There she was again.
Her back laid flat across the snow, looking up at the sky with a content smile etched, across her bright face. This wasn't anything new- she did this every year, and it was becoming a tradition for him to just peacefully watch her.
Stalking was not exactly the word he would use for what he was doing. No, it was more like observing, and enjoying his observation. He could not help it; something about her lured him, bringing excitement to his life. Even though all she did was lay there, staring at the sky, but her smile.. Oh her smile was what made it all worth it.
However this year was turning out to be different. His gut was twitching, flopping, bursting out tons of butterflies in to his system. Maybe because this year, he decided that, he was going to walk up to her, lay on his back beside her, and speak with her.
Yet how could he?
He was Arnav Singh Razaida, the famous business tycoon for god's sake. It was not something he normally did so how could he just go up to her? Then again it was not normal for him to stare at her every year. Ever since he laid his eyes on her, nothing has ever been normal.
No, this year Arnav knew he had to gain guts. This year he would indeed go up to her, lay beside her, speak with her, and watch the sky.
So he did.
He gulped as he got closer to her, his footsteps crunching quietly against the snow. Glowing street lamps around the park, guided his steps towards her. The minute he got closer, he saw her deep red lips, moving, probably mumbling underneath her breath. Breath inside of his wind pipe halted midway at the sight.
She was beautiful.
How was he going to do this? Should he just.. sit down? Speak to her?
''You know you can just lie down beside me, without standing there like a rock,'' her sweet melodious voice spoke out to me.
''I.. uh.. um, okay,'' lamely he stuttered, and obeyed her command. Slowly he bent down, and laid his body against the snow; his warm jacket protecting him against the cold ground. The heat from her body diffused to his own, creating spasms down his spine.
''Now was that so hard to do?,'' she asked again, but this time in a teasing tone. He felt the corners of his mouth twitching. Years of watching her, and this year he is right beside, listening to her tease him. The feeling was glorifying.
''No it wasn't... so what are you doing?,'' he asked her curious.
She shrugged, smiling, ''well you have been watching me for years so I think, you might get the idea what exactly I am doing.''
His eyes widened at her reply.
How did she know?
Was he that obvious all along?
Did she notice him too?
Can this get any embarrassing for him.
''How did you know..?,'' he asked her quietly, as the slight wind in the air brushed against his cheeks.
Her smile remained peacefully, ''I sensed your presence. It wasn't that difficult since you have a special scent.. Peppermint and pine. A weird combination, but it overwhelms my senses in a good way.''
She sensed him? He did not what to think of that, but the pit of his stomach flipped with excitement. The thought of her sensing his presence made everything seem special.
''I thought maybe you have seen me around..''
''Oh I have indeed seen you around, just not physically..''
Arnav was confused with her statement.
''What do you mean, 'not physically' ?''
Her head towards him, the smile still etched upon her face, ''what do you see when you look in to my eyes?''
The question caught him off guard, but he was silent. His eyes focused on her brown orbs, beautifully staring back at him. What he saw in her eyes were unimaginable to explain.
''Beauty
Love
Peace
Clarity
Innocence
and
Joy'', he whispered to her. Once again she turned her head towards the sky, slowly closing her eyes.
''You have read them correctly.''
''Why do you ask?''
''Sometimes we see things in the physical world, and we tend to forget to look deeper. That is when mankind seems to go wrong,'' she explained.
''But what does that have to do with anything?,'' he asked clearly still confused by her words. Her riddles did not make him understand the purpose, of what she was trying to say.
''You are not looking deeply in to what I am trying to say,'' she said, getting up from the ground, standing up straight. He mimicked her actions and stood up with her, worried that he might have hurt her feelings. But when he looked at her, he saw the same smile appearing.
''Describe what I am wearing.''
''What?,'' Arnav was more confused than ever before.
''I said, 'describe what I am wearing.' ''
''But..''
''Please,'' her voice sounded almost as if she was pleading. Taking heed to her request, he described exactly what she was wearing.
''A red coat, a white scarf is wrapped around your neck, white cat mittens, black jeans, with black boots.''
