⚜𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐫 ⚜

"22:14" 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 20 𝘵𝘰 25 𝘰𝘥𝘥 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦.
𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘯𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘙𝘶𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯. 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦; 𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨!

𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘺. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 2 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰.

𝘙𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦. 𝘎𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺;  𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.

𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘺, 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 5 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥.

𝘈𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘪𝘬𝘦, 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵, 𝘮𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘬𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥. 𝘏𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘸. 𝘏𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰, 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘳𝘶𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮.

"𝘚𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨!" 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘵. "𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘰𝘬 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 10 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺!" 𝘏𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺.

"𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦," 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴. "𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘢 10 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸!!" 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴. "𝘠𝘦𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘺! 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮!" 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘪𝘬𝘦.

"𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘦?" 𝘏𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘰𝘯. "𝘠𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦!" 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥, 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦.

"𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺" 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭. "𝘖𝘩 𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥!" 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥, 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘔𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘨𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘴. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵, 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘬𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘱 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥.

(Inspired by real life experiences. Kindly do not copy. This is someone's actual story, excerpts of which have been used to create this, with due permissions.)

#leatherboundstories #lbs #storiesoflbs #people #love #couple #knightinshiningarmour #togetherness #smallthingsmatter #storyofthemonth

For more such Stories, Click Here

...The Surprise... (unveiled)

Should he tell Parker to back off, that he had lost his chance? Or should he let them go together? So thinking Zach closed the door to the apartment and made way to his car. Driving his car ever so slowly, he kept questioning his wisdom at going to the Ritzy Place, when he knew Kathy was there. But then again, Kathy hadn’t known Parker was coming, had she? Maybe he had just turned up and she was as surprised as everyone was! Parking in his usual place, Zach sat in the car for a moment.

His decision made, Zach went inside the Ritzy Place and saw Kathy almost immediately. She was sitting at the bar talking to someone whose back was to Zach. Kathy and Zach’s eyes met and held for a moment. That was enough for Zach to make his decision.

He went and sat at the bar, on the stool leaving one empty stool between him and Kathy. Beckoning Ivy, he asked for a beer and took a deep slug from it. Keeping his bottle down he took his phone out. Going to the message window, he typed in Kathy’s number. After pondering for a while, Zach typed something and sent the message. As her phone pinged, Kathy stiffened a little bit. Zach noticed the upright position of her back as she read what he had sent her. ‘That would help take her decisions easier’ Zach thought, as he turned away and downed the rest of his beer.

Walking to the end of the bar where David was seated, Zach greeted him with a side, one arm hug and slid into the seat next to his. Ivy came around to their side and asked Zach what had happened, if he had spoken to Kathy. “Yeah” he said offhandedly. Ivy realised that that was all she would get from him for now, and decided to leave him alone for sometime.

In a few minutes, Parker paid his bill and stood up, offering his hand to Kathy. She took it. That action had Ivy’s gaze zoom to David, who was also looking at the scene that was unfolding. Zach’s grip on his second bottle of beer confirmed that he too had noticed.

Parker and Kathy walked towards the door, and Zach felt the land collapse beneath him. “This is what this long chase had ended up to!” he thought ironically. His heart almost skipped a beat when he saw them hug.

The door swung open and Parker walked out. Zach kept staring at that closed door for so long that he did not realise that Kathy had not left with Parker. It was only when David nudged him that he came out of his trance and realised that Kathy was standing right behind him.

She stood with her arms folded and shoulders slightly hunched. Zach noticed she kept pulling the sleeves of her jacket down to cover her hands. A habit she’d picked when she got nervous. Zach turned all the way around to face her.

“Can I please talk to you?” Kathy asked him.

“Yeah, say.” Zach replied.

“Somewhere alone?”

“No here is fine.” Zach was afraid he’d break down if were in any less public place. But he was too proud to say it to her.

Ivy called out to David, asking him for some help with the supplies. Zach knew that there were workers employed to help with the supplies, in case they happen to run short; but he understood this as Ivy’s way of giving them a spec of privacy, for which he was thankful.

“You were saying something?” Zach reiterated.

In halting words, Kathy tried to explain herself. “Zach, I, Well I never meant for this to happen the way it did.” Zach’s heart sank on hearing these words. His silence prodded her to continue. “I had meant to meet you back at the apartment.” She paused. “And then what? Tell me you’re moving out?” Zach’s voice rose slightly before he controlled it. Kathy came close to him and placed her hand on his arm. Zach looked down at it once before quietly removing it, “Why is all your stuff packed Kathy? Where are you going?” When she stood speechless before him, Zach suddenly fell silent. “Oh yes, I remember, I’d just messaged you that I would support you whatever your decision. We are friends first and I would give you all the happiness you deserve, even if that means that I have to step away.” He said controlling the trembling in his voice.

