This is pretty short as I am pretty busy recently with my Final Year Project. Thank you so much for your amazing comments. I really appreciate them all, since I am a pretty shitty writer. So, thank you so much again!â¤ď¸
Bless whoever that invented coffee, I thought to myself as I sipped my skinny macchiato latte. I just finished my lectures that were scheduled for today. It was a nice day to be out here. Purvi, the babysitter I got to take care of Charan my adorable 7 year-old son is turning 18 today. I wanted to get her a gift for taking good care of Charan. She has this weird obsession for vintage stuffs. So, right now I am in the vintage shop that I searched from the internet. I was looking for some unique locked diary that girls in late 90's used to have. I used to have those kind of diaries with different pattern and colors. I think Purvi will appreciate such gift. Teens these days needs to write more in the old school way. Typing out in blogs and ranting in social websites irks me. I was looking for one when I stumbled upon tapes and Walkman that plays cassettes. It immediately reminded me of someone who loved music and spent hours listening to music. I touched the cassette and brushed it slightly with my index finger.
"Here this is for you, Specky," he held out a gift wrapped with newspapers. How, romantic! And apparently, I've come to love the nickname he gave me. I used to hate it but when he mentioned that it isn't intended as an insult somehow I started to like him calling me that.
"Thank you, Abhi! But what is it for? Anything special?" I asked accepting the gift in my hand.
"Not really. Just wanted to give you something," he said and sat next to me holding my hand. I am supposed to be arranging the new books that has arrived today in the inventory section. But Abhi sneaked in here and now arranging books are the last thing on my mind. And that is saying something, considering how much I love books especially the latest editions. I slowly opened the wrapper carefully not tear it or anything. I opened it and it was a cassette. On the front it was written using a Sharpie pen mixtape by Abhi.
"Oh, I love it Abhi!" I said and hugged him. I need to go back and listen to them.
"I am glad you like it. There is bunch of music I love and also some I composed myself. I would like you to hear it and tell me what you think of them," he said and hugged me back tightly.
I've never felt so lucky ever since I've been with Abhi. I still remember when I met him at Starbucks for the first time when Bulbul introduced me to her gang of friends. His shaggy hair and black leather jacket with the ripped jeans. He screamed trouble from the first look. I still remember his intimidating stare. How his stare pierced into mine. I could very well guess that he didn't like me although he has never said anything really mean to me. We used to bicker once in a while, but that's it mostly. There was once I was reading Wuthering Heights and Heathcliff reminded me of Abhi. Not that Heathcliff was anything like Abhi but for a brief moment I was thinking of Abhi when I was reading it. It was a little weird and for a second I thought I had this crush on him. Eventually, it was playing on my mind the whole day. And I dared myself to think that I have feelings for him. But the next day, when we met in Starbucks, he was acting like a huge jerk as usual. That was when I stopped my stupid imagination. I told myself that I'd never feel for someone that has no feelings or even has an ounce of respect for me. But I was wrong. Abhi is not the guy I thought who he was. He is sweet, loving and kind. And most importantly, he actually feels something for me. I, the Specky Plain Jane Pragya finally found someone who is not only extremely fit but at the same time cares for me.
"Hey, I brought the Walkman so that we can hear it together," he said and pulled out his yellow Sony Walkman cassette player. He took the tape from my hand and inserted it in. He pulled out his earphone and tucked it in my ears to listen. Unfortunately, I've never heard any of the songs. They were pretty loud and the lead was shouting most of the time.
"Errm, I don't like it. It's horrible," I made a disgusted face and pulled the earphone out.
"Don't tell me you prefer listening to Backstreet Boys and some other stupid boy Band, Bulbul and Aaliyah listens too," he shuddered. Guilty as charged. I bit my lip. He chuckled and remove the tape from the Walkman and turned it to the next part and inserted it back into the Walkman.
"Well, tell me what does this sound like," he said and tucked in the earpiece hanging on my shoulder back to my ear. He pressed play and the music blared into my eyes. The music was loud but this was different. I felt like the music spoke to me. And there was a voice in the background singing which made it all better. And I very well knew who it belongs to. Abhi. The lyrics felt similar to what I read a month ago in his room. The thought made me blush. I went to his room very daringly. Because I had to know if he meant what he said. He said he liked me and as more than friends. It was all too good to come true and very overwhelming that I ran away from him when he first confessed to me.
"It sounds like rain splashes in the middle of night. You know the best kind," I said and laid my head on his shoulders. I've never been a hugger much less a person who likes to touch. It was like crossing borders and entering into new territory. That idea frightens me and makes me feel uncomfortable. But with Abhi it came easily. I can't keep my hands off him. Not in a dirty way. But I just really like to hold his hands or at least touch his shoulders with mine. I feel at ease whenever I can feel him. Again not in a dirty way. Not that I don't think him in that way. It's just that I try not to, because I blush all the time I go there.
"Okay, that is actually an insult," he sulked.
"Why, you know I love rain! You should feel proud that I compared your composition to the gift of god," I argued.
"Please Pragya, don't start again. Rain are just drops falling from the clouds because they are too heavy. It's all science and there's nothing magical about it. And I say it's insulting because I want it to sound like heavy storm not like some rain splash, he smiled and put his head on mine.
"I didn't say rain is magical, but it is comforting," I said.
"More than me?" he asked.
"Yeah," I smiled.
"More reasons to hate the stupid rain," he sighed.