Her delicate fingers stroked her scarf, ''amazing isn't it... Somehow I always end up wearing my favorite color scheme every year.''
''I guess it is amazing...,'' Arnav answered still unsure what she was attempting to tell him.
She looked up at the sky again, and began to speak, ''You know sometimes we forget how life can be so blessed. We are busy letting life slip by while we swim through the worldly chaos, that we never take a moment to just sit down, and be thankful. Not many are blessed with the opportunity of being thankful, yet those are the very same people that take their moment to give thanks. It is quite sad how we realize how important life is when the moment something precious is been stolen from us.'' She turned towards me, ''are you thankful for anything?''
Arnav was dumbfounded.
Her question came as a surprise to him.
Was he ever thankful for anything?
Arnav was stumped, he could not think of anything to be thankful for. Work kept him too busy to ponder through things like that. 'Letting life slip by' sounded like exactly what he did every day.
''I guess I don't know..,'' he answered ashamed.
''Look up at the sky.. what do you see?''
Arnav looked up, ''I see stars glowing...''
She smiled, ''that sounds beautiful...''
His fingers gently grasped her own, ''Do you always look at things positively?''
''Yes,'' she whispered.
''But how do you do it?,''
''I look at things deeply. I don't let the world's chaos's swallow me up in to its dark depths. Every morning I take a moment to thank God for everything he has done for me. Guiding me through every day life, and taking care of me. That is why every year I come here to lie down. I imagine the beauty, to let it engulf me in its presence.''
''You're amazing.. Wait, what's your name?'', he asked suddenly aware that all this time of observing her, and finally speaking with her, he never asked for her name.
''Khushi.. Khushi Kumari Gupta.''
Arnav chuckled lightly, ''the name suits you, but aren't you going to ask my name?''
Khushi's eyes softened,'' I already know your name.. Arnav.''
Arnav was stunned, ''how did you know?''
''You are a famous business tycoon so anyone would know. And your voice...''
''But you never used my name at all during our conversation...''
She shrugged, ''I was waiting for you to ask my name.''
Arnav smiled, ''I am sorry I took so long to ask..''
''There is a lot of things you take long to figure out..''
''What-'' but Arnav was cut off by the far away church bell. It was now mid night, officially the dawn of Christmas.
Khushi walked closer towards Arnav. Her gently fingers rose and glided down from his forehead to his lips.
''Merry Christmas Arnav...,'' her melodious voice whispered unto him. The tip of her fingers were still placed on his lips, while her brown eyes focused on his jacket. He tipped her chin to meet her eyes with his own, and leaned forward, placing a sweet kiss on her cheek.
''Merry Christmas Khushi...''
She closed her eyes at his touch, and they stood still for a few minutes, embracing each other's presence. Then after a while she moved away from his closeness.
''I have to go Arnav...''
His heart sank, but he nodded, '' Khushi... if I ever have to be thankful it would be this moment right here, with you.''
She closed her eyes, and reopened them, ''I know... this has been the best moment I would always be thankful for.''
Her back turned to leave, but something else caught Arnav's attention, which made him call out to her.
''Khushi wait, I have a question before you go.''
She halted her tracks, but did not turn to face him. Patiently she waited, for him to proceed with his question.''
''Why did you say you imagine the beauty whenever you come here... There is nothing to imagine here.. the beauty is right in front of our eyes.. Don't you think?''
He heard her gentle whisper flow with the air, as she said,
''I am blind Arnav.''
Without another word she walked away fading away with the glowing street lamps.
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO7ySn-Swwc&list=UUmKurapML4BF9Bjtj4RbvXw&index=3[/YOUTUBE]
***
I dedicate this OS to all my readers; old, or new. Each and every one of you are apart of this OS. Merry Christmas to all of you, and I hope this year, and next year will be beautiful. Of course it is not going to ever be dandy for either of us, but I hope the next year each of us will be stronger through any obstacle that will be thrown at us. I hope we will all let ourselves take a moment to be thankful, and gain strength from that. Life is too short to waste it so treasure it, and the people we love.
God Bless, and Love to all
- Dal, Muthu or Yoshi ( W.e you guys call me. :)
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
