Okay, this is the production of a blasted mind. When you don't have anything to do but wait for 2 whole hours, just to fill in a form, that too when it takes just 5 minutes.
This chapter is for Sal. I am a fan of you. And to my Rupsy and Deepti, who thinks I am a lunatic.
Chapter 3
Fire from within
"Kya?" She asked looking at me.
"Nothing...It's just...Chodo..." I sat there astounded, looking at the sky! How could she do that, how could she just blow off all my belief, all my resolve, which I had preserved for years.
We sat there whole night speaking some silly nothings, looking at the stars, actually she, looking at the stars, and me looking at her.
I was sitting on a couch, while she was making breakfast in her open kitchen. I didn't know, why this particular scene was so beautiful for me! Was it her or she was making breakfast for me; the very thought made me smile, how it would be to live with her everyday, how it would be to hear her odd banter everyday, how it would be to see her face everyday, every moment. I sighed! Looking at her, made me realise that I had aways wanted to have a simple life, where I could breathe, where I would be free!
With this all amiss thoughts, my subconscious shouted at me, that I didn't call my parents for almost thirteen hours!
" Here you go!" She placed two plates before me. "Mujhse isse zayada nahin hoga! " She sat beside me, "thak gayi main to!"
"Of course you are, it takes lot of efforts just to toast few breads, and putting some even amount of jelly on it. Good! I am impressed! Though subah subah maine hi yeh jam and bread le Kar aya, warna tum to sirf hawa khilati!" I joked, but I was so content to have this bread jam, that I just pounced on it.
"If you are trying to be funny, then I have to tell you, you are better off as serious!"
"No funny bones! Today is a Sunday. You can joke around!"
"With this?" She waved her hand and then pouted.
The room was dumped with cardboard boxes. And things, which were still to be arranged!
"I could help!" I said, with full mouth of my lavish breakfast.
"No, you have to go to home." She put her plate on the tea table.
What an odd thing to say! "Why!"
"Mr Malhotra, aapko shayad yaad na ho, aap kal se ghar nahin gaye, aur you didn't even call them. So you are going home." She took her dish to the sink.
I knew, what she said, was right. I should call them, but, something pinched me from inside, again that house, again my self obsessed parents, I was pretty much sure, that they were worried, as I almost evaporated from that party,but this was nothing to do with me. Only thing they cared was their reputation.
"It's your duty, Mr Malhotra, to inform your whereabouts to your family." She smiled. Again, she had perfectly guessed it right. I laughed, looking at her.
Amused she wiggled her eyebrows. I shook my head, "You have great observing power."
"I know. Now please move your butt from here."
How could she be so at ease, was she like that with everyone? I had to ask her,and I did, "okay last question."
"What!"
" Kal utne raat ko tumne mujhe apne flat mein aane Diya, Puri raat bitayi mere sath..." I stopped,it sounded so off to my own ears, but surprisingly soothing, "darr nahin laga,I mean, maine agar kuch kiya hota to? Tum aise kisiko bhi andar leke aaogi?"
"I never had any sleepover in my life, not in my house, or at friends' house. It seems you are the lucky one." She laughed, "Mr Malhotra, I have told you before, aapki aankhein bahut pyaari hai, par yeh sab kuch sach sach bata deti hai. Aur yeh aankhein kabhi koi ghalat kaam nahin kar sakti. " My heart swelled hearing her, she trusted me, blindly. Suddenly she made a very straight face, "aur mujhe karate aati hai! So don't underestimate me, okay? I am a tough girl."
And this had me into split, I would love to imagine, how a girl of merely five feet seven inches, take down this six feet four inches giant, "I would love to see that!" I sprang to my feet, and walked towards her, involuntarily she took few steps back.
"You wouldn't..." Shock crossed her face.
"Yes I would, show me your ninja skills baby!" I moved more close and lunged for her.
"Shravannn..."
Shravan! Shravan! Shravan! Her voice echoed in her almost empty apartment. And I froze. This was the first time she addressed me by my name, in fear though! But it tickled me from inside, not those in which you have tears in your eyes, it was one of those kinds, when you want it more, and more.
"Mr Malhotra... Mr Malhotra..."
"Haan..." She was back to my last name.
"Aapko abhi jana chahiye." She smiled.
"Yah I guess so, Suman, I didn't mean to...I mean it was just a ..."
"I know Mr Malhotra, aap mazaak kar rahe the. Ab itna to samajh aata hai, mujhe." She laughed.
