A Valentine Fever

I was late. I didn't want myself to be late. At least not that day. I never use mirror. I didn't have to. I always believed appearances can be deceptive. I knew how my face should look. I had my smile. That was to stick there till I saw her. She was on the way. I had asked her to get down at Borivilli station instead of Bandra. I would go there and then pick her up. I locked the door and left. The sky was cloudy, but I was sure that it won't rain. And as usual, I was decieved. By the time I took the ticket to Dadar, it was pouring down. There is a beautiful commotion that spreads when it rains in Bombay. Different shades of umbrellas suddenly come into life. Many don't care to take one, and they happily get wet. While being, ladies talk about what they are going to prepare for the dinner that night. I gleamed at this beautiful commotion. I loved Mumbai, so did she. I was all wet. Not because I didn't have an umbrella but because somehow I felt like getting wet. Suddenly, there was an announcement. It was of the running information about a slow train to Borovilli. I didn't want to take that. Instead, I preferred to take a fast train so that I could see her without having more stops in between us. I couldn't wait any further still I didn't want to waste time either. Finally, my rationality prevailed over my heart and I waited for a fast train. As the destiny often does to me, the next fast train got canceled. I remember not crying at that time. May be my tears got dissolved in downpour that was happening. After waiting for 15 min, the next slow train to Borovilli came. This time I succumbed to my heart. I boarded it. Another 15 min more to the final destination. I couldn't wait any further. Before the station halted, I jumped out and ran to platform 6. That was the last platform in that station. I had to cross an underground pass and to reach the platform, i had to climb a flight of stair. While running towards her, climbing those stairs, I didn't know how she would be looking. I tried hard to concentrate and have a mental picture of her. But I couldn't because before I could, I had already finished climbing the stairs. She was wearing black and white horizontal stripped T-shirt with yellow strips around the neck. There was the silver earring that I gifted her and she looked very beautiful with the red bindi, that she put just for me. Source:http://www.wallpapercasa.com/girl_woman_rain_umbrella_train_railway_station_platform_suitcase-116697.html And on the concrete bench for the passengers to rest, she sat. Like a little kid waiting to be picked up. She was texting something on her mobile and as I ran into her, she turned her head toward me. And then I saw this most beautiful smile that I had ever seen in my life. At that moment, I felt like I was born to be just present there. Just enough to see her.