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That night has been etched in my memory forever, after all it was the night which changed my life forever…
It was on a beautiful, moonlit winter night when I was sixteen that I had my first crush. I had just finished my school and entered college. In college, nothing mattered to me except studies. I was quite happy with in the confines of my world i.e. the first bench, the dais and the black board…until that night changed my world.
That night, one of our classmates, Vishali was getting married and all of our class was present at the venue. The atmosphere was electric and buzzing with life. There is something special about a wedding scenario. It excites people and brings the best out of them. Around me, I could see my classmates, all very happy and excited, none more so than the celebrated couple of our class, Satya and Raj. They seemed to be in a world of their own. I honestly didn’t find anything amusing about them.
I was in these thoughts when I heard someone calling me from behind. I turned around and could not believe my eyes. It was Madhu, one of the very few good looking girls of our class.
“Hi”, she said.
She was clad in a beautiful red half sari and looked gorgeous. Her slim figure was gracious. I wonder why girls always look beautiful in classical dress.
“Hi”, I said hesitatingly. We had been in the same class for almost a year but never spoke to each other.
“Hope I’m not disturbing you!” she sounded a little doubtful.
I quickly reassured her that she wasn’t and that I myself had wanted to talk to her.
“It’s a wonderful evening. Isn’t it?” she said.
I could only mumble “Yes”, hesitatingly.
Both of us were slightly shivering. Was it the cold, was it the excitement…I don’t know. She covered herself from around the shoulders with the end of the sari. It kept the cold away and also kept her midriff from being exposed.
I was very nervous. Talking to girls was not new to me but this was different. I really did not know what to talk. On a moonlit night, with a beautiful girl in front of you, there would be a million ways of initiating a romantic conversation. But all I could come up with was,
“Are you done with your Physics assignment?
She said yes, but with a wry smile on her face.
Despite my best efforts to continue the conversation, I was faltering. I followed up my first question with an equally stupid one,
“What about the Chemistry assignment?”
She looked bewildered.
I would have inquired about her Mathematics assignment too, but the what-kind-of-a-moron-are-you look on her face stopped me.
She understood my plight, took it upon herself to ease the tension, and diverted the conversation to better things. And thus, we went on and on.
During the dinner, I gathered some confidence and complimented her.
“You look really wonderful in this dress!”
She seemed relieved, “Thank God! Finally you have something to talk about me!”
At that, we laughed heartily.
It was almost 2 O’ clock in the morning by the time all the ceremonies were over. We bid good bye to each other and got ready to leave.
Just before leaving, she turned around and said
“Thank you very much for the company. I can never forget this night”
I was feeling equally happy, if not more. My heart was dancing with joy.
She added, “Next Sunday, if you are free, please come over to my house. We can have a great time together, Good Night!”
An invitation from Madhu to visit her house! I was on cloud nine!
Now I knew why Satya and Raj were so happy…
I stood there watching, as Madhu slowly rode on her bicycle and faded into the night.
That night something had changed…forever. Madhu had entered my life!!!
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