She was still. The shadow moved away and she took a deep breath.
After two days, again the shadow was standing between her and her sun. But this time he sat down just next to her, which made her skip a beat. She kept her eyes glued to the book.
“I found the person I was looking for such a long time yesterday, and many things sorted out because of her. I got a big break and would be moving out in next three four days.”
She was silently listening to what he was saying, without giving a single expression and winding up slowly. The crimson sun masked the blood that rushed on her face.
“I just came to pay some gratitude to you. I feel like you are my lucky charm. I met you for those few minutes and all the missing pieces found their place within 24 hours, it was like a miracle to me. My dream shaped up so quickly.”
She just gave him a forced smile, without looking at him even once and got up “listen I have to go now, all the best”
And hurriedly left before he could say anything. She took another route to her home, making sure no one followed her.
She decided to miss her evenings for next four five days, maybe he was right and would go away. But it was too difficult for her to miss those solitary moments, reserved for her exclusively.
On the fifth day she went back to the park. The moment she sat on the bench she felt the comfort, she took a deep breath, and a starved soul got her food on fifth day. The spring made sure every colour that a human eye could see should be there. Gulmohars coloured the grey paths. She just closed her eyes and listened to voices. Girls counting, as they skipped, boys shouting catch, as a ball was hit hard with a bat, a few giggles and laughs there, a dog barking, for a moment, there was no sound and she heard the sound of gentle breeze which played with her hair. Every nerve was swaying with the moments. Suddenly the shadow appeared, and she turned pale.
He sat just next to her and such that they both were facing each other. As he sat, she moved, without looking at him and turned a back towards him.
“I noticed you were not coming here for last few days”
She listened but didn’t react.
“I feel, I am the reason, I am making you uncomfortable with my presence.”
Of course yes, she wanted to stay but still kept quiet. She started packing up her things.
“Oh please, don’t go, I will go, if you are not comfortable. But I think I didn’t show any gesture that made you feel scared of me. I just want to share a few minutes with someone, as I am lonely and this is a very crucial time for me. We are sitting in a public place, which is crowded. I have no bad intentions in my mind, don’t you think, for the sake of humanity; you can share a few minutes with me?”
This was the limit. She was annoyed, but at the same time there was a big fight inside her, between her mind and her heart. Mind was shouting, he is a pervert, these all are tricks, pack up and run, heart was saying, what all he is saying is correct, you know so many people around, you can set him right if you want, then what’s the harm in listening to what he is saying?
