This one is for Shika. I'm sorry that this gift is coming in a day later than your birthday but I hope you had a great day! Belated Happy Birthday! 🤗
Chapter Fourteen
Anaya takes me to her place straight from college, insisting that we get ready for the party together. The first person to greet us is a short plump woman, all smiles and dimples, who Anaya introduces as her mother. The woman is bubbly and very active, moving from one corner of the kitchen to the other rapidly, getting her things done for the few minutes that she simultaneously talks to me and Anaya. After a few moments, Anaya leads me to her room where two younger girls immediately barge in, calling for her. Shutting them up, Anaya tells me they're both her sisters, seventeen-year-old Pia and fifteen-year-old Sia. They both are told by Anaya to sit and chat with me for the while that she brings something for us to eat. As Anaya leaves the room, the two girls sit in front of me on the bed with their legs folded, chatting away about the drop dead looks of some celebrity whose concert they're going to attend in the evening. I just watch the two silently as they praise the celebrity, counting to me his qualities, how well he sings and that I absolutely have to listen to his latest album. Listening to the two talk is more like entertainment than a conversation and I enjoy it without having to put in a lot of words.
Pia then speaks out something which shouldn't have surprised me but it does. It amuses me more than it surprises me though. 'You know Maan? Anaya's friend?' I nod. 'He is so hot, isn't he? I can just look at him all day long.' She sighs dreamily. Sia speaks up then. 'I wish I could come with you to the party at his place.' Putting her hand on her chin thoughtfully, she continues, 'But I think I have more chances with this celebrity so I'll go to the concert.' My mouth opens but nothing comes out so I close it. Wow! Somebody listen to these two discuss boys! Just then, Anaya, who reappears behind them, puts the tray in her hand aside and slightly smacks both their heads, telling them to hold their tongues and thoughts and not scare me away. The girls then rush out of the room on the pretext of getting ready for the concert and Anaya shuts the door, bringing the tray to the bed and serving me the sandwiches and the juice she has brought. We both lean against the headboard with her legs stretched in front of us and mine folded to a side as we eat while she talks a little about her sisters and how crazy the two are.
As soon as we're done eating, she jumps off the bed and drags me with her to the adjoining dressing room, opening the cupboard and showing me her dresses to choose from for tonight, not paying any heed to my refusal. She pulls out a few dresses and some tops, laying them on the bed and tells me to pick something. Giving up, I look at the collections she has laid out and pick the most ordinary top among them. It's a black sleeveless top with four layers of net frills just below the bust. 'I can wear this on these jeans that I'm wearing.' Anaya looks at it and then shakes her head. 'No. You won't wear that. That is way too simple for tonight.' I frown. 'It's not like it's a big party.' 'But it's a party, nonetheless. Wait. Let me give you something better.' She looks at the bed and picks up three things. One is a metallic brown tube top with some gathers to the side at its waist. The second one is a pink deep cut halter neck top and the third one is a sea-green top with gold sequins on the neck and a band at the waist. I look at all three and take the sea-green top which is the least revealing. It's simple yet pretty, not that the other two aren't pretty but they're too revealing for my taste. Anaya grins with my choice. 'I knew you'll choose this one. And with this top, you're going to wear these black skinny jeans.' I gaze at the jeans for a moment before trying to refuse but she doesn't listen.
After handing me the decided set of clothes, she picks one off-shoulder top for herself. It's red and has an asymmetric neckline. She tells me we have an hour and half to get ready and then we'll leave with her parents. Getting ready with Anaya around is fun. She turns the music up and sways as she moves around the room, collecting accessories to match with our clothes. With small studs in my ears, a golden bracelet on my wrist, hair straightened and let loose, and light eye make-up, my look is complete. On the other hand, Anaya curls her hair on the ends and goes for smokey eyes. She looks stunning, without a doubt. Not long after we get ready, Anaya's mother calls us, saying that we are to leave in another five minutes.
-------------------------------------I just put my foot on the last step of the stairs after getting ready for the evening, when the bell rings. The first of our guests have probably arrived so I take a quick look around the hall to see everything in its place, just the way I and Ranbir have been trying to do since morning. As I open the door, Anaya's mother and father's smiling faces greet me. They both engulf me in hugs and I let them in to see two beautiful girls making their way to the door, quietly talking to each other. I stare wide-eyed at them as they look at me and smile.
They look so different. My eyes focus on Geet.
And beautiful. As they come to stand right in front of me, Anaya snaps her fingers.
