The silent night

The silent night

A balcony.
A pair of sweaty palms weakly clasped the cold steel railings.
The night breeze brushed through the ruffled hair.
Wet eyes and dry lips witnessed the same countenance.

The cloudy sky lit up with hues of bright orange and dusk grey as a streak flashed through the mist.
He looked at the stars.
Those bright city lights.
The sky thundered in response to his turbulent thoughts.
A faint rumble reached his ears.
"Hold me close", he heard.
And his eyes hunted for a street lamp among those stars.

It was a cold night. The asphalt extended to miles. "Let's walk", she said, turning away from the car. His cold hand held a warm one. And their footsteps echoed on the pavement, together. "We hadn't met since long", he said, "I miss you. And I think it is going to rain." And they looked up at the sky.
"You see the Moon there?", she asked. "Ahan..no", he replied, "only clouds".
"See..the Moon is still there," she said, "just out of your sight. We may not meet but I am always there for you."

His footsteps retarded.
He bent on one knee.
"All hail, to the great philosopher Miss Soumya", and bowed his head before her. Her laughter ringed in his ears.
And they continued walking.
A flash of lightning blazed through those clouds.
"Let the heavens pour their affection on us", she giggled. "Yeah, sure, so that I catch a cold and you make coffee for me", he said with laughter.
"You know what, I am scared of thunder", she replied.
His hold of her hand got tighter.

"Let's stop here", she said, after what seemed to be a short walk of several miles.
"Okay baby", he said.

It was a street lamp.
The golden light of which, fell upon her face and he fell in love with her, all over again.
"Don't call me baby", she frowned, "I am not a kid".
And the sound of roaring thunder reached his ears.

She hid in his arms. "Hold me close", she said.
Those arms wrapped her tight.

The hold of those sweaty palms on the cold railings tightened.
Those arms shivered.

He felt soft lips on his chafed ones.
His eyes saw him basking in the golden light of a streetlamp.
His world held in his arms.

He closed his eyes.

"Wanna wait for the rain?"
"I'm afraid....I want to go home."

"Let's get a cab for you"

"Drop her directly to her home", he said, "no stops in between".
"Shall I come with you?", his face turned towards hers.

"No, its okay, I will go"
"Call me when you reach home", he said.
The window rolled up.

The car moved.
They waved to each other.
And a turn made him lose her sight.

And he could not keep his eyes closed.

The skies blazed.
His mind refused to relive further.
The stars flashed at the steel railings.

The clouds growled.

He stood there, waiting for the heavens to pour their affection.
But they had already refused.

The call never came.

The coffee was never made.