Love never dies

It was the winter of september. The winter showed up now and then in Uttranchal where I have seen only two weather conditons, either it will be warm sunnyday or a freezing day , only a fusion of these two give me a nice feeling. Anyway, I was walking through the pathway in the eve with one of my friend , when I saw her. She was not alone, a group of girls surrrounded her. She saw us walking and stopped us and asked our name. We were then asked to leave.
She was one of our senior, I could not forget her face . We laughed on them and moved on our way.

It was the winter of january , cold winds were blowing from north . I decided to have a cup of early morning tea, I woke up accidently . I moved with slow steps when I saw her sitting in the canteen, she called me and asked something in hindi, I could not reply. They figured out that I m unable to speak Hindi and understood that I am from another region.She asked me my name and I replied and then she asked me leave. I left with a smile on my face.
Next day I woke up early purposely. I went to canteen and waited for her, she didn't turn up. Next day I did the same and she did the same... I tried to search her that evening but couldn't get her.
I got up late the next day, washed myself, put on a clean t-shirt and ran towards the canteen, it was locked. It opens at 6 am and closes at 7am.
She used to come to for breakfast. Did I miss her today. Whom shall I enquire, chotu the mess boy?, What to say, I don't know her name yet..
Yet again, I woke up early, ran towards the canteen and this early morning running lasted for one week, when I finally saw her walking towards the canteen door. She smiled at me. She went inside and grabbed one seat with her friends. I and Rahul were having the tea on parallel side, I gathered lot of courage and took a step towards her.
“ Good Morning, how are u?” this is how I started, after some formal conversation I shooted my next question at her “Mam, may I know your name....?”
“yes, I m Meera.” I then asked for leave and went away with a smile.
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“My name is Balgopal and I am studying in Doon High School in Dehradun in Std. 9. My favourite subject is math and I like playing cricket”, I said it in a blow without taking in any air infront of Mr Ayyar, my father's colleage ~.
“ayyo, ente mon enthu nannaaye English parayanu....!”, my Mother cried
We got very small family. I m being the only child, get all the attention of my family. We live in a small town of Thrissur district in Kerala. My father who works for a transpotation company in Chalakudy. I was send to this boarding school a year back when my parents decided to put me in one of the top boarding school in India. And it happened to be in North. Hindi movies do increase my excitement level, but the very thought of going North and living there with new unknown people gave me goosebump. I never expressed my emotions to my parents so they send me . It took me two and half days to reach the school. I have been to beautiful natural destination all over Kerala and Tamilnadu, but this was different. The school was surrounded with mountains and beautiful scenery was all around. It was unusualy cold but I got used to it within few months after facing some cold & fever. I made some good friends and Rahul was one of them, Rahul's family lives in Dubai and he is here on scholarship like me.We had a good company with each other.
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Meera, Meera, Meera.... whole night I was repeating the name. Rahul was perplexed and excited too. Not everyone get the chance to talk to those 10th standard girls, and I have banged the oppurtunity , as he announced all over. Although half of his nonsense I couldn't understand , as they were talking in hindi. The next morning I woke up early using three alarms and ran towards the mess all prepared. Today she asked me to sit with her, she was accompanied by a friend whose name I found out to be Nidhi. They asked about me and my family. I was more than happy by watching other boys with white faces. After fifteen minutes they stood up and we dispersed, I saw rahul waiting for me in the corner with a strange look. He was rather annoyed , why didn't I invited him on that table. It was easy to convince him. In a couple of hours our class was going to start and so we hurried to our rooms to get ready. Next two three days same pattern repeated, except that I introduced Rahul to them. On saturday again we met . I was waiting for her for long and was about to leave when I saw her coming towards the canteen alonewith a flask. She told me that nidhi was not ready to come and so she came late. I was happy finally no one else other than us on that table. I took my tea and sipped in glaring at her beauty, she was smiling . She asked me what I am looking at. “aise hi,” I replied in hindi. She laughed. There was something in her eyes that I couldn't take my eyes off. She got oceans in it. We talked about our studies and left that place. As she was leaving she said that she is going to her aunt's house in a nearby city and will be back on monday morning. I didn't have any reaction to give. She gave a strange smile and left.