'What?' I school my features to get them straight.
'You girls don't look like you.
' Anaya narrows her eyes.
'We don't look good?' I roll my eyes.
'Did I say that?' She grins.
'That means we look pretty.' 'Of course you girls look beautiful!' Ranbir's voice cuts in from behind me and I move aside to let the girls enter while I stand there to greet Ayush and his parents who just get down from their car.
-------------------------------------I see Anaya looking at Ayush who has just entered. As Maan greets his parents, I ask Anaya to go meet them too. She doesn't answer at first but then takes me with her. Ayush's parents greet Anaya as their own daughter and I marvel at the way they talk to each other. I catch the pleasantly surprised look on Ayush's face when Anaya hugs him sideways and he grins widely. Anaya then introduces me to his parents who greet me formally before they head off to meet Maan's mother.
As Anaya pulls away from Ayush and they both go inside, I start to follow them when Maan stops me.
'Geet I -' Whatever he wants to say is cut short by the doorbell ringing. He opens the door to welcome Jess and her family. As I get introduced to them, I find out that Jess has a brother who is three years younger and twin sisters six years younger than her. Maan leads them inside and I follow silently. Just as I sit down, the bell rings again and this time, Ranbir opens the door, greeting the guests and bringing him to the place where I'm sitting beside Aunty. It's Zara and her family. Zara looks breathtakingly gorgeous in her grey silk dress with cap sleeves and a bow knotted at her waist, falling just above her knees.
'She's so beautiful.' Anaya whispers in my ear and I agree. As Ranbir introduces the family to his mother, a very good-looking boy - hot, as Anaya immediately says - nearly of our age, comes to the front. Neil, Ranbir tells, is Zara's only brother. Apart from these two, there's another girl in their family, Zara's youngest sister who, at the moment, is away to a different city for her studies. Neil is even more flirtatious than Ayush, grinning widely as he sees Anaya and me. I just turn my eyes away and find Anaya smiling back at him. I nudge her a little and she looks at me, still smiling. I signal her to look at Ayush who's looking her way and she rolls her eyes. In the meanwhile, Jess walks up to Neil, introducing herself. When Neil responds very invitingly, Jess' enthusiasm almost becomes tangible and the two find a corner to sit and chat. Seeing the way Jess talks to him, Anaya whispers in my ear.
'Congratulations!' I look at her questioningly.
'Maan will be saved now.' And we both laugh silently, my eyes darting to Maan, who's leaning over his mother as she says something to him.
-------------------------------------The last family to come is G's. When I go to greet her, she lets out a low whistle as she sees me. Much to my embarrassment, three pairs of eyes turn towards me, Ranbir, Jess and Maan. While Ranbir smiles and turns away almost immediately and Jess just blankly stares and looks away, Maan doesn't smile. Neither does he look away. I raise my eyes to his to find them unreadable and he turns away at Ayush's father's call.
Don't I look good to him? I think to myself with an unsettling disappointment.
-------------------------------------Watching Geet talk with G and Anaya, sometimes indulging in little Ryan's chatter, I try to find a way to get her alone. I really do want to tell her she looks beautiful, but I can't find an opening.
I'm not going to say anything in front of Mom or Ranbir, or else they'll tease the hell out of me. I mumble to myself.
And I'm going to compliment on how good Geet
looks, unlike the spring party when I said her dress looked nice. As I look at her, right now, laughing over something Anaya has said, a voice distracts me.
'Maan.' I turn a bit to find G standing beside me.
'Uhh.. yes?' She looks at me for a moment.
'Don't think so much for it. Just do it.' My eyes widen a bit.
Is she saying what I think she's saying? I still feign confusion.
'What are you talking about?' She grins mischievously, looks pointedly at Geet and then back at me, speaking after a wink.
'You know what I mean, smart guy!' Saying that, she walks away to sit by my mother's side.
Is it too obvious on my face that I want to talk to Geet?Not more than two minutes later, G announces that dinner is going to be served. She gets up and calls Anaya and Geet to help her. As G passes me, she smiles wickedly.
'Maan, why don't you come show us what things have to be brought out to the table?' I nod, keeping my own smile in check and I follow her. Just before we step into the kitchen, Ayush shows up beside Anaya and I see Geet saying something to her, after which Anaya asks Ayush to come with her to the front yard. My eyes trail after them and when I look back to the kitchen, I see Geet looking at me with a big smile which I return. I step into the kitchen and G, who is already fiddling with the utensils kept in there, picks the first bowl, saying that she'll take this one outside.
