Stranger Love

It was my third year of studying the next city. I usually traveled by train but due to some reason, I have taken a bus. I was coming home after two years so, I was so excited to give a surprise to the family. My parents considered me old enough to travel alone, and I had arrived by bus at Yeshwantpur early in the morning. Now there was await around few hours before leaving the city. Most of the time I had been pacing up and scrolling the mobile down the bus stand, browsing at the bookstall, or feeding broken biscuits to stray dogs. There was a normal not much crowd because It was reserved by passengers. when a bus arrived, it would be an inferno of heaving, shouting, agitated human bodies. As the carriage doors opened, a tide of people would sweep down upon the nervous little ticket collector at the gate. As the luggage started loading; I saw a girl.

Yes, a girl traveling alone. I don't know why but I help her with her luggage. As traveling started she was very anxious. A journey started crowd getting arises. It's a miracle or god message that she sat next to me. For hours it was quiet. So I take out earphones and starting playing music for while and then I offer sharing earphones. After some time we are comfortable with each other. We started talking, gossiping, sharing thoughts; like we had started a beautiful connection. She questioned me quietly from time to time, but preferred listening; she drew me out very well, and I had soon forgotten that we were strangers. After sometimes we had to know that we are from the same institutions from Bangalore and our native place in Mumbai. It's a coincidence I think, I replied.

Hmm, I don't think so, by the way, it's my first year and you're, she asked.

Mine was the third year, I replied and start talking about studying.

The real fact is I don't know, what to ask a girl?

It has been a long day since traveling, so we had halted for refreshing for around half an hour. We had tea and some snacks and we had taken for some traveling.

As dinner was going too late, as the driver said.

She smiled gratefully at me and pressed my hand. We walked together in silence until we reached the bus.

I started feeling grateful. As the journey begins, we both are quiet and seeing near the window. The night was to begin so I started watching a movie "PaperTown", It's a story is about love, friendship and what it's like to be young. one of my favorite things about the story is that it profoundly demonstrates some really complex lessons about the way we relate and connect to each other.

We watched them together. She had a smile and started sharing the thought that I should have a happy ending, right.

After few hours we had again halted for dinner. This time I offered a dinner, why I don't know.

Okay, but if you are okay, she said after refreshing.

We had light food.

Can we walk? She asked.

I said, let's go. After few minutes we hold each other's hands and keep walking.

Around 8-10 min walking, before I was going to started talking, the bus driver has called everyone.

I remember the 10min walking with a stranger girl.

The journey begins started, after some time she offered with sharing earphones with her choice of song.

She asked me like old romantic and love songs, you don't have a problem na, before I say something she already started playing it.

In my mind said off course, Yesss play.

After half an hour she slept, head on the window side. She can't sleep due to the hurt from the window side.

I feel it so I faked my sleep.

She asked, are you awake?

I didn't answer then, she slowly put her head on my shoulder and slept.

I watched her sleeping for a minute and thoughts a beautiful moment.

I sleep too.

In the morning we about to reached, the bus conductors shouted loudly.

Everyone wakes up...

As we reached, we are down the bus so the luggage.

I looked straight into the eyes of the girl who held my hand, and she smiled in a gentle, understanding way.

The carriage jolted forward, and she drew her hand away. ‘Goodbye', she said.

I didn't say a word, we both waved our hands.

I watched her until she was lost in the crowd.