She snapped from her thoughts and looked up cluelessly, "Uh you called?"
Neil looked at her carefully, "aren't you feeling well? I had been calling out your name for a while now."
"Uh, am sorry. I didn't hear." She said apologetically.
"That's okay. You want to come out for a few drinks tonight?"
She was taken aback a little. It's been a month since she had started working and Neil had been very nice to her. He was really fun-loving and the students loved him, she had come to realize by now. He was the best at his work and when he wasn't working, he cracked lame jokes with every other professor in the staffroom. No one would know he was a gold medallist in his University. He refused to wear formals like other professors, played basketball with students at times and even hung out with his students. She also knew that he had a great rapport with other professors and they went out from time to time and he'd invite her every single time.
She'd refuse, every single time.
"Uhh I..I don't.."
"come on Geet. Don't say no again. It will be fun I swear and if you are worried about getting late, don't worry. I will drop you safe."
She opened her mouth to say something when a fellow professor remarked, "yes Geet, you are safer in his hands than in any one of us."
She felt it amusing and raised a brow at Manish, "really?"
Manish shrugged, "of course. 40-year-old virgins like him have anyways attained sainthood. So yeah, you are totally safe."
Neil's eyes widened in shock, "why you son of a..."
Before he could start his tirade of long abusive words, he heard her laughter and froze right there. She had found it funny and couldn't contain her laughter. He gaped at her like she did something uncanny.
And uncanny it was.
Neil had never seen her so. She had always been quiet, reserved and spoke little. She kept to herself and interacted the least, whenever required. She did her work well. She was good at her subject. She listened to him. But he had never seen her smile, let alone laugh. He assumed that was her basic nature but she surprised him today. Her laughter echoed in the almost empty staffroom.
She looked at Neil and then stopped seeing him so amused, looking at her like she was some kind of an alien.
Her laughter vanished and she felt awkward. Manish had left laughing at whatever joke they had between them and she quickly stood up, gathering her stuffs to retire for the day.
"so, you can laugh!" he finally spoke after a long pause.
"Excuse me?" she raised a brow at him.
"I said you can laugh."
She picked up her bag, "I think so. Have a great weekend Mr. Rai."
She stepped forward to leave and he jumped right front of her.
"Wait. Why don't you come with us? Like I said, it is going to be extremely safe with me."
"safe with the 40-year-old virgin?" she didn't know why she found it so funny but she was in splits the next moment.
He gritted his teeth and left a long breath, "first thing, I am neither 40 year old not a...well.." he left it at that, "Am 32 and quite young. Come with us Handa."
"No thanks I gotta go... mom must be waiting."
"Hey, you can laugh and finally after a month I can safely realize that we can be friends. Then what is holding you back?"
She stilled hearing him say so.
Exactly what was holding her back?
It's been 3 months since she had been back and she had been nothing but a recluse. She had nothing that should hold her back. Maybe she could give it a try. Maybe just once, she'd feel better with people around. she was done moping around. she had chosen her path then why not follow it?
"Come with us. If you don't like it, I won't insist again ever..."
"Okay." She said quickly surprising him.
"So, you are coming? Cool. See you at Pour-House at 8? Or do you want me to pick you up?"
"No thanks. I will be there. Thanks again." She smiled softly and walked away, determined to unburden her heart by letting newer people in.
Her mother was surprised when she freshened up and instead of having her coffee, she started to dress up.
"Oye Geet, kahin jaa rahi hain?"
"yes mama... going out with colleagues. Please don't wait for me."
Seeing her a little normal after ages felt like life coming back to Rano. Her daughter had agreed to go out. That was a huge news. She couldn't help wipe that grin off her face and walked to her room to inform about the happy news to her husband.
She got off the cab in front of Pour-House and walked in to find her colleagues at a corner. As she neared and heard their laughter, she felt a sudden apprehension. She was walking ahead but she didn't know much about them. She had hardly interacted with them the whole month. It felt mighty awkward.
Geet, you weren't like this before. What has gotten into you?
She chided herself mentally and waved back at Manish who came running to greet her. He took her to their table and she smiled at everyone. It felt fake. Her eyes fell on Neil who smiled back at her and went back into the conversation he was having with a lady. Clad in denims and a casual black shirt, he didn't have his nerdy glasses on. His hair wasn't gelled like it used to be in college. If at all, he looked way younger than he actually was.
She took the glass of wine and tried to join everyone in their conversation. But it was only after a while that she found herself sitting at the bar, holding a drink and watching her colleagues dance. It felt bad, the whole idea of coming out this evening and loosening up a bit, trying to find 'life' back for she couldn't connect to anyone out there. She was in the same age group as others; she worked in the same environment as them, interacted with the same students and faced similar day to day experiences. But what was it that made her so aloof?
She felt someone tap her shoulder and she looked behind to find Neil with a bottle of beer in his hands.
"Not joining them?" he asked, taking a seat next to her, "are you bored?"
She shrugged, looking back at the dance floor, "I'm...well I'm not exactly the kind of a party person."
He looked at the woman in the black dress beside him and felt intrigued by her mere presence. She had so much more in her than she lets on.
"do you feel awkward Geet?" he asked her point blank.
It took her by surprise, this sudden question which made her turn her head towards him in question.
"Do you not like these people?" he asked, looking straight into her eyes.
She took a little time to gulp her drink and softly shook her head, "No. Not like that. I'm just... erm...just that I don't know how to interact with these people."
She found him sipping his beer silently for a while and then he stood up, "the best way is to just speak."
"is it that easy?" she asked, bemused.
He threw a gentle smile, "it doesn't have to be anything particular. You are a quiet woman and maybe they are finding it difficult to connect with you too."
She opened her mouth to speak something but then she stopped, realizing he might be right at some point.
He ruffled her hair gently, "Geet, Speak!" and he walked way to join his friends.
Geet, Speak!!!
********************************
"Geet, Hush now! Don't speak!"
They had been driving to their first date and he had picked her up from college. But Geet being Geet had to speak. And that she did. She spoke the whole time, all along the way, the whole 45 minutes of driving that left him wondering if her mouth didn't hurt after so much talking. Much to her annoyance, he had to intervene!!!
She shut her mouth and looked at him, annoyed a little for having been interrupted, "what?"
He rolled his eyes, "we have reached."
She looked around and bit her tongue, "I never realized!"
He turned off the ignition and opened the door of the car, nodding his head, "quite plausible!"
He opened the door for her and extended his hand. She was sweetly surprised at the gesture. She had met guys and had boyfriends before. Never had she found this gentleness in anyone. Her 21year old heart swung in the new zephyr that swept her life.
"So, what would you like to try?" he asked her while she looked into the menu.
She raised her eyes, beautiful brown ones, he noticed now, and her brows twitched in confusion, "There are so many varieties. I'm confused!"
"Hmm..." he gauged her reaction, "do you have a sweet tooth?"
She nodded quite readily, like a little girl with that wide toothy grin and he felt a weird kind of happiness wash over his heart.