Truly Madly Deeply (7 page)

Huh, even her brother knows or does he? Did someone ask him to drop me a message if I ever came by or was the éclair motivation enough to reveal it all? My mind was working fast and my heart was competing as I took long strides to cover the short distance in an even shorter time.

I stopped mid-way to take three Mars bars which I had spotted her eating once during the break and hence decided that these must be her favourite. Somehow pedas and laddus were too passé to congratulate people on their achievements. I reached Hot Ovens ten minutes later. They were not on the ground level, so that meant they were in the upper air-conditioned section. No issues! I climbed the stairs, opened the door and …her smiling gaze met mine. They had been discussing something and whatever it was; it would remain where it was.

I froze, mind and body benumbed. Her smile faded but her gaze held mine. I could feel my breath locking itself in my lungs and my stomach digesting the key, the pressure of which was on my bowels at that precise time. I just hoped that my tummy wouldn't release it. It didn't. Good omen! Next time I visit the Hanuman temple in the area, I will surely offer a coconut at the monkey God's feet.

I smiled and she reciprocated. Wow! My breath released itself and my chest heaved.

“I told you, he'll come,” I heard Jess say looking at her.

Suddenly my mind started calculating a lot of possibilities, permutations and combinations taken together. This was an advanced preparation for my next academic year, I guessed, the practical implications of Algebra.

Sapna invited me to sit. I made my way to the only seat vacant, next to Seema. The table of four was now occupied to its capacity. I noticed that the upper level of the joint was empty except for the four of us. The majority of the crowd that came here go to the lower part of the joint as the prices of the same eatables
were ridiculously high up here, somewhat due to the air conditioner and ‘free' mineral water. It is like having two different places on a single foundation.

Seema shifted in her place as my bum touched the couch next to hers. Sapna and Jess ‘ahem-ed' to each other.

“I have to visit the wash room,” Jess said looking at Sapna, hardly when I had started talking to them.

“I'll come with you,” Sapna accepted her offer. I was still puzzled as to what was going on but who cares; their absence meant I would be alone with Seema for at least ten minutes, going by the time girls take in the wash room. Just thinking about it kind of made me nervous, and for a moment I considered calling out to Sapna and asking, “May I come too?”

Seema looked at them, and for a moment I was worried she would join them too; but, she just told them to take care, as if they were going on some impossible mission.

“Yeah, take… your own time,” I said and Seema looked at me in a weird manner. That was not what I wanted to say. Shit, I wanted to say ‘Yeah, take care' but the ‘care' disappeared before coming out from my mouth. The girls went laughing amongst themselves, disappearing along the passage.

I hesitantly obeyed my heart and took the seat opposite to her for the time being. Seating besides her made me feel funny all over.

She was looking down, toying with her dupatta when I saw her. She looked out of this world, almost alien but a very beautiful one at that. Her light orange shalwar-kameez suited her fair complexion and the tinkling earrings sounded a tune of their own which only I could hear clearly. Her eyes were lined with a subtle
touch of kohl and her angelic face called for the undivided attention of my eyes. Her flowing wavy brown curls touched her
perfectly placed shoulders. She smiled at me, tentatively. Hai, kaatilaana ada!

“Hmmm… so how are you?” Of all the things I could have started with, I chose this. It sounded like I was meeting her after ages, which was somehow true I felt.

She looked at me, tying and untying the knots on the corners of her dupatta.

“Fine. And you? She asked back.

“Never been better,” I replied which was true. Right now, I was feeling on top of the world and felt like giving an award-winning Oscar speech.

I wasn't aware of the soft music in the background till then and when I was, it sounded like little cupids playing their violins in my ears. Or, wait a sec., was I imagining it again?

“So how come you are here?” she asked. I thought she was biting her cheeks.

“Hmmm… I was passing from outside and I saw you people going in, so I thought I would drop in to say ‘Hi'.” I thought I did well and picked up the glass to wet my throat which was tired from all those long steps of walking in the heat.

“And when did you see us get in here?” she asked.

“Some twenty-twenty five minutes ago,” I took a calculated guess.

“But we came here at least forty five minutes back,” my calculations went wrong and I choked on the water going down my throat.

“Yes... Yes, I met an old friend and was catching up with him all this while. As soon as he released me I came here,” I explained out of the blue.

She smiled. Reason justified… or maybe not!

“What would you take?” she offered.

“You!” I replied almost instantaneously without thinking. I thought she raised an eyebrow and twitched her lips to one side.

“I mean you… you decide… whatever you please,” I said and I sensed her cheeks go in.

“Hmm... I mean I would prefer a cool mocktail in this heat,”
I decided.

I was unaware of the waiter coming to take our order but I was the one to place it. Being the man calls for some chivalry I guess.

I ordered for all of us, Seema claimed she knew what the others would have and I didn't doubt her on that, hearing about their thirteen year old friendship from the horse's or the mare's… ahem, beautiful mare's mouth itself.

All this while only I was talking, I just hoped my breath did not smell rotten to her. I almost had to seize my hand with the other to prevent them from boxing me in the jaw for not taking the mint mouth freshener. Hey, but I was sure the cologne I had sprayed, or rather bathed with would drown down any foul odour. And it was not any other cologne; rather it was the one whose ads show the girls swooning over the male species. For a fleeting second, I almost had the temptation of shooting up my hand and throwing my underarms beneath her nose. Deciding that it was not refined and gentlemanly behaviour, I brushed away the lure.

The instrumental music changed to a popular number and as I looked up, she was gazing at me. The lyrics of the song praised the eyes of the lover and I saw the words true where I looked.

“You are beautiful,” I blurted.

She blushed deeper.

“I mean you are looking great, this dress suits you perfectly. Good choice!” I complemented, vigorously shaking my head. What was happening to me? I had no clue, seriously!

