She was sitting right across the room, actually he had chosen the seat to carefully to watch her. She looked very thin today, maybe it was her dress or did she actually lose weight. She was busy taking notes and Amit could hardly hear a word the professor was saying. He was lost in his own world thinking about everyday he saw Damini. Then suddenly he realised that she might not know about his existence. Its been two years they were in the same class and he never got a chance to speak to her rather never gathered courage to speak to her. The bell rang and his thoughts were shattered. Everyone started going out of the class and Amit also went to the cafe, later he had plans with his friends for a jamming session. He was the cool guy, who could sing and play the guitar. He was the heartthrob of the college and he liked the girl who nobody knew. This was the reason who could not tell anyone about his feelings for Damini. And maybe that was the reason he could never gather the courage to speak to her. What if she ignored him? What if she insulted him? Why did she never bother to look at him when all the girls in the class were crazy about him. That was the exact reason why he liked her.
Later in the evening Amit took out his car and went on a drive. He sat at Marine Drive and started thinking about Damini. Something was miraculous about her. Only three times their paths had crossed in these two years and every time she looked at him, there was something in her eyes which was enchanting. He did not know much about her and nobody seem to know her much. She was quiet in the class and did not have friends. She did not participate in any extra curricular activities or go out with anyone. She was an average student and moreover an average introvert girl who nobody noticed. Amit did not know if he could ever speak his mind to her and if he does what she would do.
Next day in class an excursion was announced for two days, to a nearby village and counted credits for social work. Amit was very happy as this meant that Damini would also go on the trip. The trip was planned for two weeks later. He knew this was the only chance he could get to talk to her. He started preparing like it was some exam, writing what he wanted to say and reciting it over and over again knowing that he might not be able to speak a word in front of her. The two weeks went by quick, as time went by he became more and more nervous.
He could not sleep the night before the trip in anticipation of what could happen. He fell asleep in the morning and missed his alarm, eventually he woke up super late and ran to catch the bus. He could board the last bus, which was about to leave. Much to his surprise Damini was in the bus and the seat next to her was empty. His friends were in a different bus so he went ahead and sat besides her. She looked even more serene today. She was wearing a white printed kurta and blue jeans and her perfume smelled like a mix of flowers. Her hair was casually tied in a low ponytail and her earrings dangling near her neck. Their arms brushed in a jolt, Amit was very thankful that India had bad roads. She looked at him a little embarrassed and both said sorry. He did not want to let go off the chance and started making small talks. She replied with monosyllabic answers and soon he had nothing more to talk. He was quietly thinking now, that this could have been the only chance and he is losing it. Damini suddenly looked up and their eyes crossed. He was very embarassed and she smiled, then somehow they started talking.
The trip was becoming an unusual surprise for Amit. The next two days went great and he spent most of his time with Damini. They would spent hours talking and it felt as if they knew each other for years. His friends noticed this and we're very happy for him. They were on their way back, and something had changed, Damini behaved weirdly, as if he didn't exist. Amit was getting very annoyed and tried to speak to her a couple of times but she won't. He sat down silently after trying for sometime.
The next few days this continued, and Amit didn't know what changed. Everytime he tried to talk to her she would ignore. He kept trying but nothing changed. A couple of weeks had passed and he had decided that he would confront her anyhow and find out the reason for her behaviour. He stopped her out of the class that day. She was terrified, she tried to go but he held her arm. She pleaded him to let her go but he was adamant to know the reason she behaved strange since they were back. She was in tears but he was so angry that he couldn't see. He kept on asking her 'why'. She broke down and only then he realized that his behavior was unacceptable. He sat down in front of her and she was crying uncontrollably. After some time she just stood up and walked straight off the campus. She didn't come to class the next day of the day after that or any other day after that.
Amit felt guilty of his behavior but also wanted to know what happened, so he started looking for her in the city. A few days later he got an address. He went to the address, as he was outside, he saw a frail young girl at the window. He recognized her in a minute, there was a man who was over looking her shoulders into the mirror. Then he saw her face and saw the bright shining sindoor on her forehead. He stood there spellbound.
