Just Like Extra Amazing Days...

I woke up from a beautiful dream with the irritating noise of alarm clock at 6.30. I assumed as if it was ringing in my dream but when I finally woke up I shut the noise down.

That irritating noise stopped but then even more horrible noise from door made me perfectly awake.

“Leena…”

My aunt Neelam, maybe she doesn’t believe that I keep alarm to wake up exactly at 6.30.  Maybe she thinks I only woke up after she calls my name. Anyway!

I throw away my comforter and made my bed. Then I went to the mirror to tie my hairs and I saw a horrible looking young girl there.

Hmm… Leena Naik. Seriously I was looking like a zombie after yesterday nights study session. Puffy eyes, bony figure, my naturally auburn hairs were looking like lifeless strings around my shoulders till my waist. The only thing which was recognizable about me was my naturally pink pouty lips.  I was looking as if I haven’t slept in a week which was technically true.

One more day…

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, tied my messy hairs in a pony tail. I heard the same voice once again.

I wanted to shout in the same pitch but I stopped the urge to do so and said “darn it” under breath, and imagined the next trail of events in my mind.

Neelam must be sitting on the dining table, sipping her coffee, Savni maybe sleeping in her room, and my uncle might have gone for a walk. Trust me everything was the same.

She looked at me with the same expression I thought, and I said to myself

Here it goes…

“I have made coffee for you, if you want. Do check what Savni wants to take for Tiffin today and I have to go early today so you will have to prepare her today. Will you?”

I said looking towards the window of kitchen “yeah sure”

Do I have any other choice?

She always has to go early for office, but she never goes that’s the different part…

I went silently towards the coffee pot, it had exactly 1 sip of coffee.

1, 2, 3… someone once said our anger gets calm down by counting numbers. But they never tell this, that it also depends on for what you are angry maybe. Till I counted 47, my accurately 1 sip coffee was in my mug. I made some breakfast for my uncle and kept it on the table.

(I am so fed up of this fact that, I can make fine cooking, because I can then I have to do it every time.)

I went upstairs to awake my little sister. She was sleeping silently, and her short hairs were all messed up. There was a book and small specs near to her. I picked them and kept on the dressing table. I called her a few times to wake her up.

“Savni , hey u gotta wake up.” I shake her arms.

Savni, my little 10 years old cousin, and of course my new best friend. (well 6 months old)

“Leena…” she sat straight up and started rubbing her eyes.

“Wher aar my specs” she said in her still in sleep voice. I pointed her towards the dressing table.

“Hey you know, yesterday i….” I went back to my room till I heard what she was saying. She came behind me to my room.

“It was so awesome…” she said cheerfully. Only kids can be this much cheerful after waking up on such morning.

“What?” I said while searching for cloths in my cupboard.

“That book… I loved it” she said.

“Yeah I know. Hey can you please hurry up. I got to go early today.” I said looking at her to the door.

“Yeah of course.” She said and went downstairs. Thank god someone is here who listens to me.

Till I got showered my uncle was already home. When I was coming to the kitchen he called my name. “Leena…”

“Yeah..” I went into kitchen and started making tea for him. When I was standing in the kitchen I remembered about Savni’s Tiffin.

I pulled out everything needed on table top, and he called out for tea again.

I gave him his tea, made Tiffin for Savni, and spent my entire morning in so many chores. Finally when they were out of house, I went back to my room and found that it was 10.25. I pulled up my backpack and stuffed my books into it, and I was out in top 5 minutes.

“Crap…” I returned back from gate when I remembered I didn’t lock the door. I went running to the bus stop. Finally when I got the bus I felt relieved.

I prayed to god, Dear god please let this day be a little better.

And I saw outside the window, I saw a teen age girl with freakishly extra make up, sunglasses on a bike. Instead of thinking why I was feeling sad about it I pulled out my headphones and started chris martin’s soft voice song “fix you”.

After 30 minutes I was in college.

“Leena? Where have you been?” my second best friend Sayli called me as soon s I was in parking lot.

“Why? I just reached here.” I asked her confused with her expressions.

“I have been calling and texting you since morning” she sounded irritated.

“Oh” then I looked at the cell phone in my hand, 7 missed calls and 3 texts.

“Oh I am really sorry; I didn’t check it since morning.” I told her.

“We have to submit assignment today. D.S.” she said hurriedly.

“NO WAY!” I shouted in shock. I shouted so loud that a few students around started looking at us suspiciously.

