“Listen,” Dvani said without actually turning towards Suraj. “Hmmm,” he uttered without looking up from the laptop.
“Can you give me your eyes for a day?” she continued.
The silence seemed to stretch.
“Suraj??”
“Eh? ummm, hmmm, errr …” he fumbled. “Am sorry, I didn’t get you”
“Can–you- give-me-your-eyes-for-a-day?” Dvani said slowly.
He raised his shoulders and shrugged.
“I am serious Suraj.”
“Care to explain?”
She walked towards him, pout in place, pondering as to how to explain it to him. Sitting down beside him, she looked into his eyes. He was bemused. “I want to know, rather experience, how I look to you? When you look at me do you see the light in my eyes or the crow’s feet or the bags under my eyes? When you see me smile at you, do you see the joy there or the laugh lines around my mouth? When I am caught staring at you, do you see the blush I try to hide? You have seen me in my worst…no make up, wearing pajamas, working, sweating, and swearing…how do I look then?”
He chuckled. Dvani’s face fell. “Hey, I didn’t mean to hurt. It is just that I did not think from that perspective at all. Now you got me wondering,” explained Suraj.
She punched him in the shoulder.
“Seriously….” his voice trailed.
She tried not to show her disappointment. Smiling brightly, “It’s ok. Forget it.”
He didn’t. It got him thinking about it all night. How do I look to someone? He looked himself in the mirror…checked himself out. Not bad…nice physique, fair and handsome. Yet, was it enough? He smiled, he frowned at himself, made faces, walked around…was it him…the real Suraj? He thought about Dvani. She was nice. She looked good when she smiled. They shared a good camaraderie. He was fond of her as a friend would be. He saw her smile, her joy, her pain, her struggles, her triumph, and her feelings. He saw her in bits and pieces. He liked her bits and pieces. She was not the whole. There were other facets of her, which were not known to him.
His mobile pinged signaling an incoming message. He opened it. It was Simone. “Hey handsome, we have a meeting scheduled for 9 tomorrow morning. I will come and pick you up…don’t make me wait.” He realized he was smiling as he read the message.
“Aye, beautiful. Will be right here waiting for you ;)” He again checked himself out in the mirror once again. Simone, he whispered her name…. can I have your eyes for a day?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Janaki Nagaraj is an aspiring author whose poetry and a short story has been published in Anthologies Minds @ Work 2, An Anthology of Poems and Marijuiana Diaries. She is a home maker, blogger, emerging entrepreneur and a fitness enthusiast. She is now residing in Mumbai with her family. She blogs at…
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I have always tried to do this — both ways. It is revealing and a good lesson. You presented the concept beautifully
This was something I was always intrigued about…thank you Carol.
Beautiful story. Sigh. Ironies of life!!
Yes!. Thanks Ruchi.
I just loved this story! Has so much depth and is thought provoking!
Thank you Indy.