From The Park....................To The Heart!!!!

This is the story of an innocent girl who was a wonderful singer too and a boy who was a football player.

This boy loved photography and whenever he gets free time after his football practice sessions he used to find time for his passion.He was doing his final year mechanical engineering and was the star striker of the college football team.Their team has been tagged 'the best';winning many inter-college titles.

On one fine evening he went to a park near to his college.He saw many children playing around here and there,he focused his camera to them.Suddenly a girl caught his camera's eye.He was bewitched by her alluring beauty.He clicked her picture;tons of pictures he has clicked till then but when he took her picture,not his camera lens but his heart captured that captivating moment.And the beautiful image of that girl was imprinted on his mind.He watched her for sometime.Four other girls accompanied her,may be her friends;he thought.He couldn't take his eyes from her.They sat on a bench and were taking selfies.Her cute selfie poses made him smile.One thing he observed about her was that,she always had a mesmerizing smile on her face.After a while they walked out of the park and boarded an auto-rikshaw.His eyes followed her until she was out of sight.May be she studies in the near by college and stays at hostel,he guessed.He went back to his hostel.He seemed to be lost,her beautiful face haunted him.He found it impossible to destroy the thoughts about her.He took out his camera and gazed at her picture for a long time.Days went by and he longed to see her again.

After a week or so,he along with his friends went for an inter-college tech fest in a college located in the nearest district.He registered for 'on the spot photography' competition.In 'thirty minutes' time the participants could click as many pictures inside the campus and the best will win the prize.While walking around to click photos,he happened to be at the main auditorium.There the event "Voice of the Campus" was going on.That euphonious voice of the girl singing dragged his attention.The sight of her snatched his breath away.He wanted to scream aloud;"That's her!!...That's her!!!."Her voice made him to skip a heartbeat".When she sang his heart started beating faster,no better karaoke than that!!!The sound of the audience clapping woke him up from the mystical music.

He ran to the back stage.He saw her,their eyes met.He was breathing heavily,somehow he managed to speak."Hey!!...your song was amazing,let me ask a doubt;was it your voice or a magic spell??."What??...she was gobsmacked,but she couldn't resist laughing."I am Nathan",he introduced himself."You are so funny,I am Sera";she said.

He explained to her about the competition.She was happy to take him all around the campus.While taking pictures he listened to her like a kid,as she had her little stories to share on each and everything they saw.She was someone so easy to mingle with,he thought.He totally forgot about the competition and the 'thirty minutes' deadline.Being with her made his day,it was more than winning the competition.Too damn innocent she was,her talks proved him.In between their talks while sharing about each other's likes,being a football player he said."Do you know 'Manchester United''-that's my favourite.".."Oh!!! sorry,I don't watch IPL",she replied.He stood dumb and just smiled,knowing that this innocent girl stole his heart!

Both of them introduced their friends to each other.All of them together had lunch from college canteen.All the cute things she did,increased his love for her.While having food he noticed her friends playing pranks on her and all she did was just smile,that innocent smile of her!By the time they had already exchanged their numbers.Before he left the college he thanked her for the 'best day'.Again with that adorable smile,she killed him!

As usual there began another love story,with that 'Hey! and the very moment blue ticks on whatsapp'!!Three months passed,they became more than friends through the innumerous texts,phone calls and frequent gang meetups.But they haven't confessed their feelings for each other yet.He finally made up his mind to confess his love.To propose her he typed:

"Dearest Sera,

I have seen others making fun of your innocence.

But you answered them with your silence.

May be they take it as your limitation,

but you always know its better than their aggression.

The only thing you know is to smile,

and that too in your own cute style.

That's what makes you worthwhile!

So Sera!...Will you be mine to kill me with your smile for a lifetime."

This was something she craved to hear.She replied:

"Nathan,you know it right!

You have seen my inmost heart,

You are the one who heard my inner voice.

You touched my soul.

And felt my deeper thoughts.

Only you know "the real me"!!

So what else can I say other than a BIGGGGG YESSS!!!!...Yes Nathan,I will smile for you forever more.!!

Thus their love filled days started.

