MayRa OS: Under the Moonlight | Beyhadh 2 | Jennifer Winget | Shivin Narang

The sun went down and eventually everything was black. The town was sound asleep, Maya sat on the banks of the listless river trying to make sense of her life. If her love for Rishi was true, why did she have to suffer the heartbreak? She wasn't tied by down by her past, but some questions seemed to return back to her. Wan moon peaked from the sky, hiding behind the clouds to avoid giving any answers.

Maya could sit there in the stillness of the night, forever gazing at the stars. Something shifted behind, and she turned. There was no one. Only cool wind that was teasing branches of the trees. Maya returned to her endless thoughts and the tranquil river, there was a sound again.

It was two in the night, who could it possibly be? She turned again and saw a handsome man in white shirt and blue jeans, his smile most radiant. She had never seen him before in her random midnight escapades to this river bank near her house,.

"Hi" He said when he found her looking at him.

Maya said nothing. It was odd someone was ambling by a river at this hour. But by that logic, she was odd too.

The man sat on the nearby stairs of the bank, when Maya broke the ice.

"I come to this place often, I have never seen you here before." Maya said.

"But I have seen you visiting the banks" Maya looked at him, " Lol, I am not a stalker. I happened to be here when you were visiting the banks."

"Interesting. I hope you don't think I have come back to jump into the water."

"Noo.. definitely not. Rivers can only give water, life and fishes."

"What about floods, famines and cyclones."

"What about peace, tranquility and introspection."

Maya smiled at the argument. There was something in his demeanor, and the manner of his speech that made Maya want to speak to him more.

"Maya Jaisingh." She extended her hand.

"Rudra Roy."

"I knew you were a Bengali when you mentioned fishes."

"That's called stereotyping. Btw, what an odd place and odd hour to befriend a pretty lady like you." he said.

"That's called breaking a stereotype."

Rudra laughed at her words. The conversation kept taking one turn from the other, Maya forgot all the dilemmas that she came to think about on the river bank. She learnt he was a traveler and explorer, and shared that she was an aspiring author looking for a break.

"I think moonlight romance is made overrated by poets. Real romance happens right under the sun. Fearless and radiant. Moonlight is only for cowards to hide." Rudra said.

"I disagree Rudra, sometimes people use the sunlight to mask their true intentions in its brilliance. Besides no place can be as tranquil as moonlight."

Maya thought back to the time when she was dating Rishi, 7 years younger to her. They never hesitated to express their love in sun or moon. Then one day he said he had fallen out of love and left her for another girl.

"I am sorry if I said anything wrong." Rudra said seeing her suddenly fallen silent.

"No it's alright. Looks like the sun is finally up."

The sky had taken the hue of orange and red. Rudra saw her eyes twinkle with the first rays of sun like pure water in the river.

Maya got up from the river bank to head for home, when she turned towards him.

"Hey, can I have your number?" she said.

Rudra was stumped, she looked like a dream come true.

"Umm..I don't keep a phone."

"What? Are you kidding me?"

"No, I am serious. My work ethics involve not keeping a phone." he said nervously.

"What about your friends and family?"

"They have got used to it with time." Maya rolled her eyes, "Okay, okay.. I have a plan. Tomorrow same place, same time.. Until you decide to be fearless and explore the sunlight."

Maya blushed like a teen, her heart skipped a beat. Rudra watched her leave with a grin. He had been waiting for this day all his life. He couldn't help but think about those times when he watched her cry in solitude. Their worlds may be different, but love exists in all forms.

After Maya left and entered into her lane, the handsome man turned into a snake and curled into the bushes.

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