“Why don’t you understand?” Kathy said coming closer to him. “Meeting him again…” “Just brought back all the memories?” Zach finished for her. “No. I mean yes. I mean, it’s not the same way you think!” she danced around her own words. “Yes, seeing him today did bring back all the memories. I became that small girl again. But you know what, I felt no pain. Not for that small girl. Not for me now.” Zach was not sure he understood the line of thought here. On seeing his confused look, Kathy continued, “You healed me Zach. You were the one who showed me how beautiful life is and how precious each moment. Talking to Peter today, I realised, I was never really in love with him. Ever!” Zach could feel his eyes fill up as he held his breath for her next words. Holding his hands, Kathy pulled herself closer to him, “It is you I am in love with Zach! When I think of the future, I can see myself only with you silly boy!” Zach’s face sported a huge grin as he pulled Kathy into an embrace.

“Wait. Wait. Wait.” Kathy said, stepping away. “There is one more thing that I need to tell you.” Zach raised an eyebrow as he watched Kathy stand in front of him with her hands in her jacket pockets. Pulling out a box and opening it, Kathy continued, “This is not how I had imagined this to be; but Zachary Smith, Will you marry me?” Zach grinned as he held up his hand, a small box hidden in the palm, “Not if you agree to marry me first!”

With incredibly wide smiles and new rings in place, Zach gave Kathy a passionate kiss, as they heard David pop the bottle of champagne somewhere in the background…




(written on 28 December 2010)

...The Surprise

“Excuse me miss. I’m Zachary Smith. Do you have anything for me?” Zach asked, as he had earlier to the cashier at My Wardrobe. “Ahh yes Mr.Smith, I have been instructed to lead you to the ‘New Arrivals’ counter” said the salesgirl as Zach followed her. “If you need anything more, do please let me know.” She said as she turned to go. “Umm..Did no one tell you what I was to look for?” Zach asked. “No sir, no one did” she smiled as she walked away. Zach started riffling through the cd collection, randomly reading the tittles on the covers. ‘Golden daffodils’, ‘Lost in transition’, ‘Forever together’ …all random names, and then his eyes fell on a cd cover. It said, ‘A garden full of secrets’ Zach picked up the cd, “A Garden full of secrets…” he grinned. That must be the park that ran alongside the Teese lake. It was called ‘The Garden City’. That was where Kathy as he used to go for cycling when they felt like it. That was where they had first kissed. “It just has to be it” Zach said aloud. His exclamation had the salesgirl come running towards him to see if anything was wrong. Looking at the particular cd in his hand she smiled at him and said, “I see you’ve made the perfect choice.” Zach thanked her and almost ran to his car.

It was almost 3 o’clock Zach noticed as he got into the car. It seemed tough for him to get to his 6 o’ clock shift at the “Ritzy New Place” where he worked part time as a bar tender. So thinking, he called up his mate Ivy who worked there before him and asked her to cover up for him till he got there. “You know Zach, how I don’t have a problem doing that for you, but dude…it’s Friday. I got a date!” Ivy almost jumped at him through the phone. Zach explained how Kathy had designed this trail for him and he wasn’t sure how much of it was left. “Fine then.” Ivy said. “I guess I could ask David if he wished to have a couple of drinks before dinner…served by me!!” “Thanks Ivy, you are a major sweetheart. I owe you one!” Zach said, pulling out of the parking slot. “Of course you do darlin’. Now go ahead…go find your treasure!! Let me know if I can help in anyway..more that is!” teased Ivy. “Yeah I will thanks again” Zach said. But all he heard from the other end was, “Yes sir one beer coming up!!” and Ivy was back to business, Zach thought, flicking his phone off and putting it in his pocket.

