Once upon a heartbeat! - (16)

*Click here for the previous chapter...(15)*

Epilogue :

Alora reached the bus stop. The bus arrived in a while. Jia had, habitually, saved Alora's seat. 

Alora's favourite routine was back on line, yet she sat down, with 'not-so-fine' expressions. 

 "Its been two days, I haven't had that dream, I wasn't pulled into the book. Previously I was confused because I was trapped in the dream. Now I'm sad that it's over. I don't know what's happening. I cannot see Armaan anymore. I just wish I could see him", Alora sighed.

Jia rolled up her eyes, "Alora, stop being childish now, I'm telling you this for the hundredth time. Maybe you've finished reading the book, so you don't dream about it anymore. Who gets pulled into a book? Am I the scholar or You are? Who should be enlightening whom here?", Jia scolded Alora.

Alora leaned on Jia's shoulder as the bus drove past a series of restaurants, malls, hospitals on their way to school. 

"It would've been better if I had met Armaan in one of those restaurants or malls or even hospitals, in real life", Alora sighed even more. 

Jia patted her cheeks. Alora puckered her lips. 

The bus reached the 'Envisage High School'. Alora and Jia got down, and a breeze blew past them. Leaves of the old  tree outside the school compound, came swirling down. Alora and Jia laughed as they removed leaves from each others hair. The breeze freshened up their spirits. They held hands and entered the school gate. 

"Today the school looks beautiful. Look at those red and white hibiscus, those yellow roses, the bunches of pink bougainvillea. Everything seems in full bloom. Isn't it all so pretty? Doesn't it make your heart calm Alora?", Jia said pointing to the garden in the school. 

"Yes seems like a beautiful day", Alora smiled, trying to cheer up, atleast for Jia's sake.

"That's like a good girl", Jia said as she saw Alora smiling. "See, I told you, life is beautiful, don't be sad", Jia added.

Both the girls entered their classroom and settled down.

Their class teacher entered the class. All the students rose up and in unison wished her, "Good Morning Teacher".

"Good morning students please sit down and settle. We've new students joining in today. It's been two months since school has started already. So we must together help them to cover up the backlogs. Let's welcome them", the teacher announced. And a cute boy with a floral shirt came in. "He is Jeet", the teacher introduced. 

"Jeet", a bell chimed in Alora's head and she looked at Jia. Jia was staring at him. "The floral shirt looks so cute on him", she murmured as she gazed at Jeet's smiling face.

"The new boy with floral shirt in our high school! Oh! Is it him? Jia's first crush? So does that mean atleast some of my dream was true?", Alora thought in elation.

"And where's the other one...", teacher said looking at the door once again. "Please come in...Armaan", teacher called aloud.

Alora was shocked to hear the name. A younger version of 'Armaan Mehta' stepped inside the classroom. He was wearing a crisp white shirt, black pants and shouldered a tan leather bag. 

"Armaan!", Alora murmured. "Was it not a dream?", Alora thought. Jia and Alora looked at each other, totally confused. 

The new boys were asked to be seated right behind Jia and Alora, on the empty desk, besides the window.

As they both passed the girls' desk, the girls kept staring at the boys, awkwardly.

Jeet got seated behind Jia first. Armaan had to sit behind Alora. Armaan kept his bag properly in the space. He took out a book and pen. Keeping the book aligned with the border of the desk, placed the pen in straight line, on it. He leaned ahead a bit and whispered "I always keep my things properly but don't know how I lost my jacket? I don't seem to find it!".

Alora sat there dumbstruck as the musky fragrance lingered around her.

AUTHOR'S NOTE  : All of us read books. All of us dream. Sometimes we eagerly want to meet people, who we see in our dreams or read in the books, in real life too. This novella is dedicated to all such feelings and emotions, that we have as normal human beings. I've tried a different genre this time, hope you appreciate my efforts. 

Your comments make my craft better. Please let me know your thoughts and do write your names while commenting. Also share the link with your friends if you've enjoyed reading this. Thankyou!

DISCLAIMER  : This novella is a work of fiction. Any similarity to people, names or things, is purely coincidental.