Sweat, Socialism & Sculpture
I cannot blame him Papa, Viveka and Akash sipped chai enjoying the monsoon rain from the master bedroom balcony swing.
“With my whole aura of girl power, feminism, independence etc… I cannot demand protection Papa”
“Looks to me like you are making excuses for Abhishek Veev”
“No I am not… you cannot craft a whole package in your mind and constantly look for pieces to fit into the package” “This box check, that box check… clothes check… looks check… fine shoes… tall…check, wealthy check…” she was so lost in listing Raanav’s qualities she lost herself for asecond mentally
“Uh…”
“I mean… really…. Who does that” she quickly composed herself looking down at her chai
Unaware Akash was staring at her bent head
“At the same time you cannot ignore glaring gaps or pieces missing from your existing package”
“Hes fine… hes funny, he loves the things I do… he spends a lot of time reading and teaching, he is also part of two book clubs I go to” she said resigned
“Aur yeh baat aapko kal raat taq maloom nahi hui”
“I mean… you these smoke filled apartments… there are at times 50 people in there… and it’s a fiction book… hahahaha.. I don’t pay much attention to who reads fiction books”
“So you didn’t even notice him?” “Hmm”
“You are clearly trying to tell me something hahahah”
“Nahi… first cheez to looks hoti hai beta”
“I DID notice how cute he was umm.. in his… umm (the June 4th image of Raanav crept into her memory, the olive green pants and the fire orange cotton shirt)
I am surprised I don’t lose my shit around him considering how low key obsessed I am about what he looks like…. Her mind voice reminded her
How he didn’t argue but just riled her up with a flash of that smile… the perfect teeth his one eye crinkled more than the other
Such impeccable choice in clothes and grooming
He never smelled like sweat!
How?
She cringed when she realized what a hot wet mess she might have been that raining night
He probably got his car deep cleaned
I prolly smelled like sweat and socialism
“Ek aur cup chai peeni chahiye aapko, you are frequently losing your mind” Akash joked casually
She looked up at him startled for reading her mind like that
She laughed nervously
“Rhea aur Neha kya keh rahi hain?”
“I see my college, research, and book club people more than them. They seem to come along in the journey of my life though I don’t give them much respect” she made a face
“It happens… they are good girls” he smiled and patted her back
“Even they think I have nothing with Abhishek”
“Oh really?” “Even they ka kya matlab?”
“Oh? Umm… I thought you’ve been grilling me low key the last 30 minutes because you thought the same”
“I think you have to loosen up and enjoy life… you are too rigid”
“Hahaha… I will let Dadi know… who BTW thinks I should have been married for 12 years and have two teens by now”
“Forget Dadi… enjoy life beta”
“I am trying Dad…. I am trying… Abhishek and I cannot seem to find time” she thought
“Subah ka conference khatam ho gaya ho to Bauji ko chai dekat aayen” Anubha growled
“ek second”
“I have to go get things my German coworkers are asking for, before I leave… Akash aap aaj raat ko order kar do khaana ya you can drop Amma off at Savi’s?”
“Sure sure” he got up and followed her
Dadi had been positively mean to Anubha two nights ago
Anubha was still reeling from it
“Does that mean we can eat Italian?” Karuna trailed Anubha begging
Viveka stared out at the rain
Naina had told her Raanav had been in Singapore since the night he had rescued her from rains
You only miss those you expect to see… she mumbled
Diya and her took the Metro… the car was still at the workshop
Plus Viveka was consciously trying to avoid taking the car from fear of being stranded… the odds of a knight appearing twice has never happened in a fairy tale
“I am so excited for my job”
“I am sure you are bacha” she squeezed Diya’s hand
“You think Ma will let me work on days I don’t have college?”
“You guys both took summer classes… I doubt Ma will refuse”
“I already have 5 new friends” she scrolled through her Insta to show Viveka as they huddled in the auto as it rained outside on their way to the Metro station
When Diya opened up her Insta Viveka was reminded of what she had heard the kids talk about that other day about receiving invites from a Lecturer
“Do you have faculty as friends?”
“Ewww NOOOO way”
Viveka stared in shocked
“I mean… not you… not you… you are cool… not you” Diya begged
Viveka laughed hysterically
In her cotton sarees and hand made earrings and large glasses and jooti.. she would have loved to have a Lecturer like herself on her “Insta” 10 years ago
Viveka craved to be a “intellectual cool” way before she turned into one pushed her glasses up her nose
“I get it… if I worked for a foreign back and did fashion vlogs in my free time you would totally add me wont you”
Diya just hugged her still shame faced
“Do you have faculty
“Nope… some people do… some creeps also send u invites”
“Oh really?”
