Chapter 1

The Walk

On a cold night, when winter was melting and spring about to bloom. I had a long lonely dark road in front of me, a beautiful girl beside me and three wishes that I can ask for. I have a tendency to fantasize every possible situation in my life, right from travelling around the world to telling stories to my grandchildren. I had never planned for this test, an alluring girl granting me 3 wishes. I mean it not even real, I mean who does this, probably a dream. No, it happened.

A girl with pretty eyes, immaculate smile and an honest heart was beside me, walking along with me taking every step with caution expecting that I might pull something off. A small peck in the cheek, a long smooch, a tight hug perhaps. With every step her expectation rose, but one thing she didn’t know was that I was a common guy, yes a “guy”, my mind was blank like the Arctic.

Then we reached at a cross roads, one road was steep slope going down to the unknown and the other road was a road that had a few homes and then I spoke, “which one do we take?” I asked her. She mumbled whichever, I don’t mind but she gave me signal she looked down the steep road. I know women like mystery, but this was not my cup of tea, my heart started beating faster, with trembling lips I asked her my first wish, “Can I hold your hands?”

She looked into my eyes with a glowing smile, it was very inviting. That gave me confidence my hands became steadier, I was going to do it. Then I thought to myself I have wasted my first wish, I just asked a girl to hold my hand it was not even a wish. Now I was more desperate than before, I had only two moves left to ruin this. We walked down the road smiling, feeling comfortable, totally lost and happy. We reached a tiny bridge over the stream, the gushing water in the stream set the mood for everything that was about to follow, I thought to myself. Then I thought, if I am not going to do it here I have to be a sore loser, I said to myself. So, I was more excited, she was calm as usual but had a glowing smile on her face like she has discovered a treasure on a lonely island.

We both stood there admiring each other, admiring nature soaking in the nocturnal aura. Then, finally I asked her out of desperation “Can you kiss me?” she didn’t say yes but her eyes did. I was

leaning in getting closer to her, she was leaning forward with her pouted lips, closed eyes and open heart. I was watching it very closely I wanted to remember this moment for the rest of my life, and with stream gushing, crickets squeaking, amongst the cold mist in the air she planted a kiss on my lips. At first, it was unreal for me, then I felt that I had goose bumps, it struck me like a lightning. I was still for a few moments, then brought her closer to me, closer to my body, and closer to my heart and kissed her like it was my last kiss, although it was only my first.

Then I paused, it was as if it had just stopped raining, there was a serene silence. I looked at her and I though, she was lethal, she could eventually ruin my life, she was beautiful without knowing it, and possessed a charm that she was not aware of. I could see it. She was like the lone rose bud on a thorny bush, and I was like the lost bee which got close to the rose. She smiled, that moment I felt like I have achieved something - that smile. Anyone who has seen her smile has seen perfection. She did not do everything like a common girl, she was different even the small gestures were filled with divinity of some sort, something I had not seen till then.

I could not resist my excitement, I hugged her tight and at that moment we were entwined together in body and in soul. Whatever souls are? Whatever souls are made of, I knew mine and hers were the same.

We heard a blaring horn, we moved away from each other, a truck passed by and then I kissed her again, she smiled. I told her that I would kiss her every time a vehicle passed, she chuckled.

At that moment I only wish we were on a much busier road.

Few weeks later, I was lying on my bed alone, with nothing to look forward to, nothing was working out for me, and I was staring at the ceiling and realized even she was not there.

Then I thought to myself, about her, why her? Why at this time of life? Why me?

I will not deny that I was aware of her beauty, it had nothing to do with it. I knew she was beautiful, but it was not the point, as I got to know her, I began to realize that beauty, which was why I liked her and it was least of her qualities.

I was fascinated by her goodness. I was drawn by it. I didn’t understand what happened to me. I only knew that when I began to feel a physical pain when she was not around me, I felt lost, I then knew I was in love, for the very first time. I loved her against time, against reason, against hope, against all discouragement because I felt I had seen something that no one ever has. All I wanted was to deserve her.

I was a just a normal guy, average at everything that I did, I lead a simple life, people might not remember me, people might not respect me, I might not be a good citizen or a good employee. However, I feel in one respect I have succeeded. Succeeded as gloriously as anyone one who have lived. I have loved Mia with all my heart and soul and to me, it has always been enough. And that was my third wish fulfilled without asking.

With Love

Ryan