"Ugh, why are you being so hard? I am saying your voice is comforting, I mean your song is," I stuttered. I could feel him chuckling above my head.
"Do you find my voice sexy?" he asked playfully. I remove my head from his shoulders abruptly that his head knocked the shelf behind us.
"Ouch," he grunted. I brought my hand and rubbed his head. He brought my hand further in to the spot where it got hit and rubbed it. I looked at him and smiled slightly. He gave his usual sexy smile back. He brought both our hands down to his lap and moved towards me. I stood still nervously. We have kissed many times but still I could never get used to it. Every time feels like the first time. When he lips touches me, I feel this tingling sensation in my nerves. Like they all become alive. I become more aware of my body and myself. I brought my hand to his hair and pulled him closer to me. When our tongues touched, I tasted all of him. Soon, our kiss turned a little tense. We were all over each other and he slid hands under my shirt. When I felt his palm on my skin, I shuddered a little. His body hit the shelf and couple of books dropped on him. This time, I couldn't help but laugh.
"Seriously Specky even kissing is like dangerous when it's with you," he said and rubbed his hand on his head again.
"And I thought you were trouble for me," I smirked.
"You better go home and put some ice on your head. I think that bruised pretty badly," I said and got up, brushing my pants.
"I don't want to go home. Not yet. Please," he said and sat still. If I don't know him better, I'd have thought he is making excuse to stay with me. But Aaliyah has mentioned more than once that Abhi hates to hang out at home since their dad a year ago.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked and sat down on the floor next to him again. My leg brushed his knee and he flinched a little.
"Sorry," I muttered.
"It's okay. No, I don't want to talk about that. Let's go back to kissing. We're pretty good at that," he said and brought his lips to mine. Part of me asked my brain to shut up and just enjoy the kiss. But I've always been the type of person who had to know. Information and knowledge intrigues me. And off all things Abhi's brain is a huge mystery to me. I just want to figure him out. So, I pushed him lightly away from me and said, "But I would really like to know what's bothering you. Is it your dad?"
"Can't you just leave that alone?" he shrieked. I was so shocked that by the time I even could process what was happening, he left the room. I hugged my knees and cursed inwardly.
"I would like to get the Walkman tape along this diary, please. Could you please wrap the diary with a nice wrapping paper please," I said. I bought the things and went out to my car. My phone rang and I answered it. It was Charan, the only one who makes this world a bearable place for me.
"Hey, sweetie," I said.
"Mom, don't call me that can you," he said annoyingly. I couldn't help but smile.
"Alright. What do you want? I am sure that is the only reason you called me," I said.
"There's this latest edition of Counter Strike and Dota that is out today. I need you to get it for me, please," he begged.
"Charan, video games are bad for you. Plus, they aren't made for kids like your age," I tried to reason with him.
"Mum, but I am bored playing the old ones. I need this new version, Ma. Please!" he begged but this time pouted a little. Charan is obsessed with video games. In a way, he is like me. I used to spend my childhood locked in my room with books and Charan is doing the same with video games. I tried bringing him out to make some friends and be a little outgoing. But I came to realize that's just not him. He's more like himself when he's around the X-box, then when he is boys and girls his age. Recently, he's been getting good grades, so I convinced myself he needs to be rewarded.
"Alright. I'll get it. But you need to finish your homework's and help Purvi with the chores. And don't forget to send me the full name of that video games of yours," I said in a slight stern voice.
"Thank you. Love you. And don't forget to get a box of ice-cream. We're out of stock," he said and hung up. That cheeky little monkey, I smiled to myself. I set the GPS to the nearest video game shop and started the car engine.
I went into the shop and realized that it was crowded with teen boys and some men who clearly still lives under their parents' basement. I cringed slightly and entered in. After queuing up for about an hour, my turn finally came. I wrote down the exact name and version of the video games Charan wanted. The guy with horrible breath asked me to wait for few minutes and vanished. To kill some time, I absentmindedly looked around the store. There were some cool water guns that I wanted to get for Charan. I was too busy surveying around when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around thinking it'd be the store guy coming back with the video games. To my complete shock, it was Abhi. I had to blink multiple times to make sure that I wasn't dreaming. And apparently it isn't a dream. He was standing right here for real, looking at me. I tried to smile but it all came out wrong and awkward. He just gave me a small smile back.
"I was just guessing, and it is really you," he said. His voice sounds still the same, it just has gotten more mature. And so has his face. His stubble is an evidence of that. His shoulders has broadened and muscled. Long gone the bad boy who stole my heart once.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"Nothing. Just came here to look around. You?" he asked.
"Came to get this latest video game called something-I-don't-even-know for my son," I stuttered. Get a grip, Pragya! You're a lecturer, not a love-struck teenage girl anymore. Stop acting like one, I mentally scolded myself.
"I see. Congratulations. Did you came to get something for your kids too?" I asked hoping to know more about him. He gave me a genuine smile for the first time and shook his head.
"I don't have kids," he said. The sales guy who needs a peppermint breath returned with the CD's to me.
"Here, they are," he handed them to me. Hoping that Abhi would wait for me so that we can continue our conversation, I headed to the cashier to pay for the video games I bought. After paying, I went to check the exact spot I left him. He was gone. Ahead of me was nothing, but an empty aisle. He left me. Again. Just like ten years ago at the inventory room in the library.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING AND FOR YOUR PATIENCE!â¤ď¸
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