Please check out the previous chapter first if you didn't read --->Chapter 1
Chapter~2
Ayesha couldn't sleep well at nights because she used to get bad dreams , they were frightening like monsters . Occassionally early in the morning she used to find herself waking up sobbing ,with tears in her eyes. This morning again, a bad dream jolted her back from sleep. It's Sunday ,this day every week she never used to spend with family but she used to go to library. She picked up her phone to check the time --- 8.30 a.m. On Sundays she never set alarm nor anybody used to wake her up. She lazily freshened up and went downstairs. The morning she spent helping Mrs. Dutta in kitchen , made breakfast . Then leaning on the sofa watched highlights of previous night's football match with uncle and as usual, had a huge argument where she supports Madrid but uncle is a Barcelona fan. It was always a never-ending fight between them. Time seemed to fly rapidly when Mr, Dutta and Ayesha used to spent time in that living room having the telly on, in their own, separate couch that Mr. Dutta recently bought and announced it to be his favorite, that left Ayesha the old sofa but she used to find it comfortable so she never really complained. Weekends were always fun,Mr Dutta used to call it 'house-full, because when Mr. Dutta used to come to sped his holidays , Mrs. Dutta always looked delightfully excited and used to cook delicious dishes and Ayesha liked spending time with them so much that she, especially on sundays used to get very little time in her room sitting on the bed alone like the other days. After having lunch Ayesha went to room, took her purse, diary, phone in her black leather backpack which was very old but still kicking.
She went out late today .
It was 4.00 . When she put on her usual black sneakers and came outside it was already cloudy and colder , no trace of sunlight anywhere . Winter in Shillong is very cold and dry. Though it was February....springtime there , that year winter must have decided to stay longer . Ayesha had come from a place that is hot and humid most of the year so it's been hard for her to adapt to the climate in Shillong. Ayesha liked cloudy days as long as it was not windy unlike that day. She didn't wanna walk in the cold so she took a bus .
It's a local library, senior citizens in their locality set up a club room big enough to fit 18 bookcases filled with different books in different languages . There are sci-fi section, horror, mystery, adventure in thr corners of the hall, from Sherlock to Shakespeare -one could find anything here. At the end of hall and right on the opposite of the main door there were books of the greatest classic tales of authors around the world The library has been there for seven years , few days ago, they replaced old ,wooden tables with new ones with lamps on them, they were kept in the middle of the hall. A new, young librarian could be seen, sitting at a table near the door.
There is a delightful sound in silence. Both in her rooftop accommodation and here Ayesha liked the quietness and calmness around her - only the sound of pages and the very familiar smell of old books..... perfect place to get lost in the world of words .
She entered the best seller section ,in farthermost corner where recently a wonderful, large painting of Umiam lake has been hung on the wall . Last sunday , she saw few New York bestselling novels arrived. In this corner the shelves were new,wooden and newly arrived books were juxtaposed , so it didn't take her long to find the book she had been looking for.
It's the era of internet, so she had already read the pdf of this book. She picked the book, the blue paperback cover said THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by JOHN GREEN , Ayesha leaned on the wall ,held up the book and started reading the preface and the reviews . Few minutes passed. Ayesha was just about to turn the page over after finishing the review , when a husky voice startled her, "reality triumps over love". Ayesha was so much into the book that she didn't notice a guy was standing behind her looking at the book. She turned around and took a few steps back because in order to see what book she was reading the guy came close to her.
"How long have you been standing there?" Ayesha asked .
"Sorry didn't mean to frighten you . I was curious to know what book you were reading. It looked familiar." He replied.
Ayesha took a good look at him now, the guy was almost six feet tall, pale skinned. He was wearing a black shirt making him look fairer. The guy was looking at Ayesha therefore she could see his big black eyeballs , pointed nose and sharp jawline that tapered to a pointed chin, was making him so good-looking.
He leaned a little towards Ayehsa and said ," I believe you like reading these kind of romantic books,miss."
Ah! His voice.
Ayesha can't remember hearing such soft yet manly voice before. Instead of answering Ayesha asked," have you read this book?"
"Yes, but I don't usually like such painful ending in love stories. "
" I like the writing. I don't have any liking in particular , no matter what the story is , I appreciate the writers' skills, how they draw the characters and cone up with so many exceptionally awesome stories."
"So , she is a bookworm." he said while running his hand on the book he was holding in his hand .
Ayesha tried to sneak a peek at the book from her glasses ---- ARMS AND THE MAN.
"Bernard Shaw." She smirked.
Suddenly he got excited ,maybe he was waiting for Ayesha to notice his book,"You know what I like about this book?"
