TSM : Life Goes On... {Chapter 4 Updated! Pg 9} - Page 6

"Rachi Di! I am hungry yaar! Chalo na kuch kahte hain mujhe bohut bhook lagi hai." I know I sounded like a kid but do I give an ef right now? No. Literally all I can think about is food. Like that man standing over there looks like a burger with extra mayonnaise and ketchup! And that petite woman looks like paw bhaaji! Oh and that little kid with the ball looks like gulab jamun.

"Amu?! Amuuu?!" Rachi Di shook me. Like literally shook me.

"Huh? Kay hua?" I asked. Wow. I was really hungry. Matlab to this extent that I have started imaging people as food delicacies. Meine to bachon ko bhi nahi choda! Wah! Amaya Mathur control yourself and reign it in dude! That was too much.

"Tumahara phone kab se baj rahe hai?! Utha thi kyun nahi ho?" Rachi Di said giving me a weird expression that read, Are you okay?

"Oh Sorry! Woh...mujhe kuch zayada hi bhook lag rahi hai that I am zoning out! Sorry!" saying that I quickly answered the phone,"Hello?"

"Ams!!!!!!!!" a voice shouted from the other end. So much that I had to hold the phone away from ear in order to not go deaf. Lo agaya trouble maker ka phone!

"Itni zor se kyun chik rahi hai Soph! I can hear you darling. Mein behri nahi hoon," I said smiling.

"Sorry gurl! I was just missing you yyar! Meine tujhse kitne dinon se baat nahi ki hai na! Isliye andar ka emotion bahar agaya!" and there she goes with her filmy dialogues!

"Soph tune do din pehle hi mujhse baat ki hai. Like seriously?" I asked. Huh, some things never change.

If it was possible to hear someone pout, well then it just happened. Because I could literally feel Soph making a face on the other side of the phone, "Haan Toh? I was like totally missing you okay? And two days are a lot. Tujhe pata hai two days mein kitni hours hote hai? Poore 48 hours okay? And I just landed in India dude, aur tu mujhe aisi welcome kar rahi hai?"

"Achi meri maa! You win, I lose okay? Happy now? Waise how was your flight?"

"Oh em geezles Ams! It was so nice. Tujhe pata hai bro ne mujhe first class ki ticket de kar kaha ki, sophie woofie India mein maaze karna, aur mere taraf se ye tere liye gift. And I was so happy you know! First class was so awesome yaar. But the best part was the food though. Because It was en early morning flight they gave Crpes! My favorite! With whipped cream and strawberries and other toppings. Oh and complimentary, wine that too Authentic French red wine! I was literally in heaven for those few hours in the flight dude! Huh..Kash tu bhi saath mein hoti yaar! We always used to come to India together na! And we used to do everything together. You know the starbucks lady asks about you everyday at campus! She misses making your cold coffee with extra chocolate chips and cream. And starbucks lady hi nahi balki sab university mein tujhe yaad kar the rehte yaar! And even I miss you. Kabhi kabhi when I need somebody to talk to or even just someone to be there so I could hug them and let my feelings out...I find myself alone...because you aren't there with me. I truly have missed you yaar. I missed you," she said. Her voice had taken a sad and depressing tone towards the end. Soph had unknowingly remined me of the life we had built together before...all this happened. The life I had dreamed of since I was a kid and was in fact living until...

For a moment I was left speechless. I could feel tears clouding my vision. Why was it that life was known to be the biggest irony? All the dreams and desires I had planned were chucked into this blazing fire that had not only engulfed my future but me as well.

But I had convinced myself that I would never break down in front of others. This chaos from the past few weeks may have shattered the life we had built for us but it taught me one thing and that was perseverance. And I would persevere through this phase of life as well. Afterall I had Mom, Jazz, and Rachi Di by my side. For now they were my life and dreams.

I closed my eyes to gain back my composure and finally spoke into the phone, "Soph, we agreed not to talk about this...remember?"

I hear her sniff on the other side. Looks like she had been trying to control her tears as well, "I know I know, I am sorry! It's just...I miss you and I cannot wait to see you in person! Ok I should probably stop crying now. People are looking at me like I am Pushpa. Plus my make-up dude! Argh I think my mascara just smudged. Sab teri wajah se Ams!" And yet again I heard her pout. I chuckled lightly and shook my head. Ah! I missed Soph so much!

