Chapter 37

Chapter 32(A)

 

                    Vicky woke up and stretched himself leisurely in his bed. A few moments later, realization sunk in and he bolted upright, a goofy smile lighting up his face. It was his birthday today! He couldn't wait to celebrate it with his friends. As he thought about his gang, he scrunched his face in confusion and checked his phone. Nobody had bothered calling him at midnight to wish him. Let alone call, nobody had taken the trouble to at least send him a measly text. He could still overlook his friends' oversight, but he hadn't expected the same from Neha and Nil. How could Nil, his best friend, have forgotten his birthday when he repeatedly kept reminding everyone throughout the last week? And Neha had wrapped up all her work and wasn't going to be shooting for a good few months. What excuse did she have for forgetting to wish him?

                    Deciding not to spoil his mood on his special day, Vicky started getting ready for college. Even throughout his morning routine, he kept looking at his phone hoping at least one of them would call to wish him. Just as that possibility seemed dwindling down, his mood steadily got sour. He couldn't fathom any reason why his friends could have forgotten to wish him in spite of his reminders. Mind and heart played a frantic game of tug-of-war. His mind dished out various accusations at his friends for being so forgetful and insensitive, while his heart rallied with justifications for their oversight.

                    It would be safe to assume that by the time Vicky reached college, he couldn't wait for the day to end. He couldn't see the point of his birthday when he didn't have his friends to celebrate it with. It was at the end of the morning classes, that Nil smacked his palm against the forehead just as the teacher walked out of the classroom.

"Hey Vicky! Happy birthday! Sorry yaar! Kal raat itna thak gaya tha ke 12 baje se pehle hi neend lag gayi", Nil said apologetically.

"Haan re Vicky! Main bhi bistar par padte hi ghode ke bech ke sogaya", Bharat added.

"Tujhe mela methage nahin mila?" (tujhe mera message nahin mila) Amar questioned. Then checking his phone he said, "Alle idhal toh not deliveled bata laha hai. Solly yaal!"

In the same manner, the entire gang apologized and wished him at the same time.  In the beginning he found strange that each and everyone had some excuse for not wishing him. And the stranger thing still was that nobody was pestering him for a treat or a party. Normally his friends had the annoying habit of demanding treats for smallest of the small things. Be it a new keychain, or a new bag or some random inconsequential object. He remembered his last birthday when his so-called-birthday-forgetting friends had literally forced him into the canteen and threatened to hold him hostage till he gave them their deserving treat. And today, let alone demand, not a single one of them uttered the word party'.

Finding this behavior extremely unnatural, Vicky decided to probe into the matter himself. "Kya yaar?" He asked, slapping Bharat on the back and earning a glare from him on seeing which he immediately withdrew his hand. "Aaj tum log bade shaant lag rahe ho?"

"Kya matlab hai tera? Hum sab tujhe koi band waale dikhe kya?jo hamesha bajate rahenge?" Bharat asked

"Nahin dude! Mera woh matlab nahin tha," Vicky tried to explain.

"Phir what are you trying to say?" Rey asked.

"Tum logon ko koi party warty nahin chahiye kya?"

"Party kyun?" Swayam asked. Then as if he just remembered he added, "Oh! Tere birthday ki party? Naa! Nahin chahiye."

Vicky's eyes were bulging out of his sockets. Poor guy was thoroughly confused. "Hamesha party ke liye tum log kitna naatak karte the... I mean force karte the", he backtracked seeing the look on everyone's face when he said naatak.'

"Tab hum mein aqal nahin thi. Ab hum sab smart hogaye hain. Life ka ek saal aur waste hone par celebrate karne ka koi meaning nahin hai." Nil explained.

"Huh?" Vicky looked shocked.

"Aul nahin toh kya! Teli life ka ek thaal aul kam hogaya. Ith mein celeblate kalne waali kaunthi baat hai?" Amar explained while the gang dispersed, leaving behind Vicky with very bewildered and confused feeling about his birthday.

 

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                    It was close to 7 when the gang was done putting finishing touches to all the party decorations. They had all gathered at Swayam's place and were in the midst of preparing a surprise party for their beloved Sports Captain. Even Vishakha had dropped by. She was dying to meet her friends and Vicky's birthday gave the perfect excuse for it. All had decided that it would look too suspicious if they deliberately didn't wish him for his birthday Vicky as he kept reminding them of it since the last week. They had decided the best way to surprise him would be acknowledge his birthday but act nonchalant about it. And so far their plan seemed to be working. Vicky was as clueless about their plans as he was dejected about his birthday.

                    The next task had been getting Vicky to Swayam's house without raising any suspicion. Vicky was a naturally inquisitive person and felt the need to ask every single detail of every inconsequential thing. So they had to call him over on the pretext of playing video games. Video games were his weakness and the gang knew he would never question any sudden plan involving video games.                                   

                    Now with the decorations in place and everything seeming set, the entire gang was anxiously waiting for Sharon, Aashi and Niyati to arrive. VP sir had called them for an after college meeting and they had volunteered to fetch Vicky's cake while returning. They hadn't anticipated the delay in their return and were now worried if the birthday boy would actually arrive before his cake did. Just as they had begun considering options in case they needed a different cake, all the three ladies in question walked in. all of them had a troubled look on their faces, but there was no time to question about that. Vicky's car could be heard on the driveway and everybody rushed to arrange the cake and candles.

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                    Vicky rang the doorbell a couple of times, but no one seemed to be answering the door. Strange, he thought. Then he tried the handle and found the door to be unlocked. The fact that Swayam would just leave his door unlocked when anybody could walk in made him bristle indignantly. He had a younger sister living with him for God's sake! Having decided to give Swayam an earful, he registered a bit late that the hall was eerily dark.

           "Ye ho kya gaya hai sab ko aaj?" He wondered aloud. "Pehle sab mujhe wish karna bhool gaye, ab lights on kana bhool gaye. Ek minute! Jaise movie mein batate hain koi unknown virus poore world ko take over karke zombies bana deta hai, waise kisi bhoolne ki bimari waale virus ne sabko infect toh nahin kardiya!" Everybody in the darkness facepalmed at his ridiculous notion, while Neha gushed at her Babu's smartness.

Suddenly a soft yellow glow appeared at one end of the room and began floating towards him giving him the fright of his life. He was about to yell and run away in the opposite direction when the yellow materialized into a cake. He squinted and found Sharon pushing a food trolley that was holding a beautiful cake that read Happy Birthday Sports Captain!' All his friends followed and began singing the birthday song for him.

Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday dear Vicky!

Happy birthday to you!

 

To be contd..

[NOCOPY]

[MEMBERSONLY]