Prologue

This is a attempt at a fiction novel that I started writing last year. Unfortunately, this is as far as I got :(

Hope to go on someday!



PROLOGUE

Rohan

4th May, 2010 10:04 a.m.

It was another typical scorching May morning. As I pulled up at the traffic signal in my car, I could literally see the heat waves come off the tar road. The trees at the side of the road had long become brown and leaves crisp, even though the summer was just about startong. The extreme heat had made everyone’s fuses short, which was evident by the way the scooter behind me was honking his horn. I guess I must have angered him by cutting across him just before the signal. Or may be it was the fact that I was wearing a suit even in this heat. But I just guess that those were the advantages of being successful early in the corporate world. You get to enjoy the good things, and in this weather, nothing that beats an air-conditioned car!

As I adjusted the rear view mirror, my attention was drawn to the bike alongside. A couple was astride it, and it was obvious that they were very much in love. The girl had her chin on his shoulder and was whispering something in his ear. Slowly, a grin spread across his lips, before he turned and answered in her ear. His words sent her into a giggling fit, holding onto him for support. Both were totally oblivious to the fact that I was gazing at them, a stupid smile plastered on my face, thinking about things that were once there.

Some renewed vigorous horning from my friend behind brought me crashing back to reality. I glared at him through my rear-view mirror. All I could see was a faded checked shirt, and a bearded chin peering out of a pearl green coloured old astronaut styled helmet. Looked like a cashier in some bank. But no, that could not be possible. At 10 am, it was too late for any bank official to be riding on the streets. Well, could be a professor then, or maybe a government worker. Anyways the time does not matter to them! I was really trying to be patient, but the incessant horning was beginning to get to me. I really wanted to show him the finger, but did not do so for the fear of him slamming and denting my shiny new bumper.

I just ignored him and turned back to the love-birds alongside. Now the girl had her arms round him and had her head on his shoulder, facing right towards me. She was really pretty, with an aquiline nose, with smooth and clear skin and had a few strands of hair playfully waving in the breeze. And then she opened her eyes. They were a soft and clear brown, and caught my breath. The colour sent pangs of pain in my heart, and I reached inside my jacket pocket and touched the envelope in there. Maybe just to check if it was there. How I wished it was not though. But then it was always there. Everyday. In the same place.

All this time I was looking at the girl. Maybe she noticed it too. She nudged her boy-friend and he looked around at me. Just then, the signal changed to green, and they zoomed off. That was when I noticed the bags slung on their shoulders. “College kids”, I thought. As I put my car into gear, I realised what I just said. Kids??? Come on, it seemed just like the other day when I was in college myself.