"Is mein bhi meri galti?! Wow...so much for being best friends! Waise when are you coming to Benaras dude?" Yup Soph was coming to Benaras! One good thing that has happened in a long time.

"Um Best Friend is like a synonym for Har ek Friend K hota hai Babes! I think if I were to approximate the travel hours I should be there in a day. But first I should go take a nap! That flight has given me some serious jet lag issues. And plus the manager said that my room is ready so I'll see you in a days time babe! Until then Cha!"

"Bye Soph! See you soon." With that I ended the call and suddenly I was smiling. Gawd! Soph is crazy but I like crazy that's why she is my friend.

"Amu, everything okay?" Rachi Di asked. "That phone called held some serious facial expression changes?"

I smiled at Rachi Di, "Never Better Rachi Di! And That was Soph. And you know how she can be. Just the usual talk nothing else. Everything is cool as Antartica!"

"Seriously Amu? That was the worst Simile ever. You should have said everything is as cool as ice' that would have made perfect sense." Jazz said with the nerd accent.

"Mate appke charan kahan hai?" I said sarcastically while bowing down to touch her feet. Seriously Jazzopedia should become the auto correct system on laptops, phones and all electric devices!

Jazz scowled at me while Rachi Di just laughed out loud. "So Amu how is Sophie? Wasn't she coming to India?" Rachi Di asked.

"Yup Yup! She is already here! And the best part is she is coming to Banaras for her assignment! Can you believe that?! I am so happy right now!" I exclaimed loudly. I would have jumped up and down as a kid but you know we were in a public place. Ijjjat ka sawal bhi to hai!

"That's great Amu! Tell her that she is totally staying with us when she arrives!" Rachi Di said excitedly. Jazz finally smiled too and we carried on with our tour.

After an hour...

"Hayee! My legs hurt Rachi Di. Are we almost to the ghat? I wanna go back already." I whined like a kid. My feet were killing me. Good thing I decided to wear flats today warna if I had worn wedges I would have not only died but went to hell!

"Almost there Amu!" Rachi Di said reassuringly. We were done with our tour. We didn't get too see all of Banaras but we had seen most of it. And I guess it was beautiful in its own way. Just like every place is. Like Paris was...

No! Don't zone out now Amaya!

I had to tell myself this every time my thoughts wandered to Paris. It was the chapter of my life that had ended a long time ago. But it was a beautiful chapter while it lasted.

"Finally hum pohunchgaye!" Jazz declared with relief. Indeed we were at the Ghat and there was a massive crowd waiting at the deck. Among them some familiar faces of tourists I had seen on the previous boat ride. And it looked like the boat hadn't arrived yet. Ah Fish! More waiting to do! Great..just great!

I leaned against the railing and popped earphones in my head and started listening to the latest Taylor Swift song, Wildest Dreams. Might as well hear some music if I am gonna wait.

He said let's get out of this town
Drive out of the city
Away from the crowds
I thought heaven can't help me now
Nothing lasts forever
But this is gonna take me down

I lightly bobbed my head to the music. I love Taylor! She is the best!! While enjoying the music I turned around to see if the boat had arrived yet when my eyes landed on a figure walking towards me when the lyrics changed...

He's so tall, and handsome as hell
He's so bad but he does it so well
I can see the end as it begins, my one condition is

He is tall. He is handsome. He is...bad? I am not sure. But he does do the whole "I am so innocent and sweet" thing very well! And...he is the same guy from the boat! What was his name again?...Um..Uh...Oh yeah Mantu The Tour Guide! My eyes went wide. Was I just checking him out? I did not just do that!

Say you'll remember me
Standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset, babe
Red lips and rosy cheeks
Say you'll see me again even if it's just in your wildest dreams
Wildest dreams...

And I ended the song right there! This song was way too true what just happened a moment ago. But I hope he doesn't remember me! However he was still walking towards me. Why was he still walking my way?

I turned around and closed my eyes to clam myself. He is probably walking towards someone else Amaya! You are just hallucinating. You are tired that's it!

I had mostly convinced myself that I was being delusional when someone tapped me on the shoulder. Oh No! What if...it's him? Should I turn around or no? Maybe I should just ignore then whoever it is will go away.

I was still in the process of deciding when I felt another tap on my shoulder. This time it was more solid. I slowly turned around and found myself facing Mantu The Tour Guide. And...he was smiling?...

I expected him to be mad or shout at me for the previous argument we had. But he was simply smiling like he did on the boat as well. Or maybe I am being delusional again...

