Josh's POV

The need to smoke a cigarette miraculously dies down the moment I see Samaira coming to my rescue! I forgot the shock of seeing an actual snake beside my bed. I mean, who in hell would expect a snake's visit in the middle of the night in an isolated stone house? It's bonkers! Fucking Bonkers!

And now of all the awkwardness, I am lying next to a beautiful stranger smelling like vanilla. All I can think at this moment is to... no that's really crude. Maybe make passionate love to her. Take her fragile body to a place to a place she had never visited. Yes. I am very certain that she is not loved as she deserves to love. Her stiff manner with her senses alighted when I took her breath in me. She was like a fireball ready to explode. Yet the tenderness made my heart go weak. She is special, a special woman.

I look sideways at her sleeping form. She has her back on me with her hair spilling over the pillow. And she move any further she will fell off the bed. I want to tell her to be comfortable and that I will not come in her personal space. She can trust me. I want her to trust me.

I sigh and remember the minute I spent up close in her arms. I actually held her, I could hold a forbidden fruit. I loved her warmth, her uneven breathing and her beautiful widened eyes. Wow. She has gorgeous eyes. With no glasses, she looked more appealing. Her caramel skin was only a breath away from me. Even if I try, I will not be able to sleep... this is really something. So I hum a tune under my breath and focus my energy into music.

Wake up in the middle of the night...

And see my girl sleeping by my side...

Isn't her smile lovely behind her closed eyes?

Was she dreaming about me?

What just happened? I move out of the bed slowly, without making any more noise and go downstairs to find my guitar. I put on the lights, take a notepad from the wall-side table and take down the lines and sing them with the tune I had come up with.

I try the keys on the guitar. The sound resonates in the empty stone house, but I am not stopping. I have got something here.

I don't know but...

When I see her face...

Something stirs in my soul

With the twinkle in her eyes

I love her...more than life..

One day..

When she will see me...

I will tell her how very beautiful she is..

She deserves love of the highest kind...

And I love her...more than life...

The fear...Oh... the fear

Of you not knowing my love...

Drives me crazy...every single day...

I want to tell her...

I love her...more than life...

Oh, I love you... more than life...

The time is ticking...

Life moves on...

Still my courage fails me..

When I see you with the other man...

Baby, I die inside...

I just want you to know...

I love you...more than life

More than my own breath...

Can you come to me...

One last time.. and hear me say...say...

Honey, I love you...more than life...

I want to die in your arms...

Will you hear me say?

When I finally finish the song, I look at the sheet of paper with wonder. Wow! I was craving for this moment for so long. The moment when I create something new. This feeling I wouldn't trade even for million bucks. I take a deep breath and a feeling of content washes over me. This is until I close my eyes.

Is it that good? What if Richard does not like it? What if Freddie mocks my song like he did the last time? And the same daunting thoughts play on a loop in my head. Maybe, it's not that good. Fuck! When will I get my groove back? With my optimism crashing, I slide to the ground and try to hum the tune under my breath, cowering away from the contemplation.

"It sounds good," a familiar sound interrupts me.

I look up and see Samaira standing on the stairs. Her face is devoid of emotions. She stands with her hand on the railing. "Really?" I ask desperately.

She smiles and nods. "I did not imagine you are that good of a singer. Your voice is beautiful."

I flinch inside at her compliment. What would she know about singing? All pretend once they know about me. It's that superficial. "I didn't mean to wake you," I say drily.

"No," she replies in a breath and quiets. She looks back and forth, perhaps undecided. "I didn't mean to pry. It's just that when I heard your voice, I was surprised. I couldn't help myself."

I decided to take advantage of her doubt. Anyway, it had been a long time since I had a meaningful conversation with anybody and I wanted a perceptive. "What part of my voice did you find so beautiful?" I demand unconvinced.

She looks puzzled as if I asked her a personal question. "Actually, I liked your tone and variation of your voice. Especially the lower register note you sang," she says looking away.

"I love you...more than life?" I ask. "The one which I sang in the end?"

She nods. "And in the beginning of the song."

That was to the point. This lady surprises me. "You really do not have a clue? About who am I?" I continue. I took the pride in the fact that even in this country, people actually bought my album. India sales of my album were impressive in the first year of my album release.

She shakes her head and decent down the stairs.

I again take out the guitar and try the keys in a different chord progression. She liked my lower register voice. But its risk to put the song in that area and it's not commercial as they say. According to Freddie, our A & R guy, a pop song should have three things, one is a catchy title, second is distinguishable hook and an upbeat melody and third is dynamics. This particular arrangement was too subtle for his taste and of course for commercial success. And it is destined to be put it into the dump unless I come up with an upbeat yet emotional song. And thus, my existence will be in question, not to mention, no money.

"Can I say one thing?" Samaira's question pulls me out of my thoughts.

I look up to see her profile more clearly from the light of the lamp.

"Your song lacks a story," she says and sits on the floor, two feet away from me. "And a heart."

"What do you know about songs?" I reply sternly. I hate her guts. My song lack a story, pff. That's fucking absurd! Amateur!

"I am not a singer. But I listen," she answers calmly as if she was expecting my rebuke.

"Yet you don't know me," I scoff.

"I listen to music, but not necessary American music," she continues. "I am brought up in the musical surrounding. My dad listens to classical Indian music since I can remember. He has an enviable collection of original records from his times."

"It's different, Samaira. We Americans have a different kind of music. I don't think you would understand," I reply bluntly and divert my attention back to the chords.

