The Candles

When I fall in love with the Candles

VinayaAnna

It was about midnight and I was about to go to sleep. I went out to the courtyard and looked at the night sky. It was December and was really cold outside. But It never mattered me because I was already lost among the beautiful stars of the night sky.

I started to think about a friend of mine whose eyes where as bright as the stars I saw. Her name was Anna. Anna was born and brought up in an orthodox family in south India. She had many rules which she had to follow in her life. But she was still happy with it.

Now let me tell you what happened seven years back in the life of this ordinary girl. This happened on her birthday back then. It was a Sunday, early in the December and our Anna was turning fifteen. All her friends and relative’s had gathered at her house. The celebrations were over about noon and she was playing cards with her friends after having launch. Suddenly she noticed one of her friends whispering something to her best friend Angel. She asked,” What are you both planning? Can I know please?” .Angel replied,” Oh, nothing . Don’t worry.” “ What is it then ? “ Anna was so curious. Angel said,” Maybe , not now. I will tell you tomorrow at the school.” Anna agreed to this. All her friends and relative’s left when it was evening.

The next day Anna went to school as usual and she noticed that her friend was waiting for her outside the classroom. Angel said,” Hey, come. I have to show you something. “ She took Anna to a Grotto in front of her school where there was a big statue of Jesus, where everyone used to pray. Anna saw a beautiful candle in front of it. She asked Angel,” The candles. Oh, I see them here on the first Sunday of every month. They are looking more beautiful each time I see them for the last five years. I wonder who was doing this. I just know one thing , I am feeling really happy when I see them. Really happy to know there are people who fulfils their promises to God without excuses.” Angel replied,” I don’t know who exactly it is. His name is Justin. He was studying in Bangalore and have come back now after completing his course. I don’t know why he is doing this but just know that he is living somewhere close to your house. I heard he is really handsome just like how beautiful his candles are. “ Anna replied,” All these years ,I was searching for a person who was living nearby. Hey, and Why did you say he was handsome. I am not a girl who fall in love like you. “ .

Anna started to have strange thoughts,’ He is a boy. I am not supposed to talk to boys. It is not right for a girl of my age to talk to boys. But I still don’t even know who it is. May be I should just find him. Just for my curiosity. Or Why should I. It never matters me who he is?’ The thoughts started haunting her like a ghost.

The next Sunday, when she went to the church she heard someone talking,” When did you come from Bangalore?” She turned back to see who it was. But realised it was a family who had moved back from Bangalore. She also saw that someone else also turned back just as she did. She looked at him . Who is that? I haven’t seen him here before , she thought. Everyone there was now walking towards the church hall to see the decorations in there in preparation for the Christmas. Anna who saw that there was a large crowd in front of the hall and decided to wait outside. She sat under a tree which was nearby.

She soon started to think about him unknowingly. Suddenly she noticed that someone else was sitting beside her. She turned her head to see who it was.’ Oh my God, it is a boy. The boy whom I saw just a while ago. Let me just ignore him.’ She thought. She just ignored him when he looked at her and smiled.

It was then the priest came in there and said aloud, “ Justin , you may come in now.” Anna was startled and looked at him in surprise. He got up went inside the hall with the priest. Anna also followed them inside. The hall was decorated with hundreds of beautiful candles made by him. For a moment she felt that it was a perfect visualisation of heaven on earth. She never realised she had fallen in love.

