Mark In The Garden...

Mark had been visiting Mrs Mathew's garden without fail in the past two weeks. Each time he left the beautiful garden disappointed, he even started doubting whether the pretty girl he saw that day was just an illusion of his empty heart.. But he could not forget her. He had not seen her face clearly on that day, but just a lateral view of her eyes which spoke a thousand words.. Her long black hair which waved in the wind had stroked his face lovingly and he could still feel her fragrance in his breath. He was deeply onto her unable to revive back into his normal self.. But he did not see her after that, his persistent effort of waiting at the garden for hours all turned into vain..

He sat near the fountain where the girl had sat previously and watched the colourful butterflies kissing the flowers to flavor the nector.. He felt lonely..

Mark was his parents only child, born and brought up in a middle class family, he was a very promising student right from his childhood.. Though they were poor, he had got all the love from his parents and they had tried to give him the best education. He was a studious kid and had never felt infactuation to any girl in the past.. But this girl, he loved her from the first sight. He had even told his mother about his dream girl but now his head was full of confusion whether the girl was really a dream..

Still he came in a vague hope of meeting her.

It was raining lightly and he did not have an umbrella. He was having a cold since yesterday and the rain was making it worse.. Sitting on the grass he started coughing wildly, and he thought he should go now.. But he felt too weak to even stand.. There were heavy work the whole day and he was sick.. He tried to stand falling back with a splash into the ground. He could barely stand up. Sitting there he felt himself shivering vigorously. Suddenly he heard footsteps. He did not know what to do since he was sneaking into a rich lady's garden. He maybe even taken for a thief. He tried to escape but couldn't.. Just then, before him, he saw a beautiful girl in a white frock holding an umbrella.. She looked worried and concerned..

" I am sorry.. I was waiting for someone, please don't misunderstand me.. " Mark was stuttering as he spoke.. The girl just nodded and gave a knowing smile. She came near him and helped him to stand.. Mark started coughing nonstop. Holding her umbrella towards him, she said in a sweet voice, " You are all wet and appears sick.. You can come over to my house and change."

Mark tried to object in a polite way but he was too sick to say no.. He followed the girl into the large mansion.. But she was not cool, she was hiding him from the servants as she climbed the steps towards her room.

Lilly was Mrs Mathew's only daughter. She was a pretty sensible girl in her early twenties. She was not like her mother who always ran behind money but instead preferred to stay in her room painting..

She was a highly talented painter but her mother never really understood her talents.

Lilly was always portrayed by her mother before the numerous wealthy and handsome guys of the city. It was Mrs Mathew's dream to marry her daughter off into a very renowned and wealthy family. So she organized many parties and meetings recently in their house dressing Lilly up and showing off their pride.

But Lilly was really fed up of all this by now. She had never felt much attachment towards her mother since her mother always cared about money and her business. She had never spared any time for her daughter. Since the death of Mathew, when Lilly was only ten years old, Mrs Mathew had been taking care of all the business and she was really good at it too.. The business had really flourished to the top and Lilly had seen her mother parting away from her on her each climb of success..

Now, Lilly was alone, wild with her imaginations, painting solitary pictures in the hope of flashing in a few colours into her colourless dull life.

Lilly had her windows open all the time looking out through which she could see the garden. It was the only thing that amused her and made her happy in her huge but suffocating home..

Lilly had been noticing for quite a long time now, a handsome young man had been stealthily entering their garden.. Since the gardener had been absent for quite a long time, nobody had been really noticing this stranger's visit except for her. He was not upto any harm though.. He usually sits there with a sad expression waiting for somebody and leaves the garden after a few hours.. She was watching it for a few days now and this guy has become her only entertainment nowadays.. She stands before the window of her room which was in the top floor of her really large bengalaw, everyday at the right time, waiting for him.. She feels deeply sad and hurt when he returns finally in the dark.. She was secretly drawing his picture in the garden everyday and now it was partially complete.. She always wished to take a closer look at him since she stood too far away but she was frightened if he would see her and stop coming all of a sudden. So she watched him from far and painted, talking to it and singing with it.. Without even knowing, she had become too close with him and was feeling strangely happy in her caged house.

Today too he came at the correct time but he appeared really sick to her.. coughing and sneezing. She was concerned and kept away her brushes.. Today she cant paint, he was unwell and so was she.

Suddenly it started raining heavily and she saw him struggling to stand falling back each time. She was scared that something bad would happen to him.. She took her umbrella and went to the garden.. The servants of the house never really bothered her since she was always a sweet girl stuck up at her room. So she quickly managed to get into the garden. Nearing into him, she felt heart racing fast. He was finally meeting him face to face and she felt frightened how he would respond.. She silently lifted him as he spoke something.. He was very sick and she was determined to take him home and treat him somehow..

Steathily moving, she somehow managed to avoid the eyes of her servants and finally brought him to her room allowing him to lay in her bed..

She went to her father's old closet and took one of his clothes. She handed it over to the man helping him to wear..

Once dried, he fell off into her bed deeply tired..

She sat on her rocking chair painting the handsome young man sleeping like a child cuddling up in her bed.. She painted the whole night watching him sleep...