MOMENTS

MOMENTS


He had been admitted to the college at the University. He had chosen Humanities to major in. He had grown up quiet and studious by nature and expected nothing but years of hard work ahead.

He attended the first day at the college. All other freshers were there. He met most of them introducing himself and getting to know the others. He found himself on a different wavelength from theirs .He had not known guys except from those in the localities of the small cities where he had grown up. This was a state university with people of all kinds from all over. Perhaps being close to parents and living with his family this had passed unnoticed. Now he was alone and away from the family and home, to live in a hostel and graduate in a couple of years as most others he had known, without anything eventful happening in life.

He was lost in his thoughts by himself having shaken hands with most of his would be classmates. Most of them turned out to be warm but he noticed some to be watchful and wary of him even while shaking hands. He did not know why?

He looked around and saw her. She was dressed in a grey top with black slacks looking at him. Her straight hair drawn back falling upon her back through her shoulders, he caught sight of her blue green eyes as she kept looking at him. He had an eye for beauty from the very beginning and he appreciated anything that seemed deserving , within his limits.

He was handsome and he had known this fact. He had come across girls being attracted to him but had brushed aside any fanciful ideas.

He was surprised seeing her watching him. She was beautiful, he noticed even without a moments thinking or judging. He involuntarily tried smiling back at her. She caught her gaze and turned away hurriedly to face one of her friends. He looked around and saw a few girls were also present of the class, busy chatting around while some silent. He turned back to look at her and saw her going through the glass doorway.

He finished up the formalities of the first days attendance at the class registering himself formally as a student in the college , meeting most of his colleagues as could and taking notes for the following days programmes and the schedule for the classes.

All throughout he felt his mind on the girl. He did not know the name yet but she had left him breathless in a few moments of first gaze.

He tried getting his mind off. He had got his books and tried reading in his room in his hostel. She had looked very new and vulnerable in the world outside. He felt an urge to protect her from the harsh real world which, he thought she might not know of and felt it obsessively turning strong.

He decided he would go up to her and talk to her the next day. He felt slightly disturbed at letting the day pass off without attempting to know her. He could now understand the watchful eyes of others. He guessed he knew what it would be for a girl for to look for support in this harsh world, which would make her even more vulnerable.

His thoughts of losing out to someone else, he found disturbing him. This was the first day and he had the first experience of this kind.

He had dinner and went to bed, resolving to himself to know her name.

Perhaps he was going too weak, he thought looking up from his bed at the ceiling. The studies were to formally start in a day or two and he could not afford any state of weakness in his mind. But this was, he thought, an experience very few might pass through. He could take it as a challenge and one of life’s own turns , which he thought he should welcome rather than brush aside. The thought of brushing aside what looked could be a happy an unexpected turn of events if everything went well, troubled him. The thought of she having to go to someone else owing to his indifference troubled him even more. He could feel pain now itself after just her first look. He resolved once again he would not be labelled  a dumb, shy guy. He would try getting to know her….with these thoughts in his tired mind, he was soon fast asleep.

He woke up next day, dressed up, had breakfast and went to college. She was there. The guys too looked excited. She looked the centre of attraction. Some one told him her name was Crystine. He found her there seated with her girl friends. He noticed in a glimpse that she had known he and come and she looked talking excitedly.

She turned to look at him, in a flash of a second smiled and turned to talk to her colleagues.

He sat down at one of her tables with his books. He felt nervous and weak in his body but a queer sense of hitherto unknown pleasure inside. He felt himself perspiring.

It was just a smile. He thought his world was changing and he wanted it to welcome with open arms. But then suddenly he felt he had enough. He felt as if all the pleasure of a glimpse and smile was more than enough for the day. He would wait to desire for more. She was there. She would be there still….close to him. It looked as if he had found her. He was confident.

He picked up his books and looked at her, she looked up questioningly. He smiled back and moved ahead through the door… for the next class.