Chapter 8 - A Day Without You

A Day Without You

It was 2.30 (two-thirty) when both of them finished eating their lunch in a romance. That is when after finishing their lunch Casey got an idea in her mind, she thought to share it with Neil, She said "Last Friday I got tickets for a new film, it is romantic!"

Neil heard what she just said and after a two second pause he spoke "A film? good! so when are you going to see it"

Casey "The movie is today! and I have two, two tickets!"

Neil "wow! that's good, a romantic film today, this good day"

Casey "Actually I just paid for only one ticket but they gave me two, since they gave all the buyers two ticket to watch it with an another partner, it was a way to promote their film production since it is romantic film so, I got two!"

Neil "whom you're going to watch it with?"

Casey "I am waiting for a perfect person, maybe it's you!"

Neil "Me! you want to watch the movie with me!....Oh! I would be really excited " (Neil in his mind "Geez I am a perfect man for her" he is burning happy inside)

Casey "isn't it? So, are you coming to watch the movie with me?"

Neil "Yes, but is that okay?"

Casey "Oh! Neil of course it's okay, I was waiting to watch with you that movie"

Neil "So, let's walk our way to the-"

(Casey suddenly says) "-movie, yes, it starts at 4:30 (four thirty) we can walk our way to the theatre, we will reach their at a perfect timing"

Neil "Okay, lets walk our way all together!"

Neil and Casey gets up from their seat, taking their bags which they had kept beside and Neil paid for the food, he just kept the cash on the table, so that the waitress would collect it when she would come to take the plate from their table. Then Neil and Casey walk their way out of the hotel and then walk their way to the Street. Neil and Casey is walking together, so close! Like a real couple.

They walk their way to the theatre, Then they pass by the park and then Neil gets an idea now, he said "Let's go into the park"

Casey (in confused state)"but I thought we are going to the theatre "

Neil "Yes, we are going but we have a lot of time, let spent it little in the Park!"

Casey "hmm....yes, that's right okay a little time here in the park with you"

Neil looks at her with a smile, then they both goes into the park and starts walking, it is autumn and the leaves are in orange, yellow, brown and red shades. It's fluttering all around, it feels so good walking in the park in such a good season with your mate!

Both of them look shy without a reason but all they know is they are now officially lovers! they are in love with each other!

They both want to talk but don't know how to start a conversation, so they keep their word within themselves, love is all about expression!

But Neil took the first step and he started the conversation, he says "So, where do you live?"

(Remember the earlier conversation when Neil asked the same question to her while in the Street that night, she got angry at him, but now she is open to him and she without hesitation says)

Casey "I live a little far from here, in Brookensburg street, so I take metro to come here for my work, but my actual home is at Allier street, where I live with my dad!"

Neil say "oh! I too live a little far from here so, I too take metro"

Casey smiles at him and gives just an expression "oh...."They both walks again in the park with a pause on their lips.

After a few seconds they see a Duck in the pound in the park and Casey now beings "Wow! look at that beauty, a duck! I love autumn it is so calm and pleasant like I always wished" (She stretched her both hands up in the air, lifting her head up and her body upright she takes a deep breath and exhale softly)

Neil looks at her with a pleasant smile and says "You like autumn, leaves?"

Casey "Oh! yes, I have admired them from when I was young, I really love this"

Neil "At my farm it look more good than this, the sky is open, you will keep gazing on. May be someday I will take you to my farm if everything gets normal and just fine as before"

Casey looks at him so sweet and happily with a tight smile in her face. Then suddenly she says looking at Neil "Maybe it's time!"

Then Neil looks at his wrist watch and see it's 3:40 (Three forty) and he says "Yeah, come on it already time"

They both get out of the park and then walk again their way to the theater and when they reach the theatre it was already 4:10 (four ten) and it was perfect time, many other couples were also going into the theatre to watch the movie. The movie seems to be fascinating since there was a big banner or poster of the movie all around the theatre, the movies name was "Roses Speak To Me"

Some were also buying some tickets in the tickets booth and many teenagers went into photos booth with their friends and crush like everyone used to do, especially when you fall in love with one of your classmate. Casey moved ahead and rushed into the dark theatres room where the movie would be screening, she said in a hurry "Come on Neil!"