Sayli seemed shocked too.

“Maybe he is not going to be in college tomorrow, so he had mailed last night that the assignment dues today.” She said.

I closed my eyes and remembered I couldn’t even open my laptop yesterday. I have my complete assignment at home lying on my study table, which was suppose to due tomorrow. I said exhausted to her “just kill me…”

“Oh honey, that’s why I have been calling you since morning. I wanted yours to copy but u didn’t even answer my call” she said.

“I have forgotten it at home.”  I told her silently.

“Oh god…” she placed her hand on her mouth.

“Not helping, Sayli” I looked at her.

“Oops sorry” she bit her lip and said “Lets go, we will tell R.K.”

“Are you crazy? What am I going to tell him? That I forgot my assignment at home?” I said unbelievably. I remembered his bulgy eyes popping out of his 22 no specs.

“So what?” she said taking my arm.

“I will go home and get it” I tried to free my arm from her hands, I was about to turn around and she said, “We have lecture of operation research in 15 minutes”

This is worse day ever…

I don’t usually cry, but now I was about to cry.

“Your option is better.” I said to her and we started walking towards his office.

I stood shaking in his office door; Sayli was nudging me to ask him to come in.

“May I come in sir?” I asked finally.

“yeah.” He said after looking towards me for a minute.

I stood in front of his desk and then said “Sir my assignment…”

“You brought it? Keep it there” he pointed towards the pile of files in the left.

“No. I mean…” I couldn’t believe it but my voice was cracking.

“What?” he said.

“I have forgotten it at home.” I said looking at the stain on the floor carpet.

“Why? Didn’t you get the notice?” he said in a little loud voice.

“No. I couldn’t read my mail and…” I remembered all my hustle from yesterday evening to this morning.

“I don’t expect this behavior from students like you miss. Naik.” I didn’t even look up.

But he said after split second, “Alright. Its alright this time. Just bring it tomorrow. You will get a late mark”

Oh thank goodness…

I looked at him. he was doing his work without looking at me.

“Thank you sir thanks a lot” I said in a better voice now.

I stormed out almost dancing with joy.

“ oh he said to bring it tomorrow.” I told Sayli who was leaning against the black board of notices near the office.

“yesss” she said cheerfully and smiled at me.

We both started walking towards our classroom.

“But where have you been whole night?” she asked.

“Oh don’t even ask me. I had such a freaking morning. I should start living on hostel yaar.” I said.

“yeah you totally should, but…” she said in low voice.

“Hmm, I know. Now I am starting to feel as if I have came here to be the maid of that house, and to pass the time I come here to college” I laughed on my own bad joke. But she kept walking silently.

“Maybe I should search a job. If at least my hostel money I can make. “ I said depressingly.

“Are you kidding? You spend your 15-16 hours in college, study and work and you want a job?” she said.

True…

“Hmm…” I sigh with disappointment and we had reached classroom.

When we have finished all our lectures, I saw Jatin standing in the parking lot, leaning against his bike, in dark blue button down shirt.

She was about to go towards him, I said “ hey listen, I gotta go.”

“come on? It s just 5.30?” she said looking at the clock.

“ yeah but…” till her tell her anything Jatin came towards us.

“ hey” he said looking at her.

“ hey…” her eyes were beaming with happiness from seeing him.

He’s been out of Mumbai for couple of days for some work. God I love watching Sayli smiling at him like this whenever she meets him. I said hi to him smiling.

“ are you free now?” he asked her.

“ yup…”

“ coffee?” he asked us both.

“ amm sorry, I have to go.” I tried taking my hand out if her hand.

“ hey Leena? Please… you didn’t even came yesterday…” she said looking at me.

“ yeah. Come on. Just one coffee?” he asked me.

“ well alright.” And we started walking towards the cafeteria.

Jatin Sharma. Sayli’s fiancé. Actually boyfriend till last month, but then they were so much in love that they convinced their parents to make their engagement.

Actually I feel so nice about their relationship. They both love each other a lot, Jatin is a manager in a private firm, and Sayli is still doing her post graduation. But even though because of a ring their relationship is standing on a confirm basis. And they have no intension of marriage till next 2 years.

These are like the extra amazing days in their relationship. Wow…

I smiled on my own thoughts. She looked at me and asked me silently “what?” by raising her eyebrow.

But I said nothing and nodded. She got busy in talking with him. I looked around the cafeteria. There were so many students busy in just talking, sipping coffee from mugs, teasing one another. And I found a familiar face in the crowd. But I couldn’t remember the name of him.

