The movie [Short Fiction]

That scene never left my mind- chilly breeze, her hair floating in the air, dressed perfectly looking so damn beautiful, her mind unsure- her heart beating wild and he grabs her and swings her into his arms and looks right into her eyes- Oh…his blue eyes! And, that’s their moment. That moment when two people know, they are meant to be, now and forever. After living that high, waiting with bated breath, - I sulked, walked out on my boyfriend with a lame excuse. It is too harsh for a woman to be crashed into the real world after a two hour fairytale dream. The credits roll and you realise it was just a story.

When the movie ended, it seemed inappropriate to be holding the hand of a guy with pop-corn stuffed in his mouth. I mean look at that charming man on the screen, and how wonderful is the story of that couple. I couldn’t help but get sucked into the dream they sold to me, two hours and I despised my whole reality. “Hey, are we grabbing dinner at Chelo’s?” he asked with the predictability of routine that built between us over our five months of dating. But, just at that precise second I felt like he is a growing appendix that my body is rejecting, and if I don’t cut him off now, I could burst. “I don’t feel too well.” I pretend nausea and land up at home earlier than planned.

I think about this guy, I think about us- nothing special, just casual, two random people- run into each other, meet, date, talk, and go around- no defining moment. If I think of putting up a song track to our love life- it would be a Nothing! No passion, no wild love, no craze, just two level headed people finding compatibility. With a mouthful of chocolate ice-cream to satiate my remorse I stare blankly into the wall. It starts to rain and it makes me feel worse. How I wish I’d walk out to find a handsome young man getting drenched in the rain to catch a glimpse of me- like Mr. Andrew in the movie. It is pathetic! What do these movies do to us? I wonder what the inspiration to these movies is- It is no way a reality, it is not! I bury my face in the pillow to continue to dream, to prolong that effect of the movie.

The bright sky greets me and I refuse to wake up, pull over the sheets above my head and tuck myself in. A message blinks right into my eye. “Pick you up in 20mins. Hope you feeling better.” I drag myself out of the bed and focus my thoughts on work. With few sips of coffee I run down the stairs, my mind still hung over and delusionary. I find him waiting at my door. “You feeling better?” I nod my head and we walk.  The traffic is bustling; the city is living up to its Monday morning jams. I feel unsure, as if an alarm went off in my head, I walk blindly- thinking about a break up? In the next few seconds I feel his hand grab mine and pull me back. “Watch out lady!” an angry voice screams from the car that almost ran over me. Little shaken I look at a simple man, a silly simple man, holding me as if I am the most loved person in this world. His heart is beating with the fear of almost losing me. As he hugs me shielding from what could have been I feel secure- no passion, no craze- just lot of love and care. All of my senses tune to him- I breathe in his life, his love, his presence. I could be no where else, I could be with nobody else. This is our fairytale moment, the defining moment- it is real, it is him. The movie- so surreal and funny. Reality is now -my high!