three moments

educational tour

The brisk winds were blowing, the sun was about to set, and the entire coastline had turned eerily deserted as people feared an impending storm. Quietly sneaking away from my hotel, I followed the hidden paths, all while my friend Omkar Mehta desperately tried to stop me. But I was probably forgetting that I had never really listened to him before. I had always considered him a side character, never paying much attention. Even if he had tried, I probably brushed his words aside, much like any other time.

It was on that day that he made an effort to stop me. He told me, "Bro, come back quickly. The weather is really bad." I found it strange, but then I decided it didn't matter if someone cared about my coming and going. It was as if the opinions of others held no significance. It's a habit, I guess, for teenagers to assume that others judge them as much as they judge others.

As I strolled along the coastline, thoughts started to creep in. Why is it always me? Why am I the focus? Do I have some kind of enmity with fate? Why do people look at me like I've said something absurd? Why don't they think about me the way I think about them? Such peculiar thoughts filled my mind, and I continued to ponder as an hour passed, not realizing when the sun set and darkness took over.

Just as I was contemplating heading back, a melodic flute tune reached my ears. Fear gripped me because the area was desolate, with no signs of human or animal presence around. Despite my fear, I was more curious than anything, wondering where the tune was coming from. The flute abruptly stopped, and just as I was about to turn back, the tune began again. This time, my interest in knowing its source exceeded my fear.

I scanned my surroundings closely for a moment, but still couldn't spot anything. You might be wondering why I didn't rush towards the origin of the flute's sound. But truth be told, the flute's melody seemed to be echoing from all directions. Sound was reflecting everywhere.

A few moments later, I noticed a fire blazing in the distance, and suddenly, the flute's melody ceased. With trepidation, I continued moving forward, and gradually, a figure came into view. As I approached, I realized it was a girl who had placed the flute aside and was tending to the fire with her hands.

I continued to gaze at her, momentarily speechless. She looked at me and inquired, "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

I responded, "My name is Rajat Trivedi, and I came here after hearing the melody of your flute. You play it beautifully, by the way."

She smiled and said, "Thank you."

I was unsure of what else to say in front of her. Her gaze turned back to me, and she said, "I think you should be on your way. I have some work to do."

I struggled to find the words to respond, as I had little experience talking to girls. I began to walk away slowly, lost in my thoughts. A few steps later, she called out to me in the dark, "Hey, Rajat."

I retraced my steps to her.

After a moment's pause, she asked, "How do you plan to navigate this darkness?"

Nervously, I replied, "I'll manage to find my way slowly."

She gestured towards a direction in the dark and said, "Here, Rajat, listen."

I approached her again.

After pondering for a moment, she asked, "How will you go?"

Feeling anxious, I stammered, "I'll leave gradually, step by step."

She asked me again, "Where are you came from? If you have someone you know nearby, you should call them."

I looked down and said, "I don't have a phone."