Neil also came behind her, but he felt a little unusual, it seems that he had kind a watched this movie, but it's Déjà vu he guesses so!

They both went into the dark room and sat on the middle seat together, side to side The seat was right in center of the screen, it was in second row, four seats behind the first seat. It was actually the perfect seat to sit with your partner. Neil also bought two bucket of pop corns and cold drinks, for Casey and himself. Most couples didn't buy a pop corn or any drink they just came idle and sat there with their date acting like they were too mature to eat treats that were for kids. But Neil and Casey never minded. Especially Casey because she was a true foodie she was so happy that Neil bought popcorn and Cold drink for her, she was so excited to spent time with him. So, they took the seat and the door shut, the whole room was dark and then suddenly the movie plays on the screen. The movie is playing just in front of them, their eyes are wide open, they are watching the movie with excitement. The whole room is silent, there are only teenagers and adults who are in love and is sitting with their crush, No kid, No noise! Neil and Casey pop the popcorn into their mouth slowly, and some time drinking the cold drink. For fun Casey extended her hand into Neil's popcorn bucket and took some pop corns from him, Neil watches it and smiles cunningly and he did the same with her. Though they both have pop corns but they both are eating from each other's bucket, it's a love thing. Casey drank the cold drink in one shot, which is not very normal for an elegant girl like her but she never minded, she was the one who does what she likes. Neil like a typical man he watches the movie with fascination sometimes eating and drinking. The most romantic thing is that they both were holding their hands together during the full movie time. Neil was sitting on the right of Casey and she on the left so, Casey was holding Neil's right hand with her left hand tightly in love.

Like any other romantic couples did, holding each other's hands while watching a love movie. The movie was interesting, they watched it till the end. After the movie finished everyone started to get out of the theatre, even Neil and Casey got out.

Yes! the movie was great, they enjoyed watching it, it was evening by the time the movie got over. It was 7:30 (seven thirty) and it has been almost dark everywhere, Neil and Casey walking out of the theatre to the street, Neil says "The movie was really good!"

Casey "yeah, it was so beautiful, finally they both came together again"

Neil (in excitement) "Yeah! (then he suddenly stop walking in the middle of the street, there are very few or no people around them, after seeing him Casey too stop and Neil suddenly says) So, ….are we going?"

Casey (understood that he was asking whether she is going to her way back home or she is going to spent more time with him but she said) "Uh....Neil I may go home now, it's already night now" (she looks at him with a smile)

Neil (a little happy and sad at the same time but with hesitation he says) "Okay! alright so,....bye!, yeah bye! and goodnight!" (He said politely ad calmly)

Casey "okay bye Neil, goodnight-ah...see you tomorrow!" (She then depart her way, she walks to the opposite side of the road and then disappeared in the darkness)

Neil looked at her walking her way until she disappeared in the dark, he held his emotion back and then he also went his way back to home, luckily he also got a taxi so, he reached his home a little sooner.

It was 8:45 (eight forty five)when he reached his apartment. The taxi left him in the gateway, it was sure many people already went to sleep since it was evident from all the windows there were no lights and it was shut by the curtain, only a very few were away which was evident from the light from their house windows. The street was dark so, he carefully walked into the apartment, then into his house upstairs.

He slowly opened his door to not create much noise all around. Then he got inside his home. He was tried but he made up his mind that he is not going to sleep again in his outdoor dress with empty stomach, skipping his dinner.

So he quickly went into the bathroom, took a shower and then he dressed himself in his night dress, after refreshing himself he left his clothes on the bathroom itself since it would be too late to wash the clothes now, so he may wash it in the morning when he would again return back here.

