"You never said a word....."

It was completely unconscious on her part....

She was looking at him....  And then, as though sensing her gaze on him, he turned back.

" What? Is something wrong?"

" Oh, nothing. Nothing at all. Especially nothing that would bother YOU".

Ten minutes into the game.... and he knew something was wrong. She was limping...

And now, as he watched her carefully, her face screwed up in pain. Yes, something was definitely wrong. But, why wasn't she saying anything?

'She shouldn't be even playing..'.. so his thoughts ran.... as he watched her across the court..... controlling the ball and then shooting a basket.

Fifteen minutes later, she was seated outside the court.. nursing her sprained ankle. 

He looked at her again.... and this time, she was looking back at him.

He left the game.... and walked over to her.

" What happened? Is everything alright? "

"Oh.. it's just my ankle... I tripped.. and got hurt... I'll manage. You go and play"

He would come back after every two minutes to check back on her.... And even brought her a glass of water.. a gesture... which  really touched her.

" What's wrong with him... He never ever bothers or cares so much.. then why the sudden attention?"......

Her thoughts were again interrupted by him. " Did you apply any bandage on that? Do you need anything? Oh, and don't even think of playing now. Just sit down and rest. "

Why all this sudden care? Why was he even bothering at all?

She was confused.

Was this the same guy who practically ignored her existence on her first day?

Was this the same guy, who usually fouled a LOT on her?

Was this the same guy, who would trip her and made her fall.... and then laugh over it?

This guy, was now showing concern.... and this was seemingly impossible. 

The game ended... And he came up to her. 

" How are you now?"

Oh, I'm okay now..... Just a sprain... I'll be alright..

But... Why all this sudden concern? "

His look silenced her.

" I'll see you tomorrow... Bye"

The incident was closed.

Sometimes.... people can be so weird.

They say something... they do something else.

They mean something..... But they don't tell us...

They want to say something...

But they never do it ......

So, next time you want to say something..

Just put it as it is....

Because... sometimes...

Some things are better said

Than never said at all......................

 

" Just trust me...... And let go......."

" Come on. Just close your eyes..!! Nothing's going to happen to you! And I'm NOT going to let you fall. Just Trust me, Okay?"

It was my first week in my Salsa class, and I was a nervous  wreck already.I had already experienced various other styles - Classical, Hip-hop , Bollywood...

But Salsa.. and all these Latin American ones.. were something totally different to me. And the main part here was... it's not Solo. One has to do it in co-ordination with one's partner. If the partner is all messed up, then no matter how well you dance, some error or other aways occurs...

On the other hand, if your partner is fabulous.... then you never have to worry. 

Well, no comments on my partner. I don't know what exactly to say. Okay well, yeah, he could dance. I'd give him that much.

But well, sometimes, he behaved really weirdly.. and it always confused me. 

Today, we had a very rigorous routine. After a little warm up, our instructors continued with their choreography. I absolutely loved  dancing. It was just, that I sometimes expected too much from myself...... And today, was no different. I had to twirl, and then, we both had a pose. But, it was the pose that I had a problem with. 

It's a very different feeling.... to see someone is charge.. rather.. let someone take charge.. n lead the dance. And, I just had trouble letting go.

What if I fell? What if he couldn't handle it? What if I got hurt? 

All these questions played over in my mind.... as I practiced with him again. 

I had to let go of my fears... overcome it. " It's just a dance. Nothing dangerous. Of course you'll be fine"....... and I went on convincing myself.

Everyone at this academy, was given a chance to show off their style..... To put it in simple words, every one there, with their partners, had to individually show how much they had managed to learn.

It would soon be our turn, and in about five minutes, we would be called.

I was nervous.

And I think.. so was he ( He had ways to conceal, but I realized anyways.)

" Let's do it one last time, Okay?"

I looked at him, and nodded.

We tried it again...

and then, when it came to the last dip, I again freaked out. 

" Oh God! Will you please just trust me, you will not get hurt"

I was still unsure. And I still don't know... why...

Three minutes left.......

Two minutes........

 One minute.....

And then.

Our name was announced.

