Lemon Grass

I felt the familiar smell whisk past me, I inhaled a deep breath to grasp the maximum of it. I continued writing in my notebook, pretending to maintain my composure, though it was deeply shaken. Deep unrest settled upon me. I did not feel like doing what I was supposed to, though only a few minutes back I was concentrating on it, as if on the brink of a huge discovery.

It was a beautiful autumn day outside, sunlight with the perfect blend of warmth and intensity filled inside the classroom. I felt light-headed, still heady from the smell ,I knew exactly where it came from, looking up in that direction was not a good idea, I know, but it was hard to resist, almost involuntary, and voila! there he was, making some animated conversations with his friends. His skin glistened from the reflection of the window panes, hair all messed up giving him that 'bad boy' look that I so loved on him.

Feeling my eyes on him, he darted his towards mine and grinned broadly, it lighted up the classroom even more. He came towards me, walking with a lazy grace, I could so feel my heart beat increasing with every step.
"You were so busy concentrating on Chemistry, that I did not feel like disturbing you.", he chuckled, teasing me, making me go all red. That made him chuckle harder. He took his seat beside me as the teacher ordered the class to settle down. Taking out his notebook and pen, he sat staring at the board, lips pursed in concentration, eyebrows raising in response to any unanswered query that might have popped up in his head. He made a delightful picture.

All I could still thing was the smell which filled my senses now, taking over me, it was very hard to define it, it contained the freshness of freshly cut lemon and the peculiar smell of grass after the first spell of rain that has been through a hot summer. It made me feel alive, alert, aware of myself.

The ring of the bell jolted me back to reality, I found him staring at me, "You look lost, what are you thinking about?", he inquired.

"Lemon grass", was all I could muster.





P.S. Thanks to The Undying Enigma a.k.a Pravesh Parekh for the title.