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It was tuesday and I was expecting her , she came alone. But didn't even looked at me. I said “goodmorning” but no reply . I straight away went towards her and stood up infront, “what's the matter ?”
“ hey, Balu .” she replied with a fabricated smile, I really didn't liked that. I turned and wanted to go, but something happened to me and I couldn't move. I tried again,”what is going on?”
“nothing, come with me.” , she turned towards the table and signaled me to take the seat. 3 minutes passed with that silence. Finally she spoke,” did u miss me?”. Yes would be an obvious answer, but before I could say anything she fired another question, “why didn't you call me?”
“WHAT? You never gave me your number”
“you should have asked me.”
“ok! What's your number?”
suddenly she burst with laughter and I couldn't resist in doing so. We exchanged our number. We then moved back to our respective hostels.
Two weeks passed, we were getting closer via sms and morning tea. It was obvious that people started talking about us, but we were living in differnt world.
Then one evening when our class was off , there came her sms
-whr r u? Come to canteen now-
-I m in hostel,sleeping, no class?-
-I escaped. Come in 5 minute-
Now what , means look at me, I was smelling like shit, half naked, uncombed. The next thing I did was grabbed a shampoo, soap and towel and flew towards the bathroom, within a minute and half I was over with my bathing, now it takes 2 minute to reach canteen from my hostel gates and it would take few more seconds as to reach the hostel gate, I wore the blue jeans and ran towards the gate with a comb and t-shirt. I wore it on the way. On the hostel gate there I a huge mirror , I used it to help myself look good, I threw the comb aside and the ran the last race. Beep , another sms , must be her, I didn't mind and was running for life, from far distance I could see her waiting near that door , watching her mobile desperately.
She smiled as she look at me and gave her explanation that she escaped from the class but couldn't go back to hostel. We went inside, I ordered two coke for us. We spent an hour together then she jumped and said that its time to go, I didn't leave the place and kept wondering whats starnge is in this girl which attracts me so much that I wake up every morning so early to meet her, take a bath and a run in 5 minutes. I was feeling the love,when Rahul knocked me,“ wazz up, buddy?”. I looked up and replied,”the fan” and we laughed together.
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A week later she asked me to give her company to the netlab. Net lab was the place where we could go and do internet and other computer stuff. It was opened till 8:30 pm for +2 students. 10th seniors could also use it for there purpose for project work. Anyway point was that we were allowed to stay outside hostel till 6:30pm , but I can manage to stay there sometimes till 8pm because our warden was friendly with me as me being the only non-hindi person in the hostel, besides he was afraid to scold me, he was not so fluent in english. So after our class we decide to meet at netlab. When we reached there Meera saw two of her friends too. We sat together and then continued our emailing and surfing. In between we use to share some internet jokes, fwd emails and giggles. We decided to leave at 8pm and continued our work. It was 10 minute past 8 when she asked me to come out, we signed the register and left the netlab towards a long corridor. I though she might be feeling hungry so she left early. We were walking through the silent corridor when she stood still leaning against the wall. I faced her and asked,”what happen, u don't wanna go back?” she nodded and said that she is waiting for her friends.
”then what should we do now, we should have spent some more time in there, we got a.c there,” I chatterd.
“that means you dont like spending time with me, then go back to your a.c only, I will stand alone here.” she fired back
“I didn't say that, I like spending time with you “
“huh! “ she turned her face away. I tried holding her cheek but she resisted.
“I am sorry” I played my shot. She smiled and vibrated her tounge taking out a bit from her lips, she use to do it to tease me.just like a rattle snake. I smiled back and knocked my head to her. She giggled and pushed me back. I pushed her back too and tried to hit her forhead this time. She tries pushing me with her head when our head stood still ,we accidently came too close to each other, where I was holding her hand and my nose just touching her nose. We can feel the breath of each other. It was just then I leaned a bit towards her and she closed her eyes. I kissed her and the whole world stood silent and still. I felt the warmth and coldness at the sametime. This was my first kiss. I took a step back . I saw her eyes, they were gettin wider, those big eyes, I noticed something , I can see myself in those eyes, it gaves me goosebumps. A moment after her friends joined us and I moved to my hostel where she stepped towards the mess for dinner. Our dinner time was at 8:30pm. I was happy
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It was just another saturday when I decide to go to city, Meera wanted to go to Tehri, where her aunt stay. City was about an hour away from from our campus and Tehri takes another two hour. We went to highway for catching the bus. The next bus was leaving after 20 minutes when we decide to have icecream in a nearby parlour. We went there and orderd a single big size choclate cup icecream. That stupid (or say intelligent) waiter brought it with a single spoon. “aha! Its only for me. You won't get it,” I giggled.
