Silence is Over Rated

You really kissed her?"

Gorky was staring at me.

"Yeah. I did"

I was in my room. Gorky had come over to take some songs for a presentation that he had to make.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS ? "



I looked at his face. There was shock and glee all over it. Reminded me of Marie biscuit with jam. Why? I don't know. I sat there for a minute. Staring at his face. I thought about what he was thinking. I couldn't fathom it,really. Gorky had one of those faces which was unreadable.

"I am."



Gorky started laughing. He grabbed a pillow from my bed and threw it at me. I caught it. I looked away to my computer screen, trying to avoid his silly theatrics. He jumped up and down on the bed like a girl.

I wanted to smile.

My computer. Music (E:) Led Zepplin ( Select) The Doors (Select) Copy. My computer.

Gorky(H:) - Removable disk Songs. Paste.

"What else do you need?"

Gorky came over, sat beside me, and looked at my selection. I could smell expensive DKNY on him. He quickly took the mouse - Linkin Park ( Select) Copy.Paste.

"Done"! He smiled. His vampire teeth showing out.

He sat back, and looked at me. " Tell me. The full story."



We were walking back together. It was late evening. She was texting while walking. I had to remind her that its difficult to continue conversations with her if her attention is always on the phone.She kept back the phone in her pocket. She used to smile whenever I used to quip about her little quirks. She threw her head back, and brushed a long strand of hair from over her eyes. Defty taking out a clip from inside her purple handbag, she whipped up her hair in a neat ponytail in a matter of seconds. Inside her room, while watching an episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S - I kissed her.

It wasn't really well thought out. It was very impulsive. Very rash. She leaned across me to reach a cup of coffee on the table beside me. Her face passed by an inch of mine, and I didn't lose a second in touching her lips with mine. For a second, I thought she'd pull back. But she didn't.

We kissed for almost 20 seconds.

Then,slowly, we broke apart. A few strands of her hair had gone into my mouth. I took them out gingerly. She sat back on the bed, looking at me strangely. She then calmly took a sip from the cup. I looked away immediately, embarrassed.

"So. You like me..?"

She asked this question after 10 mins. Or maybe, it was almost immediately. Time has a way of f#$king itself up when you want to keep count.

I turned to look at her. " Yeah. I do."

It took me a long time to say this. But I guess, I had to. Sometime or the other, I would have to. She became thoughtful after that. She was probably thinking of what to say next. I was still thinking about the kiss.

We didn't talk for the next hour. I played temple run on her iPod. She went online.

At 7:30, I got up to leave. " Leaving..?", "Yeah. Have to be home by 8.", " So I'll see you tomorrow..?"

Tomorrow.?

I don't remember whether I said that aloud or not.

"Yeah. I'll meet you at the City Center, we'll go from there at 10."

I smiled and left.



Later that night I got a text from her. 'Whatever happened today -  I hope you'll keep this just between us. I don't want anyone knowing. I hope you understand. I mean it more for you, than for me.'

I stared at the text for a very long time. I didn't have dinner that night.

Gorky was silent. Silence is overrated.

"So. You did kiss her?" " I did."

There was pause.

"WOW"

He was listening intently all this while. His phone had vibrated twice in the middle of the story, and he didn't even look at it. A rarity.

Safely removed Disk. I handed him his external hard drive. He stood up. Near the doorway he turned.



"I won't tell anyone about this."

I smiled. "I know you won't Gorky. I trust you."

There was a hint of pity in his eyes, as he turned and left.



There was an eerie silence in the room as he left. And I thought again. Silence is definitely over-rated. I went to the mirror. I wiped the mirror with a piece of cloth. I had used the same cloth to wipe the kajal off my eyes...!!!