1. August had ushered in its chilly demeanor, although the warmth of summer still lingered. Nature seemed to rejuvenate everything afresh. In every field, sprouts were emerging from seeds, and the flowers glistened with the remnants of raindrops, almost as if nature's magic was manifesting in each petal, neither detaching from the leaves nor settling solely on them. Butterflies spread their wings, celebrating the arrival of this weather. Trees, bathed in the aftermath of rain showers, appeared revitalized. The roads felt cooler, the mountains seemed greener than ever before. It was as if everything brought something new, heralding the beginning of the school's academic year. I was restless, eager to reunite with my students after the seven-month hiatus.
2. My name is Ashu, I am 24 years old, and I teach English to students in the 11th and 12th grades at Gyani Peeth High School. While our school may not be the largest or the most renowned, it holds a significant reputation. Every year, several toppers emerge from our school. Though Gyani Peeth School may not feature prominently in the headlines, nestled amidst the beautiful valleys of the jungle, it serves its purpose. Gyani Peeth is an esteemed institution, situated quite a distance from the city in a secluded area, where there are hardly any households nearby. Alongside our school, there's another notable feature often highlighted in the headlines: a rough road. This road, which few dare to tread, is guarded by a board stating "Entry Restricted since 2004," adding an air of mystery to its reputation. Tales of wild animals roaming this desolate jungle road have been heard for many years. Yet, if truth be told, that road was akin to paradise. The cold weather of August had arrived, and our Gyani Peeth School had commenced classes for teachers a week prior, signaling the imminent start of the school year for students.
3. Last night, there was minimal rainfall, yet the morning greeted me with a chilly breeze. I rose promptly around 5 o'clock, noticing the faint drizzle and the clouds' uncertain intentions. Stepping outside, the cool air embraced me, urging me to hasten my routine. Despite the weather, I proceeded with my exercise regimen and bathed, preparing myself for school. As I began preparing breakfast, my mother called out, "Ashu, I'll make it, you sit down." "Oh no, Mom, I'll manage, it's not that I can't even make breakfast," I replied with a smile. "Yes, go ahead quickly, else everyone will be late," Mom chuckled, "What's the rush, Mom? I'm still just a kid; I don't need to do everything so quickly," I retorted jokingly. Mom seemed unusually insistent today, almost as if she wanted to rush things, like arranging a marriage. "Okay, Mom, I'll start, but you make the tea," I conceded, and we both immersed ourselves in our tasks. "You won't be late, right? It's already 6:30," Mom inquired. "No, Mom, there's still half an hour; I won't be late," I assured her. Mom seemed a bit worried.
4. "You won't go through that same road, will you?" Mom asked anxiously. "Oh, Mom, nothing ever happens; it just feels so good there. It's just me and nature, spending every week like that. That road remains as deserted as ever," I replied casually, but Mom didn't seem convinced. She sat down on the sofa, annoyed. "Ashu! If nothing happens, it doesn't mean that nothing will happen. You know how unpredictable things can be there," Mom said, irritated. I went to sit beside Mom, handing her a cup of tea, "Alright, I'll go now, else I'll be late," I said to her. I grabbed my shoes, picked up my bag, and headed out. Mom followed me to the gate as usual, smiling, and then went back inside. I also smiled as I rode my bike away. Today, I felt like I was walking on air, observing the people on my route – students going to school, office-goers, some cars, the shops lining the streets. They all seemed like messengers of joy, bringing happiness to my soul. But suddenly, my bike stopped working. "Oh no! It had to break down now; I'll definitely be late today," I muttered to myself.
5. Worried, I looked around, and I noticed only one path – the one Mom had forbidden me to take. But honestly, I also wanted to go there, and today, I had a reason. Parking my bike near a nearby shop, I greeted, "Hey there, Ashu! What's wrong this morning?" the shopkeeper asked. "I don't know, Sandeep Bhaiya, why is she acting up so early in the morning?" I replied, and Sandeep Bhaiya jokingly said, "If you act like a hero, won't she act like a heroine?" His words didn't make me laugh as usual. I was thinking about what he said about a wife and marriage. "Sandeep Bhaiya, I'm leaving my bike here; I'll come back for it in the evening," I said, "Alright, leave it; there's no problem here," Sandeep replied, but his casual attitude didn't bring a smile to my face. I was contemplating whether to go there or not; Sandeep Bhaiya's words about a wife and marriage were still ringing in my ears. "Sandeep Bhaiya, I'm leaving my bike here; I'll come back for it in the evening," I said, "Alright, leave it; there's no problem here," Sandeep replied, but his casual attitude didn't bring a smile to my face. I was contemplating whether to go there or not; Sandeep Bhaiya's words about a wife and marriage were still ringing in my ears.
