Here's a love story I'd like to share with you;
I have entered it for a contest
If you liked it, after reading, please leave a like and a review.
Thank you.
Men go to great lengths to woo the women they are attracted to.
In this story, Aarav, a journalist-turned writer, is a North Indian from New Delhi. He sees a beautiful girl on arrival at Trivandrum airport. He had flown down from Singapore (where he had gone for a business meeting) to attend a seminar by Chetan Bhagat.
Anjali is a Malaysian Indian who has a beautiful smile and long, dark hair with brown highlights that look good on her.
Why do these kinds of traits attract a man to a woman?
In the context of romance in literature and the dynamics between Aarav and Anjali, the why behind his instant attraction goes beyond beauty. It is about the symbolism in features and the psychology of the observer.
As an author who uses the Faction method of Storytelling, I have imbued these details that a writer like Aarav, trained to notice, would pick up on immediately.
1. The Power of the Duchenne Smile:
Psychologists consider "The Duchenne Smile" as the hallmark of genuine, authentic happiness. It is named after the 19th-century French neurologist Guillaume Duchenne, who used electrical stimulation to map how facial muscles create emotions. He discovered that a truly spontaneous smile of enjoyment involves two specific muscle groups working together:
Aarav is a journalist-turned-writer. His eyes are trained to look for authenticity. A beautiful smile often signals more than just happiness; it signals approachability and emotional intelligence. If Anjali’s smile reached her eyes, it told Aarav that she was genuine in a world of curated appearances. For a man far from home (New Delhi to Trivandrum), that warmth acts as a welcome, even if it wasn't directed at him.
The description of her long, dark hair with brown highlights is a powerful visual detail: The Long, Dark Hair is a classic symbol of heritage, health, and traditional beauty, especially in a South Indian setting like Trivandrum. It grounds her in her culture. The Brown Highlights represent a modern, individualistic touch.
To a writer like Aarav, this suggests a woman who respects her roots but isn't afraid to experiment or express her own personality. This different quality—the blend of the old and the new—is often what makes a person stand out in a crowd. Because Aarav is a writer, he doesn't just see a girl; he reads her like a protagonist.
Being at the airport the same time as her arrival and attending a Chetan Bhagat seminar puts Aarav in a storytelling mindset. He is already looking for inspiration. When he guesses she is different, he is responding to her aura or vibe. This is often a combination of how she carries herself with confidence, how she interacts with her surroundings (grace), and the specific physical trait (the highlight) that breaks the expected pattern of telling the story.
There is a subtle psychological pull in the North-meets-South dynamics. To a North Indian from the bustling, fast-paced New Delhi, the soft, evocative atmosphere of Kerala, reflected in a girl’s appearance, can feel incredibly exotic and refreshing.
In short, Aarav isn't just attracted to her hair and smile; he is attracted to the story those features tell. He sees a woman who is vibrant, authentic, with a unique blend of cultural depth and modern flair. This girl was different, he guessed the first time he saw her. She had a beautiful smile and long, dark hair with brown highlights.
A story worth your time. Read all about Anjali's trip to Trivandrum and her meeting with Aarav - the North Indian who was a distraction in an old-fashioned way.
https://www.inkitt.com/stories/1733283
Read Chapter 7 on Shobana Gomes' Bookstore:https://shobanagomesbookstore.blogspot.com
Read two 100-word poems on SHOBANA: https://shobanagomes.blogspot.com.
Thank you. I hope you enjoy the story. Please leave a like and review if you did, on the Inkitt website. I entered the book for a contest and would love to know what you think. https://www.inkitt.com/stories/1733283. Have a great week ahead.
-shobana-