I hate attention. It scares the hell out of me, when I see everyone just staring at me, as though expecting a grand display or so.

As I've heard.... " Dance as though no one's watching...."

But, was that really possible?

Especially with so many people watching... and waiting......

And then, he looked at me. 

Eyes locked.

And that silent exchange was all I needed.

He knew, that I had a little of stage fright....

But, that confidence in his eyes.... that I would not err...... was infectious.

This was it.

I would do it.

The music started

And then, it was as if no one else existed.

Everything else forgotten.....  I completely gave into the music.... and the dance.

We moved together, as though... it was like a finale...

And in the end.. I let go.

And, the pose was perfect.

The applause we received was thunderous.......

I was pleased

In fact, even 'pleased' does not cover it. Thrilled, happy... anything like that..

I was just glad, I managed it after all.

And so..... now whenever I dance. i think of my THAT moment.....

And that's enough to remind me.... what exactly I need to do.....

" Some days are meant to be special........"

I closed my eyes.... And sighed in frustration.....
God! This was turning out to be the most tiring and tedious evening EVER..!!
We had done about 50 sprints around the basketball court, 40 sit-ups, and 20 push-ups.
And now, he expected us to do more ! Arrgghh.!!

" Okay! Now I want you all to do 5 sprints...! And make it fast! I want to see everybody running.!!"

It was about 6.30 in the evening... and I was at my regular basketball practices.
 I blissfully remembered the afternoon... when I spent 2 hours playing batminton with my friends. I had just LOVED today, and we had loads of fun.
But, I had returned home tired, when I realized I had basketball within an hour. Oh God! Now more running to do..! And my body was already screaming with exhaustion..!

That was it.! I was not going to do any more. I was now utterly exhausted..
And even standing seemed to take a lot of effort...
And that's when I heard it......

The slow roaring sound.......


A little of grumbling.....
A little of rumbling......
A little of roaring......


.......
...........
...............

That sound of thunder.....
Followed by another clasp of thunder....... seemed like an omen.

Dark clouds had gathered, and it had been cloudy the whole day. But Rain? No, I really didn't expect it to rain...
But now, I seemed hopeful....

And
Then, It happened.

That small drop, as though it heralded the arrival of a strom, fell on my face.
I looked up, and then, another rumble of thunder.

And then, as though the taps of heaven had been suddenly opened.... It started raining heavily.... Huge drops, the size of coins, bombarded us.... And....
Everyone rushed into the porch, but a few of us remained on the court....

I looked up, and this shower seemed like one I had been waiting for.
As though.... this rain... every drop..... had been called for me.....
I was enjoying this.
Enjoying every moment of this bliss.

Five minutes ago.... I had been litrally begging God, to do something.
Either to give me the strength to complete the workout...
Or
To stop the workout altogether.

And thankfully, my wishes were granted....!

And this rain, not only ended the workout...
But also ended my exhaustion.
Minutes ago... I was hardly able to stand..... let alone walk.
But, now, I was litrally dancing in the rain.
Few of us started playing basketball....
And this evening.... which earlier seemed tedious to me...
Suddenly turned beautiful...
Umm... How can I say beautiful.....
Glorious... wonderful.... fun..... eventful..... what to say?
Words cannot describe this feeling for me.....

It seemed as though... this rain not only swept away my tiredness....
But infused in me a new enthusiasm......
Earlier, I was worried about a few things... that had happened throughout the day....
But.....

I suddenly felt free.
Free of all thoughts...
Free of all tensions and worries.....
Free of all anxiety.
All I could think of.... was that moment....and that pleasure....



I realized, that if I had simply left, when I wasn't enjoying...
Wouldn't I have missed out on so much?
Sometimes, things happen for a reason.
So, always keep faith, and believe...
Believe....
That no matter what happens...
There's a strength inside you, that's stronger than any obstacle outside.......

" Not even Kodak or Sony, could capture those crazy memories..!!"

I was looking at him.....

He was looking at me.....

And, our eyes met.....

I could read the excitement in them...... just as he could read mine......

We we waiting for the right moment ....the right time....

My heart seemed to have doubled it's pace....