‘The Garden City’ was a pretty big park and it would take Zach a long time to go around the park on foot. So he decided to cycle his way around. “Entry for one. And I’d like to rent a cycle too.” Zach told the man at the ticket counter. The man gave him a look that easily meant that he branded Zach to be a weirdo. “There is something I have to find, which is why I need the cycle now” Zach tried to explain as he handed over the money and took charge of the cycle. “Ok sir.” was all the response he got. Cycling along the path that Kathy and he usually took, Zach went past various boards that had different quotes like, ‘If your dog doesn’t like somebody, maybe you shouldn’t too!’, ‘If you’re not willing to risk it all, then you don’t want it bad enough’, ‘Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand.’ All those quotes that Kathy loved to read aloud every time they came cycling. ‘But which one would have my next clue?’ Zach wondered as he came to the place where they had first kissed. Just across from it was one more quote, “Poetry is the music of the soul.” Zach read aloud. “Poems!” Kathy loved to read poetry of new and upcoming poets. Her best friend worked at this bookstore called ‘The NOVEL idea’. Afternoons were generally a no-rush time and she spent time there; curled up with a good book, reading poetry by young authors.

Making his way back, Zach returned the cycle, thanked the ticket counter man and nodded to his question of, “Did you find what you were looking for?” The bookstore was a good 20 to 25 minutes drive and Zach put on the radio to enjoy some music on the way. His favourite song, ‘Love Love me Do’ was playing and he turned the volume up. A couple of songs more and he was standing in front of ‘The NOVEL idea’ bookstore. Stepping inside, he was greeted by Amanda, Kathy’s best friend. “Ahh, I see you have made it this far Zach!” Amanda smiled at him as she hooked her arm in his and led him to a corner where they had some tables where people could come in, read, while enjoying a coffee. “There was this book that Kathy was particularly fascinated by these few days.” Amanda said handing him a book titled, ‘Going Home’. Out of nowhere, Zach thought of Parker and a sudden feeling of uneasiness crept up on him. “There is no reason to!” Zach admonished himself. “Parker is 700miles away. And more importantly, he was a part of her past.” Zach reminded himself as he sat down and started sifting through the book. The book contained various poems written for different contexts like going home from the army, going home for Christmas. All of them though, contained the same underlying feeling of longing to get back to their loved ones. “Here’s a coffee for you Zach. It’s on the house!” Zach looked up to see Amanda smile at him. He took the mug from her as she slipped into the seat in front of him. “Found anything yet?” she asked. “Ummnnn..” Zach muttered distractedly as he went about reading the poems. “Ahh you’re no interesting company at the moment Zach! I’d rather much arrange books!!” Amanda tried to talk to him. “Ok” Zach said. “Zachh…!!” Amanda said exasperatedly. “Yeah?” Zach looked up at her. “Oh nothing, just go back to your search. Call out if you need anything. And do please drink that coffee before it gets cold?” Amanda said, spotting a customer walk in.

With Amanda gone, Zach resumed his reading. Leafing from poem to poem, Zach came to one page that was slightly folded.

‘You can never go home,

That’s what they say.

My response is just a smile,

I know I'll find my way.

Miles and miles to get there,

That is what I might have to do.

But it is all so simple,

My home is inside of you.’

“Miles and Miles to get home.” Zach spoke aloud. “What could she possibly mean by that?” Amanda who had come up behind him again said, “Don’t tell me you don’t understand!” Swivelling around to face her, Zach asked, “No. I don’t. Please help me out here?” Amanda sat in front of him again. “I’ll tell only if you give me a treat later on.” Zach gave his assent. “Dumbo, it’s a book about going home isn’t it? So very clearly, that’s where you need to go. Home!” even after this when Zach gave her a blank look, Amanda reiterated, “Go home. Go to her place Zach!! Technically our place, but yeah…go! Go now!”

Almost as if in a dream, Zach made his way to Kathy and Amanda’s apartment. A dozen thoughts crowding his mind. Thinking, trying to remember all that Kathy had told him about Parker. It wasn’t much. All she had told him was that he was her first love. She had been crazy about him for years. A family friend first, then they started meeting up rather frequently without the family, “It was almost like dating!” he remembered Kathy tell him. But then that is the way Kathy had perceived it. When she confessed her feelings, Parker was shocked. He had believed that they were simply good friends. Pretty soon he left for college and they lost touch. He broke her heart, and she was only 15 then!

“That means he’s 4 years older than her, making him a year older than me.” Zach calculated as he reached Kathy’s place.

