\|/ Happy Birthday, Sumi!\|/

"Sumi...khana khake ja...bina khana khaye ghar se na nikalna." Warned Mrs. Singh. This was quite the regular scene at the Singh residence in Lucknow. Mrs. Singh loved her only daughter Sumi to bits but rarely expressed her affection openly. To Sumi, this was her mother's way of lavishing love and attention. Father being busy at work, the mother-daughter duo amused themselves likewise. They were each other's best friends and harshest critics. Sumi, a girl of 18 dreamed of becoming a graphic designer. She wanted to get out of Lucknow, a provincial town and make it big in the world. Just like any eighteen year old her beautiful eyes were filled with colourful dreams, of getting into a good college, then getting out with good scores and finally grabbing a lucrative job. There was also a very personal kind of dream that she nurtured at the deeper recesses of her heart yet dared not speak of it to anyone except her dear friend Mili. She had grown up listening to the mythological stories of kings and queens, gods and goddesses; about wars and battles; of knavery and betrayal. She was more enamoured with the lives that were led some eons ago...she constantly fantasized about the mythological heroes and wished to meet them in person...or Him in person..A dark silhouette on a horse...Who was he? A prince? A dacoit? A god? Every time her subconscious was plagued with the thought, Sumi's heart quickened. But such dreams hardly ever come true...or do they?

"Ma, I am getting late...mai baad mein kha lungi...aap lunch-box me daal dijiye." Sumi replied hurriedly as she was fixing her bag. "Agar jaldi jana hai...to jaldi se taiyyar kyun nahi hoti! Dost se he to milne ja rahi hai...kaunsa interview ke liye ja rahi hai?" rebuked Mrs. Singh as she came out the kitchen with her daughter's lunch box in hand. Sumi, on the other hand hugged her mom tight and whined, "Mummy...shaam ko aake pakka aapki daant khaungi...promise." She practically snatched the lunch box from her mother's hands and stuffed it inside her sling bag and dashed out of the house.

I am finally going to miss the 8:50 train to Kanpur it seems. She was going to meet a friend at IIT there. Sumi was walking a little absentmindedly. She was about to cross the road without looking however suddenly she felt somebody pull her by her arms rather harshly...she almost toppled.

"Girl, do watch your steps when you cross the roads" Sumi was so frightened with the sudden occurrence that she stood mute gazing at a young man in his twenties in front of her. He was a stranger, yet to Sumi he somehow seemed familiar...far too familiar...amidst all the adrenalin rush that she experienced with the near accident situation, there was a little fluttering in her heart...as if a hummingbird was incessantly singing. Dear God! What was happening to me?

"Cat got your tongue? Miss??? Are you okay?" The snarky young man suddenly sounded unsure of himself.

"I...I am sorry...I-I wasn't looking." Sumi blushed bright red, embarrassed that she was caught staring at a stranger. She hurriedly looking down pursing her lips...a nervous habit that she never could do away with. The stranger picked up her sling bag that had earlier fallen down during the scuffle for her and held it out for her to take.

"Well that's given since you looked like you were on an autopilot." Smirked he. Sumi looked at him affronted, "I am quite sure I have met nicer people. But thank you for saving me and being my knight in shining armour."

"No need to thank me...and we both know I wasn't really one." He looked a little dejected. Sumi felt an unknown twinge of guilt in her heart. She commenced all the inner strength in her and smiled her handsome stranger and held out her right hand, "Sumi...Sumi Singh...nice to make your acquaintance." The man looked happy as his eyes twinkled with unsuppressed mirth. He took her hand and shook it lightly. The mere innocent contact sent jolts of electricity through them...shocking them both. The young man started equally moved as her. He recovered himself from the initial shock and replied, "I am Karan Suchak, an actor of sorts, tourist at the moment though." He laughed at his own admission. Suddenly the emotionally charged moment was brought to an end by the shrill sound of Sumi's cell phone. "Please go ahead, I should hurry...I have the 8:50 train to catch...I am visiting my relatives in Kanpur." Sumi was too surprised to react. Was he really the one??? Was it destiny or mere coincidence that she would board the same train as her mysterious actor? She picked up the phone seeing that it was her friend Mili calling. The silhouette of her savior slowly receded as he walked down the road and finally boarded a taxi. Sumi sighed.

"Hello?"