The proposal

 “What?? You haven’t proposed her yet? I thought you guys are in a relationship. It’s not only me, each and every one of this institution thinks that way. ” It was Harsh’s reaction when I told them that Ankita and I are just friends. Not more or less than that.

       “I don’t know what the hell you are doing. if it was me in spite of you, I would have proposed her a months ago. Everyone can see her love and affection towards you. She cares for every moment of you. But you guys don’t express each other.”  This time Deepak spoke out. 

        We were sitting on the college canteen when the matter was revealed. Harsh,Deepak and Shreya, who were my true friends from last 2 years, scrutinized the matter very seriously. It’s about my relationship with Ankita. Oh sorry ‘relationship’ is not unerring word here. It’s about our ‘friendship’’.

      

         I meet Ankita at the first day of collage and I fall in love with her in a flash,

You can also say it was love at first sight but I am not sure enough. People fall in love with someone at first sight because of the beauties opposites owns. But it was something different in my case. I felt something special on her. A cocktail of kindness, cuteness and affinity of her attracted me closer to her. I started haunting for that face just after our first meet. We became friend. She came adjoining to me knowingly or unknowingly. And that friendship has taken another shape by the end of the year. Nowadays we even can’t spend an hour without each other.

         Starting from a sweet “good morning message” to “good night” we care for each other’s a lot. She also appears on my “beautiful sweet dreams” regularly. The way she looks into my eyes makes me crazy... the way she keeps quiet makes my heart go fasts. Every moment we spent together brings smile in my face. Every one of our Institute believes that we are in a relationship. It’s not their fault that they think that way; neither did I blame myself for loving her... But it’s my stupid heart that always fears of losing his princess.  

 

        Sometimes I feel a voice from somewhere in my heart. It says, “I love her” but unfortunately I am the worst in expressions. I am even unable to express how much I like her, proposing my love is far away. Such a looser

          

  “Okay guys commenting on the matter will never solve it. Let’s do something.” Shreya chuckled.

  “Do something ?? What?” I asked in confusion.

  “See... both of you love each other but you guys are so much impractical in expressions, so we can help you in proposing her. We are going to arrange everything. ” She described.

  I keep quiet for a few nanoseconds…..

“Are you sure that I can do this?” – I said, like a 7 years old boy asked to solve a trigonometry math.   

……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 

          By the time I reached the place she was already there, breaking some red and Orange flower petals from the garden. Waiting for me...

        The place was selected by “Shreya-and-group”. It’s an old Garden near the river beach. Due to the lack of human interfere over the place it has grown by its own. Producing some beautiful scenario. The old Street lamp was covered by some unknown Creepers... and the half broken lamp was hardly visible. Some multi colored flowers were visible over the garden gate. Sun will be shading after a few moments and a unique magic could be seen. Both time and place was perfect for a proposal.

 As we walked alongside the garden, she felt something fishy.

“You alright?” she enquired.

“Yeah... all right”

“I don’t think so... it seems you haven’t slept for Nights... is anything wrong?”

  

 Then only I realize that I have not slept a couple of nights. I read a few extractions of novels related to proposing a girl that were provided by Shreya. Google searching was also another work I did. I loved the tips from ‘wiki how’.

“You will get your answer in a while... just keep quiet and follow me.” I said.

      We walked to the beach a little boy came and offered her a bouquet of flowers. The bouquet contains all her favorite flowers. She took the flower bouquet from the little cute boy and placed a “thank you kiss” on his cheek. The boy ran and disappeared after a while.

 Then she passed an “is-it-for-me?” look towards me. I smiled.

     “Thank you for this. You know these are my favorite flowers!! And the little boy, how cute!!” She said in elation.

    I wanted to say something, but the combination of fear and excitement has increased my heartbeat in such a rate that nothing came out of my mouth. I just ended up with a smile.

       We sat on the beach. The sun was about to set. Converting the surrounding into a mixture of colors. The reflection of the sun over the river has created a paradisiacal Masterpiece. Few birds made their journey towards home with some twittering sounds. A bold smile appeared on her face. Unwillingly.

       I took out my Smartphone to click a picture of the moment. I was about to catch the scenario, when she interrupted.

 “Hey don’t try to catch up the moment in a Smartphone. Your photos will remain in your hard disc for a limited period of time but once you enjoy the moment, it will always be there in your heart.”

‘Really?’  I said and started clicking random photos. She laughed as I clicked a photo of her foot.

“Now tell me.” she said.

