Crowded Silence

19 | Hearty Birthday my Love

"I'm done with this, it's over, we're over,"

"No, please don't leave me, don't give up on us___"

"There's no us hereafter, you hear me? There. Is. No. Us! You want that girl from the restaurant? Go, I'm not stopping you, you're free to do as you wish,"

"I don't want any other girl, but you..." He came closer.

"Stay away, I'm warning you!"

"No, I don't want things to end like this," He said and inched closer.

I raised my hands, palms facing his chest and pushed him hard. He stumbled backwards and held on to the door for support, I ran to him.

"Oh my god, are you all right?" I asked him, all worried.

"Relax, I'm okay." He smiled.

"That's it, I'm not doing this play anymore. The rehearsal itself is this difficult, I don't even want to think about the actual one."

Next month, a small play was organised on the eve of Christmas, it was written by some physically challenged, high school students. Every year they had some artists, or artistes to perform on their scripts to attract the audience, so that maximum fund can be raised. This time it was us.

"I was the one to be pushed and yet you seem to panic? Calm down, come here." He pulled me into a hug. "Why do you feel it's difficult?" He whispered in my right ear, stroking my hair.

"Playing a role doesn't work like this, one needs to put his emotions into it..." I trailed.

"And?"

"This whole scene of 'my boyfriend cheating on me' is making it difficult, especially if my co actor is my real life boyfriend." He started moving towards his bed, with me still in his arms. "Also, you saw how I freaked out after pushing you,"

"Listen, imagine that I'm Sharon and you need to yell at her, that way you won't find it difficult to enact. As for pushing me, you just pretend to do so, I'll stumble back on my own, will that work?"

Sharon? That happened almost 2 months ago.

"I don't know, let's try," I inhaled his scent, that always calmed me down.

We were now sitting on the bed. I was still holding on to him like a five year old holding on to its mother.

"Just tell me when you're ready, okay?" I held him more tightly and closed my eyes.

After a couple of minutes, I decided to get it over with and pulled away from him.

"Let's give it another try." I said, he smiled.

We decided to start with his line, just before I push him.

"No, I don't want things to end like this," He said and walked towards me. I can do this. I placed my hands on his chest and pushed him just a bit, he pretended to be pushed hard and stumbled backwards. "See, not difficult at all," He smiled.

"Not easy either, but guess this'd work, thanks." I said and walked up to him. He pecked me and lifted me up, one hand under my knees and the other on my back. I squealed. "Johann! Put me down, you know you can't hold me long enough,"

I wasn't stout, or something, being a sports person kept me fit, but my weight was something he couldn't handle.

"I'm trying to get used to it," He laughed.

"What!? It wasn't even a week ago that I fell asleep on the couch and you carried me to the bed. If you want me to remind, you were not able to straighten your hands for the whole day!"