She walked along the beach at sunset, just like she always did. There was something very peaceful about watching a sunset at the beach, while listening to the constant sounds of waves hitting the shore. She experienced so many myriad emotions through her, at this point. If she chose to close her eyes and give each emotion a colour , it would be like swirls of different colour mixing together, where you could not separate one from the other. Feeling of loneliness and longing. Contentment, hope and joy all at the same time. To her, this was the most favored part of the day. When the sky seemed to reflect what was in her heart, like a painting by an artist. There is something about beaches in the evening that make you think of a couple walking hand in hand, into the sunset, their dark silhouettes against the orange background.
She dint know why she came here every evening, in spite of her she busy schedule. She just felt the pull as if the waves were calling out to her, soothing her fears, calming her anxieties.There was nothing she lacked , she had a good job, she had sufficient money to get by, no responsibilities or debts. And best of all , she had her dreams. Although they were tightly enclosed in a fist that she din't dare open. Perhaps, someday she would... Some dreams were practical just like her. Others deep inside , she guarded well , knowing they were beyond her reach. Even she was entitled to some silly dreams. If there was nothing to look forward to , there would no point in getting up from bed every morning. Her dreams were her own , something no one could take away from her. Some dreams were never meant to be shared, no one could criticize your dream or tell you it was a foolish one.
One day, she would have a cute little house with a beach at the back , where she could come and gaze into the horizon, forget everything and just revel in the moment, wishing she could paint well enough to capture all that beauty on canvas.She crouched by the sand and did what she always did , wrote her name and watched the waves take it. She would pretend water would take her name into the ocean. The seagulls flew above, with their cheerful sounds, which for some reason always made her smile.
She turned back to see someone watching her. Their eyes locked. She felt something strange, like she knew him from somewhere. She never felt that instant tug before . She started to lift her hand to wave, but he just nodded and turned away. She came again the next evening, to the same place. After few mins, she spotted him. Their eyes met, he nodded and left. Third day, she was a little late. When she came to the beach, he was already there. She smiled, he smiled back at her, but did not make any move towards her. He turned his eyes back to the beach and walked away. A week passed in this way. She had been thinking about him the whole week, imaging in her head what she would say, how he would respond, what his voice would sound like. She wondered what he did , trying to guess a name that would suit him. Finally, she decided she had enough, waiting for him to make the first move. Today, she promised herself , she would find about him. If he din't make the first move, SHE WOULD.
She dressed with care, a simple white sundress with yellow flowers, dainty yellow sandals, let her hair down. She ended up going to the beach earlier than usual in her excitement. This time her mind was not on the sunset, it was anything but calm. Her heart was beating in anticipation, her restless fingers kept playing with her keys. She was too busy looking at the path that led to the beach, she missed the sunset, dint notice the sky that had taken on a different hue. She could not hear the water over the noisy wind. After an hour of waiting, she realised that he would not come today. She felt as if something crushed inside her. A fleeting twinge , when she realized this was another of her silly dream. To him she was probably just another girl on the beach. She should probably plead temporary insanity, but she felt something she never experienced before. Just then a seagull swooped down, making her smile, she walked towards her car with a heavy heart and slow steps. The beach would never be the same again. Maybe it was just as well , she needed to get back to her "LIFE" rather than dream about a stranger.
Standing afar in the shadows from the trees, hunched against the wind, was a lone silhouette watching her walk away.
