Her eyes were heavily kohl-lined and red from crying, hidden behind a pair of glasses she didn’t really need, but they made her feel important. A pretty pair of silver jhumkas [or whatever you call those things, they were big and had bells] dangled quite noisily from her tiny ears, almost NEVER still, creating a minor ruckus each time she raised her chin to meet my eyes. Her hair was carelessly wrapped up with a stick through it due to lack of time and patience to fight with it, though some soft curls had come loose and gracefully draped over the curve of her neck. A tiny black bindi between her eyebrows was an extra touch today, probably added after a final inspection in the hallway mirror before leaving the house in the morning. A single simple silver bangle she wore all the time for reasons she never divulged was the current subject of restless fidgeting, a change from the wristwatch which she wasn’t wearing today, strangely. She was beautiful, yes, but in a very unobtrusive manner; no second looks. In some cases (like mine), one glance was enough.
She was walking with her arms tightly wound across her chest. I did the gentlemanly thing.
“Here, have my jacket.” I shrugged out of it and handed it to her. She looked at me. Her earrings swayed, chiming.
She was walking with her arms tightly wound across her chest. I did the gentlemanly thing.
“Here, have my jacket.” I shrugged out of it and handed it to her. She looked at me. Her earrings swayed, chiming.
“Are you mad? Do you want to freeze to death?” she snapped. Started walking a little faster. I took a slightly bigger stride and caught up.
“I don’t, but it seems you’ve decided to.”
She didn’t look at me. I had learnt over a year that that reaction meant she didn’t find my response particularly amusing.
“Anyway. What was it that you wanted to talk about?” I draped my refused jacket over my arm. Futile attempt to act macho. She never noticed these things. I did them all the time.
I just wanted someone to walk with.” And after she said this, she began humming something, mumbling the part of the lyrics that she did remember.
“I don’t, but it seems you’ve decided to.”
She didn’t look at me. I had learnt over a year that that reaction meant she didn’t find my response particularly amusing.
“Anyway. What was it that you wanted to talk about?” I draped my refused jacket over my arm. Futile attempt to act macho. She never noticed these things. I did them all the time.
I just wanted someone to walk with.” And after she said this, she began humming something, mumbling the part of the lyrics that she did remember.
“She's nothing like a girl you've ever seen before
Nothing you can compare to your neighbourhood whore...” or something like that.
“Excuse me? What happened? I thought you were going through a Coldplay phase!”
“It’s catchy.” There. Simple. Not.
We walked for about five more minutes. Me with my hands buried deep into my pockets. She kicking all the dead leaves on the ground.
“He broke up with me.”
The red eyes. The covered arms. The tiredness. It all fell into place.
Nothing you can compare to your neighbourhood whore...” or something like that.
“Excuse me? What happened? I thought you were going through a Coldplay phase!”
“It’s catchy.” There. Simple. Not.
We walked for about five more minutes. Me with my hands buried deep into my pockets. She kicking all the dead leaves on the ground.
“He broke up with me.”
The red eyes. The covered arms. The tiredness. It all fell into place.
I heard a sob.
* * *
It will be continued. No death threats!
* * *
It will be continued. No death threats!
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