I could literally smell the apprehension in the air..... mingled with a little impatience...... Now, it was about time....

Any second now........

.....

........

...........

And then.....

" Get.. Set... AND GO!!!!!!"

This was a typical meeting between both of us. We were both runners... and I usually lost... And why wouldn't I? He was two years elder to me... and way more faster....( yeah yeah, I'm admitting it. )

I always tried to defeat him.... But it never happened...( Except.. on maybe one or two occasions.... But now that I think back.. Maybe he lost to amuse me...:P)  But nevertheless, I always enjoyed those races.  All those times were very special to me. He was like.... my very first friend.. and today, I know him since the past 15 years....

Friends are supposed to be like  stars... that don't appear always.. but are always there to guide us whenever we need them. I think, he is once such star in my life....who's not always have around.... But there are these times.... when he just comes out of nowhere.... and it seems, as though he was always there.......

Earlier, we would fight like crazy.... And we loved racing with each other. Then, as time passed by... he got busy in his life... just as I did, in mine.... 

At that moment, it never struck me as such... that one should call.... and try and keep in touch. I just took him for granted, that he's anyways going to be there.... We would meet, when we'd visit each other. And that was it. And then, for a few years he just seemed to disappear.....

Time passed.. 

He finished his 12th grade.... and I finished my 10th... And, this was one turning point in our friendship... After like.... a period of 4 years.. we spoke. He even helped me out with books... and other stuff.

And then, again the hectic schedule.

But this time, we kept in touch through messages... ( he didn't quite disappear..)

And, my favorite ones were, whenever I would get up, and check the phone messages,  to see

 " Good morning"....... it always made my day.

It feels good to know.... that despite all the activities we have to do.... someone still has time to remember us..... And I feel, that those messages were just a small gesture reminding me of this.....

And recently when we met, I felt that nothing had ever changed between us..
( Oh, just that now, that we weren't fighting or scratching each other :P)

I was the one talking.... and he was listening to me...

We were just remembering the time  we'd spent together.. and laughing a lot on all the stupid things we'd ever done...

Climbing walls, playing stupid games... racing each other..... fighting... and then, to always look at each other and laugh out.. ( this  usually marked the end of all our fights :D)

And, One incident worth mentioning.... One which I can NEVER forget...

We, along with our families, had gone to Khadakvasla Dam. He was just looking around, and we both wanted to play in the water... but we weren't allowed. 

And then, suddenly he got all excited.... apparently... he'd come up with something. Actually, earlier, when I wasn't looking, he tried running towards the shore... and skidded to a halt just at the water's edge.

He wanted me to watch him do it... ( show- off :P)

And so, one step back....

And then, he sprinted towards the shore....

AND

....

.......

............

" SPLASH>>!!!!!!!!!""

I shamelessly burst out laughing..!!

Oh my god, that was a scene to behold!

On a cold Winter evening, he was dripping with water, and all the way home, he had to remain so...

Of cource, he couldn't appreciate the humor at that time... But later, we were both laughing like hell....

And then, Holi came.... and I guess he got a little of his own back.

I was literally covered in all the colors one could imagine..!

And even that year was quite eventful...

And, in this manner, we were remembering all the various incidents that had occurred...

i just said... " Isn't it strange, that we hardly ever keep in touch, doesn't it ever happen that you seem to forget I exist? But even after this long time.... It gets even better.."

And, there was one thing he said to me...

Which I'll always remember...

" Yeah, I just tend to forget... But I don't.

Our friendship is special in that way. .

We don't need those emails....

Just the fact, that You and I know that it'll never change... is more than enough.."

And this really touched my heart...

Some things are meant to last forever.... and I hope that so does our friendship. We did not always meet.... always talk.... call up... or send emails......

 But in the heart of our hearts... that bond still remained intact....

I feel, that we take so many pains to maintain our relationships in life... We meet our friends... call them up, go over to their place.... and so on.....

But, Sometimes, even after doing all this, some relations don't last.... they just fall apart......

But, some are such.... that with understanding, those survive the tides of time....

No calls, messages, emails.... need to remind them of us.....

