The Train Affair

My iPod played a Michael Buble number as my gaze held this fairy queen sitting before me…

You're a falling star, you're the getaway car... You're the line in the sand when I go too far…You're the swimming pool, on an August day... And you're the perfect thing to say...

I was lost in her... She sat there, right before me. What a beautiful sight she was to see! Looking out the window, her eyes seemed caught up in something distant. She was so lovely it was hard to keep my eyes off her. Her soft, cream colored skin was almost alluring. The high cheekbones… those pink full lips… eye the color of deep sea-blue. Cheeks so tempting, I wanted to reach out and touch them, tenderly so as not to hurt her. Oh she looked so vulnerable! But just the other moment, I sensed power in her; a woman so tantalizing had power over the very hearts of men. Her hair was an alluring mass of pure black and the way they fell over her face softened her features even more. There she was, sitting before me like a gorgeous princess under a magic spell, unaware of my hungry gaze. But then, maybe she was aware of my unacceptably rude stare and was indifferent to it. It must have been something of a usual to her. Her beauty was the kind that creeps up on you slowly and takes over you completely; she was bound to have second glances wherever she went… Suddenly her eyes moved and settled on… me! I could’ve sworn it was a dare. Those eyes were childish, and they played with me. That fascinating pair of deep blue stirred me up so bad that I was taken off guards. I was dumbfounded, looking back in surprise. She obviously found my idiotic expression funny or maybe they weren’t so idiotic after all. Maybe she only enjoyed the fact that she had surprised me. She beamed a radiant smile at me. Shall I tell how lovely that was? Those laughing eyes and the soft, curved lips! Oh she had me… I had given myself so willingly! The music danced in my head as I continued marveling her silently…

And you play it coy, but it's kinda cute
Ah, when you smile at me you know exactly what you do
Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true
‘Cause you can see it when I look at you…

 …

We had silent conversations throughout our journey. Now she was reading a book, yet she would look sideways and catch a glimpse of me. Whereas I was sketching something, but I was aware of her stolen glances. I am passionate about my art. I draw whenever and whatever I can. And at that time, sitting next to her, I wish I could draw her, capturing her on paper and adore the chance meeting with this beauty queen for a long time yet to come. But I didn’t say a word. Every time I used to stop to rest my eyes, I used to find her sneaking a glance at me. I would give no reaction.

The hours went by, and we became more like friends. Silent though, strangely our eyes said it all. Passing by an intriguing scene, we would look at each other and smile and then we’d return to our own selves; her book and my paper. The air held an unspoken charm with her around… the intoxicating smell of her perfume. She was no longer the proud vain beauty who was indifferent to her admirers; she was no more the powerful woman who knew how to use it as a weapon… She was sweet and generous with a deadly innocence. She could be someone easy to fall in love with; and very hard to fall out of love with…

It was absurd. I was constantly thinking of her, looking at her, silently complimenting her. What is this indefinable something between us? Why couldn’t I put this attraction to rest? I know it’s so silly jumping to far off things like these… but, is she the one? What’s that thing they call “love at first sight”? I never believed it existed… till this day. I feel like laying my life in her hands this very moment and yet I don’t even know her name! All I know is her smile melts me and her eyes burn into my soul… I was confused; one moment she looked kind and approachable, and the other, she would become distant… going back to her book the minute she sensed I was about to say something. Maybe she was just being shy… hesitant… why would she look at me that way… oh yes... maybe it was on her mind as well. I smiled to myself.

The music played louder this time…

You're a carousel; you're a wishing well,

And you light me up, when you ring my bell

You're a mystery; you're from outer space,

You're every minute of my every day…

Oh yes! This was it… I sat back and rested my eyes on her. She sensed my change of attention. Her innocent eyes wandered up from her book and then to me. She gave a childlike smile. We remained so for a few moments. Eyes locked. Finally the spell of silence broke between us.

“Are you an artist?” she pointed to my sketchbook. Her voice was almost divine, resonating in my mind like sweet music.

“Well…?” I came back to the world, in this train compartment with her.

“I hope to be.” I said with a smile. She nodded her head politely and went back to her book. What are you waiting for? Talk to her!!

“And … what do you do?” She looked at me again.

“Oh me…” She put aside her book. “I’m studying medical.” She smiled again.

“That’s really good. I could never study something as heady as that,” I said truthfully with a smile.

“Hmmm…” She became silent again and started looking out of the window.

Now what? Think, man! Think! My mind kept on pushing me. “So how many more years of your medical studies left?”

“Final year.”

“That’s cool.”

She was silent again. This time the silence was a little disturbing. I wanted to look at her, but couldn’t. I wanted to ask her name, to know her. I wanted to have her… to hold her… but she was distant again. I had loved the way she had looked at me when she talked to me. Lovely, deep eyes, that I’d love to look into all my life if she would only let me. Her hands rested in her lap, small and feminine… probably soft to the touch. I wanted to kiss those hands… to hold them and feel them… That would be a wonderful feeling! Michael Buble went on.

And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times

It's you, it's you, you make me sing

You're every line, you're every word, you're everything…

We were coming close to our destination. I didn’t want this journey to end, not as long as she was here with me. When she saw the stop approaching, she bent forward towards me.

“We’re almost there.” She said looking at me straight in the eyes. I knew instantly.

“I’m sure we are…” she smiled shyly at that.

You're every song, and I sing along…

'Cause you're my everything…

The train stopped and a gust of noise came. The rumbling sound as the train was stopping, the railway guards rushing here and there to help people with their baggage and managing them. People were talking and laughing loudly, happy to have reached their destination. We still sat in our seats peacefully and silently, oblivious to the world around us. I held her hand…  

We had reached our destination also.

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picture coutesy: deviantART