Chapter 5: I am in love!

Ever had mixed feelings? I was going through the same when it started raining in the morning. It was the first rain of the monsoon

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But then, everybody loves the first rain! Why was I having mixed feelings? Well, let’s see… Even I was elated to fell those first few drops of water on my face. This cool sensation after the long scorching heat of May & June was nothing less than any delight in the world. The rain had caused all nearby world to stop. No traffic, all offices closed! Everybody was home sipping their hot cups of tea with fresh pakode complimenting the season. In that peace, the smell of wet soil made me feel I was in   the deepest of the most beautiful jungles.

But as the rain continued to pour down whole heartedly, I started to become anxious. The timing could have been so much better! Never mind the fact that it was a Sunday and a really good rainy day was merged into an already existing holiday, what made it worse was that I had the semi-final match in the evening where she would have come to watch me play! It had been raining continuously for past 5 hours now! The match was just 3 hours away! What if it didn’t stop? I already couldn’t sleep the whole previous night because of the anxiety! I just couldn’t stand another week waiting for it!

I was continuously praying for the rain to stop when finally it did with just 1 hour to go before the match! I was so happy! I quickly dressed up and went towards the grounds to stretch a little before the match. I knew I was early, but I was a little surprised that I was the first one to reach. As I reached the ground, I realized my blunder. What I hadn’t calculated in my anxiety was that after 7 hours of continuous rain, the whole ground had been replaced by a muddy pool of water. I felt as if a lightning had struck me.

I knew there was no way the match could be played there unless we were thinking of some new sport of underwater cricket. I decided to whisk away and change before anyone realizes what a fool I had made of myself. Thank God I hadn’t woken up Billu to come along otherwise he would have laughed at me till death!

Thankfully I didn’t meet anyone of significance on my way back and safely changed back to my regular clothes. As I stood on the hostel balcony looking around, everything felt so pure & fresh! The grass seemed so much more lush green. The birds were chirping on top of their voices. There was still very less traffic making everything so peacefully beautiful! And then it started to rain again.

It was an irony. The same atmosphere that had made me feel so ecstatic in the morning was filling in a gloom in me. It was because of this rain that I couldn’t impress her today. What if she had some work and didn’t come to the next match? What if the match was scheduled in the morning and she couldn’t wake up for it? What if she didn’t come to know when the match was to be rescheduled? The more I thought, the worse I felt.

A group of guys & girls had come out in the rain to play football. They were playing randomly for fun without any rules or anything on the road. I started to watch the game. They were shouting and laughing more than trying to score. They all seemed so happy unaware of the tragedy that had happened with me. And then I saw her! 

Standing under the porch, with one hand stretched out to feel the droplets she was there in a pure white dress. Suddenly all my pain went away. I was just lost in watching her. And then a girl came from somewhere and pulled her out in the rain! She just stood there surprised what had just happened to her. And then she started laughing and pulling other girls out. It was like magic. Everybody was spreading happiness by pulling them out in rain. The ones inside wanted to come out but just too shy to come out by themselves. I don’t know how, a smile spread across my face as I watched her dripped in rain living the moment. I don’t know for how long I stood there watching her. It was as if she had some spell cast on me.

The spell was suddenly broken as I felt sharp pain on my head. I was so lost I didn’t realize when Billu came near me. Taking the best advantage of the moment, he smacked hard on my head. I was super irritated, more for breaking my spell than the hit. Just as I turned around to hit back, his words kind of froze me. Bhasisaab kuch kar lo nai to bhabhi kisi aur ki ho gai to bas Devdas ki tarah daaru pakad k rote reh jaoge. The only response I had was Paagal hai kya? To save my reputation, I sacrificed watching her and walked back in my room.

But I knew the truth in my heart. As I turned around, I understood why people blame heart instead of brain for love. I felt as if my chest had just been made 5kgs heavier. I was in love!

What I didn’t realize was that soon this love was going make me blind as well… Starting from that night itself!