C5 Chapter 5

I saw them moving. Going, going, gone. I let out a breath.

Job well done. I prayed that Shreya would come soon and not call

Palak on her own. And given the thin crowd, I’ll figure out her

figure easily.

Standing there, after successfully execution of the first

phase of the plan. I started feeling nervous. These girls always

give you jitters. It is no easy task dealing with girls under normal

circumstances, and, today the circumstances being trying, it was

depressing. It is one thing when you are standing in the sun,

abounding in your life’s calm, when suddenly you sense a slap on

your back and, turning, find yourself eye to eye with your

childhood crush. But the scale of enormities, when you have told a

hundred lies to intercept an unfamiliar beauty, is a unique one.

You can still utter, in the first case, life-saving hi’s and ya’s while

the mind holidaying. But the second case is hopeless.

All my inhibitions assumed the form of a giant demon and

punched me in my face. Bang! How messy I looked! Bad hair,

pimples… I began to feel like an idiot. What a foolish plan I had

devised! The bright sun and the cool breeze gave no respite. I was

hardly aware of them. I was about to give my plan a serious

second thought when lighting struck.

Her majesty appeared.

Well… you must have read countless books, seen innumerable

movies celebrating with fanfare the arrival of the heroine. Strong

winds start to blow, thunderstorms strike and as if this noise was

not deafening enough, loud music erupts and the tapori in the

front row acknowledges it all with a sincere whistle.

Poets write lyrics heralding the Descent of the divine beauty

from heaven. One reads incomprehensible stuff about rosy

cheeks, coral lips and starry eyes, entwined with the

indecipherable thee(s) and thou(s) and thy(s). I have neither the

ability of the poet nor the flourish of the dramatist. But I must

admit that I was floored.

I pick up again from the passage where I mentioned that

lighting had struck. I cannot explain it better. She looked

amazing. She was like a painting, a song. Everything about her

was so graceful and fluid. Like breeze, she flowed towards me,

her hair flying and ear rings dancing. She was the breeze with a

whiff of perfume. And I was stunned.

One can never say if it was love-at-first-sight or not but,

admittedly the dent she left in my heart was a big one. These

beauties hit you like a storm and you never recover. Never ever.

That was my case, entirely. I was completely lost, enraptured,

mesmerized... the moment will remain with me forever, framed

and glided. When I close my eyes, it all comes back to me, and my

heart dances with delight; the perfect picture... her glowing face,

her shiny, flying hair, her smooth walk, her dangling ear rings, her

mirror-work bag by her side, her red pullover, her blue jeans and

her searching eyes.

She looked around for her friends and looked confused. I

had to move before she took her cell phone out, if she had one. I

regained consciousness and composure. There was no use

worrying. She’d not eat me; nor was she the last girl on earth. I

had to act, now, that I had planned so much. Be a man, Tejas. I

looked at my clothes again. Nice jacket, nice sweatshirt, nice

jeans. Cool, I thought. “Be a Man!” I said to myself again and

walked towards the heavenly creature.

The close-up only enhanced her beauty. Her searching eyes

were innocent and beautiful. She had a fresh, milky complexion,

and her red pullover made her look all the more radiant. Winters,

oh lord! Girls, they have never looked better. They look so fair and

bright, and the skin seems flawless. Their lovely, glowing faces

peer out of the bright woolens so cutely. Girls indeed blossom in

winters.

And blossoming she was. The red dress made her look so

pink and lovely. I could almost have kissed her cheeks. Despitethe heavy woollens, I could see she had a lissome figure. She had

shiny, black hair and was wearing silver ear rings. She was simple

and beautiful. Perfect.

I gave her a slight pat on her shoulder from the side. She

turned towards me drowning me in her sweet aroma. And I was

lost again in her brown eyes and light perfume. Magic! She had a

hint of kajal in her eyes.

“Yes?” she asked, breaking the spell. “Talk, idiot!’ I said to

myself,

“Shreya?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said surprised, obviously.

“Hi! I am Palak’s brother,” I said and forwarded my hand.

