A NEW HOME IN A NEW CITY

Despite living in an old shattered house in that huge old town, it was hard for him to settle in a new home of a new city, mingling with so many strangers. It was the city that never sleeps; Bustling, crowded, lively, and also fascinating. How will you imagine a perfect city with all the facilities? But despite having all that comfort, he found it laborious to have a fellow feeling. Even with huge buildings and clean roads, with trees running along the paths and birds cheering on the trees, with the sky showing glints of violet above the horizon, with people walking around with different destinations, with the weather changing in just a minute from sunny to cloudy and then sunny, just everything was so perfect. But why it was so lonely? Sitting under the huge shadow of a tree, he observed every nook and corner that his eyes can catch. A voice from somewhere distracted him and he turned back to see a young lady calling her pet. His gaze caught the way she was holding her phone, with the wire that was attached to the phone and was going upwards till the ear. A strange thought struck him,

‘what song she might be listening?’. He suddenly has the urge to ask but something stopped him. He noticed her wristwatch that she was constantly looking at and it was like she was in a hurry. Suddenly a cat rushed out of the bushes that were beside him and started rubbing herself from that lady’s leg as if trying to be affectionate. The girl grabbed her in her arms and stroll out of his sight. He realized, he has been sitting here for so long. Straightening his back, he grabbed the bag and looking here and there, he started walking on the path. The sun was about to set. In his way, he saw a small restaurant and felt his stomach growling in hunger. Deciding to eat something, he entered and saw a crowd of people eating. He looked around to search for an empty chair when a boy called him from behind.

“How may I help you, sir?”. The boy looked much younger than he expected from his voice.

“oh, well. Do you have burgers on your menu.” He asked with his brows knitted together.

“Don’t know about the menu, but they sure are behind you, sitting on table number two.” The boy chuckled as he pointed towards a group of people behind. His eyes wide opened and he looked at the boy with a confused expression. “How do you know what being a burger means?” he asked, concerned.

“I am from Pakistan, brother.” He laughed and went on the counter, grab the menu, and gave it to him.

Taking the menu from the boy, he once again looked at him and remembered the good old days he had spent in his good old town. Ordering a zinger, he grabbed a seat nearby, and while waiting for his food, he searched some places to get a place to live for some days before settling to his new home. He was not happy although everything in the city was at peace. Extinguishing the fire of hunger, he paid a final visit to the boy, and saying goodbye, he left the restaurant.

By the time, he reached his place of living, the sky was black with a million little stars shining, defining the beauty of blackness. Being a nytophile and a lygophile, he always found solace in darkness and that was the reason he loved nights. But still, this darkness was increasing a kind of irritation in him, as if he was alone, alone between so many people in this huge city. He was curious to live within his own home, in a new city, but he was not ready for all this sudden change in his life. He looked at the hotel room, small and clean. Everything was placed in a neat and tidy manner. The lighting was good enough to even see the shine on the tiles of the room. There was a book shelve containing some books and magazines, with one of his magazines lying in a different order, as if it just get misplaced by someone while cleaning. He opened the magazine and saw a resembling picture of a young lady. He remembered the lady he saw, while he was sitting on the footpath. A smile spread on his lips, putting the magazine back, he searched for the schedule of classes he would have tomorrow. Just he was about to go for sleep, his phone rang. He picked up the call and hear a voice asking him, how he was doing and is he happy in the new city? Saying that, he was fine and doing great, he felt a void in his chest. His chest tightened, and his eyes watered as he felt lonely for the first time in his life. Hanging up the phone, he lay down on the bed and his musings goes back again to his old town. His town was not developed like this city, not cleaned and green, and also not that modern but since home sweet home is nothing without a family, the new city was making him feel lonelier than ever. So living in new home all alone was not easy for him. Leaving behind his family only for the sake of study and making a bright future, was not pleasing for him. But since, it is impossible to make an omelet without breaking eggs, he had to leave his town and had to get admission to a known university. And building a career in a new city along with studying was a hard nut to crack, as nobody knows him and he was all alone among a crowd of strangers. Early in the morning, when the sun was peeking from behind the curtains, he opened his eyes. The alarm was ringing with the sound of a rooster. He tried to read the time, and his eyes widened as he saw the clock striking 9:00 am.

“shit, I am late again”. Getting up and rushing to the bathroom, as usual, he dressed decently in a white shirt and black jeans, grabbed his bag, and got to the university. While strolling fast through an empty corridor, someone suddenly appeared in front of him with a couple of books in hand. He bumped into that person, with all the books falling on the ground, “I’m so sorr..” he stopped, and gaze at the familiar face again. The hair was neatly tied in a ponytail and the band was of the same color as the dress. The same watch was on the wrist of the hand, that was trying to get the book that was in his grasp. “Hello,” the hand wave in front of him and he realized he was grabbing her books. “ oh, I am.. I am sorry. So sorry. Hope you are okay and didn’t get hurt.” Returning her the book, he finally managed to spit out some words.

