|~ALL OF ME~| - A Two Shot!

The bell rang loud and clear, signifying the end of class.

Finally!
I moved slowly and put all my stuff into my bag and began following the crowd exiting the class.Where is he? Where is he? I craned my neck but couldn't find him anywhere. I knew he was supposed to come out of his political science class. A frown made its way on my face. Did he leave early? Did I miss him? Is he fine?
Just when I was seriously beginning to worry... he entered my line of sight.

And I freaked out like every other day and averted my eyes quickly. I let my long hair fall to the side of my face so I could continue watching him without being noticed. He was coming this way as I knew he would, on his way to his chemistry class. I counted my steps, but pretended to be absorbed in something else, though I didn't know why. I had no reason to worry that he would actually notice me ogling him. It wasn't like anyone, specially him, was looking at me. I was plain ordinary Sanyukta. I didn't turn heads. People didn't notice me.
They noticed him.

Randhir Singh Shekhawat.

As he walked, people gave him way. My breath caught as he moved past me. He was dressed in his usual attire. Black jeans which hung from his hips. White t shirt which held onto the contours of his chest. Sigh.

And then he turned around and disappeared round the corner.

I huffed out a breath turned around the opposite direction.
Now that the anticipation of seeing him left me, I thought of how pathetic all of this really was.

I first saw Randhir exactly a week after we had moved to Boston. My parents had separated. My dad... he got married to a girl exact 21 years younger than him... On the exact next day the court had declared my parents divorced. Having heard enough taunts from the neighbors and the elderly ladies and maids and pretty much everyone around, my mom had probably been looking for an escape plan for a long time. That's where my uncle, mom's brother, comes into the picture. He suggested that we move away from India and shift base to where he lived with his family. Boston.

And so here we are. It's been three months already. At first we we lived with uncle, his wife and their daughter Vidushi. I had met uncle and aunt only once in my life. I didn't even remember how it went. I was 4. Vidushi, I had never met. And a first couple days I thought we would never get along. She was everything I wasn't. She was bold, outgoing, straightforward and just very... in your face. Her attitude bothered me a lot in the beginning because she came across as a little arrogant for my choice. But shes been great ever since I've enrolled in the school she goes to. Now I have her for pretty much all my classes. She's been a real help. From helping me settle in classes, to driving away bullies... She has even taken my clumsy, awkward gawkiness in stride and let me hang out with all the cool kids who are her friends.

Now my mom and I have our own place. Mom had a teaching degree which she has put to good use here. Our rented flat is nice, small and cosy... but I miss living with my relatives. It had its quirks.
And by quirks I mean... being neighbours with Randhir Singh Shekhawat.

It was the first day of my new school. A nervous wreck, I stood outside the double story home, around the fencing, absorbing the cool quiet morning air of Boston while waiting for my cousin to saunter out. I was taking deep breaths to calm myself down when movement far across the street caught my gaze. It looked like an animal. I walked out into the front yard and saw what appeared to be a very old dog that was in obvious distress. He would walk in a semi-circle, then fall to the ground, then struggle back to his feet and do it again. I began walking closer to it and to my horror noticed that the dog was very badly injured. This sad, unneutered male was in just the worst shape of any dog I had ever seen. He was emaciated, dehydrated, his right eye was swollen shut and an ear was draining puss. Someone had beat up this poor helpless animal. I felt a surge of anger like I'd never felt. How could any human do this? Just when I was reaching the dog, I heard someone walking by. I stopped in my tracks and looked up at probably the most attractive guy I had ever seen. And to my surprise he looked of Indian descent. He came up to the wounded animal with a bucket, towel and what looked like a first aid kit. The dog didn't appear to hear him approaching but when he saw his shadow, he flinched and fell to the ground as if he were about to be beaten again and cowered. It was heartbreaking.

I don't know why but I quickly hid behind the bark of a tree, my head peeping as I watched the guy bend and carefully hold the dog.
"Hey there old boy. Time to get you back in shape... " He spoke in the most soothing voice as he wet the towel in the bucket and dabbed it on the dog's injury with such gentleness that tears filled my eyes. He then picked up the dog and placed it in his lap and began putting some ointment on its legs. Did people like him still exist? He looked not more than a couple years older than me... She hadn't ever thought that a guy, specially someone around her age could be capable of such an act of kindness. Men, in her general idea, were conceited, contemptuous, self-opinionated and scornful creatures; A theory proven right by none other than her own father.

When she noticed Vidushi standing by the fence, her face a mask of cluelessness, she quickly hurried back to her. She kept looking back and smiled at the way he smiled at the dog now looking a lot better in his lap.

Later that day to her surprise and absolute delight she saw him at school too. Sitting at the far end table in the lunch cafeteria surrounded by a group of seniors, having a good time. That's when she had pointed him out to Vidushi in a low voice.

"Who? Oh him. That's George."
"No. not him. The other guy."
"That's Sam."
Sanyukta saw Vidushi trying to hide a grin in her coffee mug. Her cousin was so mean.
She looked up batting her eyes innocently and then smirked at her.

"Ooohhh. So you wanna know about Randhiiir?"
"Is that his name." Sanyukta asked shyly.
"Yes, darling sister of mine. He's Randhir Singh Shekhawat. Indian. Hottie. Senior. Currently single. Teachers pet. Every girl's dream. Out of reach."
Sanyukta frowned.
Vidushi laughed.
"No. Seriously. He's got like this legion of fangirls... and they're our seniors. Bitches. Look at all those girls on that table. They wouldn't let him come anywhere near us. Besides, he's with a new girl every weekend. All from one of them. Do me a favour and do not crush on him. It'll be like crushing on Tom Cruise. Okay, Ranbir Kapoor for you-"
"I know who Tom Cruise is." Sanyukta pointed out.
"Whatever. Just...don't. You know you cannot have him. It's worthless."
"I- I don't want him. I was just-"
"Besides, he kinda represents us you know. He's big deal. In other words... unattainable to girls like us who aren't even in his year. Juniors." Vidushi said it like it was a dirty word.
"Represents us?"
"We. The Indian clan."
"Ohh..." Sanyukta looked at him again.
"Im totally serious about this Sanyu. Look at Jessica."
"Who?"
"The girl sitting to your right... I just introduced you guys!"
"Sorry! What about her?"
"She has been in love with him forever. Look at her. And he doesn't even know she exists. Poor thing. She's suffering."
And sure enough on close observation, Sanyukta did notice that her eyes wandered to Randhir every 3 seconds.

At first she had wanted to talk to him. She had carefully formulated this plan that one evening she would go out on a stroll, when she knew he was out in his garden playing ball with his dad and then casually ask him about the dog and what happened to it. She knew they had kept it. He even walked him a couple nights in a week. It would be a great conversation starter. But Sanyukta also knew herself. She knew that the moment she would be near him, she would be flustered and behave like the imbecile that she was. Also, she didn't want to be Jessica part 2. So she let things be. And then she moved away with her mom to their own space.

And every day for the past 3 months, she has been watching him. He was popular, funny, always surrounded by people, girls to be more specific... which hurt her more than she could comprehend... But the thing she had noticed and loved the most about him was that... he was kind. She was once standing behind him in line for lunch and had seen him pay money for a junior who didn't have the amount to pay the lunch ticket. All the things he did made her heart swell with warmth. He was... amazing.

Vidushi had once joked and told her that she was in love. Sanyukta didn't know what love was. But she did know that both her heart and mind were fascinated by him.
She also knew that she was in trouble. Big time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~