She shook it. Her hands were soft. It felt really good. She

smiled and returned the greeting. She had beautiful chiselled pink

lips with a hint of gloss. Extremely kissable. I ventured into

solving the puzzle for her straightaway. “I can see you are

surprised. Don’t be. Palak will be here soon. Actually one of your

friends, Saumya, I suppose, had lost her way. So Palak has gone

to fetch her with the driver. I had come to drop her but your

friend thought I should stay and keep you engaged till she comes

back. So here I am.” God, I spoke too much.

“Well, thanks!” she smiled again. She had a lovely smile. She

didn’t say anything else. Why don’t these girls speak?

“I am Tejas, by the way. Hi again. I hope this was a better

introduction.” I once again shook her hand she laughed.

“So, how much time will she take?” she inquired.

“Not much, I guess.” What to talk about, I thought. Yes. “So, how

is Chennai?”

“Well, not bad, but yes, nothing like Delhi.”

“Absolutely! Nothing like Delhi. This winter will be a pleasant

change, I suppose, from boiling Chennai.”

“Yes, a lot better. It is really hot there.”

“And it is really cold here. I think I’ll have something hot.”

“Okay.”

“What about you? Tea? Now don’t be formal and all.” I said like

an aunty, “I don’t like that. Tea?”

No, I prefer coffee.”

“Oh, wow! Me, too. There is time; let us have coffee then.” I hated

coffee. How much lying goes into impressing a girl! An extremely

tedious task. I took her to a corner so that we were not visible. I bought

two coffees. And furthered to conversation. “I believe you are

pursuing management. Palak speaks a lot about you.” I hoped she

would ask what I was doing, and then I could tell her about my

prestigious college. And she asked.

“Yes, I am. What about you?”

“Well, I am studying Industrial Engineering.”

“From?”

“IIT Delhi,” I announced grandly. I hoped to see an open mouth

or a twinkle in her eye but there was noting. Again, just her lovely

smile. She hardly seemed impressed. I was running out of topics

and time now. She was not helping either with just her

monosyllables and her smiles. I hadn’t expected her to be

gregarious the very first time but I hadn’t expected such

reticence. She took her time, I supposed. Unlike the aggressive

girls that one sees so often these days. I liked that, but she

should at least say something.

“So it must be really difficult… leaving all friends here and settling

in a new city,” I said, trying to strike a tender chord.

“Yes, it was difficult initially; but now it is better.”

“Yes, one has to adjust. I saw some of the snaps you sent to Palak

the other day. You looked nice,” I said, trying to compliment her

in a subtle way. I couldn’t say, “You look hot,” straightway.

“Thanks!” she smiled again.

And it all went off again. There was a silence, an awful one.

It kills you. You feel so awkward. You feel so conscious. It is so

damned hard with strangers and harder still with stranger girls.

And you want to pull out your hair in agony when the girl is so

indifferent. You strain every part of your brain to search for a

topic, yet you find none. It is like the world is void of everything

and nothing exists. There is nothing in this damn world that can

be talked about. Zilch. As the strain was becoming a tad too much,

she spoke. Thanks God!

“Hope they come soon. Just about fifteen minutes left. Let us

have a look at some books in the meanwhile. You like reading”

she asked and proceeded towards the corner book stall.

“Yes, I love it. Nothing like books. So who’s your favourite

author?” I asked, happy that we had found a common liking.

“Well, no favourite as such. I haven’t read that many books. But

yes, I like Grisham and Eric Segal.”

“Love story…” I said. Knowing that every girl loved it. I had loved

it too. Since, I had read many more Segal books. I hadn’t read any

Grisham.

“Yes, it was amazing. In fact, that’s the only one I have read of

Segal.”

“And that’s his best. It is so touching. I almost cried in the end.”

“Oh you did! Boys don’t usually. I cried so much.”

“Well, I am a little different. Being a little emotional is not bad, I

guess. But yes, boys usually loathe such books.” She was

impressed could see it in her expression.

“So, who’s your favourite?” she asked, picking up a Grisham

novel. The Firm.

“Well, I love R.K. Narayan. Have read all of his books. He writes

so close to life, about the simple joys of life.”

“I guess I have read one of his too, Coolie.”

“No, that one is by Mulk Raj Anand,” said politely, trying not to be

condescending, yet being impressive. Her knowledge about books

was poor. Had read only one of Segal and yet he was her

favourite. How funny! I wondered if she had read only one of

Grisham’s as well.

“Oops. You are right. But yes, I saw Malgudi Days on T.V. I loved

that.”

