Confessions of a Hopeless Romantic - Episode II

The next morning found me dreaming of her. How could I open my eyes, when all I saw with them closed was her smile? Those beautiful eyes twinkling with life – the windows to her soul. Her lips, like music they arched in a beautiful pattern to open and close together each time she smiled in all her coyness. She was a tease, and a gorgeous one at that.

I started sleepwalking through my days. Professors threw chalk-pieces at me as I indulged myself with her dreams while in class. My boss at Papa John’s asked me if I wanted sick leave. How could I explain myself to them? How could I tell them how much it pained me to spend time away from her? Each passing moment meant one moment less that I could spend with her in this lifetime. Only she could understand. One look – that’s all it would take. How I wished she would sit in front of me and look deep into my soul. How much love she would find there, and what she would say to it?

I was in love, and I was absolutely flipping. I didn’t even know her yet. What if she was already seeing someone? No matter – I would happily endure the pain if I could see her happy. Talk about the tragic romantic. Love was just another word – she gave it a meaning. Life was just a word – she gave it a purpose.

I had heard of guys feeling passionate, full of lust, desire et al. I felt the passion too, but it was too pure. I wanted to sit with her in my arms and look at her with all the love I could find in my heart. I wanted to wake up to her every morning and kiss her eyes every night when she went to sleep. I would stay awake  at night, watching over her as she would lie dreaming. What would I not do for her happiness? Anything.

Yet, all this was just introspection. She remained a distant dream, ever so elusive. And then it happened. It had been raining all day. I had just got over with work. I was walking home, thinking of her, when I saw her again. She was on the other side of the road – she was looking at me. I couldn’t be wrong. The lights reflected off the wet tarmac and lit up her face. She really was looking at me. I couldn’t stop myself. I forgot everything around me, forgot there were cars on the road. I just raced across – my eyes were glued on her’s. When I reached her, I felt my heart would jump out of my chest. She was more beautiful than I had imagined. 

She smiled – my coy princess. I smiled back. So much said, yet not a single word. She turned to walk – I followed her. We went on walking, just the two of us – the rain kissing our skin as we embraced it’s warmth. It seemed as if I was dreaming again - I pinched myself to see if it was real. Yet there she was, I was not dreaming. And so we walked on for a further two blocks, till she looked at me once more. She came close, her eyes peering deep into mine. How could she trust me so? Could she read my mind? She smiled as if to say yes. And then, before I knew what happened, she hailed down a cab, and was gone.

I looked after her like a defeated soldier. Why did she have to go? Why couldn’t I just live in that moment, oblivious to all that was happening around me? Why couldn’t I just grow old in that moment, with her by my side, holding my hand till death do us part, only to be reunited in a higher realm? Why?...