“yeah, I am fine. Thanks.” She strolled out again from his sight. He stood still looking at the corridor when someone from behind patted him on the shoulder. “make a way bro”. A tall boy passed by him. He quickly ran towards his class, almost stumbling on the stairs, and finally managed to get in. The lecture was almost on its end and he cringed inside for getting late again. After the last class, he decided to go in his own home, rather than getting away and living in a small hotel room just to overcome the fear of being lonely. Making a firm decision, he, at last, reached his new home, the home of a new city. He took a step in and remembered his old shattered home, where his laughter with his siblings used to enlightened its wall. This new home wasn’t bad, and as compared to his old town home, it was beautiful, with perfectly architected and a two-room home with a beautiful dining table that his old home lack of, but he was alone there, in the new packed city among strangers. He sighed as his eyes looked at the kitchen and thought he could not have those tasty meals from his mother again. He ordered a burger and to distract himself, he came out in fresh air. A cold blowing air hit him, calming his soul when suddenly his heart fluttered and skipped a beat. His hands get sweaty and he felt butterflies in his stomach. It was that same girl again that just came out of the house to throw something in the bin. He got excited as soon as he realized she was his neighbor. While trying to look at her, he completely forgot about the ordered burger. Unexpectedly, someone from behind said, “ She will look perfect with you.” He turned around and saw that little boy of that small restaurant again, carrying his ordered burger. “ I don’t have change so keep the rest.” Without answering him, he gave the money he was holding and took his burger from him. Before going back to the house, he once again looked at the house beside his house. A smile spread across his lips and getting in the home, he closed the door behind.

………………………………………………………………..

It was the first time of his life that his rooster in alarm didn’t get up before him. He pulled out a lot of shirts and put them in a line to choose the best one and finally decided to wear black. Folding his sleeves and making sure his hair looked tidy rather than messy, he grabbed his bag and get out of the house to get to the university. Just when he was leaving his house, he saw that girl locking her door of the house. He quickly managed to reach a little near him and said, “ hi”.

At first, the girl looked confused and stared him blankly. “ oh, sorry I didn’t introduce myself. I am Steve”. He said, giving a sign to shake hands. “I am Stella.” She shook hands and gave a warm smile.

“I think we study at the same university right. But I never saw you.” He tried to continue the conversation.

“yes, and I don’t actually like roaming around. I am new in this city and I don’t know anyone here.” Her answer made him wonder if she was really made for him. Even thinking about being friends with her, excited him and he felt as if he got himself back that was lost before. Even the new city, that was making him feel lonely before, was now appeared to be aesthetic. The roads that he was walking with her seemed too short to reach university. Finally entering the main gate, he said, “Okay. See you soon or maybe we can have a cup of coffee together after class, of course, if you say so.” He impatiently looked in her eyes to search for the answer and finally got it. They both agreed to meet at the main gate after classes. His impatience increased with every second passing, and the enthusiasm to meet her was enough to make him restless. When the last class ended, he could not stop himself from meeting her, so he rushed out of the class, almost stumbling down the stairs, when he reached the main gate, he only saw a bunch of students, but Stella wasn’t there. He decided to wait for her, but even after half an hour, she was nowhere to be seen. He felt too unhappy to stay a minute longer and get back to his home. Ordering that same burger for dinner, he once again felt suffocated within four walls. Suddenly he heard some faded and dim knocks on the door. Thinking it might be that delivery guy, he pulled out some money from his pocket and opened the door. His eyes froze and he felt his breaths getting heavy. With a half-opened mouth and wide eyes, he saw her beautiful face looking at him. “ He…hey.” He stammered.

“Can I ?” she hint him for the permission to get in. “oh yeah, please have a seat.” He said as soon as he pulled out a chair, his bag fall on the floor. “ I am sorry.” He tried to hang the bag on a hook but as soon as he hang it, the hook came out and the bag fall again on the floor. He nervously stared at her, who was holding a bowl in hand. He put the bag on the table, not realizing that the fruit basket was placed there, so the basket tilted down throwing all the fruit on the floor.

“I’m so sorry. I will pick it up.” He quickly started gathering apples from under the table, when the tilted basket falls on his head. He put his hand on the head and looked again at her, who was now laughing hard. He smiled, and while pulling himself in standing, his head got hit by the table again and all the apples he gathered fall on the floor. She put her hand on the mouth to stop laughing and turned her head away. He felt a hot rush of blood inside, coming towards the chest as he felt embarrassed and blushed as soon as his eyes contacted hers.

“My class got over early than it was expected, so I thought it was better to have dinner with you than waiting for so long just for coffee.” She looked at him with a hope that he might not be disappointed with her. “ and I didn’t have your number to tell you this. I am new in this city, and I don’t know anyone here so..”

“it’s okay.” He interrupted. The doorbell grabbed their attention towards itself. He opened the door and saw the same boy holding his order. “Bro, congratulations.” The boy raised his brows with a wide toothy grin. “shut up.” He paid the boy for the order and shut the door with a loud bang when his phone in his pocket started ringing. Placing the ordered burger on the table, he pulled out his phone and saw his mother calling. He picked up the call and listened to the same question as how he was doing and is he happy in the new city? But this time, without the feelings of loneliness, with his eyes looking at Stella, he said, “ I felt as if I am completed.” A smile spread across his lips and she looked down, blushing. After hanging the phone, he asked, “ what is your cat’s name?” she looked at him in disbelief.

“ she is smokey but how do you know?”

“well, I once saw you in the park while you were jogging and I wondered what song you were listening at that time.”

“Love story by Taylor swift.” She stared at him as if striving to communicate visually that his heart quickly captured it and caged it.

“I’ve got my new home in this new city.” He stared at her with his eyes glinting joy and peace and she smiled as if it was all that her heart wanted to hear.