Darling, You are the One I Want

4 years ago

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oh nakhrewaali

@oh_nakhrewaali

It was a crazy day at Regents. It was the last day before the biggest college event of the year, Utsav, and we were in the Student's Corner, with the General Secretary of the college who briefing to us about it, for one last time. 

"...and, we need to make sure the flowers for the judges don't stink of death" she looked at Yudi, Yudhishthir Kharbanda, who stood at the corner of the room and nodded. A part of me winced at that nod. It was as if Yudi understood not just what Gauri meant about the flowers but also a deeper context her phrase had, even though it didn't. For a better part of the half-hour, I wished to have what Yudi and Gauri had; to be more specific I wished to have what Yudi had namely Gauri.


It may have looked like a junior having a major crush on a super senior, a crush that would fade away with time if I didn't see Gauri for more than a week or maybe if Gauri ended up doing something wrong. But given the likelihood of the circumstances I doubt that would be happening anytime soon - Gauri messing up or me moving on from my crush.


I looked at my watch because I realized I have been staring at our GS for quite some time and yelped.

"It's 11.56!"

I looked at the other seniors who had their eyebrows up to their hairlines. 

"I...Mishra... lecture at 12" My brain shut down as I looked at the podium where Gauri stood with her hands on her hips, looking slightly outraged at being interrupted. I half expected her to yell at me for behaving like a deranged banshee, but she just blinked and said, "Go on Freshie; don't miss the class, else Mishra will fail you!"

Muttering thanks and praying to the Gods to bless Gauri with their choicest blessings, I hung my bag on my shoulder and dashed out of the students' corner.


"Oye, Roshni!" I heard someone yell my name when I was on the stairs of the second floor. I looked up to see Gauri's face peeking out from the stair wall.

"Give me the report Neha said you'd drop."

"Oh!" I flushed as I took out the file that Neha Di had prepared and asked me to give to Gauri. I walked up to her to hand it over. She flipped through the pages and nodded appreciatively.

"Wait ! Don't go about walking 650km of the campus. We will drop you at your department."

For a split second I imagined sitting behind Gauri on her fancy new black Bullet, flushing as I wrapped my hands around her waist.

"Nihaal! Go, drop the Freshie to her department."

Suddenly, I understood why kids cry when someone bursts a balloon in their hand. The pain and the shock of it are too overwhelming. I took back all the good wishes I prayed for Gauri and nodded as Nihaal waved at me. I made an impatient tap on my watch. The bullet ride seemed too noisy as we rode back to my department. 

~~~~~~~~~~

I sat at the feet of one of the chairs for the judges, having nothing to do. Neha Di was busy helping the guest performer at the event (more like making sure he doesn't have too much cocaine under his nose) and Shivani was organizing the face painting competition she was assigned.

"Hey, Freshie!" Yudi called out to me and I pointed to myself to make sure he was asking for me. What's with seniors calling us "Freshie" anyway?

"Can you do me a favor? I have an errand to run and Gauri hasn't eaten anything since morning. Can you please make sure she eats something?" I opened my mouth to reply but he was already pulling out packets of chips, cans of soft drinks, a bottle of water and an apple.

No matter how much I hated Yudi for dating my crush this gesture made me smile. Gauri is lucky to have someone care about her like this.

"Why don't you just give me the bag ? It seems like you have just stuffed food in it for Gauri!" I said the last bit pointedly and he flushed. He dumped the food items back in it as he passed it to me. He mumbled out a thanks and ran out.


I grabbed my seat again and watched Gauri yell at the student who was fixing the lights. When her voice started cracking from the yelling, I passed her the bottle.

"Get your girlfriend to give me some water too!"

"Shut up, Roy!" She flipped him a bird making him laugh. We got back to the seats and she sat on the chairs and signed to the other one.

"I thought judges' chairs were off-limits," I said, nervously looking at the stage opposite us expecting someone to appear out of thin air and yell at her.

"What they don't know won't kill them!" she shrugged. I giggled like a schoolgirl and occupied the other seat.


"You know, this gives me the full 90s movies' vibe!"

"Oh yeah?" I asked before I could stop myself. She smirked at the suggestive tone.

"Oh yeah. I return home after a hard day at work and you go 'Pranath, please eat something, you need the nourishment. I am sorry for not preparing your favorite meal today.'" she laughed at her own joke and I scoffed.

"All credits for this Chappan bhog go to your boyfriend." she raised her eyebrows as if confused.

"Yudi?" I shrugged.

"Woah! Hold on ! Buddy, I am not dating Yudi!"

"But...I thought..."

"I know according to Bollywood, people of two opposite genders can't be friends but I thought your gaydar was better functioning than this!"

"Gaydar?" I sputtered because even Neha Di wasn't aware of this secret.

"Please don't tell me that my gaydar failed me and that you are straight?"

"You are gay?!" I whispered, shocked to the core.

"Why do you think I roam around like a gothic-murderous lesbian in leather jackets in 36°C, all day around the college?"

My head felt like it was swimming. "I am gay, dude. I have been out since the first year."

I couldn't help but look back at Roy, who had passed on a comment. So, he wasn't homophobic? He was just... speculating?


"In the first year our seniors ragged Zara and me to kiss. I wasn't bothered about the kiss. But some of the seniors spread the rumor that Zara and I were..."

"Gay," She nodded.

"Zara was very traumatized, so the college counselor, Nikhil, called in both of us and helped us figure out stuff. When I realized that I am a lesbian, I decided to come out and do damage control before things got out of hand."

I blinked at her as she came out to me as if it was not a big deal.

"I am bisexual." I muttered despite wanting to yell it out to the world. It's not like my dad and sister were homophobic, it's just that I didn't want to come out to anyone this soon.

"I am glad you shared." Gauri patted my hand.


"Oye, get your ass up here. We have shit to do!"

Roy yelled at Gauri.

"And get that chips packet from your girlfriend!"

"She is not my girlfriend!" Gauri yelled back.

"I don't mind." I blushed even though I didn't regret my words.

Gauri looked at me in shock and blinked.

"When Ustav is over, you and I are going to talk." she stood up and walked to the stage. But then she stopped, turned, winked at me, and started walking backward, her leather jeans and jacket hugging her and her curly, long hair framing her face perfectly, her big doe eyes focused on me and I was a pile of mush!


Beta read by: Sonatia

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