SHE: Coz we all love dreaming

by Prerna . K

James very sincerely started showing me the photos.

  After looking at some they were good, but because still we were awkward, I said, “James,”

  He looked at me in an instant,

  “Don’t you think we should talk, umh, I mean why we are behaving so awkward with each other.” Did I say right I asked to my brain? To the reply, let’s see, my brain answered.

  He smiled and said, “Of course, I was also thinking that.”

  I smiled. “Let’s play a thumb fight.” Wait! Wait! What my head said in amazement, I don’t know I just said it, I said to myself.

  “What,” he looked as confused as I was.

  Calm down, relax, my head said. I said to him, “I mean we can keep our self engage and can talk about something.”

  “Ohk, look cool, so what should we talk about,”

  “Funny incidences of our life”

  “Best.”

  We both started playing thumb fight, “Ohk my chance first, umh, once I was telling my sister your foot thumbnail is so strong that even this brick can’t break it, and I threw it from height on her nail and her nail actually pooped out with a lot of blood. First I not noticed it and started saying see, your thumb is alright then when she started yelling and crying I got to know what blunder I have done.”

  James laughed really loud on this, and I was already mad laughing while telling it.

  “Good one,” he laughed more.

  “Seriously you drop it on her nail.” He said when I pressed his thumb under my thumb.

  “Yeah” We laughed more.

  “Your chance,” I said.

  Ohk, He laughed, playing the thumb fight, and said “I once wrote a love letter to my class teacher, because she was very attractive so I did it. Even my father, class teacher, principal, they all laughed sitting in the cabin reading my letter and I was so embarrassed, because I had literally expressed my melodramatic romantic feelings for her. Like I love you very much, you are the reason for happiness in my life, you are like a princess of the moon and don’t know what rubbish.”

  “You literally wrote a love letter.” I laughed aloud, “oh god.” I said controlling myself and playing the game.

  “Yeah I thought that’s the most romantic thing, and she will love it, I was a kid back then.”

  “Ok, fine.” I laughed a little more thinking teacher’s reaction. He also started chuckling in between, playing the thumb fight earnestly.

  “Your chance now,” he said pressing my thumb under his. I looked at him and don’t know why but he really looked sexy. His cheeks were beautiful pink and his eyes were filled with glisten, even my eyes were, humor is best than anything.

  “Come on, he said looking at me,”

  “Yeah so once” I stopped thinking about some incident, umh! Umh! Umh! I played the thumb game with a bit of seriousness, I said pressing his thumb “Ohk, my brother has this habit of eating his things fast and then taking my away. And this bro is my cousin but we have a very amazing friendly relation with each other. And he is elder, in age and in the body. He is very chubby and has a good height, so whenever he looked towards me to take my thing away, I mostly surrendered. but once I ran, he ran behind me in fun to take my chocolate, we literally ran all around the whole house. Then when I was just ready to quit, I don’t know what came to my mind I pushed the chocolate inside my bra,” I chuckled myself at this so did he.

  He laughed really madly, “oh my god girl.” I was laughing louder. “What was his reaction?”

  “Listen, then he was like this is cheating, take it out, I knew he was helpless. And I was like take it, come on. We both literally laughed a lot that day, and literally, he never laugh on my jokes but that day when I was telling this to my sister at night, he was also with us, like we stayed always together, he was tumbling, laughing madly on it. And then he was like, I disown you, from today I only have one sister, Neha, I disown you. That was fun.”

  “Yeah it is. How old you were.”

  “Sixteen”

  “What the fuck, sixteen,” he said trying to bring my thumb down his, I said defending my thumb,

  “Yeah; we will never grow up for each other,we have always been like that, I love his company, I love him actually.”

  “God girl, this was really good.”

  We talked more, and we were laughing so much that all others also left their talks and joined this comedy show. As it is said laugh is infectious, so we all played it and really laughed till our stomach ached.

  You too girl

  he said admiringly.

  We started walking up the valley, till the waterfall as planned, as soon as we reached there we took our essentials from the camping team who were supporting us.

  So I’ m, skipping all in between things because I m more excited to share about the things that happened after we reached the waterfall.

  We reached the waterfall after some 1 hour of walk. Everyone set their camps, which we had brought along but I didn’t want to stop climbing. I didn’t want to miss out on the beauty that was lying there. So after resting for a little while, I applied the anti-mosquito, anti-insect, body cream and asked standing up, to move further. Everyone said they were tired; we could climb any other time. But I didn’t want that, so I picked up my bag and told them to not worry about me and I will come back in an hour or so.

  “I m also coming with you,” Jas said. Shubh followed.

  As I moved forward, someone called me from back.

  “Wait, I m also coming.” It was James. This was unexpected and I was reactionless. I stood there waiting for him, he came hurriedly, looking in my eye, smiled and said let's go.

  I was still reactionless, literally, all screws of my head were lost and I felt mindless.

  “Oh, Ash you are calling us. Coming! Coming!”Jas said, moving back to the resting group.

  “Enjoy,” Shubh whispered to me and went back.