“Same here. That remains my favourite serial. So real and subtle!

And nowadays, you have these stupid, mindless and boring saas-

bahu-sagas. Those were the days… “I sounded like an

octogenarian, I thought.

“I swear. They are so yuk! I wonder how my mom watches them.

And all of them are exactly the same.”

“Yes... it’s better to read books... so do you like any?”

“Yes, I think I should buy this one. I’d like to read more of

Grisham.”

“Right. After all he is your favourite author,” I said teasingly,

“Like Segal. I bet you have read only one of his too.”

“No actually two,” she burst out laughing. And so did I.

Well we had struck a chord now. The topics were coming

naturally and we seemed to have some similarities. She was not

indifferent now but a keen talker. And I loved that. I was

becoming too lost in her. And there were ten minutes to go. Alas!

She bought the book and I bought one too, of Sir

Wodehouse. I told her about his great humour and that she must

read his books. It was nice haggling for the books together.

Seemed like a work of collaboration. And what better than to

team up with a girl!.

The topic shifted to likings and all. She told me she loved dance. I

told her that I was hopeless at dance and all I could manage was

bhangra, which, therefore, I had to employ for western numbers

as well. She laughed. I told her that I loved music.

“Well, nothing like music. It is my life. For your information, by

the way, I happen to play the guitar.” Thank God, she was at least

impressed by this. I was always told that nothing flatters a girl

more than a guitar.

“Wow,” she said. “I’d like to hear it sometime.”

“Hmm, I think I should grant you the privilege. Not everyone is so

lucky, Shreya.” I must have said that about myself.

“Well, thanks. I am deeply honoured.”

“So, when do you leave? I’ll try and find you an appointment out

of my busy schedule.”

“I am sorry, Tejas, I leave tomorrow. Next time, perhaps. Don’t

forget then...”

“No, I promise I won’t. But you should return the favour.”

“Hmm, so what should I do?”

“Teach me to dance. I am pathetic.”

“Only if you teach me to play the guitar…”

“Deal.”

“Deal.”

We shook hands again. Her soft hands. It had turned out to

be wonderful. My God! I thought… Learning dance from this

angel. I was lost in my dreams. Lost in her. Lost in her perfume.

Lost in the moment. I lost all sense of time. I wished our meeting

would never end. I wanted to talk on and on with her. I could

have never imagined that we’d gel so well and be so comfortable

talking. That such a pretty girl could be so affectionate with an

imbecile like me. My reverie was broken when I heard her say

excitedly, “Hi Palak!”

All I could manage to say through a few broken sentences was

this:

“Hi... Palak... So you... Are back... Good... This is Shreya, by the

way... a good friend... I guess you two know each other...

Shreya... This is my dearest sister... Palak.” I was dead.

“Hi Shreya!” Palak said, smiling at her. Then she turned towards

me. “By the way, she is my friend.”

“Oh! What a coincidence. I could never have thought that we’d

have a common friend. Extremely gratifying to learn that.”

Saumya and Kamna intervened saying a ‘Hi’ each and asking

Shreya what she was doing here at the entrance when she was

supposed to be there at the back.

“What!” Shreya uttered, surprised.

“Yes, your dad called and said that you’ll arrive at the back

entrance. But we had waited for long, so we came back here to

check again.” Explained Palak.

“My dad? Palak, he left yesterday. Mom and I will return

tomorrow. How could he have called?” asked Shreya, surprised

again.

Well, the director of the scene would have wanted to me to

quit the stage, now, and I itched to do the same “Sounds like a

confusion to me. The movie is going to start soon. I better go. You

also hurry up or you’ll miss the beginning,” I said and looked at

Shreya.

“Yes, we should move. Nice meeting you, Tejas.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Shreya. And don’t you forget the deal,”

I said smiling and she smiled back.

“Well, you are the one who is busy. I hope I get an appointment,”

she said, teasing. That killed me.

“Well, you will. I am always free for pretty girls. Bye.”

I smiled at her and she blushed a little and said bye. I shook

her soft hand again for the fourth time. I wondered when I’d hold

her hand again. I hadn’t the slightest clue that it would be so

long. I looked at Palak. She gave me a dreadful look. I smiled at

her too. One of those i-won-you-lost smiles. Saumya and Kamna

looked disgusted. But, I was on cloud nine.

