A Day to Remember by Ishani Sawant
Everything went horribly wrong on that cold winter evening. “The deal was rejected, I had captured breathtaking pictures which somehow were erased and I have lost my camera, what is worse than this?” Louise said to herself with fuming madness and her face glowed with traces of tears .
The day had been hectic and she was worn out with fatigue, she even was furious with herself, with this she trotted to her usual café. The café wasn’t far. She hurried as she couldn’t bear the snowflakes which were falling hard and wet on her face.
The moment she opened the clean glass door of the café a sweet aroma of hot coffee filled the air, it was warm inside and she saw the blue and red flames from the grate. The café was unusually crowded and it seemed as if she would have to wait forever in order to sip coffee, this added to her frustration.
She paved her way through the throng of people and found an empty seat facing a man. She settled and made herself comfortable.
The man facing her was lean, striking but with a slightly bruised face and cinnamon slicked-back hair. He sported stygian glasses which hid his eyes completely. After taking a glimpse at the man’s unkempt face she shifted in her seat.
After reading the menu card thoroughly she ordered her best- loved Affogato with sprinkles and hot chocolate syrup. She looked outside the window, it seemed as if it wouldn’t take much time for a snowstorm, it was bitter cold which she could feel even though she was inside. The weather was as gloomy as her day had been, she thought.
She sipped her coffee and looked at the man, he had taken off his glasses, he had hooded eyes framed by long dark lashes, an unidentifiable color, somewhere in between silky silver and brilliant blue. The artichoke green twinkling eyes looked directly into the man’s eyes with intensity.
“ Hello, I am Gabriel.” he said with a velvety voice which brought Louise back to her senses.
“ uhh…Oh, hel- hello I- I am Louise.” she stuttered.
She tried to strike up a conversation but her continuous attempts failed.
After a few moments, Gabriel asked “ What are your hobbies, Louise?”
Startled by the sudden question she replied slowly “I like…umm…reading, watching films, singing and mainly shooting peo-” he cut across her “Oh! what a coincidence I love shooting too!”he exclaimed.
“What do you think is essential for shooting?” she asked with enthusiasm in her gentle voice
“ I think a strategic position can do wonders, even our instrument should be of a good quality, without that shooting is impossible. I even feel the background should be tranquil, it helps one focus on th-” he was cut by her cry of excitement “ OH yes! You are absolutely right! It seems you are a professional-” her words were drowned “ Yes, you can say that. I have been trained at it since I was four years old. My entire family knows how to- `
`”Aren’t you ordering something, Gabriel? Everything here is scrumptious and the coffees are just divine.” she said in a honeyed voice smiling brightly at him.
“Oh yes, I surely will. I was just enchanted by your prepossessing face.” he winked at her and she turned pink in the cheeks .
He ordered a Macchiato with cookies, which Louise found weird as it wasn’t a very popular and fancied drink in the city but the thought vanished as Gabriel continued to talk about techniques of shooting. “…So how do you feel after you have shot the desired-” he answered before she could finish
“ Oh! I just feel a sense of pleasure and elation. What about you?” he asked sipping his piping hot coffee. “ I can relate to your feelings. I feel in high spirits and as proud as a peacock.” she said.
“ And how do you feel when you miss a perfect shot?” he asked with complete curiosity in his voice
“ I break down into tears and feel as if a shard of glass has been pierced into my throat to be honest…I feel depressed, devastated, despondent it is kind of a constant stomach ache…” her voice was filled with misery and it looked as if she was on the verge of tears. “ Louise, it’s ok, calm down, I know how it feels but no one is perfect right? So, cheer up!” he said in a comforting voice, in spite of herself, she smiled and croaked “ How do you feel when you m- miss a -a shot? “ I feel wretched with grief, it makes me keel over in gut wrenching pain.” he said with a cold, drawling voice.
“Have you come across eccentric people while shooting?” she asked gruffly.
“ Oh yes! That’s very common. I hate it when they do not listen to my commands.” he said. “That’s true.”
They continued to talk about nature and various topics.
Minutes ticked into hours, by now the shop seemed less crowded. There were only a few people remaining who were whispering and a few even turned and looked at Louise, this made her feel utterly embarrassed. A phone buzzed and it sounded like an aeroplane zooming overhead in the hush. It was Gabriel’s phone which was buzzing loudly. He answered it and muttered something and hung it.
“Louise, I am afraid but I have to take a leave of you. I have a confidential business to do. We will catch up sometime later. It was a pleasant time with you. You are fascinating, astute and ethereal indeed!” he said in a delicate voice and gave her a winning smile which revealed his dimples. Louise had turned as red as a radish by now.
“ Thank you, Gabriel,” she said, evidently struggling to find words. He springed from his seat ready to leave, he put his glasses on.
“ Hey by the way, how did you get so many bruises on your face?” she asked simply. He looked blankly at her and it seemed as if he hadn’t heard her but he answered despite it “ Will tell you some other day. I am running late, Louise. Take care”.
He paid the bill and with this he dashed out of the café before she could ask furthermore. She smiled to herself. “The day wasn’t worse after all.” She decided to leave too. She paid the bill and reached the door.
Just then she heard a couple discussing something strange, she ignored and moved forward. When her name was mentioned she stopped dead in her tracks, didn’t dare to turn around.
She listened to the conversation.
“The girl seemed alright at first but when I saw the man she was talking to, I was frozen with terror.” the woman said. “ When we entered the café, she was on the counter fixing her order or something, that’s when I heard her name. Louise it is.” the man said. “She was chatting with him fearlessly.” she said.
“But did she know who he was?” he asked.
“ Excuse me? Oliver,who doesn’t know him? He is a sniper , he has murdered many people since he was a kid and his entire family is in the same stream.” she said with disgust.
“Yes, you are right. Every day his name is highlighted in the ‘ Le Monde Diplomatique’ and even in the ‘Le Parisien’. He is also called the ‘le plus recherché’.” he said. “I have got a dreadful thought, dear. What if she was his accomplice?” her voice was shaking with fear.
“ Don’t worry. They have left the café now.” he consoled her.
“ But you never know. If the girl turns out to be innocent, she will be in mortal peril.” he said.
~ISHANI SAWANT~
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