One Moment

Rucha

@frnd.of.frndz

We were children, not Lovers, yet we lay on the grass looking at the stars, talking of Angels.. She took his hand and said 'A moment can change everything..' Whenever now he thinks of Ridhhima, which he did more often than ever, he always remembered that night..

Layed on the Earth as though floating just an inch above the ground, she told him in the strange voice, that there would be Signs, Forever..

"I'm not tricking you, Armaan.. you know that, don't you..? I'm just telling you how it is and how it's going to be.. When we get older nd we're not friends like now, coz we'd have gone away or got a job or got married.. I'm going to send you Signs to remember US now, this very second.. Do you believe me..?"

"What sort of Signs..?"

She might have been about to answer when the kitchen light came through window.. but he was ready on his feet, tugging her up, dragging nd scrambling with her hand tight in his, keeping low on the ground as her father came out to look for the source of the noise..  "Ridhhi.. you better not be here out at this hour with that rowdy boy..! you here me..?" her father demanded..

Armaan was able to see her father's big shadow.. He was a uncouth man with dark eyes nd a darker brows.. Always dangerous, with tools buldging in his pocket.. Getting away from his notice they rushed into the dark.. In the trees, near the stream, they sat on their haunches, breathing hard, breathing the woods.. they stayed like that, frozen in their fear.. until he moved closer nd whispered into her ear..

"Why does he hate me so much..?"

"He thinks if it weren't for you, I'd stay indoors with him.. He's got worse since Mom left.. He gets worse everyday.. truly, he does.." she said glumly..

He looked into her sad eyes.. Then just like kids, feeling safe together nd holding nothing back they hugged each other close.. so close that they could hear eachother's thumping hearts.. They didn't knew who kissed whom first.. but  while kissing he saw, twenty years later in a room in Canada, watching her as his wife, combing her hair.. she looked so much like Ridhhima..  It came to him like force as crushing as gravity..

"If I'd keep Ridhhima closer, If I'd never let her go away so easily, I could have her combing her hair as my wife then.." he thought to himself.. Now he wondered if that was the FIRST SIGNAL..

They've not felt worse ever than bidding goodbye that night.. he didn't want her to go, but once they came out of the kiss they realized what they'd done nd how was more, much more than a Forbidden Friend.. She was shaking so hard that he  for once thought that she might die on him.. With that taste of her on his lips, He sneaked her out of the trees.. they scurried, close to the ground, bending as fast as they could.. he took her to her phony father.. He kissed her again lightly in the shadows nd that was the Bravest thing he has ever done.. He wanted to tell her that even though she was going back, he would never desert her.. not ever..

She didn't attend her school for next few days after that and then he found out that it was she who was leaving him.. Going back to Poland, motherland of her ancesters, as far as Stars for him.. he didn't believe the news at first.. Since that night she was the only thing he had on his mind.. he just sat in silence all alone, dazed and full of insecurities of losing her..

He saw her once afterwards.. she managed to sneak round his house to meet him.. she said she couldn't stay longer nd threw herself on the sofa.. she sat there wrestling with cushions, banging her fists.. "Armaan, is there any God..? nd what good is he doing to make Papa so mad to shift from here.."  He wanted to reach out to her nd say many things but he couldn't utter a word as he knew somewhere it was him who was responsible for her father's anger..

He so wanted to feel that moment of bliss again nd kiss her even longer but his Mom was lurking so he just held her hand.. "I promise, I'll write everyday.."

She nodded innocently nd left after a tight hug.. "Look out for signs Armaan.. I'll send them nd you'll remember me.. I know.."

He looked out to sings all the time but as he grew up from a Boy to a man, he stopped searching or may be stopped seeing.. Life often does that to us, cloud things over..

Often his mind would wander around his long lost Friend many questions start coming up.. Why is it only that his life his drowsy with her dream..? nd what does that mean that a smell, a word, a single sigh of an owl can make him think of his Ridhhi..? Nearly whole life he lived without her.. Got jobs, gone away nd got married, but only now does he see that she was so right..

One moment can change everything.. turn children to friends from Friends to lovers and that you can never, ever, go back again..

The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it..