Feb 14 to Feb 14

[Author's note: This is purely a love story and 100% imaginary. This short story is a first person narration. Since I used some religion's name I have concerned in not hurting anyone. So If it hurt anyone it is not my intention. I designed this story as taking place in Pondicherry. Just Enjoy the story. Please don't do any research in it. -K.Aravind Shankar]

I didn’t remember when I met her for the first time. But for the last time I met her while giving this letter.

12^th Feb,
Pondicherry.

Dear Stella Joseph,

I reproached my friends as fools many times when they said that they were in love with someone. But now I become such a fool. You know me, however I’ll tell about me. I’m Sadik Mohammad s/o Salim Mohammad. I am fighting back as a software tester in HCL, Pondicherry. I don’t have mother, brother, sister. You know that I was following you at the bus stop daily in the evening. I tried to speak with you several times. If your father was not there daily with you I would have spoken. Also I noticed your gesture. Without knowing your father, when you smile on me I fell on the gravity of your dimple. Your eyes flashed like saying “yes” to me. But I’m afraid whether you really aimed a “yes”. Your name is my mail password. Your picture is my wallpaper. A life without you is like music without A.R.Rahman, Laptop without keyboard, a project without program, a program without main() function etc.,. And I couldn’t imagine such things.

So my conclusions are:

I love you! And I revealed about my love even to the flower which blossomed today morning in my garden.

What is your answer?
If “yes” I expect you to come to beach on 14^th Feb evening with two roses on your head as a sign of saying “yes”. I will be waiting for you.
If “no”, At least you come to beach, please.

In case of you saying “yes” to me I swear within one year I will marry you. i.e. by 14^th February of next year Stella Joseph will change as Stella Sadik.

In case of you saying “No” to me I swear within one year I will make you love me. i.e. by 14^th February of next year.

with hope and love,
Sadik Mohamad.

P.S. Remember two roses on your head.

On Feb 14th I was fervently waiting for her in the stone bench of the beach. I was praying that she should come with two roses. Finally she came. I was disappointed. She wore only one rose on her head. But still I have 2^-10 % hope. Sky turned dark, Street lights turned on. She was gorgeous in her white sari. She came next to me. I noticed a catholic cross on her neck. The distance between us is the distance between two bars in a railway track. I opened my mouth to sway. She blocked my mouth with her finger and said “Sshhh!” I sensed a fragrance of jasmine from her. Then she took another rose from her handbag and offered me to keep that second rose on her head. I held the second rose and winked like a tube light. I took 5 seconds to understand the situation that she is in love with me. I felt the whole world is mine. I felt like I am the happiest person in the world. But I don’t know what to do next.

She helped me by saying “I Love You Sadik” timidly.

For the first time in my life I liked my name. I replied with “me too” and kept the rose on her head. We decided to have a coffee in nearby “Lé Cafe”. I took her across the road. I held her hand while crossing the road.

While crossing she asked me “will you hold my hand like this, throughout my life?”

I corrected the word “my life” with “our life” and enjoyed the coffee.

She gave me a Valentine’s Day card. I didn’t bring anything to gift her. I gave a guilty look. “That’s alright”, she shrugged.

That night I dropped her near her home in my bike. We exchanged “I love you” for the second time and left the place. The same night I told about this to my father and got his approval for the love. I hardly slept that night. The next day itself I brought her to my home and introduced her to my father. My father was very happy and blessed us.

For the next few months we met in various places. Park, Auroville beach, Big cinemas, Aurobindo’s Ashram, Botanical Garden, Temples. Since both of us were non-Hindus we used to meet in Hindu-temples where our relations not used to come. She gave many gifts, cards to me. I gave her some gifts too. Months went by....

We were chatting in the Botanical garden on a fine day in November; I came there directly from office so I brought my Laptop bag. For the first time we started discussing about our marriage.

