"Are you also looking for picks?" A tall, black-haired guy behind me tries to peek into my mind. "Yeah. But this is not what I'm really looking for". I smile. I was looking at some cheap guitar picks at Target, and my heart was beginning to melt at how ruthlessly I had been ignoring my needs to get quality things in life- for no reason. I could've stopped by a guitar store downtown. I will.

"I saw you walking past the apartment complex last Tuesday", the guy said again. Smartly dressed, he caught my attention. Albeit a little dark, he had a firm posture and an aura of confidence while he spoke- it gave out a sense of strong personality.

"You did." I glanced at him, questioningly.

"Yes. I did." He became a little serious. "And then I saw you at the gym again", he said, letting out a light laughter.

"I'm sorry?" I had to make it a point. Why would he notice me in the first place? I don't like to be sneaked upon. Okay I agree at times I'll playfully challenge you just so that I get enough attention- but I don't need it now. I didn't need it then.

"I'm sorry. Don't take me wrong. Are you still looking for the picks?" he looked at me for quite some time while I was busying myself browsing through numerous guitar accessories.

I gave one look at him and walked towards the counter. He didn't follow. My bus was already there, I ran for it like I was going to lose someone for ever.

I didn't want to go to the gym then. Getting home after a hectic day had become a routine, yet 'change' was not in the priority list. Some things were. I opened a news website and called a travel agency. Going home is always exciting for most people. It is. But for some reason, like the untuned guitar strumming with unease, I struggled to comprehend the idea I was actually going home to get married. I could just look at his picture and blush in shyness- the woman in me. How strange, isn't it? Most women my age wouldn't shy away playing trumpets to announce their wedding with a guy like him. 'Heera ho heera tyo', someone exaggerated on his already reputed vigor. No doubt. Like the newly weds finding it unnecessary to express themselves in words, sometimes I struggled to convey myself in English- feelings were stuck somewhere en route to the vocal chord. "Ma! I booked the ticket. I'm landing there on the 20th".

The guy in Target. Numerous other people riding the bus with me everyday. The strip club I'd been to with some friends- white bodies swirling and swinging from the pole that was planted on the floor for them- their toy mate. "I'd do it for fun. Once in a lifetime, comon..", my Indonasian girl friend had said with enthusiasm. And my guy friend had confessed then- just the thought of his girlfriend meant more goose-bumps than this naked dance in jungle beats. What a loser. I had thought then. And the red purse I like to take out sometimes when I feel pretty. He likes the purse- I wonder why. Red is not a guy color- it looks good on you, he says. What is a guy color anyway? It's late. I need to check my eyes- I really don't want to wear glasses.

Early morning in the bus, a voice behind says Hi. I turn back to find the dark guy standing, smiling in freshness. I just take a seat. He takes off his laptop bag sits right next to me. He didn't even ask me once if he could sit there. Its a public bus anyway. Why am I so irritated early morning? "How are you?" He throws a glance at me. "I'm good, thanks." I stay tight. Oh the sky is quite clear today- seems like we don't have much to bear the winter chill- it will go away- like life, like love- seasons are also like feelings- sometimes blooming in lush greeneries, sometiems dry and chapped, sometimes vivid and gutsy.

To be continued..

hehe... ani ani?... :)

Fantastic ... simply fantastic. Lucky Suraj! ;)

:) Ok, Typo:

I dialed Suraj instead and woke him up. I laughed at something very trivial- I don't know if it irritated him, but I could notice Ramesh had his head high and alert, looking out of the window. He just got down from the bus and left. Tall and straight, his strides were attractive. Reminded me of Erik Bana in Munich.


Read Ravi instead of Ramesh.. what was I thinking eh! :D

nice one DC GAL
keep comin

awesome story... like it very much....

i m very appreciative of ur lovely story.. work it girl...

;) cheers

Okayy... the first half was excellent... The second half is scattered, all over the place... just like her mind . Interesting! I wish I could write stories...Man all these people with their lil stories...

Increible writing....flawless....

