TILL WHERE ARE YOU GOING? - A LOVE STORY

Rushali had a window seat and was waiting for the train to start. Being a starting station, usually the train waited a good 10 minutes, filled up and then left. On most days she started reading her kindle or some article as soon as she got a seat, on certain days she took a nap as the journey was a good hour long.

But today was different. She was contemplating the futility of her job, the travel, the hours spent all while looking at people rushing towards her train to get in.

Her chain of thoughts was broken when a smartly dressed guy asked her, "Till Where is this train going?"

"What?"

"Miss, what's the last stop on this train?" the stranger repeated his question while standing on the outer side of the window.

"It's Churchtown. Fast. And you better get in or you won't get a place," she told him.

"Thank you," he said and walked passed her window to the gents compartment.

The next day she was looking out of the train window thinking about the interaction, when she spotted the same guy again. He slowly walked passed her window and looking at her gave her a smile.

The third day she looked out of the train again for him and this time for the second time as he walked past her window he gave her a smile. This continued for a week. He smiled each time and she kept staring. Not once did he give up though.Then he disappeared for two days and Rushali realised that the high point to her travel the past week was this acknowledgement by the stranger. So when she saw him again, as he passed by her window, she slowly waved her hand at him in a hello. The following day, he waved back and this continued for a few days.

Damn Rush, what are you thinking? Where is this going? What's wrong with you? He could be a psycho. You are a psycho.

All kinds of thoughts started running through her mind.

Should I approach him? What if he is married? He is so cute. I have to stop this.

So she changed her compartment. But she missed him more than usual. In love's absence the heart grows fonder. A week later, as she sat next to the window again in her new place, she immediately closed her eyes and started repeating to her self.

He was just a phase. All is well.
He was just a phase. All is well.
He was just a phase. All is well.

"Till where are you going?" she heard someone ask.

Rushali knew the voice. She opened her eyes to look out of her window to see the same stranger, smiling.

"Till the end," she said as a tear rolled down her cheeks.

"Me too," he said smiling again and continued, "will you wait for me at the station or disappear again?"

"Rushali," she said keeping her palm flat on the wire mesh in the window.

"Uday," he said placing his palm onto hers.