Petrichor From A Past Life
Petrichor.
His mind registered the smell when he opened his blurry eyes. A big fat drop of rain fell on his face.
He saw her lying beside him. His heart broke into a million pieces. All he had wanted was to live with the one whom he loved.
He shifted closer to her. Even the slightest motion felt as if his insides were being ripped apart.
He dropped his hand around her. "Sharayu..." He whispered. "Can you smell the petrichor? You always loved it."
"Vinay… I am scared." She whispered sobbing weakly.
A cold fist gripped his heart. "Hold my hand. We are together."
She held on to his hand and whispered. "Yes, petrichor. It is the first rain of the season." She looked at him. "I am glad you are with me." Saying this, she closed her eyes for the very last time.
A sob shook his body as he buried his face on her neck. It wasn't long before he too breathed his last.
As another 'honour killing' rocked the village, the rains came down in gloomy showers, grieving over the souls who were destined to be together.
30 years later:
Petrichor.
Her mind registered as a big fat drop of rain fell on her face. She tilted her head, closed her eyes and savoured the magical moment when the first rains fell on the arid earth and a heavenly smell wafted as water merged with dry soil. Sometimes she wished she could store petrichor inside a box, so that whenever she wanted to smell it, all she had to do was to open the box and inhale.
"We all know you love the petrichor, but we have a performance to do, so come back to solid earth." Nayan, the lead singer of her band was smirking at her as he said this.
She glared at him, fighting her attraction to him. It was weird how, right from the first time they met, she felt this instant connection with him. She felt a weird urge to hold his hand whenever he was around.
"Rhea, I know I am handsome. Now please pay attention to your guitar. I am about to sing." He grinned at her, looking utterly adorable. She just shook her head and tested the strings of her guitar.
Nayan smiled at her frustration. He was attracted to her. Of course, he dealt with this in the most ridiculous way he knew - by picking up senseless fights with her.
It started raining but the band played unfazed. In the lawn outside the cafe, Nayan sang while the people sat inside the cozy café and cheered for them.
Past lives couldn't ever hold me down,
Lost love is sweeter when it's finally found.
I have got the strangest feeling;
This isn't our first time around...
His gaze met Rhea's and suddenly the song wasn't for the audience, it was for them.
The rains fell with more gusto celebrating the meeting of two souls destined to be together.
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