“Tell you what?”

“Tell me what you wanted to say... I don’t think you called me here without any purpose.”

“Oh yeah... I … I mean.. I wanted to. I wanted to tell you something.”I buffered.

“Yes... go on.” she laughed again.

“Actually, I love a girl.” I initiated.

“What?? I mean... I mean...why did not you told me earlier??”

This time she buffered.

“What’s her name?” she asked.

“I don’t want to tell you her name first. I need your help... I want to propose her.” I said acting as strong as I can.

“I fall in love with her at the first day of college onwards. We become friend but I never dared to tell her about my feelings...”

     She kept quiet for few moments… maybe she was trying to scan the friend list of mine in the college. After 2 or 3 minutes she spoke out. Her voice was broken.

“I will do whatever I can. Now can we go back? Please. I am not feeling well here. These cold breezes are killing me.” She stood up to leave the place.

      

 Maybe I should not have postponed the duration.

         We walked back through the garden. I felt like she is crying. Yes she is. I can clearly see the tear drops on her checks through the light of old Garden lamps. She wanted to run away from me as fast as she can.

      As she reached her home, I hold her hands tight. She looked at me. Confused.   

 

“Don’t you want to know her name?”- I asked.

“Ok tell me.” she said in a light tune.

“She is Ankita Sinha. My one and only love…….”

Some waves of silence passed for the next few minutes.

 “I love you Ankita…Will you be my beloved? Will you be my girlfriend?” I said and I looked into your eyes... waiting for a tight hug. I have tortured her enough.

But she ended up saying nothing…

Almost 15 minutes passed.

“It’s not possible .I never wanted to be your girlfriend. Good night.” she walked to her house and shut the door. It was now all closed. For me.  

         It was almost 12 AM when I arrived my room. My room was filled with Deepak, Shreya and Harsh. Every one of them was excited to hear the how she reacted. All of them were over confident that Ankita will accept my proposal. Little did they know that I have already lost her. 

          I described them the whole incident and suddenly everyone’s mood turned off. They tried to make me understand that everything will be fine. My mind bounced back all their sayings. I switch off the lights.

        It became difficult for me to accept the situation. I can never imagine a life without her. I loved her more than I loved myself and perhaps that was the reason that I never tried proposing her. It was known to me that loosing someone is not that easier as loving someone is. Tough it hurts, but I imagined a life without her for the first time… no vision, no ambition. No excitement in studies or works, no one to care, no one to love and fill up my heart. But only darkness will cover up all the spaces. Life will be no longer same again. I was lost in the dark Battle of love. Got defeated and surrendered to her.

Sleep will not come to me, I knew and all of a sudden something strike on my mind.

 I walked to the nearby pharmacy for few sleeping pills.  

…………………………………………………………………………………………………        

    It was almost 4 in the morning when I woke up. The sleeping tablets have worked Fine. At least it gave me a couple hours senseless sleep. 

      I saw my phone lying near my bad. I picked it up. Maybe the idea of calling Ankita made me do that. I saw a hundred missed call on it. It was all from her.

 Without wasting a second, I called her back and she picked it up at the first ring itself.

“Where are you now?” She asked.

“In my room... But why?” I asked.

“Can we meet again?”

“Where? When?” I asked quickly.

“In front of your room... will you please open the door for me... I have been standing here for the past two hours.” she acted crying.

       I open the door and what I saw next was something that I never imagined… she was standing there with a sweet smile..It was my favorite.

    “I want to tell you something …… she started.

“I loved a boy, but you know what happened last night? At first he told me that he loves a girl and want me to help in proposing her. I was all broken, I never imagined him with any other girl… and when I was about to leave him he said that I am that girl. He also asked me if I can be his girlfriend. And I said him NO. Do you know why I did so? Because at first, he tortured me with his stupid proposal that made me broke out into tears. He doesn’t know how to propose a girl. Hi is just a stupid boy. Extremely stupid. And secondly I always wanted to be his wife. Most caring wife ever. I never wanted to be his girlfriend. Will you accept me as your wife?  Please…...”

Teardrops rolled through my chicks. My heart cried in joy. I found my life back. I kept looking at her for a few minutes… so did she. I placed my fingers on her cheeks and removed those little teardrops. It was the cutest proposal ever.

“Are you in real or it’s just my hallucination??” I asked.

She smiled and pinched me,

“ It’s in real you idiot. Now don’t waste a moment and hug me tight.” I hugged her. So close that nothing can separate us from the very next moment, we became one.