'So you talked to Anaya.' I speak when G leaves.
'Mmm-hmm.' She nods, picking the dish of rice and going out of the kitchen. Before I can try to stop her, she's out of the door and I pout at being unable to say what I actually wanted to. G comes back in and frowns at me, silently picks another bowl, looks at me meaningfully and leaves just as Geet enters back. As she picks the tray of salad and starts to leave again. I call her name but G's voice calling her stops me from saying anything and she goes out saying she'll just be back.
G comes and winks at me.
'Play harder, mister.' I raise an eyebrow.
Am I too easy a target for teasing? Mom, Ranbir and now G as well! Geet steps into the kitchen, asking for anything that's left to be taken out. G answers in negative as she leaves the kitchen. Geet shrugs and turns around but I act fast this time. I hold her wrist and she looks back at me questioningly. A tiny part of my brain registers that she doesn't try to release her hand.
'Geet I wanted to tell you something.' I speak as I lower both our hands, still not leaving her wrist.
Say it Maan! I boost myself.
'Thank you.' A mental slap is what I give to myself. She sighs.
'I told you before too. They're my friends as well and I'll do whatever I can to get them back to the way they were.' I nod.
'Is that all you wanted to say?' She raises an eyebrow as she looks straight at me. I begin to nod again but stop myself in time and shake my head a little too vigorously. She chuckles and raises both her eyebrows in question.
Stop acting like a love-struck teenager, I scold myself.
It's now or never. With this thought, I look into her eyes.
'You look beautiful, Geet.' After a moment's silence, her mouth opens to say something and closes again, her cheeks turning slightly pink at the compliment. She smiles a little shyly and looks at me from under her lashes. The moment breaks when Mom calls me and we both jerk back into reality, only now realising we were standing very close. She quickly rushes out of the kitchen. Scratching the back of my head sheepishly with a smile on my face, I walk out of the kitchen to Mom.
-------------------------------------As I serve food in my plate, I look sideways at Maan talking to Ranbir and feel my cheeks turning pink again.
I look beautiful to him? My thoughts are broken as I see Anaya and Ayush entering the room holding hands and smiling. I feel a smile spread across my own face in response.
Thank you God! I turn to look at Maan and catch his eye. Forgetting my own shyness from a moment ago, I signal him to look at Anaya and Ayush, and then watch the happy smile that appears on his handsome face.
-------------------------------------After dinner is done, everyone settles down to just chat, boisterous laughter echoing through the room as funny incidents are shared. I just sit beside G silently, observing everyone. Up until now, I had only witnessed the way Maan's mother adores his friends but now I see how the three friends are loved by the other two sets of parents as well. I'm amazed by how closely bonded these three friends are with each other and their families as well.
As I look around myself, I see families bonding together and having a great time. It makes me miss my own family, being with them, spending time with them. As I watch Maan and Ranbir laughing over something with their mother, I don't realise when G gets up. Only when someone sits down with a huff, I look over to see Ayush in her place. I smile faintly before looking away.
'I know how you're feeling right now.' I look at back at him.
'You're missing your family, aren't you?' 'How do you know?' He shrugs.
'I feel that often. Well, not technically missing my family but missing the presence of a sibling.' It's only then that I realise that no other kid has come with his family.
'I don't have any sibling, you see.' 'Oh' is the only word that comes out of my mouth.
'But you know, there are advantages to being the only child.' His voice loses the slight seriousness and comes back to its usual playfulness.
'And what are they?' I smile.
'Like not having to share your chocolates with anyone.' He grins and I laugh a little. When we both fall silent, he speaks softly.
'Thanks Geet.' I look at Anaya, who's talking to her mother.
'Anything for her, Ayush.' He smiles and looks at Anaya himself.
-------------------------------------Bringing Zara in the centre of the hall, Ranbir signals me and I switch off all the lights except for the one that is directly above their head. A silence falls over the place as everybody looks at the couple in the centre. Coming to stand by my mother, I hold her hand and share a smile with her before we both turn eyes towards Ranbir, witnessing the most precious moment of his life.
-------------------------------------I gasp as I see Maan's elder brother, Ranbir kneel down in front of Zara, the light shining on the two of them creating the ambience of a romantic scene from a movie. Zara's strikingly beautiful face has a tender smile as Ranbir holds his right hand out for her and she puts her left hand in it, his loud clear words ringing in the silence as he speaks.