They turned and moved away. I faintly heard Shreya asking them,

“So, Saumya, where were you stuck?” they proceeded and I

watched her go. Her silky hair and silver earrings and her petite

figure. I longed for her.

As they went farther, I noticed some unrest. I could not make out

their conversation but assumed it to centre round me and my

antics. Their battalion suddenly stopped and they turned around.

It was not unlike the synchronous about-turn of the jawans on

Republic Day. And ‘about-turn’ did I, and started walking in the

opposite direction, when Palak called out, “Tejas, just a minute.”

“Yes, I said, turning around. They were right in front of me. Four

of them. All furious. Right then I heard bhabhi calling out my

name. Her battalion marched towards us. I had been cornered and

how!

I felt like Chhota Rajan or Chhota Shakeel or Chhota ya Bada

whatever yaar. It must be a trying experience for them, the

moment of trap. All those ingenious plots they must have devised,

the dangerous plans they must have executed... the joy they must

have derived from their success... all must have dissolved and

disappeared in a flash, in this moment of truth. I could

sympathise with them. I drew comfort from the learning that

popularity in my case wouldn’t be of such impressive magnitude.

The clan that would learn about my exploits was thankfully much

smaller. As I saw the battalion approach, I felt as Bin Laden might

have felt watching the FBI march towards him. One felt like

wanted gangster. One needed to act, urgently, things could be

controlled even now. All was not lost. One required tact.

“Palak, let them go and watch the movie. I’ll explain every thing

to you,” I said coolly to Palak.

“Oh! Don’t be afraid, Tejas. Let everyone know about your

glorious deed.” She was boiling.

“I’ll take a minute to explain. Let them go. If you want to tell

them something, do that later. Don’t create a scene here.”

“Fine,” she said angrily.

I told bhabhi that I’d come in a minute. She teased me: “Flirting

around, Mr. Tejas?” I smiled and said, “I am glad you understand,

bhabhi.”I gave her the mobile phone and took me ticket. Vineet

whispered to me, “You rascal, mend your ways. I’ll kick you but

when you come back.”

I returned to the furious four.

“What did you tell Shreya?” Palak got ready for the court martial.

“I saw you leaving this place. So I assumed Shreya might not be

coming for the movie. But when I saw her here, I thought, might

as well talk to her a little and then tell her to join you. So…I just

told her what she told you that I told her. It was harmless, sis.”

“Come to the point, Mr. Tejas. What about the phone call?”

“Which phone call? How do I know?” “Of course, you know. It can’t be a coincidence that we are asked

to go to the back while you flirt in the front.”

“Excuse me. I didn’t flirt. Ask Shreya. I merely talked to her

nicely.”

Shreya was puzzled. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t look

at me nicely at all. Palak moved away and did something with her

mobile phone. She dialed “Shreya’s dad’s number, I guess. A

series of awkward expressions followed. I couldn’t hear her but

knew all. She came back red as a tomato and shouted”

“That was bhabhi’s mobile.”

“Which mobile?” I asked innocently.

“from which Shreya’s dad called.”

“But how did Shreya’s dad get bhabhi’s mobile? Do they know

each other? Small place, this world, extremely!”

“Stop your nonsense, I mean someone called from her cell acting

like Shreya’s dad!”

“Oh my God, I can’t see why bhabhi will do this. Something fishy.

And I fail to see you how could mistake her sweet voice as a

man’s.”

“Tejas, stop joking. I can’t believe you would do that,” she said,

looking hurt. “I am sorry, Shreya. I didn’t know he could do such

a shameful thing.” My heart winced at hearing ‘shameful’. Some

words are like pocket bombs. My sister was hurt. I should have

known. Palak does not emotional at such things.

“It is okay, Palak. Don’t feel bad. You didn’t do anything,” said my

darling, comforting. She was not even looking at me. I moved

towards my dear sister. “I am sorry sis. I didn’t realize you’d feel

so bad. Honestly, I did this just to get even with you. And please

ask your friend, I talked properly.” Her friend still wasn’t looking

at me.

