Short story:

Roses and Balloons

Examinations

Keep calm. Steady. Steady yourself man! It's ok, you've done this before. Just a couple of hours and then... you are free! But ... steady your nerves for now. Breathe in and let it out slowly.

I kept on telling this to myself. My hands had become sweaty. I wiped it on my jeans and looked around. Noisy and crowded. Too loud for an examination hall, I thought. Students flitting in and out of doors searching for their places or inquiring after friends.

Some of them looked hassled and nervous, just like me, I thought. Some looked confident, too confident, some looked scared. Well, I thought to myself, for god's sake! It's just an exam! But then, exams do crack one's normal self...

I was shaking my head looking around when my eyes caught hold of her. She was sitting in the next row but four desks ahead. She was looking at someone or something behind me. Her eyes looked confused but then she shook her head a little and was about to turn in front when she caught me staring at her. She gave me a small cute smile as if she thought I was cracking up and to encourage me, and turned in front.

Her look clearly said it's ok, you'll do well. At that moment the invigilator rang her bell for silence.

Pin drop silence. The invigilator gave the usual pre-exam lecture about the rules and regulations of the Edexcel examinations board. And then at four, the papers were handed over. I forgot all about that girl and concentrated on my paper. Relief spread over me and I was glad. As I came out of the examinations hall I saw her again. She was saying bye to her friends and then got into a white car and went off.

Rendezvous

She frequently visited me in my dreams. I couldn't stop thinking of her. I saw her many times during the exams and she always gave me that cute smile of hers. I got hold of her mobile number and smsed her. At the beginning I didn't tell her who I was.

After a month of smsing I told her who I was. I guess she didn't mind my discretion because she continued to test me. But now that exams were finished, I rarely got to see her.

She disturbed me. I could forever see her resplendent face in front of me. Whenever I thought of her, butterflies flew in my stomach. Thoughts of her created warmth in me that I've never felt before. She made my heart beat faster. I could never sleep without day's sms from her. I knew it was time for me to tell her how I felt about her.

I loved her from deep within me. This was my first love and I was very excited about it. We planned on a rendezvous and she agreed to meet up at the British Council. Her parents were not in the least indulgent so she gave the excuse that she had some research to do.

I was very nervous because I've never done this thing before. I knew it was deplorable of me to betray my parent's trust, but she disturbed me and I longed to see her.

I dressed in black, my favourite colour, and went to BC. She was there, sitting at one of the long, finely polished tables. She was dressed coincidently in a long sleeved black shalwar, head covered in a black scarf. She looked exquisitely beautiful.

As I entered the library, some of my friends were there to my horror. They called out to me but I just ignored them and walked straight up to her, pulled out a chair opposite her and sat down. I looked at her and told, "Now let's talk". I don't know how I had the guts to do it. Amidst all her friends and my friends, I just don't know how I did it. But she... never looked up at me.

She just sat there right in front of me, as if I didn't exist. Her head was bowed down with a small smile on her lips. And then I realised that she felt shy! She smsed me telling that her friends were unexpectedly there. She suggested we go somewhere else. I got up and went near the entrance and she followed me. Even then she was looking down but I noticed a blush on her cheeks.

I was staring at her and felt my heart beating faster than ever. After a few moments elapsed, she looked up at me with big beautiful eyes. I was caught in her steady gaze and the library just spun away from me.

I don't know for how long we stood looking at each other. Then her mobile started ringing. It was her dad informing he's on his way to pick her. I was still in a daze that I found myself tongue-tied. There was this lump in my throat and all I could do was just smile at her. Finally I managed to speak for a few minutes and then she had to go.

We had many frequent visits like this at the BC. It was quite easy. All we had to do was say we had extra work to do and get our selves excused. We had a nice relationship. We enjoyed each others company and managed to pass off time. But she never told me that she loved me. The actual words never came out of her mouth. I was disappointed true, but I just shrugged it off.

Out With It

The advanced level examinations were coming up. It was almost a year since I first laid eyes on her. But till now she never told me that she loved me. So one day I came out with it. Asked her directly whether she loved me. She looked at me thoughtfully for quite some time and said a bit hesitatingly that if I get above 85 for all my units, she would be mine forever.

Whoopee! I was happy. She actually told me that she would be mine! Forever! I was in the highest level of ecstasy. I thought getting 85 would be a piece of cake, of course with a lot of hard work. So I worked really hard on my studies. I wanted her that bad.