Ayesha sat at a table. Not more than 8 people including Ayesha were in the library, so it was very quiet. It made a loud noise as soon as the guy dragged the chair and sat down right next to her and put his book in front of Ayesha ,said," read this"pointing at a sentence written on the cover of the book ---- "an antiromantic comedy in three acts"
Ayesha smiled and looked at him, he was smilingly staring at Ayesha.
Oh! Even the lines on his cheeks when he smiles are so attractive that she got lost for few seconds.
"So what's the story that made you like this book so much or you just like it because it's antiromantic." She said.
" You are highly mistaken if you're thinking of it as a not-very-romantic story. This is a classic play about the serbia-bulgarian war where the author tells the story of a serbian soldier falling for the fiance of a bulgarian officer and how in the end love conquered. You should read this book " He said and pushed the book towards her.
Ayesha said, " Never read Bernard Shaw, but it sounds like a great plot. " Ayesha picked up the book.
"This time, why don't you take home this book. You'll love it. The play has classic taste with pinch of sweet 'falling in love moments' between the characters. Trust me. This is just the book you want to read." He sounded confident.
He smilingly rolled up his sleeve (his veins on mascular arms were showing )and ran his fingers through his perfectly backbrushed hair. When a normal looking guy does it, usually that never catches our attention..... But when it's a terribly handsome man who's paying all his attention to Ayesha and at the same time he's got a great taste in books does...well , it made her heart skip a beat .
Ayesha was hesitant. He noticed that .
" I never said I'm an antiromantic reader. I just don't like the sad partings, where one leaves and the other live rest of the life in agony waiting for the lover to come back in spite of knowing that love has left once and for all. No thanx. I'm rather happy with how this book ends." He said .
" Then, how does it end ? Are you satisfied with Shaw's ending ? " Ayesha immediately asked.
" How this play ends....that is for you to find out. But I'm overwhelmed by the way their love bound them and ,the play? It has got all the interesting victuals for a reader's hunger." He answered.
For next few minutes, they were silent, because the guy was replying to a text while Ayesha decided to go through the classic play which she already started to find interesting after being told about it so well.
" I'll tell you the plot summary. But, before that can we take this conversation to a coffee table? I hope you know the cafe across the street?" He asked.
There was indeed a cafe near , Ayesha noticed so many times , people especially couples going in but never went there because she's always come to the library alone and when it's a cafe she prefers to go in with a companion.
Ayesha smiled, " I'd rather read the book and find it out by myself. Thanx." She got up and picked the book .
Ayesha went to keep the other book back in shelf. She thought the guy had already left but she found him still standing near the table when she headed for the door.
" you're still here?" She asked.
" Where are my manners...." He smiled," I'm really sorry. I haven't introduced myself yet. I am Armaan. Armaan Ahuja. It was nice to meet you,miss ." He said.
"Ayesha, you can call me Ayesha. Nice to meet you too." It was late and it was getting colder and she didn't have her sweater in her bag today.
" How will I know if you liked the book or not? Afterall I suggested it." Armaan eagerly waited for her to answer.
" I come here every Sunday. " Ayesha replied .
" Ok then. I'd love to hear the book review , next Sunday, same time but the place will be just across the road." It took Ayesha few seconds to understand that he meant the cafe.
Ayesha didn't say much cause she had to rush, " See you . And thanks for the book." She said and left in hurry . After crossing the road she saw, he was still looking at her standing at the library's main gate, she smiled as much convincingly as she could.
© By Kinjala chaudhuri
TO BE CONTINUED------------>
Chapter~2
❄Stranger❄
She went out late today .
 |
| ©Dayeetachaudhuri |
It's a local library, senior citizens in their locality set up a club room big enough to fit 18 bookcases filled with different books in different languages . There are sci-fi section, horror, mystery, adventure in thr corners of the hall, from Sherlock to Shakespeare -one could find anything here. At the end of hall and right on the opposite of the main door there were books of the greatest classic tales of authors around the world The library has been there for seven years , few days ago, they replaced old ,wooden tables with new ones with lamps on them, they were kept in the middle of the hall. A new, young librarian could be seen, sitting at a table near the door.
There is a delightful sound in silence. Both in her rooftop accommodation and here Ayesha liked the quietness and calmness around her - only the sound of pages and the very familiar smell of old books..... perfect place to get lost in the world of words .
She entered the best seller section ,in farthermost corner where recently a wonderful, large painting of Umiam lake has been hung on the wall . Last sunday , she saw few New York bestselling novels arrived. In this corner the shelves were new,wooden and newly arrived books were juxtaposed , so it didn't take her long to find the book she had been looking for.
It's the era of internet, so she had already read the pdf of this book. She picked the book, the blue paperback cover said THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by JOHN GREEN , Ayesha leaned on the wall ,held up the book and started reading the preface and the reviews . Few minutes passed. Ayesha was just about to turn the page over after finishing the review , when a husky voice startled her, "reality triumps over love". Ayesha was so much into the book that she didn't notice a guy was standing behind her looking at the book. She turned around and took a few steps back because in order to see what book she was reading the guy came close to her.
