Part 13
"Dia, how can you leave so early?"
"Darling, Kim is waiting for me. He's just returned from Texas and we do need to meet the service caterer tomorrow."
"Fine..since you've got married, you don't have time for me."
"Ha..I came to spend time with you today, didn't I? Anyways you are coming to my first marriage anniversary party this weekend. And don't dare to give me the work crap!"
"How can I miss that out? Don't worry I'll fix something up with Rodger."
"Mam," the cab driver halted the car." We've reached Midtown East."
"I'm going now. The caf is just along the street." You continue to the airport." I quickly gave her a hug as the cab started to leave. As the gleaming yellow disappeared round the corner, I heard Dia shout" Don't forget to tell me how your blind date went!!"
I grinned. She'd never change.
**********************************************************************************
The blaring sound muffled my voice as I held over my stiffened ankle. Just pick up the darn phone!
"Hey Khushi, is your date over this soon? And where are you?"
"In a pub hidden under this corner-table! "
"What the hell?"
"Exactly..what the hell they send me as my date?"
"Describe! He can't be that bad."
"He's a hippie, maybe a drug addict too." I nervously peeped along the side and caught a glimpse of him with a glass of wine frantically searching someone.
"He's a black guy. Not that I mind them but he isn't my type! He's got long locks. Weird tattoos and piercing all over. Freak! I just saved my life from him. Do something fast!"
"Okay. Take a deep breath..just get away from this place hon."
"Dia, what else you think I 'm trying to do? He's standing at the darn exit. I even somewhat half-sprained my right ankle ducking away from him."
"How could the blind date turn a disaster? What did you fill in the 'dream guy' criteria?"
I winced trying to remember what exactly I had filled in the website-" A fun, crazy, wild guy needed with a love for something adventurous . Should be tall and smoldering."
"No wonder you got him." She sighed.
"It isn't my fault if a physco came'do something'hello'.Dia'hello'" the beeping sound of bad network echoed as I furiously started to re-dial her number.
"Can I squeeze in here too?"
"Get lost'yeah..why not?" I tried to make up for my rudeness with a pleasant smile. The guy was South-Asian with a fair complexion, brawny , tall with a two-dimpled smile. He bent and sat beside me.
"What are you doing?" I whispered.
"Just the same you're doing here." He whispered back.
"My ex-girlfriend 's here. She has gone honkers lately wanting to murder me. So I am hiding here." He smiled again flashing his dimpled smile.
I giggled."You are strong enough 'why are you scared?"
"coz they say hell hath no fury as a woman scorned."
I laughed." Well that is a bit true."
"Ain't your body cramped sitting in this position?" I nodded in agreement.
"Let's escape then." He winked. Involuntarily I craned my neck to the hippie still hovering at the door .
"So that's the one you are hiding from? Just stay behind me and let's make a run for our lives."
"Aye-aye Captain!"
"On the count of one, two, three'" We shot at full speed, I tried to stay behind me for cover as he pushed the crowd ahead. The soreness of my right ankle hurt but the adrenalin pumping in my body drowned that away.
"Finally!" Jubilant we stood outside in the cool evening breeze. I started to laugh uncontrolled. Sensing his gaze at me I sobered. "It's just that I had fun after so long." I shrugged.
"I ain't judging Miss..umm.."
"Khushi" I put forward my hand.
"Ranveer." He shook my outstretched hand." Umm.. the Central Park's just two blocks away. Would you like a walk? If you are free, that is."
I remembered the tingling pain in my right ankle."Sure." I can withstand any pain now.
The cool breeze played gently with my locks as we strolled through the park. The yellow light emanating from the street-lamps illuminated the path. The shadows cast by them left the place an eerie picture of light and darkness. Few people, mostly couples were around this time. The ankle started throbbing with pain.Before it could escalate further , I decided to control the situation.
"Ranveer, can we just sit on this bench?
