The Idea
The story is about a young couple, new to the world of dating whose love is portrayed
in the very urban times of India. Every event in the story, ranging from their
first meeting to their first kiss is a moment of thrill for them. The story highlights the development of
nascent passion in two younglings which grows into an uncontrolled vista of
love.
What Makes This Story ‘Real’
It’s a story that a close friend has
narrated to me, and I was able to build upon some parts of it.
Extract
His vibrating cellphone under
the pillow blurred his dreams and woke him into the reality. The scratched
screen blinked madly and revealed 3:51 A.M.
It was time.
He rubbed his eyes, exited his comforter with much effort, and placed his feet
on the floor below with a quick swinging motion to jolt himself up. The floor
felt cold, even through his woolen socks. Grimacing, he threw back a handful of
hair that blocked his vision and staggered towards the door.
Outside, the hostel's corridor was desolate with most of the hostellers deep
in sleep with their rooms locked and lights off. Some of the rooms were still
lit as their doors were lined with yellow light, pushing itself out in the dark
night. Newspapers, soda cans swept the corridor that led to the bathroom. He
almost made his mind to go back at once and rest a bit more. He finished on
phone with her last night around 2 A.M. He needed more sleep.
But no, he went on. He began with brushing. And brushed twice. It mattered.
There was no hot water for him to take a bath in this cold weather. He could
try to check the geysers on other floors of the hostel but he was getting late.
It was 4:20 A.M. and the direct bus to his dating destination left in a couple
of minutes from now. And cold water, was what, he poured on his bare chest.
Carefully checking around four times that he had picked all the gifts that he
need to carry with him, he bolted his door and nearly ran to the hostel's exit.
The guard lay snoring on his seat and took no notice as a shadow passed into
the night. (Story continues here)
