There he was; as always, sitting at the same place in Shahab Garden and reading the same novel.
Roona sat at stairs outside the English Department, peeped at him through her glasses. She thought whilst looking at the young naïve lad that how someone could be so calm and content in solitude, alone as a little growing plant in a dark forest or a leaf lying on a stagnant water, which had no relation to its surroundings. He never uttered a single word nor did anyone try to speak with him. He did not even look at the beauties around him, so much indulged in himself that nothing probably seemed attractive to his eyes. There was not a single glimpse of misery or vicissitude at his face and that was the reason which made him enchanting in the eyes of her, compelled her to sit there and watched him daily.
She knew he also looked secretly at her by lowering his novel but he never ogled like everyone else. She felt like he was seeing inside her, at her soul, saying thousands of words to her heart and that had been behind the sprightliness at her face since the last four days.
Everything was same about him alike all other days; until she heeded at his dress, he was wearing a blue shirt too. She always dressed in blue at her birthday and that had amazed her, ‘how could he know that I’ll wear blue today, I never spoke with him, well that could be a coincidence, of course that would be a coincidence’ thought she, ‘No’ she yelled involuntarily; when she suddenly noticed a handmade card beside him and then a pregnant pause prevailed in which his solemn face, his shirt, the card, everything said to her that he knew all about her, there was nothing hidden from him. She stood firmly, took a deep sigh, exhorted herself and started walking toward him, her heart begun pounding but she had to make it clear today, she had to say and heard something from him.
After taking few steps; she was standing in front of him, so close that she could read ‘Happy Birthday Roona’ on the card. He put down his novel and raised his eyes towards her. She looked into his brown eyes; those were clear as water, so serene and shining like the eyes of a newly born baby which had never caught the glimpse of this world’s oppressions and afflictions. Moments passed, without an echo. He didn’t say anything and she was unable to understand the language of silence, so finally in an agitated voice she broke the silence “Ahmad?”
She did not know why she said that name, and there was no intentional act behind it, she just like that name since childhood. But he said nothing, just an alluring smile came on his visage like he was just there to listen. She was getting nervous, then suddenly she heard,
“Roona?” that was a familiar voice, she turned back and there was her best friend coming, “let’s go to café”.
She moved a step forward towards her and whispered “I can’t” she looked back at him and gave a little smile and again said to her friend “I’ve to talk to him”.
“But Roona,” her friend said in an astonished voice “with whom?”…