There is a point....I am not a sexist.

i hope u get bored more often.........:-) or i get less bored.....or at least hope we get both bored at the same rate

DC_Girl - Very nice. Keep it up!

Thank you everyone. Aloneness you crack me up :) Wateva- what to do, scattered mind scattered outcome :D Will come up with something better for the third episode, something less bizarre. Your writings are no less bizarre by the way! :P Interesting read though. Thanks Rythm, Bhoonte and everyone else. Vantage Point, living with memories is hard sometimes ;) kidding. Time to get bored again- lol.

Yes, that was the whole point, sweetheart... You reminded me of ME... so go figure! :P

DC girl, very good writing. i think i know you.

:D Thanks * I think I know you too. Are you the one who I'm thinking you are, the one that you really are? :P

yes, i am the one who you are thinking, who i could be. if i am not wrong you are from somewhere in mid...

nice story
keep coming

Geographic channel. A Wolf. The turkey he grabs by the neck- shuns it to the ground- once, twice- pits it against the hard land- the turkey is trying to get a look at the wolf may be- twisting its neck, trying to breathe, quacking, fluttering its wings in desperation. Finally, after 10 minutes of wringing and snatching and pitting it against the ground, the wolf lets it rest in peace- soaked in blood, the little creature's body lies on the ground, its legs stretched wide, body stiff. Its dead. Is it still panick-stricken? I wonder- how it feels to watch with my eyes open, someone snatch life out of me. I'm lucky I'm alive. Indeed.

"Why do you watch all this?" Ramesh knocks on the door and reaches for the remote straight.

"I'm not a depression-patient, comon, its geographic channel".

"Yeah, but why do you have to watch all these?"

"Okay fine, I don't have to".

"How was your day?" Its an obvious question, and I don't answer obvious questions. He knows. I just look at him and smile, while I unpack my lunch box. He can't stop laughing. "God! You're so mean.." Its as if he could read my mind at instances like these. I laugh.

"Let's go out. Come on, hurry. Lets go, we're running out".

"Where...are we going?" I look at him- smiling, confused, and demanding at the same time. I could feel his uneasiness- he didn't want to reveal the secret, but he didn't know how to convince me either. Like a child trying to convince his mom of something he really wants, but knows his mom will not buy the idea- he tried.

"Comon lets go. It's something different, I'll tell you once we get to the car". That was cute. I love it when men are helpless sometimes. Like a little kid.

"I don't know if I want to go". I slumped myself on the lazy couch and stretched my body. He just stood and gazed at me.

"No! lets go! It'll be fun, I promise!!".

I gazed at him for a while, thinking whether to go.

"Wear something nice". He said. I blushed. I ususally rush to places- grabbing jeans and a lousy looking sweater to put on- my hair tied up in a cold wintry day. Suraj, in Atlanta, asks me to pick a dress when we go shopping- he never told me this is what I want you to wear. Weird I'm paying too much attention to things that never existed. Anyway, this time I wanted to dump the lousy sweater and wear something different. Something expensive may be?

Twelfth Night. Shakespeare. Need I say more? Tennessee Williams would have been a different case may be. Humanitarian companies here and there are minting money painting faces of naked African children on their walls- Ramesh and I walk pass the Irish pubs I'd have loved to go. I didn't say anything. Am I betraying Suraj? No, I love him. I don't love Ramesh.

"Look at the moon!" I've never had a guy point out to the moon. "Its beautiful" I smile at him. He doesn't know there's already someone I share the beauties of life with- resting my head on Suraj's shoulders, by the lake, as the chilly wind bit us- we would count the stars- he from the east and I from the west side. It stopped way before we finished. Suraj would start counting the twinkle in my eyes instead...

To be continued...

ह्या क्या झुर यार डिसी मैया अजा नि पद्दा पद्दा तु बी कोन्तीनउ तेओ त भएन यार yo ta looks like weekly or monthly serial in nepal cant u make it daily serial like out here waitinggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

enjoy reading your story, continue soon please

wah wah... ho heeraa ho heeraaaaaaa.. katti guff aune yaar jakal ko thiti haru lai babababa :D

Amazing