"Just Another Love Story" (scene 7 )

Scene 7 :  "I met her Again"

I left early from home today as I wanted to be in college early. My Mom was shocked to see me get up early. I was always late otherwise. She didn’t know the real reason though. I wanted to be early to know more about Meghana. I now had Vinay for my support, and the poor guy had to come early just because I was coming. 

I was walking up towards college, near the same area where I had seen her the first day.All of a sudden it started to rain. I never carried an Umbrella with me and I couldn’t get wet in the rain this time. After all, I had to make an impression on her today. I decided to stay under the rain cover of a petty shop nearby. The rain didn’t seem like stopping that day. I was sad, every time I want to approach and talk to her, something or the other interrupts. 

Then, I got a call on my cell phone, it was from Vinay.

Vinay: “AK, where are you dude? I came early for you and you have not come yet.”

Me: “Aah..Sorry Vinay. I am near the park. It is raining heavy and I am not carrying an umbrella. I wanted to talk to her today but, I think I will be late cos of this rain. ”

Vinay:”hmmm…it will be bad. But, there will be another day. Or maybe the lunch break would be a better time I guess. Don’t worry. You try and come as soon as possible, or wait ther, I will get my umbrella. OK. Wait there I will be there in 10 minutes.”

Me: “oh...That will be a great help dude. I will be here.”

I spent the next ten minutes at that place. The rain was still on and every time a drop of rain fell on my face, I was reminded of Meghana, and the first day I saw her.  I felt her in every drop of rain, sound of the rain was like her talking to me. I wanted to keep feeling and keep listening to her. I was smiling all by myself.

And, suddenly rain stopped dropping on me and when I looked it was Vinay standing there covering me with his umbrella. He was smiling. I didn’t understand for what he was smiling at first. But then, when I looked around, I realized I was standing in the middle of the road under the rain, I didn’t know when I moved from where I was actually standing.

Vinay: “Can we move now sir?or are you planning to wait till your madam arrives?”

Me: “What? She has not come yet? I thought she will be already in the class. And how do you know she will come this way?”

Vinay: “I don’t think she has come yet. It’s still half an hour to class. And about the other question, you had told the other day that you saw her for the first time somewhere around this place right? So she should be coming this way only.. right?” 

Me: “You got a point there. But, I think she would have come already. May be you didn’t see. Anyways let’s go to college. I will meet her in the afternoon.”

Vinay: “Okay, let’s go.”

We started walking.

All of a sudden,

Vinay: “Hey! Look there AK!  Meghana.”

Me: “Where?!!”

Vinay: “She is in that auto. There! I saw her. It is her.”

Me: “Oh!“

And I started running towards the auto. The auto was too fast for me, but, I was running. I didn’t care for the rain or for the people who were looking at me. All I knew was that I wanted to meet her and talk to her. But, what was I going to tell her? I didn’t know. I heard Vinay calling out my name. But, I was not going to stop. 

I saw the auto stop in front of the gate. I slowed down a bit as I was almost there. I was completely drenched. Water was dripping out of my clothes. When I reached the gate, I saw it was actually her. It was My Meghana. I was walking behind her. She stopped all of a sudden. I thought she noticed me following her and is going to yell at me. She turned back. I stopped walking. She walked towards me and I didn’t know what to do and was standing there. She was closing in and my heart beat was growing faster. And then she went past me towards the gate. She was waving at someone outside the gate. The auto she arrived came back. I saw her talking to the autowala and taking something from the backseat. She had forgotten a bag she was carrying in the auto itself.  She was walking back towards the college, and I was still standing there. She noticed me and this time smiled at me. I was happy.  I started walking behind her again. I hesitated at first then I called her name,

Me: “Meghana…Meghana”

She stopped, turned back and looked at me. I reached near her.

Me:”Hi, Meghana. I hope you know me.”

Meghana: “Oh yes. I know you. Don’t know your name yet, I am sorry. But, you are from the physics batch, right? You are Vinay’s friend.”

She didn’t know my name. But, she knew Vinay. I suspected if there was any truth in what Vinay told me yesterday.

Me: “oh. Yes Vinay is my friend. My name is Akash.”

We started walking together towards college. We didn’t speak anything at all. Then, Vinay came running behind us, he called out my name

Vinay: “Akash wait. Wait AK!” it seemed like even he was running all the way.  He came near me. Meghana was now walking a bit ahead of us. Vinay had not noticed her yet.

Vinay: “Did you see her? Did you meet her AK?”

I was trying to tell him that she is there in front of us. But, this dumb guy wouldn’t understand. I tried my best.

Vinay (loud): “What?! What signs are you making? I am asking you, did you meet Meghana?.”

It seemed she heard him. She turned and looked back. It was embarrassing for me. This was the second time this is happening to me.  First, I had told the rain incident to the whole class when she was there and now this guy has so openly screamed that I wanted to meet her and it was something that I had planned. What impression would she have of me now? She would be thinking what a looser I am.

Yes! I actually felt like a looser now.  By this time Vinay had noticed that Meghana was around and realized what he had done. I looked at his face and he was trying to control his laughter. I was mad at him. I couldn’t face Meghana.

 I quietly walked towards the class.