Soon it was Christmas eve and everyone was busy getting ready to go to church but our little Anna was deeply thinking ‘ Why didn’t he come to church yesterday. Will he come today. Hey, Why am I thinking about him now? What is the time?” She started to rush since she realised she was already late for the holy mass at midnight. Her family had already left. She got out of the house after looking the door. There was only a handful of people out there. A fear started to develop in her mind. She didn’t actually understood why her hand started to shiver, was it the cold or her fears that overtook her. She walked up to the gate thinking what she should do. It was really dark all around her and she started to see strange people who was staring at her. “ Hey” she heard a sound from somewhere. And then came someone to the light . ‘ Oh, my God. It is Justin. What is he doing here.’ “ I am living in a house round the corner. Don’t worry, your father knows me very well.” He said . They had already started to walk towards the church. He talked a lot to Anna. But Anna just smiled at him not knowing whether to talk or what to talk to him. When they reached near the church his friend came near him and asked,” Hey, Where were you yesterday? We really missed you.” “ Oh, I was with my uncle. He had just moved into a new apartment. I thought I would just help him out.” Said Justin. Anna again started to think deeply,’ So that was Why I didn’t see him in the church yesterday.’ As she got involved in her thoughts Justin said,” OK then . I will take your leave now. Merry Christmas .” He had a really cute smile when he said this with his sweet voice. Her excitement had reached a peek that she even forgot to wish him back. She followed him secretly as he walked away , until she lost her sight on him in the crowd gathered around the church.

And then one week later her school reopened after the Christmas vacation. She saw him again as she was waiting for her school bus. She started to see him very often, that she even started to think that there was some magical connection between them. If in the beginning it was such that she saw him unexpectedly, later she started to go to places purposefully expecting to see him. She started to look for him in every crowd. Her heart started to beat faster when she saw him. And finally Anna was realising the truth that she was already in love. She realised something was drawing her more and more towards him as she tried to forget him. She thought, Anna , what are you doing? You are not supposed to talk to them. And here you are, fallen in love with a boy whom you even haven’t spoken with. But it is a fact which I should accept. What will I do now? Should I wait to know if he was my true love? ’And finally she decides to wait for five years to know what happens after that.

Years passed and she was now doing her higher studies in a college nearby. Everything changed except for her love towards him. It had grown stronger and stronger the more she got to know about him over the years. A strong friendship had already formed in between them. When she realised she couldn’t give up her feeling for him even after five years, she decides to confess her love. She didn’t knew how she should start.

And then came Christmas again. Anna was getting ready to go to church when she heard the calling bell ringing. Her father opened the door. “ Hello, Justin. Come in my boy . “ Anna ran and came when she realised who it was. “ Hey Anna , We are shifting to another place from here. I thought I will come here to tell you about this. And yes, come here. I have brought something for you. “ Anna realised that it was her very last chance on that day to confess her love. With heavy heart she opened the box which he handed over her. ’ A beautiful candle. Oh, I always wanted this. But how did he know this? ’ She now got an idea and ran into her room. She took a set of cards and wrapped it in a golden paper. And then went back and she told him,” You are coming to the church, right. Come on let’s go. I was waiting for someone for a company. “

They got out and started to walk for the church. Justin asked,” Hey, you didn’t even thanked me for the present. “ Anna had completely forgotten everything in her excitement again. She said,” OK, then , thank you. And here is my gift for you. Just pick one among it and I will tell something based on what you pick.” She handed over a deck of cards to him. Justin picked up a card from the deck. “ A queen of hearts. What does it tell about me?” he asked. Anna replied,” This means , that you will find your soulmate soon.” “ No way he said. I have already found her back ten years. I was very touched by her caring nature and innocence. And , her eyes, I felt that they were piercing through my heart.“ he said. Anna’s heart started to feel really heavy hearing this while she was preparing for proposing him . She asked,” And who is it?” He replied,” The girl whom I was secretly following for the last ten years. The girl for whom I made all the candles . And yes that would include the one I gave you today.”” What? “she asked.” Well. I don’t think there was any better way to tell you, that I love you.” He said.

Tears rolled out of her eyes with happiness. “ I always knew that you loved me . I just wanted to know how you would tell this to me. The game with the cards ,that was fun. Hey , what was your plan if it wasn’t the card you expected?”. He asked. She laughed and replied,” I was so sure that wouldn’t happen. Just open and see if you have doubt .” It was then he realised that all the cards were the exact same. They both laughed a lot after this. Justin said,” Anna, I want to be like a star in the sky. So that I can always look at you from up there. Always.” Anna smiled and looked at the clear night sky which was full of stars. They were staring just at them…

The End