CHAPTER 4
The Delhi to Jaipur sector of the flight was quite uneventful. Both Siddhant and Madhumita fell asleep out of tiredness.
It was close to ten thirty in the night when their flight landed in Jaipur. Since the camp had people arriving from different cities at different timings, there were periodical shuttle services arranged to transport them to the the main center of the camp, where they'd be spending the first two nights. Siddhant and Madhumita had an hour of wait before the next shuttle.
"I'm starving!" Madhumita said.
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It wasn't exactly her business,but seeing Siddhant wolfing down his chicken wrap irked her. He must have grown up not knowing how tasty vegetarian food is. The Brahmin girl thought, and went on to gobble up her second Aloo Tikki Sandwich.
"So your senior school had a serious dearth of good guys?" Siddhant winked.
"No. I was dumb. So dumb that I cried continuously for a week when he ended the relationship that was just 3 months long. I don't even remember how or why I fell for him."
She spoke in a very soft and timid voice, but he assessed that she was frank and non pretentious. She had no insecurities in calling herself dumb. She did not worry that she was a messy eater. She had no qualms about a young guy watching her licking off the ketchup smeared all over hand like a kid, and slurping Mojito in between. Definitely not something he expected from a girl of her stature.
The camper that he accidentally ran into, wasn't a bad one after all!
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Madhumita, Siddhant, Naveen and few others were queued up in the lobby of the camp to fill up forms and mark their Check Ins. Given the time of the night, most of them were sleeping and the camp was rather silent. Seeing Madhumita's eyes getting droopy, Siddhant felt that she might collapse on the floor any moment. She looked cute that way.
"AAAHHH". Madhumita let out a sudden cry, loud enough to grab everyone's attention.
There she was, unleashing terror! Out of nowhere, Sayali landed right behind her and hit her hard on her back. Everyone looked puzzled.
" Excuse me?" Siddhant broke in, confusion and anger evident in his voice. The fact that he stood up for her ,soothed her even while wincing in pain.
On the other side, the fuming Sayali had already begun to melt at the sight of this man. Her anger was slowly giving way to a drool. Sensing this, Madhumita's eyes went wide and wasting no time, she broke in to save their pride.
"Eh Siddhant..nothing..she is the friend I was talking about."
"O... ohh...Sayali right... I'm sorry. I just did not know what was happening. Nice to meet you!"😊 He smiled.
Sayali's jaw had begun to drop. He knew her name. She could almost imagine cool breeze caressing her face and making her fringes dance. She was brought back to reality when Madhumita pinched her back.
" Oh..hello.. sorry.. I...Nice to meet you!" 😊
Siddhant sensed the discomfort and decided to leave.
" Ok, you girls carry on!"
Very casually, he gave a gentle pat on Madhumita's shoulder and said,
"Take good rest, busy days ahead. Bye!" 😉He picked his bags up and headed towards his room.
As she stood watching him walk away, she felt being pulled by Sayali, who held Madhu's collar in one hand and her bags in the other. She was soon pushed on to her bed, her bags landing on her. Madhumita soon sat up on the bed,smiling in a goofy manner.
"Madam. EXXPLAIN" 😡
" What? I messaged you right? Professor did not let me..."
" Oh not that stupid! How did you meet him? HIMM?" she interrupted.
As soon as she explained,Sayali jumped on to the bed and started hitting a guffawing Madhumita, who was trying hard to defend the blows.
"I had told you.I had told you that we'll book the night flight. You were the one who insisted on taking the other one to reach early.
And in the end? I travelled sitting between a pot bellied man who snored like a lion, and an eight year old who pestered me with a Rubix cube.
But you? You flew down with a hunk. You talked to him, ate with him, drank with him, slept with him..."
"Slept with him? What the hell?"😲
"I meant slept in adjoining seats. I'm sure his arms would have have rubbed against yours.."
" You crazy woman!" Madhumita's boisterous laughter now resembled that of a hyena-something she has been (in)famous for since times immemorial.
She freshened up after a while and got ready for bed. The third one in their room was yet to check in. The two women were lying curled up in their respective beds when Sayali broke the silence.
"Madhooo?"
"Hmm??"
" In a way it's good. He seems quite free with you already. I can use you as an access card to reach him! "
She hurled a pillow at Sayali. "Stop thinking of useless men and go to sleep. Goodnight!"
She obviously could not admit that she too, had been thinking of the same 'useless' man.
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"Madhu, don't you wanna say Goodmorning to him ? " They were in the lawn, for their breakfast buffet.
"I like his tee shirt. And his biceps are beckoning me!"
Madhumita threw a deadly glance at her friend, who was behaving like an excited electron.
" Who the hell is that woman talking to him though? That too a good looking piece!"
Madhumita too had noticed the pretty girl and two other guys who were talking to Sidhant in the corner of the huge lawn that could accommodate all the campers. Though she was curious, she chose to remain non chalant.
Filling up their plates, the girls sat down to eat. As if reminded of something, Sayali sprang up from the chair.
"Madhu,wait. I'll get you the fruits platter."
" No it's fine. I'm okay with the toast"
" Iyer Amma you don't even eat an omelette. Just wait. I saw them restocking the cut fruits." Sayali disappeared.
Not many people liked Sayali for being a 'Jumping Jack', but Madhumita had always stood by her. In fact she would stand by anyone. She was precious to Sayali , for she is one of the very few in her life who chose to believe that beneath all her superficial layers, a heart existed.
She soon returned with a small plate, covered with another. Madhumita uncovered it.
"AAAHHH". She let out her second scream at the camp. Only that this time it was screeching loud, making the entire lawn go silent and getting all the eyes fixed on her.
In seconds she understood that the lizard in the plate before her was a rubber toy. Sayali has pulled the usual prank on her, yet again. It was as silly as it could get, but she wasn't expecting it NOW.
Not in a totally new place.
Not in the presence of so many unknown people.
Not in the presence of one known person she wanted to know better.
The thought of being watched by all, made her slip out of her senses.
" F*** you Bi**** ! "
It came out in a reflex, as loud as the scream. Suddenly she became aware of the surroundings.She could hear murmurs somewhere , and giggles elsewhere.
That was it. The official inauguration of the camp and introduction is yet to happen, but she has already caught everyone's attention for all the wrong reasons. She is gonna be tagged as the abusive woman, while she is someone who has never done that in public. In fact except with Harshit, that too in a lighter vein, abusing was never her cup of tea. But at times those psychological fears overpower one's senses. And today, it happened to her.
Sayali held her hand. " Madhu... I was just... I mean you've never reacted this way..Sorry Madhu..." Her eyes had welled up.
Madhu raised her hands, in a gesture to stop talking.
Without lifting her eyes off the ground, she walked away into her room, with Sayali running after her.
The audience soon got back to their respective business. However few metres away, there was one pair of eyes that genuinely housed concern.
The very same pair of eyes that Madhumita wished, had not witnessed this silly drama at all.
-End of Chapter-
Feedbacks Appreciated! 😉
Edited by fictitious - 8 years ago
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
