Strangers

Part 1

Sumbul

It all starts in Paris. It's always Paris.

I stare up at the sky nervously. The sun had just set, turning the sky into a dark shade of orange, with blue clouds and pink splatters here and there, reminding me of cotton candy. Taking a deep breath, I look back to the Eiffel Tower shining in front of me in all its glory, and then at my best friend, who was desperately waiting for me to say something.

"Alice," I plead, trying to reason with her. Her firm eyes look back into my squinted ones and knew there was no escaping. She had made up her mind.She crosses her arms around her chest, 

"You can't say you've lived your life if you are at the Eiffel Tower and you aren't kissing somebody!"

"I don't really think kissing a stranger is my idea of living-your-life," I mutter under my breath.

"We're doing this for you, remember?" She gently reminds me, "It was your idea to pick your head from your medical books and want to travel and quote 'live life', and now you're shying away?"

"I'm not shying away," I roll my eyes, "I just can't kiss a stranger. That's wrong in so many ways."

"Why not?" She whines, "You're beautiful, you have gorgeous hair, you're wearing a pretty dress and you look better than atleast 70 percent of the crowd here. Anyone would love to kiss you."

"Can't I just kiss you?" I look at her pleadingly.

"I'm not sure my boyfriend will appreciate that," she nods negatively.

"You don't have a boyfriend?" I remind her.

"Future boyfriend!" she laughs, "Now scan through."

I roll my eyes, turning behind, and start looking through the crowd. Most here were in couples, and committed men were so out of question for me. There were some men loitering around in groups, but most were way out of my league. Just when I was giving up hope, my eyes fell on two guys arguing in the corner with one another.

Indian.

My eyes lit up as I look at Alice with raised eyebrows

"Which one?" She asks me.

"Let's make sure they're not gay first," I laugh, "But I like that one." I point at one of them indistinctly.

"The tall one? He's hot," my best friend grins.

"Nope," I don't pop the p, "The one next to him."

She shrugs in disappointment and pushes me towards them, who were atleast a good hundred meters away and couldn't see me... yet. Halfway through, I was about to chicken out, but just as I turned behind, my bestfriend's pointed eyes stopped me.

The things we do under peer pressure.

What was the point in all this again? Oh right, the perfect getaway from medical books to live your life before your parents get you married to a complete stranger is to kiss a stranger in Paris by the Eiffel Tower. That's just how my best friend's logic works.

Shouldering those thoughts, I walk to the two of them nervously, yet with a confident smile.

The guy I was planning to kiss was speaking, and stopped midway looking at me.

"Hi," I tell him softly, not wasting another moment, "Are any of you gay?"

That guy just chuckled. The tall one was staring at me with raised eyebrows and amused eyes while the third one with the pointed cheek bones just smirked.

"We're as straight as your hair, ma'am," The  guy smiled, offering me his hand

"Can I kiss you?" I ask the  guy straight-away and look his eyes widen. 

"I'd love to, sweetheart, but I'm engaged," the first one picks up his hand to show me the ring on his finger.

Yup, I just got rejected.

"But you could kiss my bestfriend," he adds instantly, pointing behind at the tall guy. The tall one's eyes widen as he looks back at his bestfriend, unsure.

"I'm harsh" the engaged one smiled, "And this guy single, doesn't have a girlfriend at all." is

I look at the tall guy, waiting for a reaction from him. Or perhaps an introduction?

His eyes just look into mine, as if amused yet

challenging, a small smirk on his lips.

"You-" he begins, but I cut him off.

Here goes nothing, I thought to myself as I stand on my toes to reach his height, grab his coat by the collar and delicately place my lips on his.

I could feel the shock in his body as his lips part but just as I was about to let go, he placed his hands on my waist, supporting me as he pulled me closer and reciprocates, kissing me back. My hand slowly shifts from his collar to his neck and his hair, before we part.

His eyes were dazed but a smile takes over his lips.

My eyes, in shock, fall from his eyes to his lips. It was supposed to be a kiss, like a small peck, not an almost make-out.

I step back to my place, and we were both still in daze.

"Sumbul," I whisper my name and repeat, a little louder this time, for all three to hear, "sumbultouqeer."

"Fahmaan Khan," the guy I just kissed smiled back and I bite my lower lip, giving him a final nod.

He nods back with a smile before I turn and walk away.

I could see the stupid grin on my bestfriend's face and amused eyes, almost jumping in her place.

Don't look back.

Don't look back.

I turn back, instantly catching his eyes on me.

None of the three were talking, and fahamaan's eyes were still following mine. I hold the eye contact for a brief five seconds before turn, grab Alice's hand, pulling her away, and let both of us disappear in the crowd.

And then don't look back, not until we're out of there and was positive that I couldn't be followed.

We get into the metro back to our hotel.......................................................................................... ..........................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................To be continued