She came... Story

She came…….

‘Fortune favors the brave’ I heard this maxim for the first time when I was just a child. I have been living it till date.

I saw her in college, she was my class representative. The first thing that came to my mind was ‘Average’ and then she stood up to speak. In her golden voice and beautiful eyes, I lost everything. She was everywhere…in all the activities, in all the events and my thoughts too. My days were spent in looking at her and my nights in her dreams. Alas, she stayed away! I wanted to talk to her, like she did to everybody. She had a lot of smiles, a lot of compliments, something nice to say to everyone. . I noticed she was a very warm person. Her genuine concern was very endearing. I loved everything about her. Most of all, I loved the way she shortened my name. She used to call me ‘Am’.

I tried to talk to her but couldn’t. I never had the courage. I used to look at her and wonder about random things. Did she notice my blue shirt? Was she listening to my response in class? Did she notice I am an ace in accounts? Why was she looking at me for so long? Sometimes, I mustered up the courage to talk to her and she responded in her sweet, honest way. I kept on waiting for her to notice the way I looked at her. I wanted her to ask me so that I could spill my heart out. I wanted to be her best friend, companion, confidante and much more. The distance was frustrating me; she was close and yet so far.

I still remember the day I came to know that she was committed. Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! I chanted like a mantra. I cried in rage, broke everything I could lay my hands on, drunk till I passed out and avoided talking to her for quite some time. I felt cheated and angry, very angry. I cooked up crazy schemes for winning her over, wondered what the other guy had that I didn’t. I wished I could tell her my feelings, share my concerns, and show her how much I needed her. I felt helpless and lonely. The consolation that he was in a different city was just a lame excuse. The very thought that she belonged to someone else was unbearable. Every time I looked at her, I wanted to hold her in my arms and never let go till she accepted me in her life. I still believed she was mine.

And then it happened.

I was seeing her after 4 long months. She was slightly teary eyed, seemed lost and visibly upset. Suddenly I couldn’t take it any more and just approached her. “Coffee,” I said. “I broke up,” was the first thing she said when she broke her silence. It would have been a hilarious moment if it hadn’t been so serious. I was feeling sad for her, I could clearly feel her disappointment and yet I sighed with relief at finally having a chance to win her over with my true love. I felt like a villain while all the time I was trying to be her hero.

I said “What about me?” Her eyes widened with shock, disbelief, doubt and suspicion. “What about you?”

“I am here and I love you. Forget about him and come with me. I love you very much and can’t bear to stay away from you anymore. All these days I kept waiting for you to come to me. But you never came, so here I am offering my love and life to you, for today and forever. Please come to me, please, please, please!!!”

Words kept spilling from my mouth at random. I spoke about everything. My love for her, my disappointment at knowing she was committed, my dreams, my thoughts, my future plans; even the relief I got from her separation. I am sure she would have felt like killing me for that but I couldn’t help it. I finally poured my heart out and she listened without saying a word.

She finally broke her silence with the words which I will always remember. “Sorry Am, I am not ready for this right now. I don’t know if I will be ready for this in future. Will you give me time to make sure I accept you for you and your love and not because someone dumped me? Will you be the friend I never had? Will you be able to stay close to me and yet not being able to call me yours?”

“Yes, I will.” I said and to this date I remember the grueling days they were. She tried my patience in every way possible. Sometimes she refused to see me and told me off. Sometimes, she argued for hours on end as to why I was wasting my time for a vain hope.

Sometimes, she just enjoyed herself with me. Sometimes, she fought bitterly with me and walked away. Still I stayed there waiting for her. Waiting for her to realize my love was genuine and selfless. My feelings were true and everlasting. All this while, I made sure she knew I was there. No matter how much it hurt, no matter how much I cried later. No matter how many times I realized how deeply in love she was with him. I was there…

Then one day…something changed. That day when I went to see her, there was a stark difference in the way she looked at me. We went to an amusement park. I noticed the way she was holding my hand firmly. As if she will never let go. I noticed she looked at me differently…was it love? Oh God, how I wish it was. She stayed silent most of the time. But her eyes talked and they told me so much.

It took her 3 years to accept me in her life. I am glad she took her time…such a long time. But finally she was mine. She was mine to have and to hold. I was happy beyond words and I told her so. 100s of ‘I love you’s were exchanged and yet they could not express my love. I thought I couldn’t be happier than this but I was wrong. There was more to come.

One day, she called me and said, “Come and see me today in the evening.” I wondered what the matter was!! Why was she calling me like this? Oh dear! Did that guy come back after all? Did she find someone else? Is she breaking up with me? Have her parents chosen someone and she is calling to say goodbye one last time? What the hell is it! If only someone could tell me!!

I saw her waiting for me wearing my favorite color, white. She even wore the earrings I gifted her last valentine day. What was that in her hands? Was it all the gifts I gave so far? Or was it all my letters?

“Let’s go”, she said. I was too scared to ask where so I headed straight ahead. 5 minutes were gone when she said “Stop here for a while Am.” I stopped and just then….

“Close your eyes and no cheating,” she warned.

When I opened them a single Anthurium greeted me. She said “This symbolizes you, its one of a kind just like you. Now close your eyes again.”

I did like a dutiful child.

When I opened them again, a lot of carnations greeted me. Her golden voice touched my heart this time when she said, “This is my life with you…colorful, vibrant, pure and lovely. Close them again”

I was eager with anticipation and grinning like an idiot when I finally opened my eyes. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw next. She was kneeling down in front of me, holding a bouquet of red roses. “Will you marry me and make my life this beautiful?” I just stood there grinning like an idiot when she said, “You know, you are supposed to say something and for the record…the gravel is hurting my knees.”

“Yes, yes and yes!” I said as I picked her up and held her hand.

“Come here, you”

She came…and I held her like I will never let go. It was right after all, fortune does favor the brave and it did.