Last day of college(Artist Bhairavi) They spent several days together and several nights talking to each other on the phone. The college called them – the famous couple – and all believed they were destined to get married, all, except for themselves. Rudra, one of the most silent and studious guys in college who was known for his arrogance and ‘be away’ looks, and Gauhar, the bubbly, rich, snobbish and scholar student of the same class, had been together from quite some time. Love, friendship or addiction – they did not know how to name their relationship, but whatever it was, they surely knew it was more than mere puppy love and attraction. All the while they were together, they never realized how important they could mean to each other, yet, there was no moment spent without keeping an eye into the other person’s life.

It was the last day of college and Gauhar knew she probably would never be able to see Rudra again as her parents had already started speaking about marriage at her place and she was also expected to go out of country for her further studies, before tying the knot in an arranged marriage. She belonged to a well to do, yet conservative family that would never allow her to welcome the feelings of love. Probably that’s why she never wished to complicate her relationship with Rudra further, by naming it ‘love’.

When the farewell speech of the best students ended, Gauhar passed a silent yet deep look at Rudra, who smilingly clapped, understanding the wetness in her eyes. As soon as she came down from the stage, her friends gathered around whereas Rudra talked to a professor, giving a corner eye look to Gauhar, who silently looked back winding up the conversations with her friends quickly to go to Rudra. As soon as she finished the conversation, she found that Rudra was missing in the auditorium. She hurriedly looked here and there. Her heart skipped a few beats. She found her hand bag on one of the chairs and searched for her cell phone to call him when she realized she had received a text from him.

Waiting for you right outside. Please come soon.

She smiled, breathed a sigh of relief and licked her lips. Rushing towards the gate, she bumped into one of the students of her class who said that Rudra was waiting for her in the car outside. Nodding her head, she left the party in the midst and rushed to see him.

As soon as she stepped outside the gate, Rudra gently parked the car right in front of her to make her feel like a Princess. She pulled the handle of the door and made it open, bent down and smiled at him first and then got beside him. She kept her bag at the backseat and he used the central locks to protect her and told her to put on the seat belt. He deeply stared at her every move as she pulled the seat belt and attached it on the lock towards her right waist. He blushingly smiled at her, started the car and took a right turn to make their last day a special one.

All throughout the journey, she simply looked at him, without saying a word. The evening was beautiful and the sun was just about to set. To their luck, soft music and beautiful love songs were being requested on the radio that made them enjoy each and every friction of second that passed by. Rudra looked deep into her round eyes whenever he could. He gently turned his head as soon as the signal turned Green. It took them 20 minutes to reach Thane and the evening was just about to settle down furthermore when the signal stopped them. Gauhar looked at him without turning her head aside. She smiled, gulped down her tears and controlled herself again and again. She wanted to scream, shout, hold him tight and tell him what she felt but she knew their time together was over. Rudra turned his face towards his left and looked at her. The red lights of the car ahead of them made her fair skin shine like a crystal. She simply smiled looking at him raising his one eyebrow.

Rudra: What happened… Gauhar in silent mode today?
Gauhar: (blushingly laughed and finally found her voice) Just tired after that 10 minutes’ speech… bad to be the best in class…
Rudra: You know… you’ve never been so silent all these years…
Gauhar: Just trying to make you get used to it… after all… now I won’t be here to fill the silence of your car…

They simply stared at each other and Rudra noticed that the signal turned Green and they left.

After the ten minutes of silent drive, furthermore, Rudra turned the car into an extremely peaceful place. He gently parked the car between two piles of sands from where the lake looked beautiful. The sun was setting down. Rudra once again stared at Gauhar as she unlocked herself from the arms of the seatbelt and licked her lips, controlling her painful emotions. They got down of the car and stood against the bonnet, silently. Rudra slid his hands in his pockets and silently watched the scene. The river water was plain, pure and without any waves. The only waves that could be felt were in his heart. Gauhar’s eyes did not move as she watched the sun drowning into the water, far beyond their vision. She felt as if she was the burning sun drowning into the cold waves of Rudra’s heart. For about 60 minutes, they did not speak a single word. It was not that there was nothing left to say, it was just that a lot was being said in the silence already and words could only disturb the conversation. Everything was being heard and felt.

When the early night rose and the couple could see the crescent moon, Rudra tilted his head towards Gauhar, who stood towards his left.

Rudra: Gauhar… I… (looked here and there) I just…
Gauhar: (turned her head towards him and looked at him) You don’t need to be sorry for anything Rudra… we knew this was bound to happen… what we shared or share is not something that the fools of our class could ever understand… and I don’t expect our parents to understand it either… (her lips pressed against each other, she looked down for a minute and rose her eyes back on Rudra) I want something from you… for the last time…
Rudra: Just name what you want… (he folded his arms)
Gauhar: (turned completely towards him and took his palm in her hands) Make me feel special for one last time…

She stared into his eyes deeply. Right from foot games during lectures to mini backseat kisses during industrial visits and picnics in college; they exchanged a lot of touch with each other that made Rudra felt guilty but Gauhar knew what she wanted.

