Abhi Drabble Diaries - Completed - Page 3

20^th March 2004

"Bhaiyaji how much for two vadapavs?"

"Oyi Purab, why are you paying for mine too?"

"Bhai, I have a good news, so just celebrating it with you"

"What is it Purab?"

"Bhai, please keep this to yourself, since I don't want all the guys celebrating about this right now and belittling her loss, but Suresh has come back in Pragya di's life - He had come yesterday to meet the family and apologized for his misunderstanding. Bhai finally Pragya di smiled a little yesterday, since she will now be able to fulfil her father's wish"

I smiled in satisfaction and took a big bite of the vadapav. My plan had worked! I had searched yellow pages and called all the numbers with the name of Suresh Shrivastava, and finally found him. I explained him the situation and the circumstances that led me to playing such a prank and profusely apologized for seeing how horribly it went wrong. He turned out to be cooler than he seemed. After a prolonged pause, he said he understood and I was forgiven.

***

"Abhi! Can you drop me home today? My drivers done a bunk" said a flirtatious Tanu with fluttery eyes.

"Hey Tanu, do you mind if Aaliya drops you? I sort of have some work"

"Aww...what work Abhi? You sure you cant make it?" winked Tanu mischeviously.

"Sorry Tanu he really cannot accompany you. He has got detention from Tripathi sir for flunking Business Maths. I am to coach him on a chapter today for his resit" piped in chashmish coolly from my right. I was startled, when did she come here!

"Hi Pragya, is it so? Oh, I guess I will ask Aaliya then." Then she turned to me and whispered very audibly making sure chashmish heard her "Abhi, I feel so bad for you! Being stuck with the specky all afternoon, but don't worry after your torture hour is over, you can join me and Aaliya for the movie we have planned to catch tonight"

I faked a smile at her gesture but was very disturbed at her snide remark for chashmish. Irritating - well that she was, but still chashmish was better company than that feather brained Tanu I think.

"So we are even now. I saved you from pea brain" I laughed at Tanu's reference.

"Thanks! But flunked in BM? You had to come up with that?"

"It is true isn't it?"

"How do you know?"

"You think I didn't get even with you after the V-day incident? That last two sums you copied from me? You really thought I didn't notice? I was done with my paper long back, I had used that extra sheet to do the sums wrongly so you could copy them. With twenty marks straight gone, what chance do you stand rockstar?" smirked chashmish!

"You freak! Holy cow you set me up with that?"

"Of course, couldn't just let you walk away with my would be husband, we had to be even!"

"Which brings me to my original question. Why did you need to help me to get even this time?"

"Well Suresh told me about your plight with the yellow pages" and to my surprise she giggled.

"Since when did you learn feminine things like giggling chashmish?" I asked amazed.

"Since you started behaving nice creepo!" She smiled once again and was walking away, then she turned around and thanked me once more with all sincerity.

I guess we are sort of friends now?

***

I was thinking all the while I was driving home today, if we are "sort of" friends now, I needed to tell her this and get it out of my system once and for all. So I text messaged her.

"Hey chashmish. I am sorry for everything"

"Hi rockstar! Well, all is forgiven, except for the time when you dropped me from Juliet's balcony back in junior school, when Romeo had gone to the loo"

"Wasn't I Romeo?"

"No, you were playing the sculptured statue placed in Juliet's balcony for decoration"

"Hah. But seriously chashmish - FYI delete this from your memory when we meet tomorrow and never bring up tonights conversation up in front of me. But I am sorry. Had I not played such a hideous prank on you that day your engagement would have stayed intact, maybe your dad wouldn't have been heart broken and he could have lived longer, given you that many more memories to cherish after him. I am so sorry Pragya"

I waited anxiously as the revert didn't come in the same pace. I anticipated a weeping chashmish and rebuked myself for being the cause. But then a response came.