"Hello? Madam? Kahan kho gayi?" Mantu The Tour Guide asked while snapping his fingers in front of my face.

I flinched and replied with an indifferent tone,"Kya hai?"

"Hum tumhe ye dene aye hai." Saying that he handed me a box.

"Ye kya hai?" I asked looking at the box weirdly.

"Khud khol kar dekhlo," he replied with yet another smile. Ok we are playing the spontaneous game. Well I have watched too many thriller movies to fall for this crap.

I took the box and examined it from every angle that could have possibly existed. What if it had a bomb inside? Or worse a poisonous gas?

When I had finished examining it I glanced at Mantu The Tour Guide again. And he seemed to be holding in a laugh.

"Has kyun rahe ho?" I asked with an irritated tone.

"Nahi Nahi...Meri inti majal! Mahadev ki kasam! Hum nahi has rahe hai." He said. I could hear the teasing tone to his voice.

I glared at him while yet again he smiled and said, "Ab khol bhi do ise. Don't worry. Isme koi bomb nahi hai."

Still glaring at him I slowly opened the box and I found...shoes inside...

"What are these?" I said looking up at Mantu The Tour Guide.

"Shoes. Joote. Les chaussures," he said pronouncing each word as if he was talking to a child.

"I know what they are! You don't have to...wait! What did you just say?" I asked in bewilderment.

"What? I said they were shoes..." he replied.

"Nahi uske baad!" I am pretty sure I hear him speak...french...

"Joote..."he replied with a matter of fact tone.

"Nahi nahi! Uske baad..." Oh god please tell me I hallucinated what I just heard because if he actually spoke french...then I am gonna be in big trouble.

"What are you...Oh!" I could see realization dawn on his face and he smiled again with a teasing hint,"Les chaussures Madame!"

What da ef?!!! He spoke french. So I wasn't hallucinating...I gulped nervously.

"So...you could understand what I was saying on the boat...?" I asked in a small voice. The guilt clearly visible in my tone.

"As a matter of fact yes, yes I could understand what you were saying. After all I am a Tour Guide. Languages come naturally to me Mademoiselle!" He said while bowing.

When he came up he looked me straight in the eye and smiled mischievously. I quickly looked away. What had I done? I had called him clumsy in front of all those people and he didn't even tell me that he knew what it meant. God Amaya Mathur! Tu bolne se pehle soch ti kyun nahi hai! Of course he was bilingual. He was a Tour Guide after all. Sometimes the you are the definition of stupidity. I swear!

"So do you like les chaussures ?" he stressed the les chaussures on purpose! Increasing my guilt burden.

"Um...you didn't have to do this. It wasn't your fault anyway. It was an accident. And..um...I am sorry for calling you a maladroit. It was very childish of me. I am really sorry." I said this while looking down at my feet. I really felt bad for how I had behaved. I didn't know what had gotten into me then.

He still hadn't said anything and it felt like five minutes had passed between us. I looked up to find him looking straight in my eyes again. No not looking, more like scrutinizing them. Studying them as if I was a puzzle he couldn't figure out. And that smile! Don't his muscles hurt from so much smiling. Like seriously, I expected him to be angry and yell at me but instead this guy is smiling at me! What is happening right now?

"What?" I said to snap him out of his daze.

"Nothing. You're just...different," he said with a cockiness in his tone.

Different. Well I certainly did not know what to make of that. Was different supposed to mean the good different or the bad different? Talk about being vague.

Before I could say anything to him. I hear Jazz say that the boat has arrived. I handed him the box of shoes back and said,"Look, I can't take this. But Thanks anyway. And I am sorry again!"

Saying that I ran towards Rachi Di and Jazz. Don't look back Amu. Don't look back. I kept telling myself. But as Selena Gomez puts it The Heart Wants What It Wants.

Just before stepping on to the boat and I glanced back to where Mantu The Tour Guide was standing. He was smiling for the billionth time this evening! Grrr! And he was waving too. Was he waving...to me?

No he was probably waving to one of his tourists! I am being too delusional. I turned back and boarded the boat.

So I hoped you liked that! 😃

Drop in your likes and comments! I love reading them and I love you guys <3 And I hope you're having a wonderful day, evening, night wherever you are. Always keep smiling!

Until then remember me in your Wildest DREAMS! 🤣 (JK, don't do that! 😆)

Bui Bui

Love you all!