Sera's parents were abroad and she stayed at college hostel.She was in her final semester Electronics Engineering.On weekends she went to her aunt's place,near to Nathan's college.And that was on a weekend visit with her friends they met for the very first time-"the first sight at the park".Nathan's family was into business and they settled in Bangalore.His native place was 'Ernakulam' in Kerala and his grandparents were there.

Their love story was so cute and innocent,just like her.She always sang for Nathan during their phone calls.On her visits to aunt's place Nathan took  her to all the near by beautiful places which he already explored for taking pictures.She behaved like a child most of the time-the love for teddies,minions,dolls and so on.Sometimes she asked him to buy her a choco bar or a mango bar.He loved to watch her eating it like a little kid,the cute slurping sound licking it;drove him crazy.Its adorbs!!!.She was always his dinky kitty and he would love to hold her in his palms,if he could.She loved to be his pet forever more,to get patted,to be hugged and to cuddle with him like a little kitten.

They had their own hang out places,"kuttan chettan's chayakkada" was the best.They never failed to visit the nearest St.Antony's chapel,lighted the candles together and prayed to make them stay together for lifelong.

Unfortunately when their love life began,their college days were getting over.Obviously the shift from the tag of 'friends' to 'lovers' will change the whole life-cute little fights,complaints,possessiveness and so on.Nathan was always busy with his football matches.It was like that before too,when they were friends.Then it was not an issue,but now definitely it was the 'biggest issue' for her.On a regular basis she complained him for that.

One day during their phone conversation she asked,"tell me this Nathan!..me or playing football,what do you love more?.He laughed!.She was angry."Stop laughing,say it";she said."Okay then,playing football";he replied.She was sad and "ummm"was her reply.He again laughed and added,"you are the goal post-my ultimate aim!I will play my best and defend everything to reach you."A smile came to her face.But she remained silent.He asked,"You are still sad,ohh!my poor little thing is hungry I guess."She giggled.All he want is to make her laugh and all she want is to laugh more.They loved to be the happiest couple on earth.He always managed to bring that smile on her face.

All her imperfections were perfect for him.She was insane and he was pragmatic.Their friends asked,"height difference?".But their love for each other had no difference.They proved to be the perfect match,never a mismatch.

Their final exams got over.Both of them had to move to their respective places.The final meetup ended with hugs and tears.She went to US,stayed with her parents and joined for MS.He joined for MBA in Bangalore.Thus it turned to be a long distant relationship.But nothing much has changed between them."No hangouts" was the only difference.All thanks to IMO and 'whatsapp'.

Each day she came up with new demands.If 'sing a song for me' was for today,the next day it was 'to tell a story'."Call me pet names","talk like a child","send me a selfie"....were her crazy demands.But "draw my picture" always topped the list,which  never got fulfilled.Months and years passed,but always his  answer was not yet finished.Why was he taking so long she wondered!

"Ritika did call me today,she asked about us";she texted him."Aaaha good,he replied."."She said we have never got enough time together"."Mmm,and what did you reply?";he asked."I didn't say anything why should I prove to her,she don't know that we spend every second of our lives together".Miles apart looking at each other's photos on phone,they smiled."Come on IMO,I want to see you now";she texted.During video calling she told him;"Even though I said all these,I miss you so badly Nathan.I miss our times together,our hangouts,our days!!..Actually to some extent she was correct,right!.We never went for a long trip".He remained silent and just smiled."Say something Nathan",she said."You girls are like that,opinions fluctuate",he said.She didn't like it and added;"Ohh!! really??..and you boys will never get what we feel.""I meant about the other girls,not my darling daisy",he winked.And that made her to laugh.He knew how to make her happy and even a small word was enough for that.

Three years down now.Sera's family moved to their native place "Kottayam",Kerala.Sera danced with excitement when she told Nathan about the wedding plans over the phone."Oyyy!! my man,Mr.Husband to be...just a week to go now!!I can't wait for our big day".

16th July 2017.

St.Mary's Church,Ernakulam.

On the day they tied the knot,she saw the same smile on his face.Just the same as on the day she fought with him about 'the long trip'.And now she realised that they had the long,the best and the happiest journey of life-"LOVE"!!!!

All these years he was drawing the picture of their life-"A beautiful sketch with so much of perfection".

She posed for him again,in her wedding dress with that "killing smile" on her face.He posted her picture on Instagram with the caption-FROM THE PARK TO MY HEART!!!!!