Love In The Night Sky

I. Who?

⪼  i.  Who?

THE TREES  sway here and there, and the breeze is gentle as the still waters. I step up from the stairs and approach the big trees in front of me. I feel that if I reach out my hands and stretch it out as long as I can, I can touch the leaves. Though, that would be a bad choice since I just saw a bat flying out from the corner of my eyes.

I sigh from the cold weather, the cloudy sky making the stars harder to see. The jacket hugging my shoulders helped a quarter to the fog and snow outside. February can be the worst month for a walk in the terrace. But my decision to lose weight somehow without stepping a foot outside must be followed.

Perhaps it might be the reason that I had come early at 7 pm for a walk. But if I had come a bit earlier or late, I would face some unwanted guys roaming around as if they were my bodyguards. Creepy ones.

My eyes go to the house to my left, a little further but high enough for them to view our terrace very easily. I have seen a man, preferably in his thirties, walking around when I'm walking, turning around when I'm turning and leaving when I leave. It's pretty exhausting to drive those people away as I am the one adjusting my schedules so that I don't meet them when they were the ones who were creepy.

Welcome to India, where women don't even feel safe in their own terrace.

I stand there for a while to examine if there is anyone moving or hiding.

When I see no one, I turn my heels and start walking. I should complete at least 100 laps today since my terrace is smaller compared to a ground. But 100 laps should do the job.

The breeze is refreshing. Too bad, this kind of breeze doesn't sway my way when we had school assembly at eight in the morning.

I turn at the corner, and I nearly stop. I see a figure. And it's moving. It's  the house that is at least three houses far from us, but we can see it clearly because of its equal height to our house.

I don't halt in tracks, but I slow down to check whether the figure is a man or a woman. It's a guy. I know for sure that the guy is not a man since 7 pm is not a regular for working class people.

I complete two rounds, and the only thing in my mind is him. I see him, and I observe him. I scrutinize my gaze to see if he really is a school/college student.

His figure is tall, and he is wearing the same jacket as me. A biker jacket. He seems lean, and he has his hands on his hips as he finishes another lap. His hair seems fluffy as it bounces as he fastens, and it also falls over his eyes, which is definitely a sign that he isn't a school student.

Omg eye babe, you are so zooming right now. I am proud of you.

I didn't notice that I've  become slow and forgot to click on the lap button.

"Oh no!" I click on the lap button, but it is too late, and the numbers '58 SECONDS' flashed on the screen in red.

"Damn, you don't have to remind me." I mumble.

"Lisa?" I gasp and turn to see my mum frowning at me. "Are you done? It's been 30 minutes."

What?

I check how many laps I've made, and I've only passed 48. I look up to mum and smile as if my whole schedule hadn't been disturbed.

"Yes, mum. I'll go downstairs to grab some snacks."

"Aiyoo, you just exercised! Act like it! Go and study instead."

I huff my breath and take one look at the house and see no figure moving. I check the time and it's 7:45. And while moving down the terrace stairs and catching my neighbor auntie staring at me menacingly as she takes her washed clothes, I hoped that I would meet him again tomorrow.

I wonder what his walking time is.