And whenever they meet..... It's always the same as ever.....

As though there was no change ever.....

" I closed my eyes..... And found my inner strength... I would have do it"

" All you people reading this....
I'd just like to mention one thing..
That this incident I'm writing about, isn't fictitious....
It really happened...
And, I feel it was worth writing about...
Now, I leave it to you to read and find out, if it was worth reading..."

Frustration was at it's peaks.....

Waiting was something I was terrible at.... And that day, everything seemed to test my patience...

I was now irritated...

I just needed one chance. One chance to prove myself. One chance, to show them, what I could do...

I wasn't there to just watch them play, shoot baskets, and boo at the opponent team." I was there to play... And to go and show them, that we were not going to give them the match on a silver platter. We might lose, yes, but NOT without a fight. We would try till the end... ".. so my thoughts ran....

The whistle was blown, and it said - " half-time". Our team had not even scored once, and pressure was increasing. We were down by 8 points, that meant 4 baskets. Now what? Would we win? Would we lose? No one knew anything.

I have no idea, why I was still not sent into the match yet. What was Sir waiting for? For the match to end?!? This was it. I stood up, and said, " Sir, May I now play.? I think Rutu is too tired to run anyways.. and they haven't even scored once! Whats happening?"

" Oho, as if you think, you're going to go and shoot, are you? " , he taunted. " Fine, just go, I'll send you in for 10 minutes. Let's see what you can do."

This was it. The BIG moment.

Blood was pounding in my ears....

I had to do this. I knew, my shooting was no good, but controlling was something no one could beat me at. " Play at your strengths..." , my Mother had once told me.

The whistle blew again.... and my heartbeats accelerated...

The crowd was cheering like crazy..... A few of my friends, who'd come to cheer for me, were also there. When they saw me enter, I heard my name amongst others.....

I was nervous.... excited... and a little scared at the same time. I didn't want to disappoint anyone.... I didn't know what was going to happen.. whether we would lose... or win. No one knew. We were already down by 8 points. It was going to be tough, and we stood at nil.

" Will I be able to do this? Will I manage shooting? Will luck favour me today? What if my control goes wrong?.." All these questions were going through my mind.. when I stepped onto the court....

It was our turn to start.... and all my team mates looked at me. One passed me the ball... as if to say... " Go Girl, Just do it! We need to win this."

I looked at them, and that silent conversation told me, that something had to be done. And a little fear left me....  BUT, 

When I caught the ball... and looked at it....

" I'll manage right?".. I thought..

And then, I closed my eyes.. And just remembered what my Mother had told me just before I left the house...

 "It's your first match today.... and look at the co-incidence, it's also your Birthday. I don't care what you do there... BUT, Just don't think about the consequences. Just focus on your goal. I want you to do your best. Just go For it. I know you'll do well. Just Believe In YOUR INNER strength...."

And, that was it. All fear vanished. And, nothing seemed impossible.

The minute I started dribbling, I knew I would do it....

I dodged one... two.. and three players..

AND then....

Shot.....

" AND IT"S A BASKET>>!!! Finally they've made 2 points..!!" was all everyone was screaming.

I'd done it!

I was overjoyed...

AND

One glance at Sir, said it all. He'd got his reply.

And after that, our team went on a complete winning spree. We managed to cover up, AND

In the end, we actually managed to win.

That moment..... that day... will always be one of the most unforgettable memory... for me...

Not because it was my Birthday or anything...

But, because, that day, I learn't, that there is something inside me, that's greater than any other obstacle out there.... And, it taught me to rely on my inner self....

Sometimes, we feel as though it'll never work... We'll lose.... and it all seems just impossible. We fear defeat.....

And, we let the fear in.

But, next time you feel so.... Just remember one thing.....

No matter what happens.... Just don't give up.

One can never predict what would happen, and who knows, what you feel is impossible in the beginning, becomes possible later? Everyone has the strength to face whatever we do...

We just need to find that INNER strength and confidence...

Like Paulo Cohelo, rightly says in  The Alchemist. '' All the answers to your questions are within you... You just need to find them..........''

Little things that matter a lot......