"After, my lady." We sat on the bench. He handed me a bottle of beer as he himself took one. The crescent moon overlooked us behind the grey clouds.
"I don't drink beer."
"Cummon, a few pegs and you escape this world. What's the harm?"
Arnav wouldn't like me getting sloshed here.I can't tolerate this stuff.
"You are right!" I gulped some. The warmth of the beer scorched my throat. The weight started to lift off my head as I greedily drank for the comfort.
"Just keep on with it." He egged me on. Finally we both were completely drunk prancing around the park.
"I got fired by my boss!" He shouted.
"I got duped by my boyfriend. He cheated on me!" I shouted back.
"Okay that's a bigger bummer! But I am going to win this game! Show the boss his place!"
"Yeah show them their place!
"I don't like to be this. I want to be rich." He choked.
"I don't want to be this too. I want to be loved." Lumps formed in my throat.
"you don't look good when you cry. You are better smiling." He tweaked my nose.
"Really?"
"Yes. We should meet again!"
"Definitely we should man..my friend's having a party this weekend. You should join in!"
"I'd most love to'Khushi.." His cell beeped." Fish..I need to leave. Will drop you at the sub-way."
"No..you go..I can manage. Good-bye!!"
I tried to disguise my limping with slow steps. John stared nonchalantly as if he was used to drunk people landing in Arnav's apartment. The hall was dark. I'd lost track of the time in the park.
"AArrgh" the bright light hit me as someone switched on the light.
"Khushi, there is something important I need to tell you." Pretending as if I didn't hear him I continued my way to my room.
"Khushi! Didn't you hear me?"
I turned around."There was no need to wait for me!"
"Who was waiting? I was in the gym. This is the only time I get amidst my busy schedule."
Ignoring him I once again started walking to my room.
"Why are you limping? Got a sprain?"
How did he notice? I wasn't making it obvious.
"The date surely must have been rocking then."
My head started to spin as the alcohol in my body started to overpower me. Trying hard to keep myself from swaying, I began-" Just ge' AAARRRGGhhh." Unable to maintain equilibrium I fell colliding my head with the nearby glass-table and got a cut in my forehead.
"Khushi'"I raised my head. Blood drops trickled down." John, Fred,..where the hell is everyone? Bring me first-aid box. Quick!." He bent towards me." When will you stop being the clumsy- teddy? Put a band-aid there or else it'll leave a scar. " he firmly grasped my arms and tried to help me stand.
Frantically I pushed him away."Don't TOUCH me!! What scar are you talking about? This freaking thing on my head is nothing to the way you scarred my life! Stop screwing my head and making me mad everytime! You know something- I'm mad at myself not you. I 'm mad for always being nice.I'm mad for apologizing things I didn't do. I'm mad for getting attached. I'm mad for thinking about you, but most of all I'm mad for not hating you when I should'" words failed me as nothingness seemed to descend all around me. It was pitch-black now.
The misty smoke emerged from Arnav's mouth as he looked at the neon- twinkling lights in the bustling city from his terrace. The darkness was never constant, just a reminder that light isn't far away.
"I am coming this Saturday to get the reports and him. Thanks dad for everything but I'm handling everything from now on."
A pair of huge black eyes in the small proportion of face stared back at him as his drop of rolling tear blurred the image in his cell.
Some say it's the pearls of your eyes .
The beads which are precious
Never to be wasted upon
Things which don't deserve it.
There's nothing that could tug you more
than those on a roll.
What's in a drop can be asked?
Just a mixture of water and salt
pat comes the loyal brain.
.But the heart whispers out the truth;
It's the pain, the ultimate hurt
which embodies a drop of tear ,
Tugging you even more.
**********
The head seemed heavy as lead. The hangover hurt a lot. Raising myself to a sitting position in my bed, I looked for pills in the drawer. A white caught my eye in the wall- mirror. A white band-aid laid neatly placed on my forehead.
Edited by shivi02 - 12 years ago
Anupamaa
12