But sometimes, when you put too much effort to get something you realise that the results are not as satisfactory as it might have been, if you hadn't put very much effort. But this I realised only later.

A Warm Touch

I had to do my physics practical exam at the University. It so happened that I was the only student from my school who was doing it on that day. I felt nervous but it was a situation I couldn't help being in. I went to my place and looked around. The students were mostly huddled together with their friends.

Someone at the entrance caught my eye. She was there, she saw me, and she saw her friends. They called her over but she just ignored them and walked straight over to me.

She stood next to me and I was so thankful. Her friends looked upset but didn't make a big deal out of it. She asked me whether I had brought all the required stationary. I had forgotten to bring a long ruler. But she had not. To my surprise, she took an extra ruler and handed it over to me. She said that she had brought everything extra just in case I had forgotten. I was taken by her concern and it touched me.

It started raining as the exam finished. We waited together outside the building in a sheltered spot. Her car would arrive at any moment but I had a bus to catch. I wanted to stay longer and talk to her but it was getting late. Mom would make a fuss.

So I told bye and stepped out onto the rainy twilight. Halfway through I realised that she was upset with my behaviour. Just to make sure I retraced my steps. As she saw me coming she quickly pulled me next to her and looked at me anxiously.

She started apologising for making me come back. She was now upset at the state of me. I was wet; fully soaked to my skin. I was feeling very cold too. But when her fingers clasped around my arm, something warm and soothing shot through my blood, I felt warm all of a sudden and I liked it. Our eyes met for quite some time and then I sneezed. I also had a bus to catch.

Feeling the magical warmth inside me I caught the bus home. The result was that the next day I had a terrible cold. She called me to see if I was okay and I was surprised to hear her voice. It was as if she had a cold too. She was sneezing badly. Something clicked inside my head. I asked whether she got wet. Her hesitating reply came. Seems like she had purposely got herself wet...

All the way to Russia

She would have been mine forever if only I had got 85 for my units. My results were good but not good enough for her. Even her results were not what she wanted. I was troubled by this because I knew it was because of me her results were not that good.

I told her I was sorry but she said it wasn't my fault. It was time for us to decide about our future. She wanted to do medicine and I wanted to do software engineering. Since we did London A/Ls our choice of universities in Sri Lanka was limited.

After much consideration we decided to go to Russia to continue with our higher studies. Most of the Sri Lankan students were going abroad so my parents were very supportive with my decision.

She flew to Russia much earlier than I expected. Her parents wanted her to be settled and familiar with the environment before the semester began. But I wasn't lucky enough. I was accepted at the university but my visa was being delayed. Day by day my flight was being postponed to some months.

I accepted it but my mind was disturbed. What if something comes up in the last moment and prevents me from going there? She told me if I get into a university, she would do anything for me-even wash my clothes! Of course I refused it.

It was November 14th. Nineteen years ago a beautiful baby girl was born and was destined that I should fall in love with her. It was her birthday! I wanted to be the first to wish her but unfortunately her room-mate had wished her first. I wanted to get her something special but how could I possibly do it staying here when she is in Russia?

It clicked! Why, of course the internet. With the help of a cousin we logged onto a website of a flower shop in Moscow that was quite close to the university. We ordered for three red roses and six pink and white balloons to be delivered to her. Placing the order, I was really happy. I could just picture the scene when she gets the roses and the balloons.

The surprise on her charming face, her lovely eyes going wide open and the smile her sweet lips would display when she reads the name on the card. I was almost whooping with joy!

The roses and the balloons didn't come cheap. I had to spend a couple of thousand rupees out of my credit card. But then it was for her right? It was for the girl I loved. I knew she deserved it. She made me happy and her memories always brought a smile to my lips that lingered for quite some time. Her half smile always created butterflies in my stomach. Her big beautiful eyes had that soft look when her gaze fell on me. I was missing her like crazy!

Life at home was not smooth. Mom and dad were always having something to shout about. Not nice. I was looking forward to getting away.

She made me realise that life is after all beautiful. There are downs but also ups in life. My life sure was brightened by her. After all love created roses and balloons in my life.

The roses and balloons which made her realise how special she was to me. Her reply came in just three words... I love you. Maybe it took her quite some time, for her to go as far as Russia. But she did realise it and that's what counts the most. I sent her back a reply which I've always been sending.. I love you... too!

But something which someone once casually mentioned came to my mind.

Balloons shrink and petals wilt and fall off... but I shrugged it off. What else can matter now? I'm in love!!!

Shamlina Mahroof,
Soysapura, Moratuwa.