“good, I 'm on a diet.” After couple of spoon, I looked at her, she was staring at me with 50%anger and 50% innocence, I liked it, I offerd her a spoon and she ate it .She looked very cute when I was feeding her with the spoon. An unnoticed tear rolled down my eyes.
We ate the icecream and then moved towards the bus. She took a window seat and I sat beside her.she was lookin very happy today, I was happy too . It was my first ever turn, to sit next ti a girl in a bus, a girl whom I know. She seems to be evryting to me.
“Balu look at those mountains and clouds, can you see them.”
“ya.” I replied giving my flying thought a break.
“they look so beautiful together just like us, isn't it?”
I replied in a smile. The whole way she talked all things but I was just lost in my thoughts, feeling her shoulder, holding her hand, touching her nail polish, looking at her eyes and many more.Mydestination was about to come but I dont wanted to leave, I called the conductor and asked him to cut my ticket to Tehri. She looked at me in a surpise and then smiled. “ What's your plan?” “ No problem I will take a bus back.I dont feel like leaving you.” we carried our innocent talk.
As we were talking Meera halted and looked at me, I was holding her hand then. She brought face near to my ears and murmerred something. “ I didn't get you”
“stupid.”
“what! Tell me what you were saying.” I said.
“ I love you” she looked at me as if I have done something wrong by not listning the words earlier.
I gave a bumper smile and she giggled .
“ I love............” the whole bus strated shaking vibrantly, and I felt we are held up in the air, the bus rolled down the valley and THUMPED ... a loud noise and I lost my consciousness.
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I don't know how long I was not in conscious state, but when I woke up I found myself in a hospital, I tried to revived what happened , I couldn't feel my body, I noticed some wires were sticked to my chest ,nurses running around. “ Where is Meera?” I couldn't see her around . I lost my state again, a strange sound of long tone was coming from a nearby machine , it was equally irriating and soothing. I felt like sleeping, I slept.
I woke up, I found myself sitting in the corridor of the hospital, nurses and doctors were still running, I was in white hospital dress, I saw some of my types were sitting around, they were very quite but other people were crying, shouting out names. I just wanted to go back to school, I wanted to know where is Meera. I closed my eyes, weakness surrounded me, and I felt asleep again. I woke up again, it was strange feeling, like I was sleeping from years. I found myself on the same table where me and Meera use to sit together. I was in canteen, but how did I reached here. I tried to remember, but it only caused increase in my weakness. I stepped out of the canteen. I just wanted to see Meera at that time. I decided to enquire about her. Moving towards the hostel I saw my parents. “oh my God, do they know about the accident?” my mother was crying and father was holding her. I should enquire about my Meera first. I took another way towards the hostel, I ran in my corridor hwen I raeched my room , I saw nothing was there, my all luggage was gone. I ran towards the othe room, noone was there, I heard some noise from common room, I stepped towards it. Everybody was there. Warden was standing in one corner. I heard some voices. “ Nobody remained alive in that bus accident”.
“W H AA T? , where is Meera,” I shouted but nobody replied. “oh god! nothing must have happened to Meera, take my life don't let her die,please .”
And I ran towards the hostel gate, my ears got silent . I cannot hear my own footsteps. I crossed the gate and suddenly I stopped, there was something strange going on. I moved back towards that huge mirror. I was standing right infront of that mirror. But I was not in there.
Beep ... thats the sound of my mobile, I took it out and the sms signal was blinking.
I opened the inbox.
'come soon , I am waiting .'
sender: Meera
I know where is she waiting . I ran towards the canteen. She was standing at the gate as beautiful as she was. I freezed at a distance. She was smiling. I felt tears rolling down again ..............