ARAINA- Part (iii)

 (ARAINA is a new series I have come up with. Do share your views as to how you feel about Araina. Happy reading)

Link to Part (ii)

Araina met Kamran a few years back in the same cafe. As always, Araina was alone enjoying her solitude with Murakami’s Norwegian Wood in her hand and Kamran was sitting with a friend on the opposite table. Kamran had been noticing Araina for a long time while she was engrossed in the book. For once their eyes met and Kamran smiled. Araina did not respond, however she noticed that Kamran was handsome and very graceful. Kamran searched something in his backpack and took out The Great Gatsby, the famous book by F. Scott Fitzgerald. He wrote his name on the book, went to Araina and kept it on her table. Araina was stunned and excited. Stunned as she did not expect a book from a stranger and excited because it was a book. For Araina books were her best friends. They had no questions and no demands and they listened to Araina's commands, her needs, and her desires. For her, reading a book with soothing instrumental music in background was nothing less than the meditation. Araina did not say anything and opened the book and read softly “Kamran”. Kamran was still standing near her table smiling and Araina said hastily, “I have read this book. It is wonderful.” She was still wondering that how Kamran knew that it was one of her favourite books and Kamran was happy that his guess was right. While sitting on the chair opposite to Araina, Kamran said “So what do you think about Mr Gatsby, miss?” “Araina, Araina is my name.”

 

Kamran was working in USA embassy in Afghanistan when he started getting threats from Taliban. Seeing his family in danger Kamran moved away from them and shifted to Bamiyan, a culturally rich city located in Central Afghanistan. However, the threats did not stop and Kamran and his family were forced to come to India as refugee. Since then he was working as a translator to people who come from Afghanistan to India for medical facilities. Alongwith Pashto and Dari, the two official languages of Afghanistan, Kamran was fluent in English and Hindi. Araina gave credit of Kamran’s fluency over languages to his reading. Kamran was an avid reader, and his love for books brought Kamran and Araina close to each other. With Kamran, things fell in place really smoothly. Kamran was different from other guys. He was simple yet intelligent, he had seen struggle so could decipher more deeply about what life is, having two sisters and a mom at home he was really good with females. Respecting women comes naturally to him and for Araina that was the rare virtue. In that one year with Kamran, Araina had visited various Afghani restaurants, she had tried all Afghani cuisines and relished them. For Kamran also that one year went in a jiffy. Araina took him to watch India-Pakistan cricket match where Kamran in his full enthusiasm shouted for India and Araina could not stopped laughing.

 

Art was, what Araina loved. She did not fall in love with a person, she fell in love with his art. And like love, art was present everywhere- in his way of talking, in his way of converting his thoughts into poetry, in his way of calling her name, in his kiss and in his way of walking beside her holding her hands.  Araina completely fallen for Kamran. However, there were no false promises made. After one year, Kamran got a really good opportunity in Germany, and he had to leave. Araina had wondered many a times that why all positive things like friendship, love and life are temporary and all negative things like hatred, enmity and death are permanent.

Well, Araina was already prepared for this and she always cherished the moments she had spent with Kamran.

 

“Excuse me, here is your Naan-e-Afghani”, the waiter came with their order. Both Toby and Araina passed a smile at each other  and hogged onto it.      

to be continued...