"How long have you been standing there?" Ayesha asked .
"Sorry didn't mean to frighten you . I was curious to know what book you were reading. It looked familiar." He replied.
Ayesha took a good look at him now, the guy was almost six feet tall, pale skinned. He was wearing a black shirt making him look fairer. The guy was looking at Ayesha therefore she could see his big black eyeballs , pointed nose and sharp jawline that tapered to a pointed chin, was making him so good-looking.
He leaned a little towards Ayehsa and said ," I believe you like reading these kind of romantic books,miss."
Ah! His voice.
Ayesha can't remember hearing such soft yet manly voice before. Instead of answering Ayesha asked," have you read this book?"
"Yes, but I don't usually like such painful ending in love stories. "
" I like the writing. I don't have any liking in particular , no matter what the story is , I appreciate the writers' skills, how they draw the characters and cone up with so many exceptionally awesome stories."
"So , she is a bookworm." he said while running his hand on the book he was holding in his hand .
Ayesha tried to sneak a peek at the book from her glasses ---- ARMS AND THE MAN.
"Bernard Shaw." She smirked.
Suddenly he got excited ,maybe he was waiting for Ayesha to notice his book,"You know what I like about this book?"
Ayesha sat at a table. Not more than 8 people including Ayesha were in the library, so it was very quiet. It made a loud noise as soon as the guy dragged the chair and sat down right next to her and put his book in front of Ayesha ,said," read this"pointing at a sentence written on the cover of the book ---- "an antiromantic comedy in three acts"
Ayesha smiled and looked at him, he was smilingly staring at Ayesha.
Oh! Even the lines on his cheeks when he smiles are so attractive that she got lost for few seconds.
"So what's the story that made you like this book so much or you just like it because it's antiromantic." She said.
" You are highly mistaken if you're thinking of it as a not-very-romantic story. This is a classic play about the serbia-bulgarian war where the author tells the story of a serbian soldier falling for the fiance of a bulgarian officer and how in the end love conquered. You should read this book " He said and pushed the book towards her.
Ayesha said, " Never read Bernard Shaw, but it sounds like a great plot. " Ayesha picked up the book.
"This time, why don't you take home this book. You'll love it. The play has classic taste with pinch of sweet 'falling in love moments' between the characters. Trust me. This is just the book you want to read." He sounded confident.
He smilingly rolled up his sleeve (his veins on mascular arms were showing )and ran his fingers through his perfectly backbrushed hair. When a normal looking guy does it, usually that never catches our attention..... But when it's a terribly handsome man who's paying all his attention to Ayesha and at the same time he's got a great taste in books does...well , it made her heart skip a beat .
Ayesha was hesitant. He noticed that .
 |
| ©Dayeetachaudhuri |
" Then, how does it end ? Are you satisfied with Shaw's ending ? " Ayesha immediately asked.
" How this play ends....that is for you to find out. But I'm overwhelmed by the way their love bound them and ,the play? It has got all the interesting victuals for a reader's hunger." He answered.
For next few minutes, they were silent, because the guy was replying to a text while Ayesha decided to go through the classic play which she already started to find interesting after being told about it so well.
" I'll tell you the plot summary. But, before that can we take this conversation to a coffee table? I hope you know the cafe across the street?" He asked.
There was indeed a cafe near , Ayesha noticed so many times , people especially couples going in but never went there because she's always come to the library alone and when it's a cafe she prefers to go in with a companion.
Ayesha smiled, " I'd rather read the book and find it out by myself. Thanx." She got up and picked the book .
Ayesha went to keep the other book back in shelf. She thought the guy had already left but she found him still standing near the table when she headed for the door.
" you're still here?" She asked.
" Where are my manners...." He smiled," I'm really sorry. I haven't introduced myself yet. I am Armaan. Armaan Ahuja. It was nice to meet you,miss ." He said.
"Ayesha, you can call me Ayesha. Nice to meet you too." It was late and it was getting colder and she didn't have her sweater in her bag today.
" How will I know if you liked the book or not? Afterall I suggested it." Armaan eagerly waited for her to answer.
" I come here every Sunday. " Ayesha replied .
" Ok then. I'd love to hear the book review , next Sunday, same time but the place will be just across the road." It took Ayesha few seconds to understand that he meant the cafe.
Ayesha didn't say much cause she had to rush, " See you . And thanks for the book." She said and left in hurry . After crossing the road she saw, he was still looking at her standing at the library's main gate, she smiled as much convincingly as she could.
© By Kinjala chaudhuri
TO BE CONTINUED------------>
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