" Tu kya hamesha hi aisi hain... ya phir aaj kuch special hain?!? Ashi gapp ka aahes tu, Bol na! Bore hotay..!  Tu kahihi bolat nahi aahes ...! "

I was amused.. but at the same time startled by his comment.

I  seemed to be lost in my own little world, when he spoke to me.... He was pulling my leg since the past half an hour....  Not that I felt bad or offended.. I was rather enjoying it...

( Or should I say, I was used to it now... But I didn't mind it. In fact, if he didn't say anything like that to me, I'd be rather surprised.... )

I was with my 4 friends, enjoying after examinations.... I seemed to be acting a bit... lets say.. different.... A bit quiet at times... and suddenly all hyper and talkative.  I was in fact having an excellent time... But, something seemed to weigh on my mind. I didn't exactly say anything..... But well, I was comfortable.

It seemed so long ago to me.... that I actually went out and had some fun. We were talking about nothing in particular. Emphasis would shift from one topic to another... and then, suddenly..when we had no clue what to talk about..( Especially when I went quiet :D). There would be a awkward silence... AND

Then, we'd all look around and start laughing. 

I drove like a maniac today.. :P ( not something I'm proud of)

It seemed as though God had charmed the clocks to run at double speeds... We were enjoying.... talking... laughing.. ( OH! we laughed loads...!! ) And then, We started getting phone calls.... " Where are you? Come home soon"

Yeah, that meant, It was time to go home......

But, we promised to meet again tomorrow. Practically, everyone was jobless.. so we decided to meet to play Batminton. 

I, for some reason, was laughing a lot. I have No clue, what I was so happy about....

But, really...... This day was beautiful in its own way..... Driving through the deserted streets...... like crazy... Laughing with friends..... Thinking of all crazy stuff... Enjoying the silent breeze... that played through my hair when I drove..... 

Everything seemed charming.....

You know, normally, our lives are pretty monotonous.....

Same day..... then same people...

same work.... and then all over again, same all the way.

But, sometimes... we need people who add spice to it... 

Who make each day beautiful as it goes......

Who define the word ' enjoyment' for you......

A few little things remain in your mind.....

The way someone says ' Hi' to you...

The way someone would come and hug you, meeting after a long time..! ( I met her after like months... and She's just like a sister to me )

When you meet someone, whom you've never met before... But it seems as though you know them since ages.........

When we all have no idea what to say.....

And the minute our eyes meet.. we smile.. ( and then, start laughing without any reason..:P)

And, I'm glad, that I found these friends.... Who made my day really special......

So guys, if you have those ' special people' in your lives.... Make the most of it.

"Live life King Size."

People come into our lives for many reasons.... Some remain.. Some leave....

So make sure..... " You enjoy loads whenever you're with them :P Because, you never know, whether you'll get the opportunity again or not.....

" And all I heard was silence............"

It was one of the most important days of my life- it was my birthday. And it somehow seemed important to me, because I was going to turn 18. It was just the usual..... holidays were on... people calling to wish me..gifts.. blessings... and so on. Nothing special.... just the 'usual'.

But, there was something that made this day really beautiful for me. In fact, made it one of the days that I would truly cherish. Not because it was my birthday.... But because I heard from someone, who seemed to have dissapeared from my life.... but called to wish me. This call, above everything else, made my day.

Nothing is permanent in life. I guess I keep saying this, but really, I have realized this.... One should NEVER take anyone for granted in life... We think, that they'll always be there... but sometimes.... it just never happens. You may never get a second chance to undo the mistakes you did..... We all make mistakes.... even I did. And yeah, I deeply regret some of them....

She always supported me... and was with me. And I took her presence for granted... so much so... that I didn't even realize when we drifted away. And by the time I did... I guess I was too late... too late to make amends... to make her realize, that I was sorry......

Frankly, I don't even know what exactly went wrong..... I thought for a very long time... that where did I go wrong... what did I do? But, there is one thing.... one thing which I realized..... that even small things matter.... and even the smallest thing like giving time to someone matters.