Climbing up the stairs, he reached their apartment and knocked on the door. The excitement he’d felt just some time back was slowly filling up with dread. ‘Was he about to lose Kathy?’ he wondered as he knocked again. “Oh hello Zach!” Mrs. Dunhill, the landlady wished him. “Both of them are out. But I can open the door for you if you want.” She had met Zach a number of times and knew him to be a ‘nice young lad’ as she kept mentioning to Kathy. “Oh yes please Mrs. Dunhill. I would be grateful” Zach said, just as his phone started ringing. ‘Ivy’ the phone flashed as Zach muttered under his breath, “I still got time man!!” as he picked up the call. “Kathy is here. With some guy. And she seems really distraught. I think you should get here as soon as possible Zach.” Ivy said in one single breath.

By this time the door to the apartment was open and Zach was already stepping inside. Moving around the apartment as Ivy spoke, he noticed that the picture of Kathy and him which used to be on the telephone table was missing, while the other one of Kathy and Amanda was still there. “Ok, I’ll be there.” So saying Zach hung up as he pushed open the door to Kathy’s room. The bed was neatly made, but all her small items were missing from the bedside table. Another picture of the two of them together was at its place, but the small bunny rabbit keychain he had given her was gone, and so were her books, which were always by her bedside. Opening her cupboard he noticed most of her clothes missing and the big suitcase that used to be at the top of her cupboard was not in its place either. Just then his cell beeped signalling a message, and he kept staring at his message. It was Amanda- ‘Parker in town. Not a part of plan.’ Was all that she had said.

A chill ran through him. He was lost. He didn’t know what to do. Should he go confront Kathy?

..

..

..

(to be continued..)

The Surprise!

“You wear this on your hands when you feel cold” Zach read the clue and smiled. “Gloves” he wrote down in the white spaces of the crossword. ‘Come on Kathy, I didn’t think it would be that simple!’ Zach muttered almost to himself. He looked at the clock which told him it was only 8 o’clock and it would be another 2 hours before any store opened. So he decided to take his time and finish his crossword in the Panorama, his preferred newspaper, before he went around looking for more clues that his girlfriend had planted. 'Working as a journalist sure has its perks!' Zach smiled amusedly.

Kathy and Zach had been dating for almost 2 years now. One would never have seen a couple more in love. They were as perfect as Mistletoe and Christmas!

One day Kathy told Zach, “I have something really very important to tell you. But I will tell you that only if you can find me!” Zach pulled her in close and said, “There, I found you.. Now tell me.” Kathy wriggled out of his grasp and stood facing him. Holding his hands, so he does not try any more stunts like that, Kathy said,” Zach! I’m serious.. Listen to me carefully or you won’t get your gift!”

“Ah, it involves gifts ehh? You got my attention now sweety. Tell me about this chase that you’re leading me on”

“Ok listen then, like you already know, there is going to be a gift at the end of the trail. BUT, you will get it only if you can reach me. Exactly a week from now, when you open the paper to solve your crossword, you will find your first clue. All you have to do is keep following the clues, find me and you get that special something meant just for you!” Kathy beamed.

Zach smiled at her. She was such a romantic. And so very spontaneous. But with this spontaneity she had the grit to follow her ideas through. He knew that the chase that Kathy had designed for him would definitely be good and something they would never forget.

Come Friday and he opened his crossword, he instinctively knew the clue would be in the words that went across and not down. Kathy was not the sort of person who would let herself be pulled down. When she was emotionally disturbed, she threw herself even more in her work, never letting herself feel low. So Zach was pretty confident he would find his first clue in the across section. The other clues in the crossword included, ” an island nation of the Greater Antilles, situated in the Caribbean Sea”. And though she had said she wants them to go to Jamaica for a vacation, that wouldn’t be where he was required to go right now. She had kept mentioning how she wanted just those black gloves from her favourite store, ‘My Wardrobe’ and so that is where he would go first.

At 10, he was standing in front of the ‘My Wardrobe’ store, and he was the first customer in. Taking a little help from the sales staff, he found the black gloves that Kathy had wanted and went to the counter to bill for them. As the cashier was calculating his bill, Zach asked, “Excuse me sir, I am Zachary Smith, do you have anything for me?” “You mean besides the bill? No I’m afraid I do not sir. Is there anything specific that you were looking for?” Zach shook his head, paid the amount mentioned in the bill and thanked the cashier. “Mr.Smith, I hope you find what you are looking for.” The cashier said. “Sometimes we tend to miss things that are right in front of us. Have a nice day Mr.Smith”

“Hmm…right in front of us…had the cashier just given him his next clue?” Zach wondered. Right in front of the shop was a bus stand. Puzzled, Zach went across nonetheless. “Excuse me sir” he asked a man standing at the stop. “Could you please tell me where do the buses that leave from here go?” “All of them?” asked the man and on getting a nod from Zach, gave him the necessary information. All the destinations having no particular specialty to Kathy and him together, Zach concluded that must not be what the clue is.

