Peter was now in his second year of graduation his friends were all adventurous just like him. Adrenaline rush is what they craved for, scaling mountains and fortress, he was afraid of heights since childhood, but with these adventures he had learned to conquer his fears. They would search for the best places to visit in the season.
On a cloudy day of September they decided to cool off by going to a waterfall on the outskirts of the city. The rains had been good that year, waterfalls was the best option to relax. An early train to reach there was the best to enjoy the ride through the fog on both sides that had just started to rise with the day light. It was like the whites were blending in between the blue and greens.
They reached zenith waterfalls at 10 am and it was already crowded with people from all around trying to enjoy underneath the waterfall. Peter was a lil disappointed he didn't like the sight and sound of so many people especially when he was looking for a peaceful time. There were/school and college kids, families, just too many people. But since they were there now and had nowhere else to go, they all dropped there bags under a tree and got into their shorts and entered the water.
Peter couldn't swim he smartly entered the shallow parts of the area under the waterfall and went to the rocks besides the falling current and sat. He was enjoying the cold water, watching his friends swim and act crazy trying to push each other under the current. Peter was lost in his observation, when his eyes captured a young wheatish lad walking across to him in the water looking eye to eye, peter was lost in the moment, he was busy admiring all the carved features the lads' body exhibited. A thin waist, muscular chest, manly arms, face of a young boy with rosy red cheeks from puberty, and grey eyes.
He stood before peter and said " is it deep down there?" in his not so fluent accent, it was clear he was from another state. Peter fumbled for he had not heard what the lad had spoken to him. Peter gave a blank look. The lad repeated. Peter said "Why don't you ask my friends who are there, I've just been sitting here all the while." "I can't speak the regional language can you ask them for me ?" "Sure.", replied Peter and did the needful. "Thanks!", said the lad and swam away into the deeper waters. The sun was soon soaring from the highest point.
Peter dipped into the water to splash with his friends, he could never swim, his hands and feet were just out of sync in order to make any rhythmic movement in water. But as a tradition whenever with his friends he would try and fail to swim, but he enjoyed the attempt every time. After a while he of wandering in the water and he sighted a cave on the other side of the falling current that could barely accommodate 3 people. He could also see that there was someone sitting there in the cave. He struggled across the falling current to reach the caves and noticed that it was the same lad sitting there at the caves, the lad was lost in thoughts but the sight of someone struggling across to reach the caves was a disturbingly distracting one.
They exchanged a warm smile as soon as they saw each other, he also helped Peter to get onto the rocks to reach the cave. They did not exchange any words yet, peter was just plain dumbstruck and did not want to spoil the moment by saying something stupid. The loud sparkling water was blocking the place from the world as it fell.
Finally after a good amount of time the lad broke the ice, "Pretty serene it feels on this side of the waterfall doesn't it?" "Yes. it sure is." Peter replied politely.
And they continued the conversation further, with every piece of information about the lad received Peter was more and more mesmerized.
He was such a quantum man, Ebby, a marine engineering student at a nearby maritime institute, 18 years young, well spoken, a good swimmer, an attractive face to top it all off despite of the rosiness from puberty. He would grow up to be a fine man thought Peter.
They parted ways later that afternoon waving hands to bid goodbye until they were out of site, Peter's friends asked who he was waving at, "A friend" he replied. He knew he would never be seeing that boy again but he was contented to have met him and spoken. As much as Peter wished that he met the guy again he knew it would remain an unfulfilled wish. He got home and thought over about the same lad again, it was one of those days when you meet someone who seems just perfect and you also know that you may never see the person again. It was certain that Peter was going to remember him for a long time if not forever as, Ebby, the marine.
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