An Old School Love Story

It had been raining since last night. Squinting through my half-opened eyes, I looked out the glass window and a queer surge of emotion ran through my body. A flood of memories flashed through my mind.

I made myself a cup of tea and walked out onto the balcony. A stormy breeze blew in, making a strand of fluttering hair fall onto my face. I never liked rain; rather I'd always scrunch my nose at it. But today, for some ineffable reason, I smiled looking at the droplets dancing on the railing of my balcony. Bits and pieces from my past sifted through my head.

Let's get drenched in the rain - his words resounded within me as tiny drops of rain wet my smiling face. They ushered me 15 years back to the 16 year-old me.

It was the first day of high school. I had entered the class with a sheepish face, head and eyes down. I was a tad bit too shy and scared of meeting new people. Little did I know, those days were about to change my life forever.

In a month, I had managed to make a few friends. And an acquaintance - Debam Guha. One day during our literature class, I had just shifted my gaze to the second row when I found a sweet, lanky boy gaping at me. Weirdo, I'd thought and turned my face away. But he didn't. Those eyes remained glued to me. And honestly, it kind of knocked at the doors of my heart too. But I managed to convince myself that romance was not my scene.

Three months passed. Neither he dared to speak his heart out to me, nor I cared to decipher his unspoken words. But his naive gaze had started to melt my iron coated heart. And despite all those rational and pretentious voices screaming inside of me, I started giving in to it.

A few more months passed. One day he finally mustered up the courage to walk over to my desk. Putting a small folded piece of paper on my desk, he left silently. With a furtive glance around the classroom, I opened the letter. And that was it - I knew I was in love.

I love you - those three words written on that paper kept floating before my eyes for the rest of the day. I decided to confess my feelings to him the next day in school. But destiny and God always like to play with your plans - the most expected ones.

My parents got an inkling of the budding romance and I was grounded for the next two days. Surrendering to their smouldering eyes, I decided to smother my own feelings.

Next day as soon as I stepped inside the classroom, he came running to me with eyes glinting in anticipation. Handing him the letter and dropping my glistening eyes, I said, 'romance is not my scene...sorry.'

And with that the story...

My flashback trip was interrupted as I heard footsteps behind me. I wiped my eyes and turned back.

'You'll catch cold. Why're you standing here?' Said my husband.

...the story had just started. Yes, the two heart-broken teens were now one happily married couple. I stared deep into his eyes and smiled bashfully as those 15 years flooded my mind in a minute. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I rested my head on his shoulder.

'Let's get drenched in the rain,' I whispered.