Xira was running late for her classes again. It was second day in line, that she was not particular on time. All she could think was, how to convince madam Moisella about her this irresponsible behaviour. Suddenly a bike stops in front of her, making a harsh sound of the breaks. Xira is on the ground beside footpath, laying completely flat and all her notebooks, books flew in the air, finally spreaded slowly across the footpath. The look on Xira's face was the mixture of fear and sob. For a moment she couldn't gain a control on her senses that she forgot about what exactly happened to her. Xira tried to get up on her feet but, wait a second, her left knee was bruised badly and she couldn't move a bit. Suddenly a hand with gloves appears in front of Xira's face, and she lifts her face to see whose hand it is, but alas the clouds had decided to hover over a sea rather than towns these premonsoon days, keeping skies to be ultraclear and Sun to be noticed with extra bright glam on its face, who itself wore Sunglasses, (deliberately reminding every citizen to wear the sunglasses, to save the vision from it's own shiny bling.) Sun is wearing Sunglasses is a metaphor for Sun's being a Show Off!
And finally, as the guy, whose hand was there in front of Xira's face, stands blocking the Sun, Xira could see the Guy clearly in Black Leather Sports Bike Suit wearing all Sports Guards and Black Helmet with devil ears above the helmet. For a moment, Xira started thinking that she's dead and went straight to hell where the modern devil with modern fancy way tries to take her to his hell.
But suddenly the helmet is off the face and all, Xira can see, is the divine and calm face of a young man with heavenly tints. Xira's is on cloud nine. It's like the man she was waiting till this date, was at her doors without unannounced!
Well, destiny announced it perfectly that Xira is going to know later on.
"Are you okay?" The voice had a melody in it, as if a humming bee is speaking to a delicate flower amidst the early morning weather. "Its completely my fault, I couldn't judge properly whether you are stepping out of the footpath or keeping the pace on footpath. You see, these sports bike are bit faster than usual bikes. If I can help you with, oh god, you are hurt," and he suddenly jumps up on his feet, which are holding a good quality sports shoes, runs to his bike, opens its seat, under it, has the first aid box, he grabs it and hurries to aid Xira while sitting on his knees.
Xira is completely stunned by his gorgeous look, charming personality and melodious voice that all she could express after his words, were head nods and eye blinks.Xira had 2 accidents on that day, first with his bike and second with him. And her knee and heart both got injured at the same time.
It was a love at first sight for Xira!
But for the guy, it was a feeling of guilt and fear. He was cleaning a little amount of blood , which was there on her knee, with the cotton, meanwhile looking at Xira's face.
Xira has a extravagant beauty in her face, the features as gorgeous as his, the innocence like a newborn baby and shyness of a perfectly grown woman, completed the meaning of a true beautiful lady.
Xira took out bag from his left hand without stating a word, leaving him in amazement, and started applying Dettol to her wound. His face reddens in shame. He again starts apologising, " I'm extremely sorry, here take the money and treat yourself in a good hospital or if you dont mind, I can take you to the hospital, listen, I'm feeling super guilty as I was careless, it never happens, but this time I don't know, how, I know this is because of Milo's call, he said hurry! We are losing the racing game and I was in the bathroom,..having my bath,.."
Xira gives him angry look. He stops while glancing at her and continues, "Oh! sorry, I shouldn't be talking this, what am I saying," Suddenly Xira starts to get up on her feet, but she can't, so he grabs her hand, helping her to stand on her feet. As smooth talker as he is, his hands felt very smooth, soft and warm to her. No wonder he mentioned about the bath. Xira thought he might be spending his entire day in the bathroom itself. Or else on the bike. That too sports.
Xira reminds him by signalling her eyes towards her stuff which made an appearance on the footpath like a painted carpet of books and notebooks for studious people, He hesitates to leave her hand but then takes her near his bike, keeping his both hands on Xira's both wrists and places her palms over his bikes handles, nodding her to wait there while she's getting his bikes support. Xira's face blushes to red as her crochet top. Meanwhile the guy starts picking her stuff and placing them inside her jean material side bag, then suddenly a heavyly built with large moustache Cop appears near the incident and asks Xira her driving license. Looking at Cop's horrid face, frightened Xira starts crying like a small girl. Hearing her baby cry, guy starts running towards them having his helmet hanging in one hand and Xira's bag in the other.
"Officer, please let me explain. I was in hurry as I got a call from my friend and he said, the race has started or wait, no..the race will start at any time, come early he got the tickets. I was in rush and this girl came suddenly in front of me." Officer abruptly starts talking by gesturing with the stop sign his palm "so you were driving the bike and the girl was sitting behind? I see, then why did you both stopped in the middle, and why is she holding the bike? do you guys know, this is express highway and one cannot stop in the middle, anything can happen to anybody, Thank God everybody is safe, you both and the other passengers as well. and you young lady,.." Xira looks startled but hides her face while wiping her tears "Be strong, don't start crying after seeing handsome police officers like me" gives a proud smile at her by illusional self appreciation and then he continues, "you should be prepared and should be having a license if you are planning to ride the bicycle.Got it?" Xira nods, "Yes, sir." Officer, "Now go on, drive safe, and you my boy, you will drop her at her place,okay?" Boy looks at her and smiles, "Okay!"
Officer stands there, watching if they both leave or not, Boy looks at her and asks,"Where shall I drop you? Shall I take you to the hospital where we can treat the wound?" Xira, "I think I will go back to my home, please drop me to nearby subway station, I will go home from there by my self" He,"hmmmm,where do you stay, is it nearby, I shall drop you to your place." Xira feels confused of whether to let the complete stranger who just bumped her and fell her off the ground, know her location or not. As lost as in her thoughts, Xira decisively sit on the backseat of his bike and says , "Straight ahead to Xinati Town" he," Oh, so you are a Xinatian, no wonder you are so reserved" Xira puffs her face in slight rage, which brings a grinning smile on his face. "My mom lived there before she married to my father.Even my birthplace is Xinati."
Xira never met a guy with such frankness. Before starting the ride, he opens the flaps of his helmet and looked into Xira's eyes and say, "Hi, I am Zen."
Xira looks at him with wide big eyes and batting her long lashes says, "I am Xira."
"Whoa! Xira from Xinati! Rhymes huh."
"Are you ready for a ride? Hold on tight baby, cuz we're flying." Xira starts yelling as if she's on some theme park ride. This gives him a big laughter which echoes inside his helmet.
Xira blushes when he pulls her hands to hold his belly.
And she feels sudden jerk...
zzzzoooommmm...
bike's wheels started speaking to the air...
Xira could feel the wind over her face, that all she did, was clutched her hands even tighter to his waist and hid her face over Zen's back.
Zen could feel Xira's warm face and hands...and first time he felt something in his heart in his lifetime.
The love journey from Zen's side has also started now.
Which love really stays? The love at first sight which Xira experienced or the love which grows gradually like Zen is experiencing?
Well,that will be started being judged after this chapter.