Word Count: 448

_oOo_ Day Dreaming _oOo_

The setting sun created a magical streak of glittering light reaching across the water of the lake. The trees stirred lightly in the breeze. A long belt of blossoming daffodils gave Abhijeet the wealth of everlasting joy as he stood along the path near the lake waiting for his soulmate to arrive. A rustling of the dried leaves beside the path alerted him.

'I am sorry, Abhi, Salunke sir had given me an important file to deliver the central lab and I had to carry it back too. Then my car came to halt, the Tyre gone flat. Then I got a taxi but Mumbai traffic, you know. And then...' Tarika said in one go and wanted to say more when a hand gently covered his mouth.

"Shhhh...Quiet! Forget all and concentrate at this moment. No tensions, no worries." Saying he led her inside the lovely, dark and deep forest when a table was set at the middle, candles, a bottle of champagne, cracker nut and her favorite chocolate Ferrero Rochers.

"Oh My Gosh! Abhi, is this for me?" Tarika asked in utter surprise.

"Of course not! It's for the girl whom I adore. Who is my life. Who is my sunshine, my only sunshine." Abhijeet explained her.

Her face turned to gloomy as soon as she heard the words from Abhijeet. She loved him, ver since the first day she saw him in the lab, she started living her love story. With him but he loves someone else. This was beyond her imagination. Her total world crashed.

"W- w- w-hoo i- i-s s- s- s-h sh- shee?" She had no courage to ask but somehow collected the words.

"There is one. Come I'll show you." He held her hand and walked. With heavy steps she followed her. They were on the same lake again. By now, the moon had

arose in the sky with millions of stars twinkling in the dark sky.

"Here she is!" saying he made her face to the sparkling water of the lake. What Tarika could see was her image in the clear blue water.

"I LOVE YOU TARIKAAA!" Abhijeet yelled.

"I love you!" Tarika said.

"Tarika, kiddo, are you alright? Why are you saying I love you to a corpse?" Asked Salunke who seemed to be a bit surprised.

"Nothing sir! Sorry sir! I'm fine" Tarika realized that it was mere her daydreaming.

"You sure?"

"Yeah! Sure." She grinned which was the stupidest of the things she did in her life.

"OK then, come and help me with this autopsy."

"Yes Sir!"

[They say there's no harm in daydreaming, but there is.

~Charlaine Harris]