The  day was a puzzled one for Neerja. That tall man literally made her to lose the day. His dark hooked eyes, long nose and the towering attittude -

It all made her to lose her confidence for a while. Later she accompanied Riha to have a tea break. While moving towards the class her heart hoped to meet the man. But he never returned.

                                                                  *****************************

The very next day.

Neerja decided to sit at the last bench where the man usually sits. "Should I need to keep the hope in my heart that he returns? No? ", she thought.

The classes began. Even after 15 minutes she didn't see him. While she was engrossed in the classes she felt someone was moving beside her. She tilted her head to see who it was . She could see the tall fellow who left her in the amidst of confusion, sitting near her and moving her note towards him.She understood that he didn't have his notes. She shared with him. Though he was a little hesitant to smile at her, he beamed a heartful smile at her as a token of gratitude.

                              **********************

"Hey tall man, so Sameer is your name", Neerja gave a  smile at him. Sameer and Neerja have been walking together under one umbrella since it has been raining heavily for the past 2 hours. 

"So anyways I will call you - Sam, nice na?", she beamed at him. Sameer was wondered."Sam", "Sam", he muttered. He felt like he took a birth again. He felt a touch with her. "What does mean Neerja?", he asked. "Sorry?" , Neerja was amazed to see he opened his mouth at last. She appeared to be thoughtful for a while. 

"Yeah it means lotus!". Sameer was amused." Lotus does grow in muddy land , but she grows facing towards the sun", she shied. " When I was born, my dad didn't take up any name for me at that time. Behind our home there was a pond which didn't bloom any flower. But on that day for the first time , a lotus bloomed in that pond. A beautiful reddish pink lotus - it captured my dad's heart. Thereby the so called Neerja became my name,"

Sameer laughed at her shyness. 

"Why you always keep on smiling", he asked in his deep baritone voice. She smiled.

"I lost my parents a my tender age of 9. My dad was more closer to me.He always used to tell me that whenever you face hurdles in your face always fight against it keeping a smile on your face. Crying on our past is of no use. Crying on your present or future is also no use. Your smile- it always gives you strength to move on your life", Neerja sighed.

 Sameer held her close to him protecting her from moving vehicles to cross the road. He left her at laundry work station and left towards his destination. Neerja smiled at herself but still she felt a void in her heart when he left her.

                                                                                      *****************

Later days she started to look around him. She understood that Sameer works as part time delivery boy in a furniture mart. He is stronger such that he could even carry weights without any assistance which has caught unwanted attention. But sooner she understood that he never had any friends. He ate, lived and slept alone. His apartment was in an isolated building. Living all for himself in the solitude. He spent his idle time reading in a library.

Neerja was astounded to see it was the same library where she goes for reading. Moreover his favorite place cake coffee cafe which parallel to her laundry work station. Her heart jumped with joy feeling the very much blooming of love in her heart.

Hi friends,

hope that you loved this update. Do please read, comment and vote. Those are nothing but give me boost to my energy.