He was just sitting at the table next to us, and he looked at me. I felt like he caught me while staring at him.

OH! I got it… Sameer… is he Sameer?

Yes he is… the bells in my mind tingled with his identity. What was he doing here…

His lips curled up in an easy smile, and he waved his hand at me. I smiled at him with a recognizable look. A boy sitting in front of him looked at me by turning around. And before I could understand anything Sameer got up and came to my table.

“ hey, whats up?” he said in cheerful smile sitting at the empty chair near to me.

Sayli and Jatin both stopped talking and looked at us.

“ oh hi… what are you doing here?” I asked with a surprise.

Sameer desai, once my friend. Actually he wasn’t really a friend. It’s just we knew each other from my tuition and we were doing a same graduation course in different colleges.

And also once while coming to Mumbai I had met him in bus by coincidence. But then we were not even in contact, as he was in a different college.  so I just wanted to know what he was doing in my college.

But now he was looking so different, I mean in awesome kind of different. He had this shaggy hairs and he was wearing a blue colored t shirt with dark blue jeans paired with enormous woodland shoes. And I never even noticed his eyes were actually light brown colored till he sat near to me smelling something mild like baby powder and sandal wood mix powder.

“yeah, I have some friends here.” He said folding his hands in front of him and leaning back.

I looked towards Sayli, she was eyeing me questioning “who’s he?”

“ amm Sayli, Jatin this is Sameer. “ I said looking at them both, “ and this is my best friend Sayli and her fiancé Jatin”

Jatin laughed with his introduction, and Sayli slapped me on my hand slowly looking embarrassed.

“ oh… you don’t have to tell everyone that.”   And we all laughed.

“ hey Jatin was also in D.Y.T.” I said to Sameer suddenly remembering what he had told me.

“ really?” Sameer asked him.

And then we kept talking till next half an hour, (I mean they were talking and I was just giving my opinion on few points) god I never even heard him talking like this, he was talking as if they were his friends from years. Rather I never had chance to talk with him.

After some time I looked in my watch, it was past 6.15.

“ ok guys I gotta go now” I got up from my chair.

“ why so early?” Sameer asked me.

“ yeah I have bus to catch…” I told him and moved away from table picking up my backpack.

“bus? You live on hostel right?” he continued.

“ nah… actually I live with my relatives, bandra” I told him.

“ oh…” he said and stayed calm for a second or two, and then said

“ can I drop you?”

I looked at him surprisingly, and calculated who might be home now.

Well Neelam would be home  by 7.30 and nilesh uncle would be around 8 so now was kind of safe timing for a boy to drop me home….

I looked at him and said “yeah sure…”.

“ alright…” he said and went further by saying good bye to Sayli and Jatin.

I looked at Sayli and she was smiling as soon as he left our table, I gave him a look and said “what?”

She nodded and said bye.

I rolled my eyes at her and said bye to her.

“Assignments…” I heard her saying from my back.

“yeah. Got it” I told her without looking back.

When we reached at the parking I thought he had bike, but then he turned towards the car parking and unlocked a small car.

“ wow, you have a car?” I asked him.

“nah its not mine.” He opened the door for me. I sat inside and kept my bag on the backseat. He pulled outside of the gate.

“ hey we met on the bus the other day and then we had no contact” he said.

“ ah yeah…” I said looking outside through the window.

“ I forgot to take your  number.” He said speeding on the empty lane.

He’s good at driving…

“ yeah, I will give it today, so you stay at hostel?” I asked him.

“ no, we have a flat in Mumbai. Dadar east” he said.

“ oh, good”

We were at my home in few minutes after giving I gave him directions. I told him to stop the car at the stop. I didn’t want any risk if anyone was home.

I said bye to him and turned around but he called my name,

“ hey Leena?” I looked at him and he asked for no.

“ oh sorry!” I said to him embarrassed, and asked for his cell. I punched my number in it and returned it to him. “ bye, nice meeting you again” I said.

“ same here” he smiled so gorgeously at me…

Oh…

As I opened the door, I saw Savni sitting in the hall watching cartoons and still in her school uniform.

“ hi” I said to her, sitting beside her.

“ hey…” she said with same cheerful voice.

“ hey am sorry, I was totally in rush at morning, and I couldn’t talk with you much” I was feeling guilty for morning.

She said its ok and smiled at me, and then we kept on talking on somethings.

