A Conversation that lasted...!

A conversation that lasted for a while in my Head forever in my Heart!

Her name was Priyanka. I was never prepared for an adventure, believe me when I said, it means never ever. She was an acquainted friend in the trek that I was forcibly pushed into, in the place of my friend, who was ill. It was a forest trek in Bangalore, in the dense forests of Pushpagiri, Kumara Parvatha, there were 12 of the organized and I was the 13th one. Like they say, I was the odd man with a peculiar number. 13 was never considered good, as for my experience. I was even born on 13th of May 1991. 

"Raghu, Please go for it man. I spent all my savings for this trip and now I am ill. Please try to understand. The amount is non-refundable and they mentioned that it is possible to send someone on the same name. Luckily you're the only guy with same name for me and in this state I can't even manage other than providing you with all I have planned and organized for this trek."

I gave a fake smile and took everything I had and started my journey to the meeting point in Bangalore.

As i said, the name was Priyanka!

I was standing at the meeting point and Manisena was the man, who came and received me. He was in-charge of the team that gathered at the spot and he was also the man who provided us the accommodation for the night. We had a little chat while arriving at his place and got to know that everyone was so high for the trek. As I reached his place, I saw joy and smiling faces everywhere, I think I am the gloomy one!

'Fuck this shit! I am going back' I thought internally. But moved on with a fake smile and sat in my room. As I opened the window, I could listen to the voices shouting and dancing and everyone was waiting for the dinner. 

"Raghu?" came in a voice from the window. I was looking pale, as I saw a face smiling.

"I am Priyanka! I thought you're an open kind of person, when I spoke to you on the phone!" we shook our hands through the window.

I just gave a blank expression that made her feel awkward for a moment. Instantly I recovered and asked her to come in.

"I am not the Raghu you spoke to!"

"Meaning?"

"He was... my... my friend! I am the guy with the same name. He was adventurous, but I am not. I never wanted to reveal this. But... What to do! You seem like someone who can understand people!"

"Decision taken so quickly! What if I am not the one, who would keep your secret with me?"

That moment I was sure, that she was good. But for once, I thought if she won't keep the secret, then I am far gone!

She smiled and whispered in my ears, "Don't worry! Your secret is safe with me!"

We were then assembled for Dinner and we took our turns introducing ourselves and I was obviously the most silent one. with my behavior, I am pretty sure they all must be doubting me! But they didn't. They were busy in chatting over the topics of their own interest and we all made a toast to the adventure that we are about to begin the next day!

The Day The Trek started!

The trekking adventure has begun.We were all packed and our journey continued with precautionary measures. As we moved through the forests we encountered many animal sounds and the one who led our trek was a man with 25 years of experience in the trek. He was a retired major and as the journey moved on, he explained us the course of route and asked us to stay together as a team, since, losing the company would lead us away from the path we are yet to travel, and made us stand in a no man's place lost!

As we were moving, the first halt was a place near the waterfalls and as we heard the sound of the water falling from certain height, the adrenaline rush was very clear in my blood. I was feeling the intense tone of hype. I was never a traveler. Everything seemed so new to me and as a matter of fact, I don't know how to swim. But I wanted to go and jump in the water. 

There were small pits that were created from the above, as we were watching, the water from the origin of the fountain was falling in three steps from the above, creating hollow spaces that had a clear chance of swimming through it. We were at the bottom and we climbed the mountain and many of us tried to jump in the second hollow space which had a scope of less drowning. I too tried but accidentally I lost my wit and was unable to swim. I went deeper and then, I slipped through the second one and fell in the third and then finally in the bottom one, and when i was about to fall in the water flow below, I felt a hand rescuing me. It was the man who led the trek. I was dried and was offered a warm place to sit. We then moved on the hill top and put on our tents, and we set out a camp fire there. It seemed to be shivering, as the fear that caused to me was chilling me through the spine. I was sitting alone looking at the moon, alone outside my tent. Then I saw someone coming to me. It was Priyanka. She brought me a coffee and we started sipping each drop of it, talking about the incident.

"I thought, we almost lost you there!"

"For a moment! I thought I was dead!"

"Don't speak like that! We would never give up so easily on you!"

"Why?"

"Because, you're important."

"Important? No one ever cared knowing and talking to me. You were the only one who brought me a coffee. At least I can say that there is a girl who cared about me, when i seemed lost!"

"You seem to have lost hope on women. Is this normal? Or is it me who is feeling there is something abnormal about this guy?" said Priyanka pushing me with her shoulder.

"I lost my sister when I was 14 years old. Girls never were my choice of starting a conversation. I never knew why!"

"Well. I think you have never found out an actual woman, who seems to speak to your heart!"

"I think..."

"Yes, you think?"

"I think...."

"Tell me Raghu!"

"I think, I found someone who actually ought to understand me!"

We giggled and that conversation lasted for more my imagination. I never wanted that night to end. As everyone slept, I stared at her turning to her side. She was beside me, a bit far but was sleeping. I kept looking at her the whole night and the Sunrise was magnificent. The golden rays of the sun touched her cheeks and she woke up, looking at me. Suddenly, i looked aside. She laughed and went into the tent. She brought me a coffee and we then started talking again...

"Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yeah!"

"I am talking about the sunrise you idiot!" she giggled and hit my shoulder.

"I was even quoting the same!"

"Aaha! That's the reason you were looking at me the whole night?"

"How did... Wait you were sleeping! "

"Prashanth told me that you were staring at me, the whole night. As soon as I woke up, I caught you seeing!"

"I want you to be brave today. Just don't be a someone hiding inside. Just come out and explore. Opportunities like these won't come often. We travel to explore, not the places, but ourselves!

I loved the way she conveyed me what I needed the most! Courage!

From then, I loved whatever I did. I realized that, I need to enjoy every moment I was in, from deep within!

We explored for 7 days climbing every mountain that  nearby and every night was beautiful night with her chats. She was the girl she meant to be! I loved Priyanka, and I know...

It was the moment, we blended in to share our thoughts. She had a dark past. She was being harassed by her husband and she was a divorcee. All that her husband loved was her body, never her soul. 

Every tear from her eyes, spoke a million words a loving heart can understand!

That moment I took the liberty of holding her hand and took her near my tent. I asked her to wait outside and went in to get the torch and took her where there was a bright moon in the peak of the mountain.

And asked her to look at the moon. We slept there, talking for hours, 

"You know. There was no one, who wanted to talk to me like this! At least not looking at my body! "

"I loved your eyes, from the moment I saw them! They speak a million words silently to whoever looked at them with love!"

"What did they speak to you then?"

"Pain! I saw pain when there were tears from them. I saw the need for love, when they smiled. I see love, even now!"

"But how far can this go Raghav?"

"Until my last breath!" I kissed her.

She kissed me back very passionately. All I could feel was the love she was missing and that night was the night which I never wanted to end. We joined our hands together, that night and never left them until today!

That was a conversation, that lasted... Forever in my Heart!

Raghav and Priyanka are the destined to meet and become One! That night the love between them made them realise the true essence of living for the rest of their lives!

Love... Forever... Pure Bliss!

 This is the story I loved writing the most!

With Love,

M