It was a hot and humid day. I had a very hectic and exhausting day at office. I just wanted to go home and have a nap. I was waiting for the bus. It seemed like it would take for ever for my bus to come. The bus stand was crowded. Everyone was busy with their cell phones. Some were talking to the special ones and some were simply trying to distract themselves with music or games. But I was in no mood of that. I just wanted my bus to come ASAP. I was cursing that nothing in India is done on time. Suddenly from nowhere I saw my bus approaching. When the bus arrived well everyone just wanted to board the bus first. There were push and pulls. Even after 3 years of my job I wasn’t quite used these things. Anyway somehow I managed to get into the bus. The bus was too congested of course. I could barely manage to stand. I was cursing the weather and my reluctance to buy a bike. Suddenly I, from the corners of my eyes, saw a girl. A beautiful girl! She was probably in her early twenties. She was wearing a saree. Her choice of dress and accessories was mind blowing. They were complimenting her quite well. Right from bindi to bangles and necklace everything was just perfect for her. She was wearing a light make up. All these happened in the matter of three to four seconds. Suddenly I realised I know her. She was an old friend of mine. We have not talked from years. After our school we have almost never met. Suddenly our eyes met. A vibe run through my body and I quickly got my eyes off her. It was an awkward situation. And then the bus stopped for a bus stop. Exactly no one left the bus. But four to five people entered the bus. To give them some space people squeezed a little and in the process I ended up just beside her. I was standing very close to her ‘cause she was sitting on the side seat. This proximity was killing me. I wanted to say Hi to her but did not muster the courage to do so. We had not talked from years for a reason. Some misunderstanding had crept in our good old friendship. She began to avoid me because she felt that I had got “feelings” for her. To be honest she wasn’t wrong. I always had liked her. She was very talented and had got a very sweet voice and of course she was pretty. I adored her. But she felt otherwise. She didn’t want to be in a relationship with me. So she simply stopped talking and got on with her life. But this she took the initiative. She said Hi to me and asked me that didn’t I remember her. I said I remember her well but just could not dare to talk to her after “those” incidents. Suddenly the bus got stopped for another bus stop. Well this time a few people left the bus. The person sitting next to her was also leaving the bus. She asked me sit beside her. I didn’t expect this from her. I did as commanded
“So how is your girlfriend?”
“I don’t have a girlfriend.” I answered. I was surprised with the choice of question she started the conversation.
“Don’t you dare lie to me.” She acted as she was surprised at my answer. But deep down she knew I never lie.
“Why exactly do you think I’ve a girlfriend?”
“Because I heard you have got a good job with an impressive salary.” She responded quickly.
“Let me first ask you a question will you be with me just because I have a good job or you chose someone as your boyfriend on the monetary terms?” I finally shifted the attention. It was also a desperate attempt on my part to know her relationship status.
“No to both the questions.” She replied calmly.
“So?”
“I just thought a boy as good and caring as you must be having a girlfriend”.
“Seriously?” I was surprised.
“Yeah.” She said as if assuring me.
“Then why did you leave me?” I knew I had overstepped. I should not have gone there. But I have already done it. The moment later I was regretting it. I was more worried about her reaction.
“That was different.” I wasn’t happy with the answer. But the way she had answered I was little relieved that she wasn’t angry. She was patient and that was a relief.
“Can we talk something different?” She tried to change the topic concealing her discomfort.
“Of course if you want to.” With the last couples of words slowly. I did not want to confront her. We were talking after a long time and I didn’t want to ruin it.
“You chose to work just after your B. Com”
“Yeah”
“I mean why?”
“For obvious reasons”
“If it was so obvious I would not have been asking you”
“Parents did not afford to make arrangements for my PG studies”.
“What are banks for?”
“Banks don’t offer you loans when your parents are good for nothing.”
“You should not talk about your parents this way. The reason you are here is your parents”
“I wasn’t saying otherwise. I am here because of my parents. I would have been better if they weren’t my parents.” My emotions were pretty evident from my voice.
Suddenly I felt something weird, something different, something warm. She had put her hands on my hands. I never expected her do so. It was like I was living my dream. Her touch was electric. Her touch was assuring. She made me forget everything. My poor home, divorced parents, my frustrating job, my unrequited love, fatigue, worries, the uncomfortable weather- I forgot everything. It was the moment of pure bliss. Her warm touch was driving me nuts. I looked up. Everyone else was oblivious to the intensity of emotions at the back of public bus. I looked back down at her hands covering mine. We both turned our hands at the same time, as if she knew my thoughts, so our hands were palm against palm...finger against finger. It made me feel delicate. I was feeling being cared.
I was holding her hands...
https://www.facebook.com/DevashishKumar09081995/posts/681529308582471
https://www.facebook.com/DevashishKumar09081995/posts/682460985155970
“So how is your girlfriend?”
“I don’t have a girlfriend.” I answered. I was surprised with the choice of question she started the conversation.
“Don’t you dare lie to me.” She acted as she was surprised at my answer. But deep down she knew I never lie.
“Why exactly do you think I’ve a girlfriend?”
“Because I heard you have got a good job with an impressive salary.” She responded quickly.
“Let me first ask you a question will you be with me just because I have a good job or you chose someone as your boyfriend on the monetary terms?” I finally shifted the attention. It was also a desperate attempt on my part to know her relationship status.
“No to both the questions.” She replied calmly.
“So?”
“I just thought a boy as good and caring as you must be having a girlfriend”.
“Seriously?” I was surprised.
“Yeah.” She said as if assuring me.
“Then why did you leave me?” I knew I had overstepped. I should not have gone there. But I have already done it. The moment later I was regretting it. I was more worried about her reaction.
“That was different.” I wasn’t happy with the answer. But the way she had answered I was little relieved that she wasn’t angry. She was patient and that was a relief.
“Can we talk something different?” She tried to change the topic concealing her discomfort.
“Of course if you want to.” With the last couples of words slowly. I did not want to confront her. We were talking after a long time and I didn’t want to ruin it.
“You chose to work just after your B. Com”
“Yeah”
“I mean why?”
“For obvious reasons”
“If it was so obvious I would not have been asking you”
“Parents did not afford to make arrangements for my PG studies”.
“What are banks for?”
“Banks don’t offer you loans when your parents are good for nothing.”
“You should not talk about your parents this way. The reason you are here is your parents”
“I wasn’t saying otherwise. I am here because of my parents. I would have been better if they weren’t my parents.” My emotions were pretty evident from my voice.
Suddenly I felt something weird, something different, something warm. She had put her hands on my hands. I never expected her do so. It was like I was living my dream. Her touch was electric. Her touch was assuring. She made me forget everything. My poor home, divorced parents, my frustrating job, my unrequited love, fatigue, worries, the uncomfortable weather- I forgot everything. It was the moment of pure bliss. Her warm touch was driving me nuts. I looked up. Everyone else was oblivious to the intensity of emotions at the back of public bus. I looked back down at her hands covering mine. We both turned our hands at the same time, as if she knew my thoughts, so our hands were palm against palm...finger against finger. It made me feel delicate. I was feeling being cared.
I was holding her hands...
https://www.facebook.com/DevashishKumar09081995/posts/681529308582471
https://www.facebook.com/DevashishKumar09081995/posts/682460985155970
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