~ We Found Love In A Hopeless Place ~
The high class society and its norms. The kitty parties, the glitz and glamour might have been a part of many dreams but not her. The idea of being among the socialites had never allured her. At times she wondered if all the ladies present in such events had anything better to do but now it seemed, she was getting the hang of it. Sitting in her mint green sari with sequins blouse, she sipped her orange juice and canceled the call for the third time.
A little time out was what she had hoped for. A respite from her doomed life. She sighed as she tried to make sense of the conversation taking place. There was nothing new in it. They always discussed the usual. The fashion, luxuries, lifestyle and the list goes on. What really interested them all was someone else's life more than their own. What really transpired behind the closed doors, nobody knew. What they saw was what they believed in. A facade. A pretense that they all kept up. In the last three months of her marriage to Mr. Ashok khanna, she had learned only so much. The society and its norms.
"Mr. & Mrs. Raina are getting divorce." One whispered.
"No, its just a rumor. The real reason behind it is their daughter who ran away with a middle class guy."
"What fate! Wonder why she ran away when she was betrothed to Mr. Kapoor." Eldest among all said in a sad tone.
"My husband was telling me Mr. Kapoor had been married before as well."
"No one knows, he moved to India last year only." Said the one who was smoking cigar.
While they all filled one another with the latest updates, Mihika Iyer Khanna sat back and sipped her juice silently. Lately she had been an active member but the growing indifference among her group had made her more conscious about oneself. When she was done, the server came and cleared the table. She couldn't help but notice how agile he was though a little inexperienced as well. She cut the call again and found herself looking at his hand, the tatoo. That's when she looked up and saw Romesh Bhalla. The man seemed more oblivious of his surrounding or perhaps just her. She tried catching his eye but his swayed as he performed the task at hand.
An hour later when the so called kitty party, a gossip session in other words came to an end. Mihika grabbed her clutch and waited for the car to arrive at the pavement. She flicked her hair and saw Romi walking away with his helmet in one hand while he juggled his keys with the other. Call it instinct, an abrtupt move on her part and before she knew it she called his name. He turned in her direction and gaped. The next moment he ignored her and walked toward the rear exit, the one only employees used.
"Romi!" She repeated.
He stopped by his bike and waited for her to continue saying what she had come to say. "You should not be here mihika."
"Why not?" She reached near his vehicle.
"I work here. This does not befit you to talk to a waiter."
"Do they know?"
She didn't need to voice this pronouns or the names. He knew already what she meant. He shook his head. He had left his home long ago. The behavior of his family had become unbearable when they had refused to talk to him. Afraid anybody will see him talking to a customer, he said. "I thank you for your concern but I can't talk to you here."
"Start the bike then." She said as she took a step back. And in that moment, he saw amiability in her eyes. A need, an yearning to be understood and he he did as he was asked. It had been months since anyone had asked about him. Just him. Showed any concern at all. When nobody had raised question regarding his character but about his well being.
"Your driver?" He asked when she perched herself behind him.
"I'm a free soul. I doubt anyone would notice my late arrival."
It took him twenty minutes to reach an abandoned building on the outskirts of the city. It was situated on a hill and was partially done.
"They know I'm in the same city." He began saying after he parked his bike.
"Aunty must be going crazy." She stated as she looked at the setting sun.
"I call her, once in a while. Just to listen to her voice."
"You are lucky." She looked at him beside her as she shielded her eyes against the sun rays.
He laughed, a mocking laugh. "Only you would say such a thing mihika. Do you know what's its like to be abandoned?"
"Yes, I do. I know exactly how it feels Romi." She looked ahead again but she could also feel his penetrating gaze on her face. She heard a sigh next. "I guess you do." She heard him say.
"How are you keeping?" He asked after a while.
"I don't know." She said. And he bought it. Not asking her anything else. The silence between them seemed more comfortable than any other meaningful conversation.
"I'm sorry." He said solemnly as he dug his hands in his jeans pockets.
"Its all right. I have committed bigger mistakes than judging people wrong."
"Do you miss him?" And she didn't need any names now. She looked down for a second before answering his question. "I think I miss having brains more often." When she looked at him she found him laughing. A real laughter.
"I think I'll have to agree with you."
"What? You don't have it either?"
"Not enough to consult my family."
"What have we done romi." She asked, not looking for an answer in particular. "I hurt them the most."
"Its a circle of life." He turned towards her and said, "if it hhadn't been us some one else would have made the same mistake."
"Is it delimma you are in that has taught you philosophy or because you have completely taken a leave of your senses?"
"I'd vote for philosophy, any time of the day."
"I should get going now." She said and turned towards his bike. "Thank you for your company."
"Like wise." He replied and took her back to the hotel.
Mihika visited the same hotel the next week with the same group of people and the next alone to have some personal time and both the times ended up at the same spot in the same company. They both never asked each other any future plans, no past queries. They also liked to believe that all the times they had met was because of mere coincidence. But who would know it better than them that to have a companion in times like these is nothing short of miracle? Silent though it was at times, just the thought of having some one who went through the same pain and knew how it felt deep down inside was more than enough. For now.
Edited by aaminah123 - 10 years ago
Cricket
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