Taruna Ghera

He came in like an uninvited guest, yet somehow, his arrival felt like fate at its best. Nothing was planned, nothing was known, yet somehow their hearts found a way of their own. It started with teasing, a smile and a stare, then slowly became something neither could spare. What began as a joke, light, playful, and sweet, soon turned into something that felt incomplete. Whenever they parted, whenever they strayed, as though every distance made them afraid. There was honey on lips, there was light in their eyes, a sweetness that neither could quite disguise. They carried their own glow, their own golden hue, yet somehow the sweetest thing was what they both knew. Morning came softly, reminding them to part, but they stole one last sweetness straight from the heart. They had work, they had people, they had places to be, yet somehow, they always found time secretly. They fought and disagreed, they stumbled, they fell, but ran back to each other, as if under a spell. Back then, love was w...

“Yeah, my flight is tomorrow evening, and there’s still so much left to do. I’m gonna call you back,” I said to someone from work, before turning back to the checklist that still had far too many boxes left unchecked. “Iru?” Maa called from the kitchen. “Kal raste ke liye kya bana doon?” “Maa, flight mein hi kha lungi . Don’t worry.” Right then, my phone rang. Aditya calling... “Hey! What’s up? How’s the packing going?” “Don’t ask. Tiring. Confusing. Even worse than getting a CSAT at work. But who am I complaining to? The top performer of the month? Huh! What do you know?” I said, rolling my eyes even though he couldn’t see me. “I didn’t call you to discuss work, silly. You’re leaving tomorrow. I’m getting anxious, but I’m also happy for you. Seeing you happy makes me happy. But tell me honestly, Ira. Are you really happy?” There was something about the conviction in his voice that made lying feel impossible. “Ads, to be really honest, I do want what I’m about to get tomorrow. Once I t...

I walked to where you lay, wrapped in a quiet kind of grey. "Are you okay?" you gave a nod, a silent sway. I called you over to my place. You came, and settled close enough for the world to lose its pace. "If you need to rest, then rest with me." You smiled, as though that's where you'd always wished to be. My hand found your face without a sound. For a moment, it felt like home had finally been found. I pulled away. You opened your eyes and softly said, "Leave it there." So, I did. My fingertips wandered every line, every curve, every trace, trying to memorize the poetry of your face. It felt too gentle, too tender, too true, like a dream that somehow had learned how to come into view. You kept your eyes closed, then opened them slow, just enough to let me know that peace had found you too. "Sleep," I whispered. "I'll be here when you wake." You wrapped yourself inside my rug, then reached for my hand with effortless love. ...

"How old are you?  (I hope she does not mind me asking that) "Uh! I am 22". "You're WHAT!?!" "Uh-oh! Why is that shocking?" "Nothing, it just is, I don't know!" The next day, I saved her a seat on the left side of me, and that was it. It took me 7 seconds to get to know her, because you see, obviously we got along over Taylor Swift's songs and might have shook a leg on Gallan Goodiyan too.  I neither know her from school, where you can count the years, we've known each other for, nor do I know her from college, where we have bunked classes together. She just randomly decided to share her darkest secrets with me, and I had shared even darkest of the secrets with her, and that was it, bonded by the trauma.  She finds me very smart, and funny, deep thinker that tends to have brain of a 7-year-old. She keeps telling me the way I look so good in her eyes and the way our minds just *click*. The kind of telepathy that only my other ...

there’s nothing that I don’t know already, how I wanted my life slow and steady. I have been so calm for the longest time, but also leaving my wisdom and prime. but maybe silence was just a test, to see if I’d rise when life said rest. rest? the inner chaos or the memories, that came with tears worn like accessories. but accessories were meant to enhance the beauty, family, life, career- my prioritized duty. duty I did not consider a priority at first, started feeling like I was maybe cursed. cursed for those who did not let me shine, never from those whom I actually called mine. mine, not for them, maybe just for me, their love so pure, yet too hidden to see. now, I have set my priorities straight, not opening any more new gates. even the windows are shut tight, so, friends can no longer backbite. not really worried about the marks they leave, though they still make me ache, still make me grieve. for a love like that, I won’t grieve now,  I finally found me, again, somehow. - Taru...

"Excuse me? Hi!"   I turned around and saw a boy, sweaty and tired. His eyes showed that he had been walking for a long time. "Hieee!" I said, with an even wider smile. "Could you please help me with this address and the exact location? I am new to this place."  "Of course, go straight and take a right turn...(I proceeded to explain him the address he was looking for)." "Thank you. By the way, I am Vayu." "Vayu!? With an A or two As?" "With two As. And you are?"  "I am Taruna."  "Karuna?" "No, Taruna, with a T." "Oh, Taruna, okay. What an unusual name! What does it mean?"  (With a smile) "It means, a young beautiful tree." "Hmm...a young beautiful tree!" I boarded the metro at 6:04 pm. Exhausted. Tired. Toggling inside. I reached home.  Told my mother about the entire day and how I spent it, which mostly included fighting over an extra laddoo with my collea...