"I look fat no?"
"No. You look just like you looked yesterday"
"But this dress makes me look fat"
Nikhil didn't comment. He just kept looking at Smruthi.
"I don't look good no?"
"You look good sim..."
"I don't think so. Why do you love me?"
"Because you love me"
"But how can that be a reason for loving me? You should have a reason for loving me no?"
"I love the way you love me"
Smruthi looked at Nikhil for some time.
"Why did you fall in love with Aishwarya and Annie?"
"Well... I was crazy at that time.."
"They looked good no?"
"Of course they did.."
"I think you like pretty, innocent girls...."
"What do you want me to say?"
Smruthi kept quiet.
The auto kept moving through the noisy traffic. Street vendors were crying at the top of their voices.
"Our's is a very strange relationship no?
"Why?"
"We don't do any of the stuff that normal couples do .."
"We do..."
"Yea.. but we are more like friends... we keep discussing non interesting stuff.. nothing that is romantic"
Nikhil smiled.
The auto driver spoke.
"Sir..can go only till here. Too much traffic"
"Oh ok.. "
The driver left after Nikhil paid him the fare.
They started walking through the thick crowd.
They reached the front gate of the palace.
Nikhil took out his camera. There were couples all around taking pictures of each other. Nikhil smiled.
"Stand near that gate.."
"I'm not standing. Don't take any photos in this dress"
"Come on... just smile"
Smruthi smiled. Her smile looked more like the expression of someone who had stamped on cow dung.
"Smile fully na.."
"I don't want to show teeth"
"Ok..don't show teeth..but smile properly"
"I can't smile..I'm not photogenic"
"Ok.. smile like how you smiled for that passport size photo"
The surge of memories produced a smile on Smruthi's lips.
Nikhil clicked.
"See..this is what I'm talking about.. see how beautiful you look when you smile properly"
Smruthi blushed.
"Now you stand... Ill take your photo.."
"Ok.."
Nikhil walked to the gate.
"Take only chest and above.. no need for full photo"
"How about just face!!"
There was a tinge of sarcasm in Smruthi's tone.
"Just listen to me.. chest and above.. no tummy!!"
"Ok ..smile.."
Nikhil exposed his 32 teeth.
"Ayyeee.... you look like a fool.. don't smile so much"
"I don't care.. just click.."
"Close your mouth"
Nikhil closed his mouth.
"Why do you have to smile so much.. just be natural.."
"I'm being natural"
"Yea..by showing all your teeth"
Smruthi sighed.
The photo sessions went on for some time.
And then they started walking on the pavement lining the lake. The lake had the shape of a long round necklace. Tall buildings lined the other side of the lake. The light from the distant buildings created a mirror like image in the unperturbed surface of the lake. A cool wind blew carrying with it signs of rain in distant lands.
Couples stood near the railings of the pavement sharing their lives and dreams.
Nikhil spotted an empty area.
They walked towards the railings.
Smruthi touched the iron railings. It was as cold as December.
The lake reflected the full moon shining brightly in the sky. There were no other lights except for the milky brilliance of the full moon.
Smruthi was looking into the lake.
Nikhil touched Smruthi's hands.
"Ayyy...."
"What??"
"Not here...."
"See others... they are all holidng hands.."
"let them hold.."
Nikhil didn't say anything.
He stared into the lake which stretched for miles ahead of them.
"oye..."
"Hmm..."
"Oye...."
"Hmm.."
"are you angry??"
"For what...."
Smruthi reached out and touched Nikhil's palm.
Nikhil turned.
"You are so nice to me... why do you love me"
Nikhil smiled.
For a moment they looked into each others eyes.
"Cos no one else can understand me like you... trust me like you... and believe in me like you...
no one can love me as much as you"
Smruthi's eyes watered.
She turned away and looked into the vast expanse of empty space in front of them.
Up above moonlight filled the night sky.
And down below love filled the air.