  Neha said, “Why are you guys standing here, go now and come back fast.”

  "Stay together" Ash shouted.

  “Yeah” I said turning back towards the forest, thinking, friends know it all.

  “You really like being around nature, right.” He asked me after we were a little far from them.

  “Yeah”, I said looking up to his face then back to the ground.

  “Do you also like it?” I asked.

  “Of course that’s why I came to India, I was dying for such things.”

  “Cool” I said.

  2-minute silence :) butterflies, too many butterflies in my chest.

  “Oh I forgot to compliment you; your voice is very beautiful. I mean genuinely you are a very good singer. Last night your voice literally caught me in that moment. I love it.” I said to him.

  “Thanks. Actually I noticed, you were totally mesmerized. I could see that on your face. Sorry to say but you are not too good at hiding your feelings, in my opinion. And just in case you judge, I not said that to offend you.”

  “That’s the truth; I'm not good at hiding my feelings. And don’t worry, I'm not judging you.” I said punching gently his arm.

  “But I don’t know, maybe you can hide your bad emotion.”

  “Yeah, Ohk that was a dressing on what you said earlier,” I said smilingly.

  “Yeah actually, but I mean that.” He said with a wide smile.

  “By the way, you are a good observer,” I said.

  “I know that.” He said generously.

  “then you are smart too." I said looking at him.

  He smiled, I smiled at his reaction.

  “Cool,” we both said together comically moving our neck.

  The forest was dense and very beautiful. When we both were not speaking anything, I was observing that silence, in which all the little insects, on trees, in soil were spreading their voice. The birds were hidden but their chirupings were continuously flowing in the environment. I even liked the voice our steps were producing; those fresh and dry leaves the way they were being crushed under our feet. It was too ca
lm and good for my senses.

  “You know,” I said.

  He turned towards me, and said “yeah,”

  “Are you hearing the voices around, isn’t that...” I said.

  “..Peaceful” we both said together.

  “I was also observing that, it is too good.” He said in a very elite style, like classy.

  “Yeah,” I said, keeping the silence of the moment.

  “I'm finding some bird; I want to click some photos of birds. I like them.” He said.

  “Seriously I also do,” I said.

  “I love them” he said with me. I looked towards him, because back to back our words were colliding.

  “Are you doing this intentionally?” I asked with a likable smile.

  “What?” he said notoriously.

  “You are stealing my words,” I said joyously.

  “No I m not. You are actually” he said with a teasing smile.

  “Alright I won’t do it.”, he said smilingly, when I was looking into his eyes. He also looked into my eye.

  He smiled like it was so casual to look at each other like that, and turned his eyes away.

  “Oh look at that bird, she is so beautiful,” he said.

  I looked towards the bird; very gently I slapped his head “the bird is he, fool.”

  “Oh, seriously how do you know that?”

  “I have..”

  “….Studied about them.” He again completed my sentence.

  I took a step back crossed my hand and looked towards him; he was clicking photos of the bird so I didn’t interrupt but kept my stare. Oh he was looking so hot, holding that camera like professional photographers. I m a good admirer, keep it up my head said to me.

  He looked at me, with his tilted smile, (which was very sexy) he said, “Don’t stare at me like that.”

  I smiled, he continue clicking photos of that bird. He looked at me, and said again “stop it dude.”

  “You stop it first,” I said.

  “Oh, are you jealous I m not staring you but that bird. Come I will click your photos too” he turned his camera and clicked.

  “Hey stop that, oh wait are you trying to click my photos, with that excuse…” I said smartly.

  “Smart.” We both said together.

  I laughed, “stop doing that, you thief.” I was liking this mischief though.

  He laughed, “You stop stealing my words.”

  He moved straight, I hold his wrist and pulled him back.

  “Oh, hey what are you doing?” he said teasingly.

  “Shut up,” I said slowly. I pulled the camera out of his neck, he was looking at me nicely, I looked at his face, and he lifted his eyebrows, again sexy.

  I sat down, increased focus and shutter speed of the lenses and clicked some pictures, he also sat down, and I know he was froze when he saw that snake posing in front of my camera.

  I stood up as the snake crossed our way, “god he had such beautiful skin, I loved it, man.”

  “You mad girl, that snack could bite you.”

  “But he didn’t. I'm safe; I could not miss this chance. Look at this photo, his skin has such crazy patterns and colors, I loved it.”

  “Are you mad, try these stunts alone, or are you trying to impress me.”

  I looked at him thinking, oh my god, he is clearly trying on me, cool. Maybe thats his nature, but I will fly in the sky. Yes he like me. I said to myself and smiled from inside.

  Literally, inside my head I have a comedy ground that is just too excited to fill humor in any situation. And honestly I m scared of snacks, but the thing is, I have seen a lot like them. Because I have spent pretty much time with nature and in the forest, after all, nature is beautiful and I don’t want to miss beauty. And also because I m born in hills, with snow and mountain and forests and wild animal. I have the best heredity.

  “Maybe, but I love admiring beautiful things” I said to him, afterward.

