Cruelty and Love.

People often ask me that why am I apprehensive about love and commitment and stuff. Those who don’t know me think that a bad or a hurtful past has made me so callous about love. Those who know me think I’m weird. But whatever it may be.

In bloody 20 years of my life, why haven’t I been committed to anyone? Why haven’t I felt the pangs of love? Why hasn’t Cupid struck me? And why hasn’t Aphrodite bestowed her blessings upon me yet? WHY?

I too have been pondering on these questions since a long time. And after a few moments of introspection, I have an answer. A perfect one, a real one. Basically, my answer is priorities.

My priorities are different from those of others. To me, love is a pious thing ( ‘thing’ ? Nah, an emotion). If someone loves me with all their heart and I am unable to love them back with an equal intensity and fervour, then it will be cruel on my part. Yes. Taking all the love from someone and denying them their part of love is, in fact, the most terrible form of cruelty.

And I can’t be cruel to anyone. I can’t make anyone suffer because of my ‘different priorities’. Hence, I’m rocking the solo life, happily!

– Bhavya

AN ESOTERIC KISS

Goosebumps and butterflies.
In my stomach at his sight.
When he came closer, my heart sank.
My pulse dropped, to be frank.

The adrenaline rush engulfed me.
While his lips touched mine.
It was so surreal that I skipped a beat
But that moment was divine.

The taste of his lips was intoxicating.
And the caress of his fingers stimulating.
His breath touched the pores of my skin
While I could taste him within.

Our bodies enveloped perfectly
Leaving no blank spaces.
I could feel him. He could feel me.
Dearest Cupid was leaving traces.

Was it love? Was it lust?
I ask myself often.
I don’t know whatever it was.
This esoteric kiss will be veiled in my coffin.

• – BHAVYA RASTOGI