"No. You look just like you looked yesterday"
"But this dress makes me look fat"
Nikhil didn't comment. He just kept looking at Smruthi.
"I don't look good no?"
"You look good sim..."
"I don't think so. Why do you love me?"
"Because you love me"
"But how can that be a reason for loving me? You should have a reason for loving me no?"
"I love the way you love me"
Smruthi looked at Nikhil for some time.
"Why did you fall in love with Aishwarya and Annie?"
"Well... I was crazy at that time.."
"They looked good no?"
"Of course they did.."
"I think you like pretty, innocent girls...."
"What do you want me to say?"
Smruthi kept quiet.
The auto kept moving through the noisy traffic. Street vendors were crying at the top of their voices.
"Our's is a very strange relationship no?
"Why?"
"We don't do any of the stuff that normal couples do .."
"We do..."
"Yea.. but we are more like friends... we keep discussing non interesting stuff.. nothing that is romantic"
Nikhil smiled.
The auto driver spoke.
"Sir..can go only till here. Too much traffic"
"Oh ok.. "
The driver left after Nikhil paid him the fare.
They started walking through the thick crowd.
They reached the front gate of the palace.
Nikhil took out his camera. There were couples all around taking pictures of each other. Nikhil smiled.
"Stand near that gate.."
"I'm not standing. Don't take any photos in this dress"
"Come on... just smile"
Smruthi smiled. Her smile looked more like the expression of someone who had stamped on cow dung.
"Smile fully na.."
"I don't want to show teeth"
"Ok..don't show teeth..but smile properly"
"I can't smile..I'm not photogenic"
"Ok.. smile like how you smiled for that passport size photo"
The surge of memories produced a smile on Smruthi's lips.
Nikhil clicked.
"See..this is what I'm talking about.. see how beautiful you look when you smile properly"
Smruthi blushed.
"Now you stand... Ill take your photo.."
"Ok.."
Nikhil walked to the gate.
"Take only chest and above.. no need for full photo"
"How about just face!!"
There was a tinge of sarcasm in Smruthi's tone.
"Just listen to me.. chest and above.. no tummy!!"
"Ok ..smile.."
Nikhil exposed his 32 teeth.
"Ayyeee.... you look like a fool.. don't smile so much"
"I don't care.. just click.."
"Close your mouth"
Nikhil closed his mouth.
"Why do you have to smile so much.. just be natural.."
"I'm being natural"
"Yea..by showing all your teeth"
Smruthi sighed.
The photo sessions went on for some time.
And then they started walking on the pavement lining the lake. The lake had the shape of a long round necklace. Tall buildings lined the other side of the lake. The light from the distant buildings created a mirror like image in the unperturbed surface of the lake. A cool wind blew carrying with it signs of rain in distant lands.
Couples stood near the railings of the pavement sharing their lives and dreams.
Nikhil spotted an empty area.
They walked towards the railings.
Smruthi touched the iron railings. It was as cold as December.
The lake reflected the full moon shining brightly in the sky. There were no other lights except for the milky brilliance of the full moon.
Smruthi was looking into the lake.
Nikhil touched Smruthi's hands.
"Ayyy...."
"What??"
"Not here...."
"See others... they are all holidng hands.."
"let them hold.."
Nikhil didn't say anything.
He stared into the lake which stretched for miles ahead of them.
"oye..."
"Hmm..."
"Oye...."
"Hmm.."
"are you angry??"
"For what...."
Smruthi reached out and touched Nikhil's palm.
Nikhil turned.
"You are so nice to me... why do you love me"
Nikhil smiled.
For a moment they looked into each others eyes.
"Cos no one else can understand me like you... trust me like you... and believe in me like you...
no one can love me as much as you"
Smruthi's eyes watered.
She turned away and looked into the vast expanse of empty space in front of them.
Up above moonlight filled the night sky.
And down below love filled the air.
