A Nostalgic School Crush

A Crush usually has a limited span, I believe so. You cannot call it a serious affair by any chance, especially when there is just a fantacising attachment to it.

My school days have been the best of times. Our school library was a treasure house of books. Study books brought us marks or grades but the novels took us to a whole new fantasy world. Those have been the innocent days where dreams were stress relievers and CRUSHES were an incarnation to our in-depth desires and wishes. Thanks to the influence of the then Bollywood stars and the new comers. Shahrukh Khan, now who is predominantly called King Khan was then a heartthrob among the teenage girls.  Now even the guys woo him.

I was in my seventh grade and my recluse would be our School library. In those days, it was like, if you mention a guy for instance, it would affect the entire repute! Seems funny now, isn’t it? I recollect this incident when my friend who studied in another school came home to spend her weekend and also take my English notes.

Tia was all excited to tell me about her school crush. It was fun to listen to her changing crushes. It was some of our fond secrets. Tia narrated any incident quite dramatically and one would be focused on her expressions or dialogues. No wonder she chose a career as a theatre artist later. There was this Shahrukh look alike, not exactly but then all or rather she passed him for being so. His smile was so sweet and he looked cute.  Libraries as Bollywood promotes comes handy for watching crushes free of cost. He was a crush because she said she took her attention off her books to have a glimpse of him, rather his smile. Her then shy nature would never allow her to even think of talking to him as other girls of her class generally did. A distant admirer that she was, I said.

 It was a Saturday. She had to go to school for some seminar conducted by the literary club, a guest writer had been invited. There had been a slight drizzle that morning and her mother had handed the umbrella forcibly to ensure she reached back home dry than drenched. Others had left and Tia had a small chat with her teacher and then started back home. She stepped out of the school premises, when it started pouring.  She thanked her mom in her heart for handing her the umbrella. She was walking taking small quick steps to ensure that her shoes, socks and her tunic did not get wet. 

She heard sudden footsteps from behind. She did not bother, until they passed her. She held her breath and felt the chillness of the breeze pass by her entire body.  I sighed saying, too much of movie influence Tia. She smiled and I resumed listening. The raindrops on her spectacles had impaired the clarity in vision. She wiped her spectacles. He wasn’t far ahead. She walked faster to reach up to him. Holding her breath and not knowing what to do, she asked him that it’s raining and he was walking so casually without an umbrella. Perhaps it was the most stupid question to ask a guy, I told her but I empathized with her equally. He gave a glance slowly, gave his irresistible smile, nodded and waved bye. He hurried his steps as though he would be able to beat the rain and reach home faster.

Tia was so happy as if it had been a dream. Happiness of such sort, when unexpected things happen leaves you day-dreaming. Talking to your crush even though a few words when no one is around .Wow!! Tia felt so great of having initiated a talk and having made the most of the opportunity in her best way. It does not complete here.

A year later she saw him again. This time Tia hardly noticed him. He was walking under the shelter of an umbrella with his girlfriend. When she saw, she thought, there goes my smiling CRUSH. Perhaps the reason being it was nothing beyond a personification of our famous movie hero. Crush as the whole episode denotes lasts for few seconds.