'I don't know how to do this right and I haven't prepared any speech so I'm going to say what's coming in my heart right now.' He pauses and takes a deep breath before he continues.
'Zara, ever since I've known you, all I want to do is spend time with you, be with you. I want to laugh with you, cry with you. Care for you and get your care in return. I promise to love you till my breath lasts and beyond. Will you give me a chance to laugh and cry with you, to show my love to you and to quarrel with you? To be by your side at every step of our life? To share every happiness with you? Will you marry me, Zara?'Ranbir's words stun Zara for a moment and she just looks lovingly into his eyes with tears shining in her own. As the seconds pass, I feel anticipation settle in the room and my heart beat rises as I wait for Zara to answer. Her answer is simple.
'Yes.' But this whisper is filled with so much love and confidence that Ranbir slides in a delicate ring in her ring finger and gets up to hug her as loud cheers erupt in the room amidst clapping. I turn my head just in time to witness Aunty wipe off a tear as Maan side-hugs her, a wide grin depicting the happiness he feels for his brother. As the lights turn back on and Ranbir and Zara are showered with wishes from all the people present, Anaya sighs, standing beside me.
'That was so romantic!' I look at her to see her eyes fixed upon the newly engaged couple dreamily.
'How I wish somebody does that for me.' Before I can say something, a voice from behind us makes us jump. Even though the words are meant only for Anaya, I hear it too as Ayush whispers them in her ear.
'I promise to do this and a lot more for you.' I chuckle as Anaya whacks his hand a bit and tells him to shut up, visibly embarrassed by his attempt at romance.
-------------------------------------The next morning, our group is perfectly back to normal. Or even better than that. Ayush and Anaya's happiness is infectious and I and Maan feel happy too. I notice them holding hands more than once and they don't try to hide it. During lunch hour as well, their hands joined together lay on the table as they laugh and make fun of each other. Maan teases them that at least they haven't suddenly gone all lovey-dovey and shy after clearing everything out. I try not to notice Maan sitting just beside me and his rich perfume making way to me, but the more I try to concentrate on something else, the more I observe him. I notice the way he leans on the table as he teases the two. I notice the carefree way he laughs with them. I notice the way his fingers reach for the packet of chips and the way he chews them, relishing the taste. I smack myself mentally more than once but it's of no use.
-------------------------------------Ayush and Anaya wish to have lunch in the garden the next day so we all end up on the grass amidst the variety of flowers grown at the borders of the garden. Although it's only me and Maan left sitting there while Anaya and Ayush take a stroll around, with their hands clasped into each other's. Our eyes follow them as we see them walk from this corner to that and then Ayush stops to pluck a flower handing it over to Anaya. As I see them being a little romantic, my eyes dart to Maan to see his expression. To my chagrin, his eyes are on me and he catches me looking his way so I look away again, not even letting myself look at the two on the other side of the garden.
Awkward, my mind says.
-------------------------------------As we wait for Ayush to reach college the next morning, Anaya and I standing there silently while Maan drinks water from his bottle, I see him trotting towards us with a pack of chocolates in his hand. He comes to stand in front of Anaya and smiles widely giving her the chocolates.
'See I don't share my chocolates with anyone but I brought these especially for you.' Anaya takes them, rolling her eyes at Ayush but still smiling. As she opens them, she offers a piece to me. Just as the refusal is on the tip of my tongue, Ayush speaks up, telling Anaya that Maan can share his chocolates with me. Maan chokes on the water and coughs while I get embarrassed at what his words are insinuating. After a moment, Maan composes himself and asks me ever so casually if I want any chocolates. I don't meet his eyes and refuse, telling all three of them that we should go to class now.
-------------------------------------I reach our usual table at lunch only to stop short, finding Geet alone there. She looks up at me and smiles.
'Where are those two?' She grins and I roll my eyes.
'Not again!' She chuckles as I take a seat opposite her, offering her the biscuits I have brought.
'Where to this time? The garden, the common room or one of the benches in the playground?' She shrugs.
'I don't know. You'll have to check.' I smile wickedly as an idea strikes.
'I'll tell you what we'll do.' She questions me with her eyes.
'We're going to go sneak up on them.' I tell her in a hushed excited voice. Her eyes widen in disbelief and she immediately shakes her head.