She still trusted me. "Are you sure that you will manage with these? I mean, seriously I could help."
"Yup! You don't need to worry."
Looking at the skeptical look on my face, she laughed, "okay okay, you can help, but first you go to your parents, let them know that you are alive, and no one kidnapped you. Then only come back. Ab tak to The Shravan Malhotra ko dhndne k liye military troops vej diye honge."
"What the hell is going on?" Papa roared from the couch. "Kahan the tum haan? Aise koi apne party se gayab ho jaata Hai? Sab puch rahe the, apni na sahi humari izzat ka to khayal kiya hota!"
Maa and Papa , sitting at the dining table, they already had their breakfast, I laughed, their son who was missing, who didn't call, or answer the phone, and here they were, all worried of their reputation.
"Woh ek dost k pass tha."
"Dost, aise kaunse dost hai tumhare Shravan? Main to nahin jaanti!" Maa looked at me, narrowing her eyes.
"Zaroori nahin hai, ki aap mere har ek dost ko jante ho Maa! And secondly, I am a twenty seven years old grown up man, I might have a life apart from this, and I don't need to clarify every move to everyone." I snapped. This was the first time, the perfect son retorted to his parents.
I could sense the uneasiness, in Papa's posture, "well this complicates the matter, yes, you are old enough! I have a meeting, we shall talk about this later. Chale Nirmala?"
"Hi, reached safely?"
"Yes, an hour ago."
"Irresponsible"
"You were worried?"
"Yes, why wouldn't I be?"
"Hmm, BTW, will be there in an hour or two."
"Thanks."
I smiled, ear to ear. Yes she was worried for me. Thankfully I didn't forget to take her number this time. I looked at her What's App DP, smiling her zillion dollars smile, and her status said, "If your fate means you to lose, give it a good fight anyhow."
She was a fighter.
"So almost all set!" She stood there, hands on her hips, inspecting all over the room.
"Only that cardboard box left.". I pointed, looking at it's size, "it seems heavy, what's in it?"
"Books." She smiled.
"Ohhh, you have brought a mini library with you, then, chalo kaam pe lag jaate hai!"
I opened the box, and god, it was truly a mini library. There were classics, like Shakespeare,Emily Bronte, Austen, Shelly, Dickens, Charlotte Bronte, Elliot, even Hardy, Along with classics, she had some new age novels too. Sensing my awe, "What Mr Malhotra, you should not be surprised, you, yourself are quite well read."
"So what are you reading now?"
"The distance between us- Kasie West."
"I didn't know, you like sarcasm!"
"I do, when it is used in this manner." She smiled, knowing I had read the book already.
I looked at the books, she had all the books of Shakespeare, apart from Romeo and Juliet. "So no Romeo and Juliet?"
"I don't like the character Romeo." She shrugged nonchalantly. " I have read it though."
"What are you saying? You don't like Romeo!" Again her odd process of thinking confused me.
"Nope, confused banda! Pehle Rosaline pasand thi, usse dekhne k liye gaya aur Juliet ko pasand kar liya!" She pouted.
"Suman, Rosaline was his infatuation!" I laughed.
"Kaise pata hota? Usse behtar to Paris hai. Usne koshish to ki, apne pyaar ko jitne ki, ab woh jaise bhi ho!"
Try! This was the key word.
" Hmmm...So tumhe kaisa ladka pasand ayega?
"Pata nahin...utna Socha nahin! Main to single hi thik hoon." She put the last book an the shelf, and turned, "aapko kaisi ladki pasand hai!"
Someone like you, Immediately my mind thought, I shrugged off it,"mujhe bhi patah nahin. Waise tum itni pretty ho, phir bhi, single? what waiting for your knight in shining armor?"
"Mmm..." She pouted for a moment,"You thought she needs her the Knight in shining armor, what if, she is not into boring guys!" She winked.
And yes, boring I was.
Why it had to be her, why couldn't she think straight, why in every step, it had to be proved that I wasn't enough for her.
I had been afraid of little rain, all my life and here, she was full of thunder and lightning.
Fire from within.
So this is it. Hopefully not as boring as I thought. This is the last update. Will update only after 17 th May.
No proofread, so please overlook all the mistakes.
Read all the comments, those were wonderful, thank you so much for encouraging. But couldn't reply, hope you all understand.
Edited by Itssanjh - 8 years ago
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