After few minutes aunt Neelam returned and…

Here it goes…

When I returned to my room, it was past 10.30. I was about to open my laptop and my cell phone rang. Mother…

And she talked with me for next 15 minutes and dad talked like for 2 minutes. I remembered something from it and I opened my wallet.

Hmm! 330 enough for 15 days. I mean I have to spend them almost 15 days. Then I opened my laptop , yesterdays mail with college header was still there. And I kept my assignment in backpack.

We didn’t had any study today but I decided to make notes for the test, but I couldn’t even continue for 15 minutes. I put all aside and went to bed.

8 November, it’s been exact 6 months since I moved here at Mumbai. Actually my home town is in Sangli, I used to live with my mother and father. But then for my post graduation I got this college here and I had to move here. We couldn’t afford living at flat or hostel so I am living here at my distant relatives. My college is 10 kilometer away from here but I have no other option right now.

In short I am starting to feel that I have done a terrible mistake after coming here, because from last 6 months, 5 hours all the chores from home, 6 hours college and managing my study I am super exhausted till then end of day. Even though I wanted to live at the hostel, to afford it I would have to get a job, and I have no time for it. I don’t know what I am going to do for next 1-1/2 year. I fell asleep in few minutes and then next day again 6.30 alarm, home, Savni, college and study…

The same routine repeated for some days. One day I came home at almost 6 o’clock. The next day I had my unit tests so I had to study this evening. I went into my room. After 1 and ½ hour I heard the same shrill call she makes at morning. I decided something to tell her till I went downstairs, but after watching her super upset mood I went straight back into kitchen.

“ u didn’t do anything today” she said pointedly.

“ amm yeah, I have test tomorrow so…” I couldn’t believe why I was sounding so guilty. Geez I cant have one day off from this?

“so?” she said in the same tone.

I had no answer for her question. So I continued working there. She didn’t say anything further. But I knew she was just looking for a opportunity to blow this up.

We all sat down for dinner, and she said on the next moment.

“Neelesh, I think Leena was busy today.” She said looking at me.

“ means…”

“ I have a test tomorrow, so I had to study.” I said trying to keep my voice calm.

“when I came back everything was as it was. All I expect is a little help.” She continued.

A LITTLE?

“ you do get time at the night Leena…” my uncle said without looking at me. I was starting to get anger on the tone of his voice.

“ I did everything coming back here…” I said.

Keep your mouth shut, stupid girl.

“ oh really. It was such a big help for me then. We have given you shelter here, and you should always remember that.” She said in high pitch.

“ mom, why are you…” Savni said in cracking voice.

“Savni,  how many times do I have to tell you? You are not supposed to talk in adults matter.” Neelam angrily barked in her.

She started muttering again after my silence, “First let them stay at our house and then listen to this. Not even a little help to me. If you couldn’t afford what’s the use of studying anyway.”

1, 2, 3…

If I stormed out from there or gave answers to them it would be rude, that’s why it was better to listen to everything they were saying. But after listening whatever she was talking I wasn’t sure, how much time I was going to keep calm. 48, 49…

“Instead of marriage, they want the higher education huh… this is why I was saying we shouldn’t take this responsibility.” She was now barking on uncle.

“I asked you and said yes, remember? You didn’t say a word then…” he said even in more high pitched voice than her.

“I didn’t know I would have to see this day.” She.

Enough now. Finally I lost it and stood up from the chair.

I started walking towards the staircase; I didn’t want them to see me crying.

“Look that’s what I am talking about. This girl doesn’t even respect the people who have done …” till I heard her next words I was in my room. I was so angry and before I could understand whatever I was doing I just throw my cell in my backpack along with wallet and stormed out again. I rushed downstairs and opened the door and went outside. My uncle called my name but till he came outside the door I was at the gate.

“let her go. Where’s she is going anyway.” I heard her voice through the window of kitchen.

I just started walking on the road. I had no idea about what I was going to do further. The street lights from the road seemed blurred due to the tears in my eyes. I was just trying to get past the people in front of me. And I just wanted to go so far away from that house. But I could still hear her words in my ears like boiling lava. I had no way of going away from those.

I wiped the tears rolling on my cheeks with my palm, and suddenly my eyes were blind with luminous headlights in front of me. Something pulled my right arm vigorously and grabbed me out of way. I looked at the person near to me.

Sameer…

“Leena?” he looked at me confusingly. I was still crying.

“What happened? Are you trying to kill yourself by walking on the wrong side of road?” he said with a concern in his voice.

