Just a Smile

How many times do we come across something very ordinary that we can remember for the rest of our lives? Not many but the ones we do are really worth remembering. I remember the first time I held hand of a girl, the first time I got hugged, and the first time I got kissed. All those things felt special at those times, but as I moved on with life all those things turned out to be ordinary. Everyone gets hugged, everyone gets kissed, and there is nothing unique about it when we know.

But somewhere deep down ourselves we preserve those feelings which make us feel special about all those things.

One of such wonderful things happened to me once which was very ordinary on other scale, but it made a huge impact on my life.

10 years back I was in Delhi. I was a carefree guy and enjoyed my life. I never really used to bother about anything and I took it for granted that I can make friends with anyone and everyone I wanted to. I was not influential, and neither was I too adorable. But I used to listen to friends and I did give good advice to them about anything that I could comprehend. Sometimes it used to work and sometimes it didn't.

This is a small story which could happen to anyone.

It was start of winter, and was unusually cold for an October Evening. After being buried for a whole day in books I was up for rewarding myself with a cheesy burger at MacD, as we would call Mac Donald’s. So I called for few friends, no one wanted to company me.

I couldn't help but wonder why. Anyways, I left hostel and was half the way when one of my friends Aman came to me panting,.

He said- You going to MacD?

Yes, I said.

Why didn't you ask me? He questioned.

It was then i realized I didn't see him at the hostel. And i told him the same.

Well anyways I am here now, let’s go.

And we got glued together and walked the rest of the way silently.

It took about 15 mins to reach and I was already hungry.

I asked Aman what he wanted.

Most of the times we had a fixed menu, It was a veggie combo. That would be sufficient. And if we were still not satisfied we would grab a mixed juice on our way back.

I told him to go upstairs and grab a seat.

The place was unusually deserted for 7 pm.

There were only 5 people in the queue.

I was standing hoping it to clear fast, and then suddenly i wished it to never end. As I was standing in the line the girl in front of me turned. It was one of the most beautiful faces I had come across. There was freshness in her face, sparkle in her eyes, her pearly white teeth, and pink lips. Her dark brown hair were waving and then she turned again. I couldn't resist but starring at her. Her dark black eyes. I was wordless and I spoke to my inner self, Wow!

I had totally lost my objective of standing in the queue and I had forgotten why I was there. Sooner all the 4 people in front of her had gone, and she placed her order.

She was standing on my side when I reached the counter, I placed my order and I turned to her. I felt she was noticing me all this time and she looked at me strangely.

Now I lost control of myself.

I didn't even realize what I was doing.

I just raised my hand and said, Hi.

Her strange look all of sudden turned into furious look, Her calm eyes suddenly turned into one filled with hot magma. And I noticed her face going red.

I felt a shiver within myself. I decided it’s time for me to escape. I literally ran upstairs to my friend Aman. While I was on my escape I saw 2-3 more girls approaching her.

What happened?

She said- Nothing.

I reached my friend Aman and told him to collect our meal. He asked me why so?

I convinced him I will tell him later.

As he got our meal I saw the group of girls coming upstairs. I started sweating in an air-cooled restaurant.

They came and sat on table just next to us, and that pretty girl was facing me. I didn't know what to do. So I just turned 180 degrees. Aman got the air that it had to do something with the girls group.

While we returned he didn't ask me anything. In fact he never asked me what happened.

After some 15 days on a Sunday evening, I was alone and hungry, there was no food in hostel mess on Sunday and almost everyone had went out already to have food. So I was alone and decided to go to a restaurant near by which was not very heavy on pocket and food was good.

As I entered inside I saw a face which I felt I have seen somewhere else. Within a moment I remembered that it was the same girl I had seen at MacD, she would have looked towards me for a micro second, at that instant I turned around and kept walking, I didn't look back and I certainly didn't go to the restaurant again that night, or anytime later.

I never had thought that I will be seeing that girl again in my life. How often do we come across the same person at random twice or more? I think maybe we do come across random people more often, we just don't remember them that way. 

I did not go out for about 2 months after that incidence. And later then one day I went to an ice cream parlour. It was about 8.30 pm and a chilled evening. There is a thrill in having ice cream on a cold winter night. So I was there sitting outside the parlour and enjoying my scoop of dark chocolate. I would have not believed in ghosts if I had not seen what I saw next.

There was a narrow dark alley that leads to a deserted area behind the shopping complex, it used to be our usual route to go and come back from the hostel because it saved our time by about 15 to 20 mins.

I saw a thin slender body dressed up in white walking towards me through that alley, and behind that was someone dressed up in black. I held myself together and froze on the bench. And as that body approached me near I prayed, Oh! God not again.

It was the same girl whom I had saw at the Mac D and then at the Restaurant.

That day I could not stop myself from telling my friends about her. Was she really a ghost I had offended and she is following me?

My friends laughed at me like crazy after hearing my story.

They asked me to show them who it was next time I ever saw her.

10 days later I saw the same girl at a juice shop where we regularly used to visit. Is it really happening to me?

Fortunately 2 of my friends were with me that day and I showed them who it was.

And then I became a subject of laughter.

Apparently she was one of the students who were studying at the institute where I was.

And I never understood the reason why I never saw her at institute and I was bumping into her everywhere else.

Later on life became busy and we all got into tough times for exams and there after I didn't remember about the incidence what had happened with me.

I moved to Bangalore leaving most of the people I knew behind and I was not much in contact with them.

After 2 years of my life at Bangalore and after I made few friends one day we planned to go to for dinner outside and majority of the people wanted to go for pizza.

We were playing truth and dare and I chose to dare. No a wise option. I was asked to go and propose a girl who was sitting on the table just opposite to us on the other end of the hall.

She was with few other friends, all girls. As I approached the table my guts told me, you'll get beaten badly today.

I reached her and without thinking twice I said.

If you believe in love at first sight, I could not give a better example right now in telling you what I am feeling for you.

And you may accept or not, but I guess I have just fallen in love with you. And I love you.

I was sweating badly. Drops of perspiration forming on my forehead.

As i turned back without having her answer I heard a voice, Hey. I felt an urge to run.

But suppressing my fear I turned around.

Same face, same eyes, same lips, I knew her from somewhere.

Shit, it was the same girl, two and a half years back.

She froze as she also recognized me.

To break the awkward silence, In an unconditioned move, an involuntary reflex, my hands raised, and came out of my mouth, Hi!

She smiled.

And I asked, what’s your name?

Its Sandhya, and she smiled again..


It was a smile I could never forget. A smile one in a millions. It was a smile I still smile to. And she still smiles to me in my dreams. It was a smile just a smile, and still it was perfect moment.