The Rain in March...!!!!!!

Winter of 2004 crept through, and I was in new companies, the old ones still remaining. The main reason was that I had chosen commerce while most of the old companions chose science. Ammi had almost gone into tears when I had opted commerce. There is a blind concept about commerce to many parents, especially The Mallus. It wasn’t a chaos in my house unlike many of my friends houses, Abbu was pretty understanding about the concept of own choice of future, all he told me was that “ study the way you want to, but make sure that you are the best in it”.

Life seemed fun, thanks to my parents for adding a new member to our family, and it was never like before, festive season at home, she brought happiness and sunshine. It was early march of 05 when the phone rang and kept ringing, I was in my bed lazy as ever, didn’t mind to pick up the call. Later I noticed that, parents had gone out for shopping, Wasiq was lying next to me and I was sure even if the earth turned upside down, he wouldn’t wake up, all he would do is ask five more minutes so that he can complete his dream. The phone rang again and I hurried to answer and there it was mute the other side for some time, With a immense joy of reunion pumping my heart I asked “ Is it you …!!! “, and the reply was “eheem..eheemm..salam alaikum..”.
Back for her two months vacations, I thought twenty four hours were not enough for us to share the whole ten months that crept by. Blank calls again started taunting Abbu, and this time Ammi too. She used to put Elfy to sleep with great pain and the very next moment the phone rang, and then I was assumed to be the main culprit. The theme then in life was ‘Pyar kiya to Darna kya...!’ We talked for hours on the phone even if she was always dead busy, the wake up calls in the morning was common on holidays, there was something that always kept us attached both emotionally and mentally. The best part in her was her simplicity, the way she dressed, her attitude towards life. I haven’t seen her even once without her scarf and her body completely covered in public, she didn’t make up, never did her eyebrows, never visited the beauty parlor every week to make her looks, it was natural and simple and she was always beautiful. It was hardly that we met, not that we didn’t try to, but school kids then didn’t have as much courage, freedom as the kids today have.

The concept of early marriages for women are common among The Muslim community and its more early if the girl belongs to The Mallu community. Which I now think Is good, not that the girl’s rights are deprived of, but it makes sure that the girl sticks to her morale always, do not step into the wrong and thorny paths of life, that she have to regret about it in future. But then I was against this early marriage in my school days, and the main reason behind it was that she was getting proposals, and her father was pretty sure about her marriage once she turned eighteen. We had heated discussions, arguments, and even didn’t cut the phones in anger. Thanks to Abbu who always has been the best mentor for me, poured his advices and in. We decided to be together as long as we can, and she was pretty sure I would forget her once she shuttles back.

School was always fun, the ups and downs with the teachers and the last year rang the bells, it was for the first time in the history of ideal that the science and commerce stream of 12th were pretty friendly. The friendship resulted in a one day picnic to Waqra and it was ultimate fun, Volley ball, pranks and Barb Q, all most all the students of science and commerce had turned up, except a few. Zaheer couldn’t turn up because he faired bad in the Informatics Exam and since Mr. Atif was his neighbor he was under house arrest. I, Niyas, Jojo, Arif, Vaishak, Faris, Ali, Sami, Aravind, and the list was long. We had fun in the sun, it was memorable, that were captured in both the digital cameras and our hearts. Azad and hafiz had to leave early and I along with Ali planned to drop them at the school. It was then I remembered that it was their Madrasa Annual Day, and even she was performing. Although I had told her I wouldn’t turn up. I made sure that I got entry to watch the show; Azad and Hafiz were great help. I ran back home, was successful at impressing Abbu and with a low tone asked permission to go and watch the show, and to my surprise he agreed.

I stepped in and found Nabeel who was one of my junior near the gate, he helped me with the information about their dressing rooms and the places where I would get into trouble. A group song was on, and the sound seemed familiar, we rushed, and it was Iqbal’s ‘Lab pe aati hai dua ‘ that was being sung, and my heart beat rose, lips went dry, I felt the whole crowed stuck and just the one lead girl who was singing in motion, Back into sense I noticed that it was my uncle who was with at the video and to make her know that I reached I walked up to him and offered assistance, he was more than happy to take me in. Standing right in front she failed to notice, but my eyes were always shooting at her eyes. Never did she look at me, nor did she lose her concentration from the song, later on Nabeel informed me about her next program that was scheduled for late night. We tried finding her near the dressing room, each time we tried each time we failed, almost around the time for her show to begin, I looked up the sky, not that I was praying something, but I felt as if a drop of water fell on my hand.

One more drop, and then it started to drizzle hard, the crowed panicked and rushed for covers, Nabeel shouted to run for covers and we both ran in the crowed, I accidently almost gave a wrong step and was about to collide on to someone but stopped, looked up and saw it was her, we didn’t know how to react, smile, ignore, get excited about the whole situation, I was blank, and so was she. The drizzle hit our faces, and we stood still looking into each other’s eyes, both lost for words and stuck in the rain, Eyes spoke, while the crowed rushed. All of a sudden a lady came and caught hold of her hand started walking, she did walk with the lady but her eyes were still on me. The showers increased momentum and I stood still until Nabeel pulled me for covers. It was filmy..!!!

That was the last time we ever met, and it was truly special, rain in last week of march was special, We knew we would never be together, nor we would meet at any juncture of our lives, another year and she would share her life with someone, I still had long way to go, pursue my dreams. More than ninety percent of first loves have failed to succeed in the world and more than ninety percent of the failed first lovers always ended up being enemies. But am thank full to god that mine wasn’t that case, although we never talk to each other now, a surprise walk up call and her name in my recent visitors list at times, always gives joy not because I love her like I loved before, but the nostalgic feelings that rushes to my heart at times rushes to her heart too.



The End.

TRK