  “Why are you staring at me like that?” he said, with suddenness. I recalled this famous dialogue of fault in our stars,

  “Because you are beautiful” We both said together.

  “Do you also like fault in our stars.” He asked

  “Yeah, I love it” we both said together, and laughed, looking at each other. I again looked at him, “oh I'm sorry, but I can just make out what you will speak, I'm sorry, I won’t do it again.” He said defending himself.

  I smiled and said, “It’s ok,” he said with me. And, laugh really loud cherishingly. I looked at him, and seriously the voice of his laugh and his joyous face tickled me, to smile. His smile is really cute. I thought. And for the first time, loving someone’s company was not hindering me, because this time I was not going to hold myself back.

  “You have a very beautiful smile,” I said staring at him.

  His attention also came towards me, he said, “you to o girl.” In damn it sexy way, bringing his arm around my shoulder. This boy is going to kill me. Why his expressions are so sexy, God. I thought.

  “What are you thinking?” he asked.

  “Nothing,” I said. “We should go back they might be waiting for us,” I said turning back, and thinking, thank god he can’t read my mind.

  “Hey, how we gonna find the way back?” He asked.

  “You are with me, don’t worry.”

  “I m not worrying about that, but if you did something with me, I'm an alone boy here.”

  “And yeah, I'm a Tarzan, and all animal here are my friends, idiot.”

  “Oh, lady Tarzan how is your bear?” he said smilingly.

  “That way, we have to go that way,” I said walking in that direction.

  “Are you sure?”

  “No I'm kidding, so that we both get lost in between these woods and some of the other animal eat us without roosting. Wow that will be so great, right. We will play inside his stomach, okay.”

  He laughed, “Ok seriously asking, are you sure.”

  “More than you are.”

  “Ohk, I think I can trust you.”

  “You don’t have any other option,” I said looking straight into his eyes.

  “I don’t need any other option.” He said at the same time, looking me into my eyes. And seriously, it took little time, but when I understood it, I felt special, I liked it. And he was allowed to play these tricks on me, my emotions actually liked it and my restless mind absolutely allowed my emotions to be played. I think I was accepting him as James.

  otherwise, till now i might be so pissed, and irritated, that my mind had planned his farewell from my life.

  I said, “Good.”

  We reached the place where others were camping, and literally the whole way we were talking about how amazing Tarzan’s and Mongoli life would be. And if we could have a treehouse here.

  "Prince charming thing"

  oh god, mad girl

  We all stayed there until the sunset, it was a beautiful view to witness; this day was a good day for me. It went really good, James and I were no more strangers, and instead, I believe we were enjoying a good instant bonding.

  Though the anxiousness of him being James was still revolving in my head, and this thought got me anxious, because I not wanted to turn up somebody, emotionally, and then leave the story in between, like always. That hurts. But this time things were more sorted.

  After sunset, we went to a nearby camping area. This area was under the supervision of a family who has been working to make this place more secure, hygienic and equipped with all important and necessary facilities. We got a really big and spacious tent for all of us; we all were going to spend the whole night together. There were many different points for the bonfire, after dinner we all decided to light one for us.

  We got to know there were arrangements for wireless speakers, and we could borrow them for as long as we were staying here.

  After having dinner like wild animals, we all lit up the fire, and sat around it. Lisa was lying over Ben and Ben was holding her close. Maira said to m
e, “Don’t you think they both are in a good mood today?”

  “Yeah, romantic type good mood,” I said.

  “Let’s do something,” Maira said.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Let’s create a romantic environment for these love birds.”

  “I don’t think we should disturb them,” I said.

  “No we are not going to disturb them.” “James.” She called him.

  He was sitting with Kim and Ash, he lifted his eyebrows.

  Maira said “come here.”

  After some pampering he came and sat beside Maira.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “Why are you sitting between Ash and Kim? They need space, leave them alone.” Maira said.

  “You stupid girl, he asked me, to sit with them,” James told.

  “Don’t you think we should do something for those couples and this going to be a couple” Maira said including Kim and Ash.

  “Truth and dare” Christina said who was sitting beside me.

  “Boring” Maira said, rejecting the offer.

  “No” I said, “I have an idea, we can ask them for a couple of dance,” I advised.

  “I don’t think they believe in P.D.A much.” James said.

  “Actually we all should slip out from this place one by one, they gonna enjoy their quality time,” James said.

  “Yeah, perfect” we both said together. James was looking me in the eye. I said looking towards him,

  “You thief” he again shouted, with me. And we laughed.

  “Oh wait what is this happening,” Maira said.

  “Nothing” He said to her.

  Slowly, swiftly we all shifted inside the tent leaving Ben and Lisa alone. Even inside the tent, Kim and Ash were sitting together, a good sign I thought.

  I, James, Jas, Shubh, Christina and Maira were sitting a little away from them.

  We talked for some time, but then James went to sleep. Slowly everyone one after the other, went to sleep. No couple was in the room, they all were roaming outside, spending their quality time. All of us were sleeping in the beds those were kept at the centre, and we intentionally increased the gap between our beds and the other four beds. So, that they get some more privacy, actually the feeling of privacy