Breathless

“One thing does not lead to another”. She said taking a small sip of her drink.

“It does” . He said taking a large sip of his drink.

“Come on Siddharth! Are you seriously telling me that you’ve gotten carried away in a “moment” and did something you wouldn’t normally do”

“I wouldn’t put it exactly like that but yeah, it happens.”

“I don’t buy it Sidds. I believe you just use being drunk or being in the moment as an excuse to do what you wouldn’t do otherwise”

“So tell me this Tasha, you wouldn’t mind if I refresh your drink, dim the lights a little and put on some smooth jazz?”

“Is that how you want to play that? I see your five and raise you ten Sidds. Let’s get drunk and make out”

Tasha was always the crazy kind. Unpredictable in her own way. At first, Siddharth found it weird and wanted to maintain his distance but Tasha had her heart set on befriending him. She latched onto him, one fine evening,  over their shared interest for wine and never let go. And to this day, he continued to be amazed by her. Everything that used to annoy him, was now adorable – her spontaneity, her tomboyish charm, her mysterious aura, mischief in her eyes and to what extents she would go to win an argument.

Against his nature, Siddharth decided to seize the moment. He pulled her close and held her tight. She is startled but doesn’t resist. The attraction between them was palpable. He looked into her eyes, and could feel her heartbeat through her skin. “Tasha, I have never wanted to kiss you more than I want to right now. But I am not going to do that. Not before I tell you how I feel. I can’t get you out of my mind. I don’t understand you and you never fail to amaze me. More than that, I don’t understand why I am so attracted to you. Everything you do makes me fall in love with you a little bit more. And I know we’re both too drunk to remember all of this tomorrow but I don’t want to regret not kissing you”. And before he could even blink, she leaped in for a kiss. She is wild, he thought. He is sweet, she thought. And everything around them was fading away more and more as they immersed in each other unwilling to stop until they were breathless.

And as the years passed by, their love evolved. From a passionate kiss over a bet to a fling and into love affair. Siddharth couldn’t help but wonder, now that they had been together for almost five years, and married for three, these memories were starting to fade away. Fights were becoming more prominent with distances creeping in. The undying passion was overburdened with routine chores. They both just stopped feeling for each other what they once did.

Until one day.

Siddharth couldn’t stop thinking about the first time they kissed, as he stood outside the ICU, watching Tasha struggle for life.He didn’t want to fight anymore. He didn’t want to win anymore. All he wanted, was for her to somehow survive this. He couldn’t watch her fighting for every breath. He couldn’t watch her breathless. He would give up anything for her, right now. For a chance to be with her, once again.