Wildfire

Somewhere in the past. There was a time. That one surreal thing.

There was a chaos all around. Pointless activities, deceiving distractions and absolute stale air soaked in the flavoured smoke of burnt charcoal.  

Impromptu social gathering at very late hour of evening, but there was nothing social about it. The place was well lit but dark, crowded but aloof, resourceful but exhausted. So many things were in the air; but certainly not love. Not at least initially. 

As the late evening turned into early hours of night, no one complained about the activities and festivities which were going on. Everything was going on perfectly as expected, chaotic and random. Not a single soul was soulful.

Except those two. 

It just happened to be that she was sitting next to him; or may be, just may be, he was just a marvellous planner of things. Nothing was special. Nothing was suspicious, not even the circumstances. Can't blame him for wishing what he wanted to. His side of excuse would be that he wanted someone to be with him that late evening, whom he would be most comfortable with. He never thought of the word compatible that time. 

Interesting turn of events. As she kept doing what she was good at; being beautiful and charming, and he was just doing what he was somewhat okay with; being there - almost unnoticed. He saw at her face, just a glimpse. Not that he hadn't seen her face like a million times before. Not that he never admired and adored her. Not that he wanted her to feel uncomfortable for being too close; emotionally. Not that he never felt an urge to curl a lock of her black hair behind her ear, a lock that carelessly kisses her pink cheeks as she sits there. But only this time he did not stop himself.

But ironically time stopped right there, as she overwhelmingly saw him, stared at him in his eyes. To be true to himself, he didn't look away. 

And there was there; a spark - missing in both of them, in that moment. Ignited, may be not as strong as a wildfire; not now at least. Nobody was aware they had that in them. Nor were they, until now. What was felt once, couldn't be undone, just less spoken about. Everything was perfect about the moment. Eyes never saw everything so clearly before. Right never felt so righteous before. Courage never felt as a blessing before. 

And that's where it started; at insignificant place. That's how it was ignited; with a slightest of touch.

- Asthir