“Tejas, you have crossed all limits this time…”

“Palak, I did this just because you talked like that on the phone

yesterday. I didn’t feel good that you were going out with your

friends on my birthday. I am sorry. I went too far…” I lied. Of

course, I wanted to flirt with Shreya. But I had to lie. She was

seriously hurt. I may have been instigated into doing this because

of Palak’s tone but the reason was different. I took Palak’s hands

in mine and said sorry again. I meant that, though. “Now please

don’t spoil my birthday, sis. Cheer up. The movie is about to start.

You haven’t missed anything. First fifteen minutes are ads.”

She was still cross, I could see. Saumya and Kamna looked

away in disgust. Shreya looked at me, without any anger, I guess. Then she said to Palak. “It is okay na, dear. Honestly, I don’t feel

bad. So please don’t fight with him and cheer up. And yes, his

behaviour was fine.” She was sweet.

“I am sorry, Shreya. Can I talk to you for moment? In private,” I

dared to ask her.

“Yes,” she said. Thank God!

We moved away a little. Rest of them proceeded towards the hall.

“I am sorry,” I said looking into her pretty eyes.

“It is okay. You are quite a prankster though,” she commented

mockingly.

“Yes. But today it turned out to be horrible. Generally, I like to

make people happy.”

“Oh?” she had a sarcastic expression.

“Well, I know you won’t agree. I am really sorry if I hurt you. But

it was really nice meeting you. And I mean that.”

“Fine. But honestly I don’t like boys who are after girls like this.”

An acid comment.

“Please! I am not after you,” I said, trying to be polite. But I was

after her. Now, yes, I was. “I am sorry if give you any such

impression. I just tried to be a little friendly; turns out I already

have spoiled so many people’s day,” I said., trying to gain

sympathy. She did soften.

“It is okay, Tejas. Just be a little careful…” We started walking

towards the hall.

“And yes, please pep up my sis. I know you will do that. And you

can tell her that I was decent with you, that’ll help.”

“Fine. I will do that.”

“You have a nice heart.” I meant that. She had been so

considerate and composed during the whole episode. She was a

really nice girl. Beautiful. Inside, as well as outside. I was gone

for life.

“Thanks. Interesting meeting you anyway,” she smiled after a

long time. That brightened me up. It indeed wasn’t all that bad

now. In fact, I felt it had turned out brilliantly.

“Bang on, miss! It is always fun… being with me. I feel life should

be a little adventurous. Normal is boring. What do you say?”

“Hmm, nice thought but I have a rather weak heart.”

“Hmm, maybe you have the privilege of learning this from me too.

Living life king size.”

“Yes, maybe.” She laid stress on that ‘maybe’.

We reached the entrance of the theatre. I glanced at my

watch. We were about twenty minutes late. We stopped before. going in. “Don’t worry ma’am, you wouldn’t have missed much.

The movie has just started,” I said, putting on a sophisticated

charm.

“I am not worrying. I have already seen it. It is you who should

worry, sir.” And she laughed. She was not very displeased with

the developments, I surprised. In fact, she seemed pleased. Quite

pleased.

“Eeeks,” I uttered, laughing, “We better rush in then. A moment

more though, ma’am. What happens to the guitar and dance

lessons? Are they still on?”

“Hmm, I can’t say, right now. I’ll have to think about it, sir,” she

said playing around. That killed me again.

“Do tell me though. I hope to stay in touch. Shall I give my email

contact?”

“Your wish.”

I took that as a yes and gave her mine. I wrote it on a piece

of paper I found in my pocket. Thank God, I was carrying a pen.

She gave hers too. Not bad at all, Tejas; not bad at all, I said to

myself. We moved in, finally. I hardly cared about the movie. I

was in awe of her. I didn’t know if it was love, but I could have

done anything she asked for. These girls hypnotize you.

“By the way, happy birthday,” she said so sweetly.

“Thanks, don’t l get a gift?”

“No,” she said cutely and just like a girl can. We parted finally

saying bye and smiling.

I knew I had got the gift, though. The best I could ever get.

It couldn’t have been a better birthday. She had won my heart

and I felt that I had made an impression too.

Such was the unique episode, then, my readers, an

impeccable work of Mr. Fate, and I remember singing as I

marched towards my seat.

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday, dear T-e-j-a-a-a-s,

H-a-p-p-y B-i-r-t-h-d-a-y, t-o y-o-u-u-u-u-u-u!!!!

As I told you before, there is a song for every occasion!