“Thanks,” she said.

“Where did you buy it from?” I stupidly asked and even more stupidly, answered it on my own.

“Nakhuda mohalla or Bhendi bazaar?”

I thought she would pick up the glass and turn it over my hazy head but she laughed. My stupidity got counted as my attempts at humouring her and breaking the ice. Good omen! Two coconuts for the monkey Lord.

The ambience around us suggested a candle light meal but it wasn't yet dinner time and I was more than willing to wait till then, only if she gave me company. I was more than willing to spend a lifetime under her shadow. The dim yellow illumination somehow
added to the mushy soft feeling in my heart. I had never found this place so beautiful before, though I went there so frequently with Raj and company.

“Congrats, you stood first in class with ninety-two percent,” I offered her my hand. She took it lightly. Her fingers gave out a current of 640 volts and literally shook me but I held on. Yay, I held her hand, I held her hand, I held her hand. I did a quick samba in my mind.

“Thanks,” she said again.

Suddenly something struck me. I halted my mental samba dance.

“Hey, I hope you are not considering me a gate crasher. It was your party and I wasn't even invited. I'm sorry for just walking in,” I apologised, lest her silence denoted her embarrassment at my crashing in this manner.

“No, you don't need any invitations,” she said coyly.

Before I could ask or comprehend what she meant by that, the other two girls walked in and then I realised that her hand was still embedded in mine and I hesitantly let it go. The congratulatory handshake lasted for an eternity and I still wanted to hold on to her hand. I realised another implication of something I did in academics the last year. Einstein was indeed right when he suggested the theory of relativity. Time just doesn't fly when you are with a loved one; it literally travels in light years. Seema put her hands under the table like a child who had stolen candy and hidden it. She shifted in her place, holding down her gaze.

“Oh, what brings you here? Last time I remember seeing you, you were seated there,” Sapna said pointing to the seat besides Seema. I almost froze and searched the floor for any gaps that I could drag my five-foot-eleven-inch frame into.

“Well that seat isn't much comfortable,” I justified, giving up
the search.

“Oh, then I am sorry but you would have to take that place again. I am not much comfortable with uncomfortable seats,” Sapna said and Jess giggled. I don't know what it is about girls like her, who keep giggling all the time. Can't they be like my Seema? So silent yet so suave! Did I just say ‘my Seema'? Hmmm....

Anyways, coming back, I more than happily got up and sat beside her. The waiter came in with our orders and we slowly had our fills discussing the various happenings in the school. Seema was quiet for most of the time. I tried to join the conversation whenever I felt I had something to say about their discussions of almost anything under the sun. I just wished they wouldn't discuss their undergarments next. Thankfully, they didn't!

I sipped on my drink and was the first one to finish it. I don't know what it is about girls that make them so slow. Jess and Sapna sounded like mature moms in their sermons about behaviour of certain students. Seema kept quiet but I occasionally caught her gazing sideways and gained happiness and confidence from that fact.

Soon the waiter brought in the bill and I was the first one to open my wallet before Seema could open her purse. Another act of male priorities, I guess!

“It is my treat,” she argued loudly than ever. I never knew she
could shout!

“Oh no, I will pay,” I maintained, undeterred by the rise of
her voice.

Sapna and Jess just guffawed. Evidently they had their fill of food and fun.

“I stood first and scored ninety-two,” she said with a frown.

“I did too,” I said calmly.

“Leave it,” she said trying to tug away the bill from my hands.

“You should leave it. It can tear,” I tried to point out, not losing my hold.

“It is my party. Allow me to pay, Rahul” she hissed.

Hearing my name from her lips, my concentration lapsed momentarily but I soon regained my composure when she had almost pulled out the stupid piece of paper from my hands. Her fingers brushed against mine and I resisted the urge of holding her hand again.

“I am the gate-crasher,” I announced loudly.

“No, you aren't! I planned it out in such a manner that you would come here,” she said. The next moment she stopped, almost biting her tongue.

“I mean... we did,” she said.

“They did,” she further corrected, pointing at her friends who were almost hysterical by now.

I didn't know how to react. So, it had been established that she had an urge to meet me too. I didn't know what to say, I could barely conceal the seeds sprouting in my heart. I was afraid they
would burst out from my open mouth. I wanted to water them as soon as possible.

“Actually, we thought…” she couldn't justify herself and my heart thumped harder.

I laughed seeing the other two rolling on their seats and she joined in, nervously at first and heartily soon.

I cleared the bill without facing any opposition this time. I guess she was afraid of letting something slip out of her mouth again.

I gave them the chocolates when we got down. I gave the last one to her.

“Oh Mars, but I like Ferrero Rocher and Jess likes Toblerone,” Sapna teased naming the other popular brands.

“Seema, what about you?” I asked, ignoring Sapna's remark.

“I like…Five-star,” she said. I was relieved from the fact that it was the Indian alternative to Mars. Maybe, she deliberately said so.

“For the time being, make do with these,” I told them. Jess and Sapna started munching their chocolates, while Seema kept hers in her little purse. She is really a cut apart from the rest, isn't she? My choice, what say?

“I'll eat it at home,” she answered Sapna's questioning glance.

We dropped Sapna near her building. Seema walked by my side and I felt proud of that fact. Somehow I felt that every second glance was on me! The first went somewhere beside me. No doubt, I felt supercilious but I also felt like poking out the bloody eyes of all those who stared at her. I did not want to do à la Salman Khan, so I shut up and kept walking, enjoying the aroma of her fragrance that the sailing wind brought my way. Somewhere near Seema's colony, Jess parted on the highway. Walking ahead, we were almost below her fourth floor flat, overseeing the highway. She stopped in her tracks and turned, her signal for the dangerous territory ahead.