Author: Swarangi Bhagwat

The Adi caught a glimpse of the dim yellow light which resembled a star on a dark night. He was casually strolling on the road at 2:00 am on a Saturday night, wearing a red hoodie and grey sweat pants. A couple was slow dancing in their home under that dim light. Adi froze on the road and smiled to himself. Ironically enough, within the next second, his cheeks were salty with tears. Adi was overwhelmed by the fact that the happily dancing couple had brought back so many memories.

Priya entered the rehearsal room, kept her bag in a corner, tied the ghungroos to her legs and started doing impromptu steps. After a while, Adi entered the room. He joined Priya in her impromptu dance session and now, when they both were dancing, it felt like butterflies. It felt free. It felt beautiful. Adi’s expressions and hand gestures on the wordings of ‘O re Piya’ by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan were nothing but an expression of emotions. The sudden change in expression when Priya looked at him and he kept looking back was so pure. Priya was not only beautiful but Adi, felt her beauty through dance.

Few months had passed since Priya and Adi had last danced together. Priya’s leg was injured due to which she was advised to take bed rest. The dance class memory flashed in front of Adi’s eyes and all he could wish was for Priya to rejoin the dance class. He kept smiling by looking at the couple as if he was understanding what they wanted to speak by looking in their eyes.

Adi and Priya’s love language was their dance and the expressions it portrayed. They had never spoken verbally to each other. They had never heard each other’s voices but yet both of them were sure of their feelings. They did not even know each other’s name. But they knew each other. They could express themselves and talk to each other through kathak.

Speech was never a necessity in the lives of Adi and Priya just like a story written without conversations, like this one. Art was their language that night Adi felt a sense of belongingness when he looked at that couple who was dancing and smiling. He walked home with a hope to talk with Priya soon.

The waves gushed on her new lavender shoes and drenched her white lacy socks. The black cascade of hair hid her facial expressions, due to the evening winds. Sahil slid the annoying strands of Parijat’s hair behind her ear along with a daisy, which he had kept safe in his pocket, until now. Parijat blushed and filled her eyes with the peachy shades of the setting sun. Sahil held her hand and said, “Parijat why do you love sunsets so much? Why does it feel like beaches are your second home?” Parijat smiled and said, “I have been on the beach since as long as I can remember. And when I say this, I do not mean that I used to take walks or play with ocean waves when I was a little girl. I mean that I used to stay here because my parents abandoned me and left. I do not know where they are or what they look like. And honestly, I have stopped trying to catch a glimpse of every other person who might resemble me, thinking maybe, that person would turn out to be my mom or dad.” Sahil sighed and asked, “Why did you stop trying, love?” She said, “Because I realized that I am just like this sea flowing endlessly before us.” Sahil said, “Yes you most definitely are. You are vulnerable and free spirited just like the high tides on monsoon days. You are soft hearted like the sound of waves. Your character is transparent with a tinge of sarcasm just like the salty turquoise water.”

Parijat’s cheeks were wet with tears when she felt what Sahil had just said. She replied in a heavy tone, “You are right. I am what I am because the ocean taught me to be free and indulge in things which make me happy. It always felt comfortable to cry away the moments of sadness and those of overwhelming happiness because the sea was always salty, be it high tides or low tides.” Sahil stopped walking and looked at Parijat’s red cheeks. He wiped her tears and asked her in a teasing way, “If you feel you are as strong as this sea, why do you want to share your life with me?” Parijat gave a tender laugh and said, “Because eventually the sea hits the dusky, sandy shore. That is what your name means right, Sahil? You are my only home.” Sahil and Parijat gave each other a warm hug before the sun completely set and the moon was bright. They continued to walk home on a starry night becoming each other’s safe place and a home for life.