He soon started cooking his dinner, he thought to make something simple, he made veg fried rice and panner tikka (*panner tikka is a South Indian dish, it is kind a like cottage cheese which you may eat in western countries, especially in America or let say U.S.A)

After eating his dinner, he simply sat before his dinning table for the food to digest simply in his stomach and it is no good to go to the bed quickly after having dinner.

After sometime he kept his plate on the kitchen sink so, that he may clean it tomorrow morning if he ever returns back here again. He switched off the lights and went to his bed, he laid down and then he slept on his stomach with his hands on the pillow. It was 10:00 (ten o'clock) at night, which was perfect time to sleep.

Then again, magic in the air, one, two and three, snap! he woke up again in his reality, present world.

He rubes his eyes, wake up upright and look all around him, something in him is saying it has been a long while returning here. All this time he was soaked in love with her, Casey. He knew that he us in love with her. But a sixteen year old in love with 30 (thirty year old) girl or say a woman. Nay! Casey and Neil is of same age nearly, since Neil saw her in the future so, at now present time Casey is very well alive and is living somewhere around this world like a teenage girl, of course with her dad, since Neil know the present now!

But his mind is still young but heart is always going to remain young since love is blind and does not depend on age.

He saw his wrist watch and the time was 6:55 (six fifty-five) in the morning, almost seven and it is kind a late for him since he wakes up normally at 6 (six) or 6:30 (six thirty) and by the way he slept at 10 (ten) back there in the future, so it is a little late here. So, he woke up from his bed and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth, wash his face and all that boring morning chores and went to the kitchen and sat down in front of the dining table to have his breakfast.

Today something was unusual, most of the days he gets pancake with apricot jam on top but today it was Grenadine. Grenadine is a sweet syrup made from pomegranate, also called fruit of death! Pomegranate as said was made from Adonis, a Greek lover's blood!

Neil's mom (Kendy) used to serve many other things instead of apricot jam like, honey, maple syrup, or mixed fruit jam but pomegranate syrup or let say grenadine, never.

Neil looked with a villain look at the pancake topped with this syrup, it's pomegranate syrup so it is red in colour, it look like blood is topped upon the beautiful pancake.

Neil asked his mom in curiousness "Mom why Grenadine today?"

Kendy (mom) "Your dad brought it, early that day he went to his brother's market in the town, that time he bought it from there. I asked your dad about it, he said it was new in his brother's store and he bought it so, that we can try it.....Why, didn't you like it Neil?"

Neil "No, it's not that but it is very first time I am seeing this, you never serve it so!"

Matthew (dad) enters the kitchen from outside, he comes in and says "Good morning, Neil!" (With a smile on his face)

Neil "Good morning dad!"

Kendy (mom) suddenly says "Neil was asking about the grenadine"

Matthew (dad) looking at Neil "Isn't it great!"

Neil takes a bite in front of his dad and chew it slowly and then he swallows and replies "yeah! but it's new"

Matthew "I bought from uncle Joe's, it tastes good, it is made from pomegranate. I was the first to try it!" (In a fun manner he said)

Kendy "seems Neil didn't like it"

Matthew (astonished) "really!"

Neil (Suddenly says) "No! I liked it" and took a bite of it again.

Matthew looked at him happily and then again went out to the field after taking something from the kitchen.

The conversation stops there and Neil felt it was good in taste but he felt he is going to face something unpleasant, it kind a symbolize it, the pomegranate. But he never minds and kept eating!

Who knows what is going to happen, never ignore a symbol or sign from the Lord, he is right. Maybe it's a bad luck or a warning. Pomegranates, the fruit of death! It is believed to be. Well, everything in life is not perfect, there are ups and downs but keep moving on, learn lessons from the past and love your life unconditionally. But all I know is the Lord is giving Neil a sign of something bad is going to happen and Neil must be ready. Be ready Neil, Be ready!