While Rudra was thinking whether to feel her and give her what she asked for or not, Gauhar did what she always loved doing. She held his left hand with her right hand and slid her fingers between his. She silently raised her thumb and touched his thumb from the tip of her thumbnail. Rudra smiled at first but then he felt something strong within himself. It was not that she did it for the first time, it was just then she knew how to make him feel for her. He took his vision off her as she continued playing with his thumb. He closed his eyes and gently took off his specs, with a faded smile on his face. He placed the specs on the bonnet and felt a huge tide within himself as Gauhar moved the tip of her thumbnail from the tip of his thumb to the beginning of his wrist, where his watch rested peacefully. He pulled her towards himself and placed his right arm around her waist. For about 30 seconds, they did not say a word and gently looked at each other, adjusting themselves to the temperature of each other’s bodies. He moved his hands towards the back of her head and unlocked her hair. He gently moved the clip from the back of the neck to the lower spine, which made her smile. He gently threw the clip on the ground.

Gauhar: God I’m gonna miss this… I will… (her smile began to fade away)
He moved all her hair towards one side and watched her glowing cheeks that had the reflection of the fire in the boat, pretty far from them. As the moments passed by, their breaths began to rise. Rudra kept caressing her face and uncaging her skin from the hair that again and again fell on her. Their foreheads met as Rudra moved his head down a bit. Gauhar moved her lips a little ahead but Rudra backed off.

Rudra: (whispered) I wanna make this last one intense… a feeling to remember… a feeling no one can ever replace…

They smiled and explored their feelings furthermore. Rudra bent a little over and their cheeks rubbed, which made Gauhar part her lips and blow in his ear. He controlled his feelings but couldn’t stop closing his eyes whereas she was already losing her patience and control. Rudra’s breaths constantly fell on Gauhar’s left side of the neck, which made her lose herself furthermore. Their smiles faded and they rose their heads one again. Rudra saw Gauhar licking her lips again and again and fighting for air. He then bent a little ahead and blew on her lips. She raised her head and gently touched his lips from hers, slowly at first. It was more like a small peck at first that got a grip later. They began getting intense in the kiss. After a few seconds, they turned the sides and Rudra held her tighter. Suddenly, the breeze got harder and Gauhar’s hair caged their faces completely, which made them come closer and have an intense, deep and passionate kiss. Their bodies rose and got down just like the tides in the sea and whenever he held her tighter, she was right on her toes.

After a few minutes, Rudra parted from the kiss and Gauhar supported against the bonnet, looking at him, still fighting for breath. He looked up in the sky that was full of twinkling stars and when he looked into her eyes, they had the same twinkle. She had a tear rolled down her cheek. He placed his hand at the back of her head and got closer, which made her lean on the bonnet. He bent down and gently licked her tear from her cheek and plucked a kiss. He kissed her cheek again and remained in the same position for about 10 completely seconds. Gently, he began kissing her face’s every inch from her cheek to her right ear, where her diamond earring beautifully sparkled. I’m gonna miss you… I’m gonna miss this… He constantly whispered while kissing her ear whereas she could barely think or speak. His fingers slid between hers and he kissed her hand, where a pearl ring always occupied the last finger. He remembered playing with it all the time they held each other’s hands during breaks in college. He pulled away all her hair towards her right and began giving her deep kisses on her neck. The journey from her cheek to ear was sweet but the journey from her ear to neck was wild. He pulled her white t-shirt a bit to make the tattoo on her left shoulder visible and gently placed a deep kiss. His hand moves towards her waist and touched the side of her skin that was exposed due to their rising bodies. He then completely pushed her down on the bonnet and began kissing the whole of her neck – gently, softly, wildly and finally – passionately. She pulled him and got away from the bonnet. She placed a deep kiss on his lips and pushed him completely on the bonnet, being on top of him. It was the wildest kiss they ever had. They were getting immense passionate when suddenly, Rudra’s cell phone rang and their lips and hands departed.

Gauhar got back and gently made her t-shirt appropriate. Rudra got up from the bonnet and received the phone call. He spoke with his mother for a few seconds and then hung up.

Gauhar: Say thanks to your mom…
Rudra: (finding his specs with a naughty twisted smile on his face) She saved your virginity for your husband…

They laughed together and exchanged a last tight hug. The drive back home was full of laughter and plans for their study leaves before they get to write their exams. However, they could still feel their lips warm and swollen after the passionate kiss to remember all their lives.

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