2- All About Photography

"Excuse Me?"

Those two words echoed inside my head.

I couldn't see the face as my eyes were close, but at that time I was sure about one thing, This was definitely a girl's voice.

In Normal situation I would be sure to conclude that either some old men or some 15 year old brat was gonna sit before me, I mean that's what happens whenever I travel.

A Cute Girl? A Shining beauty? Never in my life have ever happened something like that. For me, things like this was just a fiction they show on TV Shows and Dramas. Till that day at least.

"Yes? Are you the one with me?"

I asked as Humbly and with as much calm expression, as I can manage. And For your information, That's the only skill I think I have mastered in my entire life so I was quite confident in it.

"Yes... Um..."

She clearly wanted to say something but she couldn't. The way she was taking those pictures a day before, I was quite sure that she would have been someone more..... cheerful? Or maybe she is but not around strangers? Am I really that unattractive?

[Wait? She is the same girl from yesterday? How? I didn't even realized.]

As shocked as I was at that time. I tried putting up a poker face, but soon realised that will just be even more hassle.

Well for someone at 27, I guess it's not so uncommon Afterall. I mean she barely looks legal.... er I meant to say she barely looks 18 so maybe she is feeling slight discomfort talking to me.

"You want something"

[Anything Other Than My Window Seat] As much as I wanted to add these words, I hold myself back. It wasn't really a good idea to act all chummy afterall.

"Um can I take The window seat if you don't mind?"

Seriously? I mean No Seriously? Like first of all I am happy that I didn't blurted out those words earlier but, How?

[ Well If I put the fact that she has a timid Personality and Cute voice and Beautiful physique and almost perfect personality. I don't think I have any other reason to let go of my seat.]

Little did I know, mentioning those things, was like hitting my own leg with hammer. Since all of those things were what I prefer in my taste in girls, I just gave up to my gentleman inside me.

"Sure."

I answered in just a word but smiling brightly towards her, in just hope that if she feels secure, maybe she could have a comfortable journey.

Now that I think about it, I have always be conscious about weather people around me are comfortable or not. And I have always tried to not to become the cause of anyone's discomfort. To me for my entire life, I have always made a rule for myself, [It doesn't matter how ugly I might be, I am a failure as a man if girls around me are scared of me]. And yes,I could be anything but I have never been a failure.

"Thanks a lot"

As I move out of the seat to let her sit first, She started putting her stuff over the stuff carriers of bus.

As I saw her struggling just to manage her carry her luggages over her shoulders. The fact that she was short and barely manage to reach the carrier was like additional spices added to the food. That was such a cute sight that I could never forget that sight from my eyes. It was like painted down to my soul.

"Let me help you."

Without even waiting for her to approve, I took her bag and gently put in on the carrier in order to not make mess of anything delicate in the bag, if there was something like that.

"Tg.. Thanks"

She said as she sat on her seats feeling relieved. Now was the time when I finally noticed that she might have been wearing the same outfit that I saw her wearing yesterday....

...

...

Time really flows like fast and smooth, just like sea tides does. And by the time I finally sat on my seat, the bus started to move.

[Now this is something little awkward. Every guy wants this opportunity at least once that when he is traveling, a girl comes and sits next to him, but somehow this feels a little off. She looks a little too younger than me and looking back at my life, I don't think I ever talked with girls]

Various thoughts like that were being bombarded in my brain, and my inner voice was forcing me again and again to make a decision so that I won't regret it later.

It wasn't like I felt any connection with that girl, nor was I really expecting anything even if I started a conversation. Afterall it was just a journey. But since that girl was doing nothing, I might have felt really guilty if I had plugged my earphones again ignoring that girl.

"So are you alone?"

Gathering enough courage, I decided to start a conversation while there was only one thought in my mind...

[If she finds me irritating, I would just sleep whole journey playing songs]

... but that didn't turned out to be the case.

"Hmm Me? No, I was just here for some work so I came alone."

As she smiled, and replied to me. [Ah! So cute] were the words that strikes inside my mind.

She almost covers her entire face with smile while talking. Even though I does that as well, her smile was something different, something more genuine, something more cute, something more generous, something more powerful. I can't really convey those feelings which not so big vocabulary of mine, but I doubt that there are words, meaningful enough to describe them anyway.

"Work? You mean that photography thing?"

I asked in order to further move the conversation. Looking that I might've wanted to move it further to the point where we can talking until one of us reaches their destination.

"Waah! You know? Did you saw my Photography before?"

She asked with her expression even brighter than before. She was somehow completely changed as soon as we moved to photography. The timid side of her till, it was like that never even existed.

"No but I did saw how enthusiastic you were while taking those pictures of Cherry Blossoms yesterday."

"Ofcourse I would be, why won't I, they are really rare in india to the point you can say there are still non existent. So if I get the chance, not just me, but any photographer would definitely want to capture that beauty."

And so I succeeded in setting up a conversation, We were talking..... I think I should say, She was talking while I was only listening to her enjoying the fact that how much that girl enjoys while talking about Photography.

I never really asked her, but I was quite sure that that girl was the kind who have many friends, but never really found anyone with common interests, as a result she might have rarely gotten any chance to talk to her hearts content about photography.

"But what actually do you study? Fine arts? or Something like BA Photography? If that exists?"

I asked on a whim. I didn't think that she would mind me asking it. And I was kind of interested now that I was hearing all her talks.

"Hm? I am already graduated from DU you know."

"Wait What? How old are you?"

"Twenty..... um five I guess."

Now I really didn't expected her to be 25. Never in her wildest dreams. She was just 2 years younger than me. But her face her height everything was like that of an 18 yr old.

With shocking revelation, I was sure now nothing could shock me anymore. What could be more shocking than the fact that. And with that in my mind we started talking again until after 30 minutes, Bus Conductor was here asking for our tickets.

"Yes?"

Bus conductor said, clearly asking me for my ticket. He was old man around mid fifties. Wearing the usual brownish dress having a ticket punch hole and receit pad on his hands. As my reservation was online, I saw him my digital receipt to which he frowned and then looked towards the girl next to me.

[Now that I think about it, I haven't still asked for her name yet. I should ask her after this] . I realised that so I decided I would ask her name.

Unlike me, the girl next to me was carrying an paper receipt. The conductor punched an hole on that receipt and mumbled...

"Uttrakhand? Oh both together. Why different tickets then?."

I waited for a seconds because my lazy brain couldn't react to his words clearly. Thinking for a second I then finally grasped the situation.

[Wait Both?]