We sometimes get so involved with other things, that we forget small gestures, like giving our friends a call, at least once in two days... something that you'd do everyday... but due to other things that start occupying our minds, we forgot to do them....

And I realized, that these 'very things' made a difference.... and changed everything....

I'm sure even you would have gone through something like this... at least once in your life. You really want to express yourself... but sometimes... the right words don't strike you. And by the time they do.. It's too late.

Everyone deserves a second chance, don't they? We all make mistakes... some are unpardonable.... some are such, that we cannot move on... But, some should be understandable.....

Well, considering it was my 'so called best day' , I was supposed to be happy.... But, there was something that held me back... just an intuition.... that would she call? Would she bother.? Would she even remember, or was I already a forgotten story?

And, I guess I got the most precious gift of all.... Her call came.

I just knew, that it was her. Something told me... that ' Yeah, she'll call".

I picked up the phone..... " Hello?"

Silence.

All I heard.... was Silence.........

" Hello? Who's calling?"

.......

" Ummmmm.. hiii...... Happy Birthday."

....

And that voice.... said it all for me.

I was just glad that she called... glad, that maybe.. somewhere... there was still hope, that maybe... the present equation between us... would change... and we'd be same as before..... And that call.. gave me that hope... Never to give up on our friendship. To try, and make a realize, that even today and ever after, she still would still have this friend, who would always be there.. no matter what the circumstance.....

And so, Even today I hope....

That one day, it'll all be fine........

" Everything seemed to freeze at that very instant when......."

She was waiting for her friend  to come down... "Why is she taking so much time?"... And while she sat wondering, as to what her friend was up to...... She saw him.
And there he was.....
The same as ever.....
Walking with 2 friends..... wearing a black jacket..... joking around....Cell phone in one hand, and glares in another
She feverently hoped, he would not see her.
 But Alas!
" Just ignore me! Just ignore me.... Don't look at me please..!!" was all she prayed....


Their eyes met, and everything seemed to freeze at the very instant.........


( Oh, I know this sounds damn 'filmy' but really, it's difficult to explain what happened, but this more or less explains it)


She remembered the time they shared together.... The way they used to  compose music together....the way they used to study together....always come first.... Play basketball together...(He didn't ALWAYS lose, maybe there were a few lucky times he must have won :P)  All those memories came flooding back... and time seemed at a standstill....


Have you ever had such an experience, that you suddenly come face to face with someone.... with whom you haven't spoken since ages for reasons you'd rather not recollect.. But someone, with whom you really want to speak... but then, you don't know what to say.....  and then, suddenly, that person just materializes before you? If yes, then you know exactly what I'm talking about.  That is exactly what happened.


It was more than a year... since they'd seen each other, or spoken to each other...... And then, meeting in this manner.... was more than a shock.... She was speechless.. and I guess, so was he. But then, realization struck  and they both looked away.... But, somehow.... In that fraction of a second... when their gaze met,she felt as though he wanted to say something.... But, He Never said it.
And, that was the end of it. He walked on, and so did she.


Misunderstandings and prejudices create rifts between relations.... and the longer they last.... deeper are the cracks......
Someone made that mistake... and doubted the other one...... and both of them suffer. 

I've heard, that communication is the easiest way to solve problems. You just have to go and speak  out your feelings.. as simple as that. Because, later,you never know, whether you'll ever get that chance again..... whether she'll listen to you again....or even so, whether you'll even meet again. Nothing is permanent. And, sometimes... that silence could also be misinterpreted..... and so, it's always better to clear the doubts, before they culminate into something worse.....
And, Never take anyone for granted. Because, one moment, they're there... and the other.... everything just dissapears...... I'd heard... that  " absence makes the heart grow fonder".... But, Why do you want to test it?


Many times, we don't realize, that by believing  something someone tells us, without even verifying the truth..... we are  giving up on that trust.   
All relations need ONE foundation, and that is TRUST. When you're friends with someone.... you have to trust. Without that, everything is meaningless and baseless....


So, right now, if you're thinking about someone you should have at least heard out, before taking a hasty decision..... then think back.  - Because, " When you trust someone, do so completely. In the end, You 'll either have a very good friend... Or a very good Lesson".