SwaSan TS: The Journey

"Now Shona, call me as soon as you reach there. Okay?" Mom said, waving her hand as the train started to move. "Yes mom. Don't worry." I assured her, smiling. Mom worried a lot. To her it didn't matter that I was twenty three and perfectly capable of handling myself. Not to mention that this was hardly the first time I was travelling alone. She still worried, like all the other mothers. It was sort of like a universal law or something. "And tell Ragini that we miss her a lot and to come home soon." My dad who was standing behind my mom told me. "Yes, dad. I remember." I said, my gaze now directed towards my dad. He unlike mom, was not the least bit worried. And he waved me goodbye with a bright smile. For me, he was the best dad in the world. Growing up I was always a daddy's princess rather than mommy's angel. He was my partner in crime and my best friend. And I was really going to miss him for the next week.

We were at the Howrah railway station, my parrents had came to see me off as I was leaving to spend the week with my sister, Ragini. Ever since Ragini, who was my twin sister, started working at a private company as an architect in Lucknow, we had been seeing her less and less. And now since I only had one week of vacation left before they resumed classes at the acadamy, I decided to spend it visiting my sister. Ever since we were kids Ragini and I were inseperable, we were the perfecf yin and yang. She was the sweet, softspoken child and the apple of my mother's eye while I was the local troublemaker, as dadi described me, Shaitaan Swara. I missed her like hell these days. Ever since I made plans, I was over the moon excited to see her again.

I kept waving even after my parrents' image disappeared from my view. The train was starting to speed up, the wind sending my long hair in every direction. I was about to go back to my seat when I first saw him. He was wearing a leather jacket over a white T-shirt and had a big backpack over his shoulder. He looked extremely handsome witb dark hair and a blessed height. But it was not his obviosly attractive attributes what caught my attention. I noticed him due to the fact that he was running crazily behind the train, obviously trying to get inside. I stared at him, worried he would hurt himself trying to get inside a moving train. I was someone who could barely handle the sight of a bruised knee and I knew if he kept running the same way, I would see something infinitely worse. This thought made me frantic and sent me straight to panic mode. I silently willed him to stop running behind the train or atleast run somewhere out of my eyesight where I won't have to see him. He was really close now and was looking desperately at me or rather the door. I realized that moment that he was not going to stop, he was either going to climb on board or... no I can't even think about that, but he was not going to give up. Then the strangest thing happened. I still don't know why I did it but I extended my hand outside willing him to take it. I wanted to help him get inside. It didn't occur to me that by offering my hand, we both could share the same fate had his leg slipped a little bit while climbing in. That moment, all I could think was that I needed to get him inside so he would stop running. That was all I wanted, him to stop running. He grabbed my hand without a second glance and I pulled him inside with all my strength. He climbed the steps, only to literally fall inside, colliding against me. The momentum of his run and my pulling combined we both went sprawling onto the floor.

"Ouch" I cried out as my shoulder hit against the hard floor. I opened my eyes which were shut close due to the fall to find his face directly above mine. He was even more attractive up close, I thought to myself. I could hear his fast and hard breathing and the refreshing smell of his colone enveloped me. I could now see his eyes through his shades and they took my breath away. They were the most expressive eyes I had ever looked into. I could see my own reflection admiring me in them and that sight brought me back to reality. I pushed him off me, sat up, and directed my gaze back towards him . He was trying to get off the floor, but was unable to as he was panting very heavily. I hesitated for a moment but then grabbed his hands for the second time to help him sit up. He was now leaning back against the wall, his breaths still coming out as big huffs.

I was about to ask him if he was alright when the irony of the situation dawned upon me. A small smile started forming on my face and I started hearing the instrumental version of 'Tujhe dekha toh ye jaana sanam' in my head. Our situation really amused me. I held back a giggle that had threatened to explode. Raj and Simran reversed, I thought with mirth. I was about to delve deeper into that thought when I heard his voice. "Thank you." His breathing was still not in it's normal rhythm but atleast he wasn't hyperventilating now. But I still noticed that he had a nice voice. It was deep and husky and the music teacher in me wondered if he used to sing.

"It's okay." I said waving my hand. "Bade bade deshon mein aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hai Simran."

