New dreams...

Ever since the boy had said he wanted to talk to her, her cheek muscles wouldn't relax... giving a decided tinge of red. She was thankful about the fact that Sree was a bit absent minded today, else she would have definitely noticed. At the same time, Swastika was amazed at herself... When she had her last break-up, she had made an agreement with herself that life will never be so beautiful again. Never ever would she fall in love again. But today when he said that he wanted to talk to her, she was happy, very happy... A very well known tinge had passed down through her spine... Life would be happy again... Or will it... A dark cloud hid the sun... It became dark all of a sudden and the bell rang...

She informed Arushi that she would be leaving early. She had slipped into the library and waited for quiet some time until the college was almost empty. Then she slipped into the decided spot. A secluded spot between the trees, not easily spottable from the main lane. By the time she reached there Abhimaan was already sitting there, with his back to Swastika. For a moment she decided to turn and run. She could feel her pulse hammering at her adam's apple. Unknown to herself, a squeak left her throat... Abhimaan...

Standing over 6 feet tall with a lean frame and beetle-black eyes, he smiled down at Swastika. He asked her to sit. Swastika sat just beside him. A hairline's gap between them. They chatted about general things for sometime... This simple conversation was sounding so pleasant to her. His innocence, his genuinity... the way his face lit up... when he talked about his village... the open grounds... the way he used to catch fishes with bare hands... steal ripe mangoes from their neighbour's garden... when it would flood... they would make small boats... Abhimaan went on speaking... Swastika wasn't listening anymore... She was lost in her thoughts... A dreamstep towards a new life... Just then Abhimaan said, "Yeah... now the reason I called you is that.. I... "...