It was a cold night.
There were 35 final year students who went from their university, to visit Babusar Top, the highest point in the Kaghan valley, Pakistan, known for its breath-taking beauty.
It was a pleasant July evening. The boys were ready to do some Bar-B-Q. The girls were helping them out. It was their last night together and the next day they all had to leave back for their hometowns.
Mina was devastated. The thought of leaving Ali was making her anxious. Ali & Mina were friends since high school. Their likeliness changed into something more serious during the last few months of college & during this trip, together, they actually fell in love with each other.
Ali was busy helping his friends make food. Mina just couldnt hold her anxiety.
"I dont know why is he just not coming to talk to me. He knows we wont be able to meet after this day is over", Mina exclaimed to herself.
Ali came over to the tent to pick up his watch, saw Mina walking anxiously. He came towards her: "Whats the plan? If you think walking in this cold would help you reduce weight, then i must tell you, you are badly mistaken". Ali giggled. Mina was furious, and walked away.
As for most of the boys, Ali thought .. "Oh yeah. She must be on her days. Mood swings, you know. These women!" and went back to his friends.
The food was served around the bonfire with the girls tapping their feet to Ali's strumming over the guitars. He was a pathetic singer and still tried to look cool by singing all the songs in the world he could remember. Had it not been for Sajjad, his classmate, who had an excellent voice, Ali would have made even the crows sound better.
Good food, good music, good atmosphere ..and then , there were the final moments of their tour's highlights. Tears of goodbyes, Hugs of warmth, gratitude of laughter and the ability to leave that place with a bigger and better person in everyone, held everyone close. They all vowed to remain in contact with each other.
Back in her tent, Mina was silent. Ali went towards her. They both sat down together. Their was nothing except the sounds of silence between them. The silence was heavier than the chilled wind blowing in their face or the flames of fire between them. They knew. It was much deeper, darker & stronger than they had imagined.
Ali held her hand. Mina lowered her gaze. He saw something that rolled on from her cheeks to fall down over the back of his hands. It was a small drop of tear with hundreds of emotions enthralled in it. He lifted her chin up ..there was an ocean of emotions in her eyes. He saw her sadness and happiness both at the same time. Her comforts & fears combined. Her gratitude of having him near to her and the pain of losing him away to distance, everything, in those fraction of seconds. His eyes were misty. He took her hands in the palms of his hands and told her decisively .... "You are the best of everything that surrounds me, Mina".
These werent just words. They were emotions drenched in the potion of love. She clamped her hands in his hands together. Looked him in his eyes to just tell her that she believed every word he says. He held her close. She rested her head on his lap. It was their moment. They knew ..they had to live it, no matter what their future held, it was that moment that they had to live.
Ali was caressing her hair, and she was lying there as a little kid who needs protection, care and love to all his annoying tantrums. She closed her eyes drifting into sleep. Ali was awake, wide awake! He didn't move a bit. He leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead. He kept on seeing her. Adoring her for all the innocence she had. He looked at her to find a girl who was so madly in love with her. He kept on caressing her hair, because it was her hair that he liked the most. What more can a woman give to his man, than the assurance of providing the comfort of being the most comfortable in a situation as awkward as this. At that moment, he knew .. this woman wasn't only loving him, she was giving him a part of her soul that no man could ever have again, she was irrevocably vulnerable in love with him. His arms were numb by the pressure of her shoulders, but he didnt move. Because to him, her comfort counted the most. He stared at her face, and found her very ordinary. He smiled, because it was the way she made him feel, that used to take his breath away. He looked at the moonlit sky and saw hundreds of stars shining brightly over them, but none of them could match the brilliance of her face dazzling in the rampage of glowing love. He knew, he was special!
There were 35 final year students who went from their university, to visit Babusar Top, the highest point in the Kaghan valley, Pakistan, known for its breath-taking beauty.
It was a pleasant July evening. The boys were ready to do some Bar-B-Q. The girls were helping them out. It was their last night together and the next day they all had to leave back for their hometowns.
Mina was devastated. The thought of leaving Ali was making her anxious. Ali & Mina were friends since high school. Their likeliness changed into something more serious during the last few months of college & during this trip, together, they actually fell in love with each other.
Ali was busy helping his friends make food. Mina just couldnt hold her anxiety.
"I dont know why is he just not coming to talk to me. He knows we wont be able to meet after this day is over", Mina exclaimed to herself.
Ali came over to the tent to pick up his watch, saw Mina walking anxiously. He came towards her: "Whats the plan? If you think walking in this cold would help you reduce weight, then i must tell you, you are badly mistaken". Ali giggled. Mina was furious, and walked away.
As for most of the boys, Ali thought .. "Oh yeah. She must be on her days. Mood swings, you know. These women!" and went back to his friends.
The food was served around the bonfire with the girls tapping their feet to Ali's strumming over the guitars. He was a pathetic singer and still tried to look cool by singing all the songs in the world he could remember. Had it not been for Sajjad, his classmate, who had an excellent voice, Ali would have made even the crows sound better.
Good food, good music, good atmosphere ..and then , there were the final moments of their tour's highlights. Tears of goodbyes, Hugs of warmth, gratitude of laughter and the ability to leave that place with a bigger and better person in everyone, held everyone close. They all vowed to remain in contact with each other.
Back in her tent, Mina was silent. Ali went towards her. They both sat down together. Their was nothing except the sounds of silence between them. The silence was heavier than the chilled wind blowing in their face or the flames of fire between them. They knew. It was much deeper, darker & stronger than they had imagined.
Ali held her hand. Mina lowered her gaze. He saw something that rolled on from her cheeks to fall down over the back of his hands. It was a small drop of tear with hundreds of emotions enthralled in it. He lifted her chin up ..there was an ocean of emotions in her eyes. He saw her sadness and happiness both at the same time. Her comforts & fears combined. Her gratitude of having him near to her and the pain of losing him away to distance, everything, in those fraction of seconds. His eyes were misty. He took her hands in the palms of his hands and told her decisively .... "You are the best of everything that surrounds me, Mina".
These werent just words. They were emotions drenched in the potion of love. She clamped her hands in his hands together. Looked him in his eyes to just tell her that she believed every word he says. He held her close. She rested her head on his lap. It was their moment. They knew ..they had to live it, no matter what their future held, it was that moment that they had to live.
Ali was caressing her hair, and she was lying there as a little kid who needs protection, care and love to all his annoying tantrums. She closed her eyes drifting into sleep. Ali was awake, wide awake! He didn't move a bit. He leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead. He kept on seeing her. Adoring her for all the innocence she had. He looked at her to find a girl who was so madly in love with her. He kept on caressing her hair, because it was her hair that he liked the most. What more can a woman give to his man, than the assurance of providing the comfort of being the most comfortable in a situation as awkward as this. At that moment, he knew .. this woman wasn't only loving him, she was giving him a part of her soul that no man could ever have again, she was irrevocably vulnerable in love with him. His arms were numb by the pressure of her shoulders, but he didnt move. Because to him, her comfort counted the most. He stared at her face, and found her very ordinary. He smiled, because it was the way she made him feel, that used to take his breath away. He looked at the moonlit sky and saw hundreds of stars shining brightly over them, but none of them could match the brilliance of her face dazzling in the rampage of glowing love. He knew, he was special!
"Baby,a dangerous idea,
That almost makes sense,
Love is drowning,
In a deep well,
All the secrets,
And no one to tell,
Love is blindness"