I thought my response was hilarious and started to laugh expecting him to join in. He just stared at me, clearly not amazed by my sense of humour. I akwardly looked back, my laughter fading out. "What?" I asked defensively. "You know right? The situation, train, Simran? You know? DDLJ?"

He just continued to stare, not uttering a word and I started to feel uncomfortable with the akward silence. I realized that he was one of those 'serious' type people who thought that people like me who joked, laughed and had fun were idiots. I was really used to these guys and if anything my past expierience had taught me was that there was no use trying to argue with them or to try to make them understand your point of view.

"Alright! I get it. You don't like such jokes. Cool. Chill! Okay? No need to gawk at me as if I'm crazy, which by the way I'm not." I said crossing my arms defensively.

He opened his mouth, and then closed it. "You know what, I don't have to say anything to you." He said getting up. He picked up his backpack and looked down at me who was still on the floor. "Thanks a lot for your help." He said giving me a tight smile. "Hasta la vista." He waved at me going inside the compartment not bothering to help me up. Me, who had saved him from being a tangled bloody mess of hands and limbs on the rails.

I sat on the floor dumbstruck, my mouth wide open in shock. How rude, I thought furiously. Who does he think he is? I help him get on the train and he looks at me as if I'm a nutcase. Okay well I did have a crazy streak, but what he did was still not very nice. I almost wished that I hadn't helped him. Almost, because no matter what I would never have let him, or any other person for that matter, fall under a train if I could help it.

I sat up and dusted myself off deciding that the rude 'Simran' I just helped get on the train was just not worth wasting my time and energy on. I started walking back to my seat wishing to sit down. I had the upper berth of the two side seats. The other person hadn't arrived yet and I was hoping to trade seats with him or her so I could have the lower one. I hated climbing up onto the berths on trains. I had a fear of heights and upper berths on trains had bothered me a bit. But as I reached my seat, I felt my jaw drop. An involuntary gasp of surprise left me as I stared dumbly at the vision infront of me.

Sitting on the very seat infront of mine with his blank expression, scrolling on his moble phone, looking as if he didn't care if the train had caught fire was none other than Mr.Simran. I glared at him, irrational anger taking control of me. How dare he reserve the seat next to mine.

"You!" I said. By the way I said that one word, it didn't matter that I just called him 'you' and not the foulest word in my dictionary.

His head snapped up and his gaze locked with mine. His eyes narrowed.

"Me." He said with a poker face, not giving anything away. I waited, hoping he would say something else, but he just kept staring at me. I had started to think that this must be his hobby or something. Staring at whatever is in sight without any expression. I soon realized that he was not going to say anything more to me and my annoyance level reached new heights. I narrowed my eyes, searched my jean's pockets and took out my ticket. I shoved it infront of his face. But he was still looking at me, his expression remained the same.

"Read the seat number." I said when it occured to me that he was not going to stop with the staring contest. God, what was it with this guy and staring. Without moving his face, his eyes moved towards my ticket. As he read, I saw the realization dawn upon his eyes and saw them widen in surprise. He directed his gaze back to me, now with an expression of annoyance on his face. Good! Be annoyed. Served him right.

He still said nothing and continued staring or rather gawking at this point. Fine, I thought, two can play at that game and stared back. Two minutes passed with nothing else other than the both of us scowling murderously at the other. This time I was adamant, I simply refused to be the first one to open their mouth.

"You!" He finally said sounding irritated. I beamed back at him, feeling victorious about winning the staring contest. For a moment I enjoyed his discomfort, forgetting about mine. I sat on the seat opposite to him and said with the widest smile I could manage.

"Me."

He scowled at me, and directed his gaze towards his phone again. "I'm not talking to you." I heard his husky voice.

I placed my hands on my chest pretending as if I was hurt. "How would I ever live with myself now??" I said dramatically.

He didn't look up but I saw one of his eyebrows was raise a bit, and for a second I was sure that one of the corners of his mouth was raised too. But it disappeared sooner than it came. You must have imagined it Swara, I convinced myself. Mr. Blank and smiling? No way!!

I sighed to myself and turned towards the greenary outside that seemed to run as a blur in the opposite direction as us. I closed my eyes trying to feel the wind. There was no evidence of life coming from the seat opposite to mine.

I sighed again.

This was going to be a long journey.