Zach went and sat in his car, keeping the bag with the gloves in it on the seat next to him. A corner of the bill stuck out, and as Zach was putting the bill in properly, he glimpsed ‘Café Mondeu’ written on it. He pulled the bill out. It mentioned that anyone who possesses that particular bill was given a discount to any purchase worth up to 10dollars. “Café Mondeu huh Kathy?” Zach smiled. That had been the place they had gone for their first date.

Café Mondeu was only a couple of blocks away from ‘My Wardrobe’ and Zach reached there in less than 15mins. Making his way to the booth, Zach sat down and looked through the menu card. He spotted his favourite, cappuccino with white sugar and whipped cream, the price of which was 10 dollars exact! “How sweet of you Kathy to think about me so much!” having ordered his coffee, Zach sat sipping it slowly, wondering what the next clue could be. As this was a complimentary coffee, he did not get any bill with it. Thus wondering what to do next, Zach kept playing with/rotating the coffee cup in his hand. After almost the third time that Zach rotated that cup, he looked down at it. Splashed across it in bright colours was an advertisement of a Radio channel. They were having an entire show for those who wanted to dedicate songs to their loved ones. And it was supposed to start at 11 o’clock exactly. Zach looked at his watch; it was already ten past 11.

He hurried out to his car and switched on the radio. ‘ Nothing’s gonna change my love for you’ was already on air. Zach hoped he hadn’t missed the dedication from Kathy. When the Rj came back on air after the song saying, “And that was our first dedicated song of the show. Ricky man, your one lucky guy!” “Next up on Master Sounds FM we have Kathy dedicating the Graduation song to all her friends” Zach turned the volume up as Kathy’s voice came on air. “ Guys I love you sooo much. I do hope we stay in touch always!” turning down the volume, Zach shook his head. This was not his Kathy. This was some high-school graduating kid, judging from her over enthusiastic voice. Zach enjoyed the song while finishing his coffee. The song descended into advertisements broadcasting the various sponsors and their products, and then there was a jingle about how the Master Sounds FM Radio Station was the best in town and how this totally different show had callers dedicating songs from 3 days prior to the actual show! By the time the Rj came back on air, Zach was getting a little impatient at having nothing to do. With his usual exuberance the Rj introduced their next caller, another Kathy! Zach turned the volume up again as the first strings of ‘All You Need Is Love’ started playing. The Rj asked Kathy who she was dedicating this song to and what her message was. “This song is for my boyfriend Zach. As for the message, he’ll know after hearing the song!”

Zach remembered how Kathy had wanted the Beatles cd and how it was out of stock in most shops that they frequented. Both of them had gone to all the music stores looking for that cd, as she had just wanted it so very desperately. Kathy had been like an inconsolable child that day, Zach recalled as he made his way to the store where they finally found the cd, ‘Melody’s melodies’. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but he knew he would figure it out when he reached there.....

..

..

..

(to be continued..)

Faltering Hopes...

“Click”….. The phone line went dead. She put the receiver back into its cradle. Sitting on her chair she closed her eyes, trying desperately to control the tears that had formed in her eyes and were threatening to pour out. She couldn’t cry. She was strong, and strong girls don’t cry. Her hands were on her knees and a faraway look in the eyes which had been twinkling just a few moments back.

She felt a complete and utter sense of loss. But how could it be described as a loss, something that was never really her’s. Her dreams had been shattered, her hopes dead. What all she had imagined and what had actually happened! She closed her eyes again wanting desperately to melt into the floor and just vanish away. But it wasn’t possible, she knew. Though she tried to be discreet, a lot of people around her were aware of her feelings for him. The same teasing which she once secretly enjoyed was something she was dreading to face. Her friends, she could talk to, but what about the others who would be oblivious to this turn of events and continue to tease her? She did not have the strength to see all the pitiful faces; those sympathetic smiles. She wanted to disappear, just be a nobody. Her life was empty if he could not share it with her. The incident a few minutes back had completely clogged her mind, made her numb, incapable of forming any rational thought.