“Hmm… I know… men… Didi”
“Ughh I know… tell Ma OK if you get one”
“I just block them off permanently
“Good… I heard that other day… some kids in KMC talking about some guy…””
“Ewww”
“I know” she nodded
“Di but no offence… at Harshu Bhaiya’s engagement your BF was chatting up … don’t you feel jealous?”
She turned toward her
“Oh really?”
“He was probably just having fun… he is sweet tho” Diya said carelessly in a clueless teen sorta way
It began nagging Vievka as she took the Metro to CP and then to Habitat Center to set up for a press meet for her NGO
She bumped into Kalyani Mathur as she was entering
“OMG Ms MATHURRRRRRR” the girl jumped up and down… her page boy style hair not moving much
“Hi!”
“What are you doing here?”
“I have some form of an NGO we are having a press meet tomorrow to beg them to give us a couple inches on Delhi Times” she laughed she pushed her glasses up her nose
“oh reallyyyyy I came here to drop off two of my sculptures for the art show on 5th floor”
“Oh the Vadhera Art Gallery show?” Viveka had seen the large banners and signs drawing attention everywhere in the lobby
“Yeah… I AM SOOOO excited”
Viveka did not hate on her for being privileged… on the contrary she knew exactly how privileged the ultra rich was and how easy every thing was for them, it made her resolve stronger to work for the disadvantaged
“Congrats” I would love to see your work” she pushed her glasses up her nose
“I am here for Raksha Bandhan for this week… and BOOM I get the call”
Viveka laughed
She was like her twin sisters naïve and trusting
“Will you PLEEEEEEEEEEEEZ come home? I promise I can drop you off and pick you up?” she folded her hands and begged
“Well I just got here I will check on everything and get back to class”
“My Tayaji house is JUSTTTT 5 SECONDS from here” Kalyani waved in the wrong direction
Making Vievka laugh more as it was more endearing
“can I PLEEEEEEZ have your number… I will wait patiently and call you in exactly one hour?”
“I am not sure” Viveka smiled
“Pleeez I am begging you… you helped me realize how much I HATE Economics dudeee”
Viveka laughed again
“I am sorry I know how much you love it…” she begged again
“That’s fine… I would say the same about art I guess” Viveka smiled childishly
“Eeks I LOVE YOU” she hugged her again
Exactly on the hour she called and she called again at the end of the next hour
Viveka finished up quick promising to her team she will return in an hour, it was the same Rolls Royce she was driven home in that night a few weeks ago
Phew… clean… she chuckled
Kalyani looked like a 5 year old whose teacher had walked her home one evening
When the car pulled into the beautiful white column wrapped home
“I LOVE your sarees… I don’t know how to wear one… but I would DIE for you you look SO GOOD in them”
“Thanks” she smiled radiantly
“I mean… I would keep track of the colors you wore…. On the day I saw you every week”
“You did…?””
“I am sorry I hope I am not creepy… but HOW do you wear them like that dude?”
Kalyani glanced at Viveka
She wore a bright yellow Bengal cotton saree with a multicolor mirror work immodest blouse
“Dude… I would DIE FOR YOU” Kalyani repeated
Viveka laughed at how funny she was… 20 somethings frequently wanted to die for someone she thought
The house was bitter cold and sparkling clean and quiet and WHITE
The central courtyard had the sheet waterfall that made the only sound
“I would lose my way” Viveka whispered
“Why are you whispering” Kalyani screeched
“I just find this house SO QUIET”
“I am screeching… Bhais tell me its like having 20 parrots”
“Hahahaha”
The rooms were gleaming white marble show cases, atrociously big and cool the room Kalyani was using at her Uncle’s doubled up as her “studio”
It must have been as big as Viveka’s Rohini’s apartment
She saw the sculptures Kalyani was quite talented, birds on wooden pedestals, vases and bowls
Kalyani spend a half hour explaining how she builds them
“I have made over 30… I had them all shipped from Calcutta and Germany because I didn’t know which ones they will pick… eeeeks” she jumped up and down
“You are so talented” Viveka nodded
“Do you want to have lunch?”
“Oh no… I have to get back”
“Pleeeeeez Ms Mathur”
“I really cant”
“Just a minute” Kalyani ran off “You can come to the courtyard but don’t move “
She didn’t know which way to turn as usual and found herself down a long hallway with rooms on both sides
Raanav looked like his jaw had dropped unable to say a word
“Hi!... I know what you must think… I met Kalyani at the Habitat center she dragged me over to show her work” she smiled
Even her smile is so luminous… he thought
She doesn’t even show any sign of being affected by me
Sigh!!
“Oh?”
“Can u show me the way to the Courtyard?”
He finally caught up to her and stood still admiring her head to toe
“Yeah?” she confirmed
“Good to see you Viveka Mathur” he said quietly
Something happened to her when he said her name he realized
She turned bright red
THANK YOU GOD!!!
Who knew?!!
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