads and loads..
Sravani, my cosmic love, this is for you!
Part Two: Its All in the Stars
Amar took her to a hill top in Gasworks park, from where they can see the skyline of Seattle downtown. Divya always thought Seattle was the most beautiful city in the world. Space Needle stood lonely at a distance from the jungle of skyscrapers in the backdrop of setting sun on a calm Lake Union. The lights on the little boats on the lake imitated the stars in the sky! It does get dark quite quickly around this time of the year.
He took off his jacket, spread it the ground and gestured Diya to sit. He lay down on his back directly looking at the sky folding his hands under his head. Divya shyly sits on the ground folding the jacket and leaving it beside her.
"Do you come here often?" her clearly evident sadness indicated she didn't want any small talk but her politeness made her start a conversation.
"Yes, almost everyday. I live close by, and run along the Burke Gilman trail every evening."
He didn't look her way as if he knew that would be unsettling for her.
She followed his gaze at the sky. He looked at her, smiled and said
"You can see the stars much better if you lie down."
He pointed toward the northern sky and showed a series of stars forming the constellation of Pegasus and Andromeda.
"Do you know their story?" Amar asked.
Divya pressed her lips together and shook her head.
"That's Andromeda whose hands are outstretched and chained, do you see that?"
"No, all I see is randomly scattered stars." She said softly.
He smiled.
"Ok, follow my finger. He leaned closer, traced a stick human in the air. After several tries, the stars really started to take the form of a beautiful woman with long flowing hair with both her hands chained. Divya became oblivious to all her sorrow for that moment and this new discovery made her so enthralled, out of excitement she held his hand and exclaimed, "She is so beautiful, I can really feel her pain, unbelievable. Show me Pegasus!!"
He smiled at her childlikeness; he held her hand and traced Pegasus with her index finger. She smiled an angelic smile and whispered,
"That's the most amazing thing I have ever seen."
Both of them looked at each other and then noticed their hands in union. He let go of her hand gently and smiled and continued to tell Andromeda's love story. How she was chained as a sacrifice to appease the sea monster and how Pegasus saved her and married her!
When the story ended, both lay side by side in silence and directly staring at the sky. She lost track of time. After many seconds of complete silence she was the first one to break this peace, and whispered still staring at Pegasus with tears gleaming in the corners of her eyes,
"Amar, why did Sharad change his mind?"
"You should ask him that question Divya. It's not my place to judge him or defend him. I am his best friend but it's not necessary that I agree with all his decisions."
He turned to face the ground hiding his face in his folded hands. Divya asked once again after sometime,
"Why are you here? Why did you come to take me to the dance?"
He rolled on his side facing her, and without hesitation primly said emphasizing every syllable "Because I wanted to." He wiped away her tears with one of his fingers, making sure not to touch her face.
Suddenly it started raining. Seattle is a place where it rains 9 months of the year and they come without any warning even in a clear starry night. Amar got up hastily, pulled Divya up and covered her with his jacket and both started running toward his car in the parking lot.
Once they settled inside the car, both approximate the amount of damage. Both were rather drenched. Amar took off his glasses and tried to wipe the lenses with his shirt and wasn't doing a very good job!
"Give it to me."
He smiled and handed his spectacles to her. She opened her bag, got her handkerchief and dried his glasses and handed it back. She also held out her handkerchief,
"You keep it, you need it more than I do."
"Oh..Thanks Divya." He smiled and continued, "You are so ancient--- as if Elinor just walked out of Sense and Sensibility." He said as he took it from her and put it in his pocket.
"What?" she laughed softly, "Why?"
"Who uses handkerchief these days? I have never seen anyone using them."
"Amar, how many girls do you know? Not many, right?. So.." she rests her case.
He puts on his glasses without saying anything. They smiled at each other. He kept on staring as Divya looked outside the window. He unexpectedly and uncharacteristically said barely audibly continuing his gaze,
"You look so bea—aaaa----different, tonight."
Divya knew what he wanted to say, she blushed looking down, didn't want to put him in an awkward position, so she searched for something to say and came up with,
"Good different or bad different?"
"Just different" He said sounding thankful, "You always look good, but today …" he didn't complete that sentence, but continued to add as if answering a question in physics class regaining his own-self back, "Well, obviously today you look more feminine may be because of the dress."
"Most the time I look like a guy?"
He laughed out loud and shook his head, "No! I can't remember if I have seen you in anything else other than jeans and shirts. I wouldn't have recognized you if I saw you in a crowded place! If only Sharad saw you..." he stopped immediately but the damage was done.
Everything came rushing back to her like tidal waves. For the last four hours she forgot about the whole senior prom dance, forgot about the broken promise, her shattered dreams and she even forgot about Sharad—everything hit her at once completely sweeping her away from this very soothing comfortable moment to one with agony, insult and pain!
Tears welled up inside her throat. But she faced him with all the courage she had in her, "So you came as good Samaritan Amar, to pity an ugly girl, to make up for your best friend's inhuman decision?"
She saw his jaw clenched, "I wouldn't even honor that with a reply Divya. How can you say that? I am so sorry you even think that way."
"Me too."
None of them said anything, sat side by side in silence. After a few minutes, Amar whispered in a repentant tone as he turned on the engine,
"I guess I should take you home."
-----
Edited by Isha - 17 years ago
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