“Our marriage will take place in a church or mosque?” She asked
“I prefer neither place” I answered casually.
“Then where? Temple?” she raised her right eye’s brow with exclamation.
“I don’t know, but I will be happy if our marriage will take place in some other way”
“This is November. Do you remember your promise?” she intimidated me
“What promise?” I gave an innocent look
“You rascal! You mentioned in your letter that you will marry me before next February. Did you forget that?”
“Oh! I remember that darling, we have two more months, don’t be bothered” I convinced her.
“I am scared of my father, He will say “no” to our marriage for sure”. She babbled again.
“Ours’ is true love, even we cannot devastate it. So stop babbling and enjoy loving!” I said with confidence.
“How to enjoy love?” she asked innocently.
“Hmmm... Say how will you punish me when I behave mischievous to you?” I asked her.
“I will punish you by kissing” she said timorously.
“I am lucky” I yelled.
“Hey wait! wait! When and all you do mischievous things?” she asked.
“Kiss me now. I will tell you.” I said by showing my cheek to her.
She slapped with cherish and said “Naughty rascal!”
Suddenly wind blew heavily and few drops of rain fell on us.
“Rain!!!” I screamed.
“Stupid! Why are you screaming? Let us enjoy the rain dear! Shall we sing a duet in this rain?”
“Podi loosu... If I sing a duet now then my Father will do a fight sequence in my home”
“Why?”She asked.
“My Laptop is getting wet!” I shouted and pull her to start running.

She took her handbag and started running along with me! We were searching a place to hide from rain. Gradually it rained heavily. She found an ATM to hide. We ran into it. We were almost wet but rescued the laptop.

There were no guards in that ATM. It rained like hell outside. Now, Inside that ATM I, she, the ATM machine, a dim florescence light, and our two shadows. Air conditioner showed a 16 degree. I gazed her, she stared me back, and she came closer to me. I heard only the sound of our breath, and the sound of heartbeat like a thunder. The chill air, wet cloths, all together created a romantic atmosphere. Two shadows fastened together and became one. The distance between us was NULL.

We loved (lived) happily till her father started arranging her marriage. It is February now. She showed me the marriage invitation and cried. The invitation said the marriage will be on March 15th in Sacred heart Church, Pondicherry.

She cried “please do something! or kill me with your hands”
I convinced her. Then I took my father to meet her father. Though her mother was kind her father was a rude person and strictly said “NO”. My father tried his best but no use. I realized the real agony of love in my heart.

It’s February 14. I was sitting in my house thinking of her. I received a call from her father. He asked me to give back all the gifts, greeting cards blah blah blah to her daughter because it may cause any problem in future. Also he asked me to collect my gifts from her.

We met in the beach at 12 noon. The place where our love started exactly one year back. She came with her fiancé. Her fiancé was sitting inside a car and sent her alone to me. She brought all the letters, gifts, cards which I given her. I looked her through my wet eyes. She controlled her tears and gave me all my belongings to me. But still my heart is with her.
“This is our last meet ” she said with a tremendous pain in her voice.
And I gave her belongings back... She looked at me. Suddenly, she hugged me and so I. I gave her a last kiss.

A new person interrupted us and slapped me. We were surprised. There was a group of Hindu people both men and women who belongs to some Hindu movement.
I guarded her from those people.
A big guy who wore a saffron cloth on his head started speaking
“You people are demolishing Indian culture” he grimed.

“who are you?” I asked rubbing my cheek
“That is none of your business, You kissed this girl in a public place, This is against Indian culture. So you have to marry this girl here right now” he spoke harshly and gave me a Yellow rope (Thaali).
“Look, try to understand our situation” I searched for her fiancé. He got frightened so he rode the car in express speed and disappeared.
“No more explanations, You have to marry her” the big guy scared me.
“Hey, I am a Muslim she is a Christian...” I hesitated.
“Oh! That doesn’t matter, Look! We oppose only western culture not Muslims or Christians! Through you guys are not Hindus you are Indians! So let us go to register office!” He forced.
We refused to come but they compelled us and took us to the register office. Everything happened in two hours.

They provided garland there. And at last we signed in the register’s book. Those Hindu people signed as witness. Now we are legally married. Also she became Stella Sadik. We were so happy since we got married on 14^th Feb as I mentioned in the letter.
The registrar said “A Muslim marrying a Christian witnessed by Hindus. This is Height of Secularism!”
Then we went to her home. Her father. Sorry! My father-in-law was astonished.
He asked “How?”
I said “Because Ours’ is a true love, even we cannot devastate it!”

====Thend====