6.The surroundings were dominated by tall mountains, with trees, plants, and the sweet chirping of birds all around. The gentle breeze carried the scent of the season, spreading its fragrance on the rugged paths where no one and nothing could be seen, neither homes nor humans. I walked alone on these paths, with only the sound of my own footsteps breaking the silence. This place was one of my favorites because in all these days, I had encountered only myself here. The tranquility of nature in its pure form was comforting, perhaps unmatched anywhere else. As I continued on my way lost in my thoughts, I noticed something unusual a little ahead. With each passing moment, the fog was clearing, revealing a figure. It was a person trying to start their scooter. I took a deep breath and said to myself, "It seems like today, my own vehicle is not cooperating." Apart from me, seeing someone else on this road was both comforting and strange. I approached the person and asked, "Excuse me, do you need any help?" As I got closer to them, the fog had completely cleared, and the person was taken aback. When the person turned towards me, I was astonished. With long hair, a fair face, and piercing eyes, she was a beautiful girl, whose gaze seemed fixed on me as if a child, after being lost, looks around in bewilderment.
7. "Um... it's my... um..." she stammered nervously and said, "Are you okay?" I inquired, and her nervousness eased a bit. She looked at me intently and said, "My scooter suddenly stopped working, and I can't start it." she replied. "Can I help you with something?" I asked. On hearing my question, she smiled and said, "Yes, please." Looking at her, I realized that I also needed to reach somewhere. Her troubled eyes, darting around, made her look even more beautiful. Her long hair repeatedly fell on her face, and she kept pushing them back with her hands. Her fair face, framed by those locks, and the way she spoke in her melodious voice seemed as if even the birds would turn back to listen to her once. She appeared to be an educated girl from a good family. I couldn't help but wonder what I was actually fixing in her scooter. Perhaps I just wanted to stay in that moment, where she sometimes looked around anxiously, sometimes towards me, and sometimes towards the forest, under these dark clouds, in the cold weather, amidst the gentle breeze, she was the most beautiful thing in this natural beauty, and I kept stealing glances at her.
8. "You are so kind... and that too on this road?" I asked curiously. "My home is nearby, and I thought I should lend a hand, but suddenly my vehicle stopped." I replied, looking at her. "I have never seen you here before," she said, looking at me. Her answer seemed a bit strange to me, as she smiled at me as if she knew me before. A strange silence engulfed us. "What's your name?" I broke the silence and asked. "My name is Meera, and yours?" she replied. "My name is Ashu," I said. After this, she started asking more questions, and we kept conversing. Meera: "Where do you go every day?" Ashu: "There's a school nearby, and I go there to teach." Meera: "Is there a school here?" Ashu: "Yes, don't you know? You live here, right?" Meera: "No... um... I am not allowed to go out much." Ashu: "Oh, I see." I was thinking to myself that if someone as lovely as her was near me, I wouldn't let her go anywhere. We were still talking when suddenly a strong wind blew, and Meera got scared and looked around. Suddenly, the scooter started. "Wow, what happened suddenly?" I asked as I stepped back. "Oh, it started. Otherwise, I would have had to drag it back," Meera said happily. "Yes, it's started now. Let's go, we'll meet again," I said, bidding farewell to Meera. Nature seemed to have a different plan, as coincidences are never this easy.