Wanting to distract herself, she decided to meet up with her friends. All through the evening, the conversation replayed itself in her mind, bringing a fresh flow of tears in her eyes. Those tears, which she knew she must control. It was hard, but not impossible. She couldn’t burden others with her own problems. They had their own. She had to keep all the thoughts, the feelings and pain inside her. She had to have the guts to face the world. But mostly she had to accept what had happened before she could tell it, even to her best friends.

The thoughts, those hurtful moments, she recorded them in her diary. But his wonderful face; soft, chocolate brown eyes and his cute grin kept presenting itself in front of her and she had to live with it. As a hard as she tried, she couldn’t get rid of those eyes of his which kept popping in her mind and making her want to shout. Her head started swooning; and when she closed her eyes to stop from spinning, she recalled the phone conversation which they had had. “No. I just don’t feel the same way” was the sentence that was torturing her. She had just told him her most important secret, had opened up her heart to him, had called, wishing and wishing deeply for him to accept her. She had even weaved a beautiful dreamland just for the two of them. But her dreamland got crushed under the force of just one word, “No.” her heart ached when she heard it. “What’s the reason?” she asked him, trying desperately for the last time to make him realize how much he meant to her. But he broke her heart anyway.

They had a lot of common friends and she was bound to run into him sooner or later. The thought that once brought happiness was something she wanted to avoid now. She didn’t want to see him again, because she knew that her heart would pine for his love again- something that she would have to contend living without. He was never going to be hers anymore. Maybe his heart belonged to someone else already!

She kept thinking of the times when they had been together and how she mistook his friendliness to be his love for her. Did her own feelings blind her so much that she could not see the reality as it was? “Didn’t his eyes twinkle just for me? Was that smile not really special?” she felt, as she closed the diary into which she had just filled in this new entry. It was late night when she crept upstairs and entered her bed. Now in the darkness of the room and the comfort of being alone, her heart opened again, wider than ever, and she didn’t try to stop the tears from finally pouring out...

Of Friendship And Hope.....

All of sudden..out of the blue..it pops into my mind.. those fun and happy days of childhood when responsibilities were a minor speck on the horizon. Those days of laughter, of running around, of naughtiness..all such beautiful memories of time spent.

And as it always does, even today, memories of you accompany those of my childhood days. How can they not, you formed such a big part of it. The first thing that always comes to mind is us leaning against the bars in the corridors of our school, just talking.. being in different classes never made a difference to us.

This is just a memoir of sorts. A tribute to the friendship which lay the basis of all my friendships after that. This is just to tell You, my best friend of all my growing up years, we may not be as close as we once were. I miss that so much I can’t even begin to explain. Today we may not be sharing the same bond we used to, but I always look back with fondness at the time we spent together.

Life is not, and never will be, a bed of roses. I have gone through various feelings of hurt, pain, anger, betrayal, sadness, loneliness, loss, disappointment, and even the hope that our relation may revive to be what it once was. But now I feel a sense of calmness. I no longer go through extreme emotions, of being too happy when we share a good moment or of sadness when we don’t even meet. That is because we have both changed over the years. And what I was refusing to accept for quite many years is that we have grown up individually.

Expecting our relation to go back to what it was is not going to be possible anymore. What is possible though, is to begin a new chapter in our lives. We could get to know each other now; try to understand the kind of people we have become. This is not a fairytale that everything will just fall into its own place. This is reality, and the challenges and unpredictability of it is what makes it so wonderful..so much more beautiful than a fairytale itself.

So my dear friend, it is with fondness that I look back to the days of our past, and with a kind of anxious excitement to our future…wondering, if there is any magic in store for us……

Topsy-Turvy Matters!

It’s funny what you feel when you want to feel nothing anything at all..

You want the time to run, but all it does is stall.

A peculiar action, a funny trait;

Why is it so endearing that it goes to the heart straight?

A taunt, a joke, a pulling of the leg,

Just makes you laugh and doesn’t pull you down a peg.

Why when the eyes meet you feel out of breath,

Trying to understand this connection just makes you fret.

Why do you search for magic when there’s none at all?

Why do you try to run, when you know you’re going to fall?

It’s funny, how in blind alleys we always rush,

If it’s supposed to feel good, why is it called a crush??

He’s your buddy, your friend, your closest pal,

If that’s true, why this confusion at all?

Why when you know it never was, and will never be,

Should you still remain silent, or of the burden be free?

For him all happiness, joy and success you know you will call,

But it’s still funny what you feel; when you want to feel nothing at all . . . . .