"I may not know it well but I know a little. Best American country, rock or soul music has a story or a message to convey. It has the purpose." She tilts her head finding my gaze.

"The purpose you say?" I reprimand. "It has the purpose if you listen closely. It may happen that you know much less than you believe."

"I can't argue with it. It may be true," she looks away, thinking. "But, let me ask you a question."

I wait to watch her push back the glasses to the bridge of her nose.

"Is your song inspired by a woman you know? Or was it just your creativity?" she asks with her eyebrows up.

It's an odd question. And what surprises me the most is that I do not hesitate to answer. "Our past holds so many secrets. It may be one of them. Certain things which we could not conquer."

She smiles knowingly. "You are a cynical man in an unpredictable wrapper."

"That's a harsh judgment. I am only saying that there is the reason behind the song. It sure has a got a purpose." I challenge her further by holding her gaze in a fierce passion. "I am clearly saying that I loved a girl but failed to tell her. And that it pains me to see her with the other man. I am calling her to me one last time to hear me say. Then it would be her choice."

"For starters, who is the girl? And why are you not telling her your feelings?" she demands.

"Well, suspense in a song could be a good thing. Everybody can interpret the songs their way. In my context, she could be the girl who is out of his reach or a girl with whom he shared bitter relations with."

"So, you had a girl whom you have shared bitter relations with," she asks in a low voice.

"You are prying," I reply and out of nowhere, a chuckle leaves my throat. Somehow this woman turns my irritation into humor.

She giggles too and then when I join her, a laughter breaks out from both of us. "You are really unpredictable." She says and I watch her with wonder. She is a vision, beautiful vision when she laughs.

After a minute of gut-paining laughter, we quieted and gripped each other's gaze. Something rose within me, maybe it is hope. This dim setting, this beautiful woman and this song, it was only meant to be. It's like a déjà vu. I don't know how much time passed, staring into each other's eyes. Anything else is blurred for the indefinite time.

She is first to lower her eyes. She pulls her knees to her chest and wraps her arms from both sides, like a softball. Her naked feet draws my attention. There are no painted toes. How earthy and primal! She is beyond simple. I move my gaze back to her face, wanting answers. "The song has a story if you listen closely. You think it's good, right?" I ask.

"It's wonderful, Josh. But I am having this feeling that you are way better than you give yourself credit for," she murmurs. "Sing it again, you will feel the difference."

I comply without argument and sing it from my heart. And then again I don't see a definite face. The one woman who I am singing to and I see her point. She is right, perhaps it's not personal, and perhaps it lacks soul. When I open my eyes, I see her transfixed at me.

"So?"

"It's better, much better. Now can you sing it to me? Just imagine I am her and convey your feelings to me," she advises and moves closer, smiling.

I am ready to take the challenge. So, I stand and tell her to sit on the chair. She complies silently and her face brightens suddenly from the lamp light near her. Somehow, I could see her face in a new light. I am going to imagine her as Serena, though there was no similarity between them.

In the rain through the meadow,

I saw you walking by the shadow,

Looking like a child,

You were so wild

As we led, I am overwhelmed,

You are my one destined.

All I wanna dare and say

Honey, I love you.. more than life...

I loveee youuu.. more than life...

Days pass I cower,

With bottled up feelings I glower,

Whenever I saw your face...

Something stirred in my soul

Afraid to make it out..,

Though I love you... more than life.

As we led, I am overwhelmed,

You are my one destined.

All I wanna dare and say

Honey, I love you.. more than life...

I loveee youuu.. more than life...

Plucking up the courage,

Finally, I faced your doorstep,

Finding you in the arms of someone,

Made my heart stun,

Playing my words in my mouth,

Honey, I love you more than life...

Sinking hope, stabbing pain,

I suffer in vain,

With words still in my mind,

Wanting to gulp it down,

I cower in the shadows,

Shouting in silence...

Honey, I loveeee youuu...more than life...

More than my own breath...

Can you come to me...

One last time.. and hear me say...say...

Honey, I love you...more than life...

I want to die in your arms...

Will you hear me say?

I open my eyes to realize that they are wet as Samaira's. It is as if she is seeing what I was witnessing in my heart through the song about the heartbreak, I faced when I was young. She is holding my stare questioning me and sympathizing with me. Can this moment exists, such connection to someone's soul?

"Who was the girl?" she asks, not bothering to wipe away tear running down from the corner of her eye.

"Someone I used to love long ago," I answer quietly and break the soul-searching gaze of the hypnotic woman.

"What happened?" she mumbles leaning her head to one side.

I keep mute and sit beside the old fireplace. I fixed my gaze at the key of the guitar playing the flashback of my childhood years. Serena is standing on the bridge with her golden locks loose. The reflection from the trickling water of the stream is dancing on her face. Her azure eyes are dreamy, drawing me to her. As I go near her, Will takes her hand and walks away. I couldn't get over the picture of Will and Serena walking away.

"Won't you tell me?" A sound breaks my daze.

I look at Samaira with indifference. "Did you like the song this time?" I ask.

"It came from a real place, Josh," she murmurs.

"Thanks for listening. You should sleep now," I tell her and wait for her to comply.

"Aren't you coming to sleep?" she questions with a blank tone. Perhaps I pushed her away.

"Not now," I answer and keep my gaze away.

This time when she leaves, there is stony silence around. I sit there with my heart vulnerable after a very long time. 

**What did you guys think about the plot? Can you guess what's next?**