'Oh no. We're not doing that.' 'Come on! It'll be fun!' She still doesn't agree so I pull out the face that Mom or Ranbir can not refuse to. I widen my eyes and pout my lips a bit to give the effect of innocence, adding a small
'please' to finish the touch. It works because she agrees.
'Fine.'As we both set off, we check in the garden first and then the benches on the playground. The last place to check is the common room. Either they'll be there or they've decided to bunk the rest of the day. I stop short at the door to the room.
Oh shit! I hurriedly turn around to not let Geet know the two are in there and what exactly they're up to.
Too late. Geet sees my face and then leans around me to get a peek in the room and gasps.
Damn! Did the two new love birds have to kiss
so openly?! They're obviously alerted of our presence as I hear Ayush's throat clearing. I turn halfway to look at the two cautiously. Both of them are embarrassed, and so are Geet and I. Geet stutters a little while apologising and then hurriedly escapes, citing the excuse of some work. I use the same excuse to rush in the opposite direction of where Geet has gone, not wanting to create any more awkwardness between us. I end up in the garden near the college gates.
You jerk, I scold myself.
Why did you have to force Geet to sneak up on those two? Why did you have to make such a plan in the first place? Ab bughto!-------------------------------------Dear head,
Can you please get rid of the bees flying inside you that we so lovingly call thoughts? I'd love to get some sleep here.
Yours sincerely,
The one who owns youThat is exactly what I told my head a few moments ago. But alas! I came here to talk with you, my dear diary. Maybe I'll be able to rest my mind after I say it all to you. I can't sleep tonight with all the thoughts floating in my head. Diary... I feel strange. No, not unwell, but
strange. I don't know if it's good or not.
I've been thinking about a few things. I'm not sure if what I'm thinking really holds any base or not but I can't help sharing my thoughts with you. Do you remember I mentioned about the feeling of being watched some time back? Well... I don't know if it makes sense or not but with what G said a few weeks earlier, my mind is constantly relating that feeling to Maan. As if it's him who's been watching me. Of course I've noticed him looking at me many a times but still...
Forget that. You know what? These last few days have been wonderful. I'm so happy with the way life is going. Anaya and Ayush resolving their issues, Aunty recovering completely, and Maan and I bonding well. Wait. Scratch that. Maan and I have become good friends. Don't think otherwise. Ever since I've become friends with these three, I have come to know what "college life fun" is that is talked about with fondness all around.
Tonight I feel like writing a few lines. Now there's no secret between you and me so I'll tell you who these are related to. It's Maan. I just wrote these two pieces and I can't stop myself from writing them down here. The first one is this:
With my eyes shut or open,
The face I see is yours.
In solitude or in society,
You were there whenever need arose.
A strong pillar, for me, you were,
Silently supporting, never the one to impose...And this is the other one. Don't be surprised that I wrote something in a language other than English. You know I write in both the languages.
Uthi jo nigah meri
Teri aankhon ki gehraayi dekhi
Jhukaayein jo palkein maine
Suni teri hasi ki kilkaari
Dagmagaya jo mera ik qadam
Tere sahare ne sambhala mujhe
Palat kar dekha jab bhi maine
Wahan khade maujood paya tujhe
Uthi jo nigah meri
Teri aankhon ki gehraayi dekhi
Aur uss gehraayi mein
Maine apni parchhaayi dekhi...Okay, okay. Don't embarrass me. I'm going to sleep now.
-------------------------------------I smile as I see Anaya and Geet walk away, chatting and laughing. The past few days have been so joyous for all of us with everything settling in its place. Ayush's throat clearing brings my attention to him as he stands beside me, looking the same way as I was some moments ago. After the girls are a considerable distance away, but still in our sight, Ayush speaks up.
'I've fulfilled the promise I made to you Maan.' My smile widens.
'I'm really happy for you, dude.' I put an arm around his shoulder, half hugging him. He smiles briefly but then turns a little serious.
'You still have to work on your promise.' I sigh and my eyes float to Geet's retreating back. Over this time, Geet and I have become so comfortable with each other, we've become really good friends. And I don't want to ruin my friendship by telling her how I really feel for her.
'You don't have a lot of time, Maan.' I look at Ayush with a frown.
'You don't have to bring that up.' 'I do.' He argues.
'Because if I don't remind you, you'll waste these two months you have with her and she'll leave. You do realise that she has to go back to her place after our exams in June - and March has ended already.' I look down as I realise with a sudden fear, the verity of his words.
What if she goes away without ever promising to be back?
Edited by mayyo13 - 12 years ago
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