9. As per her request, I sat behind her, feeling a strange sense of unease mixed with a pleasant sensation. Sitting behind him felt priceless, as if everything had slowed down. Even though she started the scooter, her scarf kept brushing against my face. Sometimes, I glanced at her, and sometimes I admired the scenery passing by. The breeze carried the fragrance of her hair to me, like the fragrance of dew after rain. Today, I was close to a stranger girl named Meera, perhaps closer than ever before. The gentle drizzle falling on our faces seemed to reflect our thoughts. Even in this chilly weather, I felt drawn to her, her hair brushing against my face emanating a delightful fragrance, as if from a dream. Why did a stranger feel so good? From behind, I could see Meera's determined eyes, which were calm and deep like the sea, blinking like they were seeing the morning for the first time. Her face was incredibly beautiful, akin to a morning star shining, and the raindrops falling on Meera's face seemed like pearls. Her smile, which seemed to light up upon seeing me, made me feel... When she smiled, her lips looked like rose petals, and the warmth behind her smile felt comforting. A small, deep mole on her cheek, which nature had placed there to protect her from evil eyes, stood out. She spoke a few things, and I responded in a few words, unable to ignore her sweet voice. Meera was like a precious flower, coming closer as if searching for something. She kept driving the scooter steadily, while I could hear the sound of her anklets in the ups and downs of the bad roads. Sometimes, I listened to the sound of her anklets, sometimes I looked at her earlobes, which kept touching her cheeks as if caressing me, and sometimes I admired the simplicity in her demeanor, which was more fragrant than all the flowers of the world. Her clean hands, adorned with red henna and her name written on her straight palm, "Meera." Suddenly, her name slipped from my lips, "Hmm, what happened?" she asked in surprise. "Nothing," I replied, smiling and looking away. "If there's anything, tell me, we're almost there," Meera said, smiling, slowing down the scooter as if she wanted to hear something. But what? Perhaps she knew my feelings, which even I was not fully aware of. What was I feeling, what was making me so close to Meera? I had not felt this feeling before, this feeling was so beautiful that I did not want the journey to end. I never thought Meera and I would meet, let alone on the roads. Maybe I had fallen in love with Meera, but how? So quickly, in such a short time, we had just met. I didn't even know Meera, and Meera didn't know anything about me, how could someone become so special like this? Is love something that happens in just a moment, so suddenly? Perhaps meetings are not measured for love, sometimes a hundred are less, and sometimes one is enough. Was that the moment when we met like this? The answer lay in her smile and my feelings. Yes, I had fallen in love with Meera, but I couldn't say more than that, just one thing I could say, tears: "Meera, listen." Meera: "Yes?" Ashu: "You are very beautiful," I said hesitantly. Meera: "Really, do you think so?" she asked, laughing. Ashu: "Yes, Meera," I said seriously. Meera: "And?" she looked at me seriously. Ashu: "And I don't know why, but I felt like I didn't want this journey to end. I know you must have heard such things from many people," I said, looking down and smiling. Just as I looked at Meera, she was just looking at me, tears in her eyes. Meera: "From here, a little further, there's a road, you'll reach school," Meera said, looking down. Ashu: "Oh! I wasn't paying attention," I said, embarrassed and laughing. "So now I'll leave," Meera said, turning away. The truth was that we both wanted to spend a little more time together. Ashu: "Meera!" I called out. Meera: "Yes?" Ashu: "Will we meet tomorrow?" Meera: "Yes, for sure Ashu, I have to go now," We smiled at each other, and she turned to her path, and I to mine. As I reached the school gate, I turned back once more, perhaps to catch another glimpse of Meera, but she had already left, the road was empty.
10. As soon as I entered the school premises, all the hustle and bustle of children, the noise and excitement that were absent from the school for so long, filled me with joy. I greeted the children back, feeling pleased with their warm reception. It was heartwarming to meet everyone, including some new teachers. Outside, amidst the chaos, there was a serene beauty within me, a peaceful countenance amidst the commotion, embodied by "Meera."
Contemplating this, I made my way to my staff room. From a distance, Mr. Pandey called out, "Ashu, where are you coming from today?" "My bike broke down, so I had to take an alternate route," I replied after putting down my bag. "I had told you that route wasn't safe, yet you still chose to come that way. If anything were to happen to you on that route..." Mr. Ahsin, sitting at a distance, interjected with seriousness.
Smiling to myself, I pondered that in such an easygoing accident, I could do anything. Before saying anything, Mr. Pandey gestured from afar, "Anyway, what's done is done. They were coming alone while chatting to themselves." Mr. Pandey chuckled and said, "Brother, it's time for you to get married now. Dreaming during the day isn't a good thing, and you don't even see your friends." With a smirk, Mr. Pandey said and walked away, my smile gradually fading.
"Alone," I thought, perhaps he hadn't seen me correctly. I was with Meera after all. Lost in my thoughts, suddenly the school prayer bell rang. "Let's go for the prayer, sir," a staff member said. "Yes, let's go. I'll be there," I replied, feeling suddenly troubled. The repeated encounters, that conversation kept coming back to me. Then it struck me that there was a CCTV camera installed outside that recorded all the activities on the road. I quickly rushed to the camera operating system and started reviewing the recent recordings. Among these recordings, I saw Meera and me walking to school in the videos. I saw myself walking on the road, but what I saw was hard to believe. I was soaked even in the video. Meera was nowhere to be seen. I was just talking to myself. I sank into the chair, drenched with sweat. I was even wet from the machine. I couldn't understand what it was. Was it my illusion? "Who was she after all?"