“Ah nothing.” I tried to free my arm from his hand and go away.

“Hey where are you going? And why are you crying?” he didn’t let go of me.

“Nothing. Let me go…” I tried to wipe the tears from my eyes with my other hand.

“alright don’t tell me what happened, but at least tell me where are you going? I will drop you there ok?” he said

“ for what? What are you driver of me? And I don’t know where am I going” I said shouting at him trying to free my hand.

“ Then I am not at all letting you go. First of all if nothing has happened why are you out at this time? So you have to tell me what happened or where you wanna go” he said determinedly and he left my arm.

“I really don’t know where I am going.” I said slowly, looking down.

“Alright then tell me what happened.” he said folding his hands in his chest, he was still wearing the same shirt, but a short denim pant.

“Ok, why don’t you come to my home, we will talk and I will drop you wherever you want to go ok?” he said after minutes of silence of me.

I looked at him confusingly and saw my wrist watch, it was 10.45.

“Oh please you can trust me.” He said waving his hands around himself.

“ no, its not…” I tried to tell him something. But then it was better option.

“alright lets go..” he said and I followed him.

After 10 minutes walk we were at a apartment, a kind of new one, like those shiny apartments where rich people would live. Was he this much rich? I didn’t know anything about him. The watchman eyed us suspiciously but Sameer didn’t notice him.

We went into the elevator and till we reached to his flat, he didn’t say a word. His flat was on 11^th floor. I saw him while he was punching the 11 number in the keypad at the elevator.

He opened his flat door and flicked the lights inside. I was still standing at the door, admiring the flat… man he has to be rich.

He said “ come on…”

Well till now I had stopped crying. But my eyes still felt itchy. I went inside and he pointed towards the couch in the hall. I sat there and we went inside.

I looked around me, there was an enormous tv and stereo in a corner. His apartment smelled like new books and furniture and like his perfume. There were some books and news papers on the small table in front of couch. And there was a huge sliding window on the one side of the wall. It was a top floored flat so I could see the flickering street lights and moving cars on the entangled roads below. My eyes were still burning, I took out a tissue from my purse and wiped my eyelashes. And he came with a glass of water in his hands. I drank one sip from the glass…

I really needed it. I saw him sitting at the chair besides me while I was drinking water. He didn’t said a word till I finished the water from the glass. Then he said

“better?”

“yeah. Thanks…” I replied him.

He raised an eyebrow and said questioning me, “so? Whats the matter?”

I just nodded and said “ nothing, I just had a  clash with the relatives I live with.”

“so? Is that why you were wandering on streets at 10.45?” he said raising his eyebrow.

“ No, I mean usually sometimes quarrels happen but today just…and I stormed out in anger so… ” I said in a breath and stopped abruptly.

“ oh it happens… so should I drop you at home then?” he said leaning behindand crossing his hands on his chest.

“hmm, I don’t think I will return there…” I said deciding something.

“ what do you mean?”

If someone else has asked me this question I wouldn’t have answered, buti just felt an urge to tell him everything so I said” I mean I don’t think I want to live there anymore.”

“ why not? Is there any problem?” he asked.

“There are so many problems yaar” I felt so exhausted and I leaned my head back.

“okay, then start from first.” He said in his same determinant voice.

“well I can’t afford hostel or flat right now,  so I have to live with them. But I spend my almost all time working at their house and I can’t get enough time for my studies. Its just so freaking me out.”

“Well it is frustrating. Why don’t you tell your parents about this?” he suggested.

“No way, they r hardly managing my college fees, and if I told them I don’t want to live at my uncle, they won’t even approve it.”

“Oh” he sighed.

“ maybe I should left pg yaar” I said putting my hands in my face, it felt so warm around me, it was winter but Mumbai feels the same in all seasons, except rain.

“Hey don’t be negative, anyway we will think about it later ok? Are you really not going back then?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” suddenly I remembered Sayli.

“Wait I will call Sayli” and I dialed her number.

“Yeah sure…” he said.

She picked up my call and I told her everything, fortunately her folks were out of town for some days so I could stay at her house for few days. I told this to Sameer and asked him to drop me at her house. I stayed at her that night and went to college straight from her home.

Till my paper finished I was feeling as if I was behaving like a clock and I had to find what I was gonna do further. Sayli was already forcing me to stay at her but she was already living in a really small flat and I didn’t wanted to make her parents any uncomfortable. I couldn’t even afford advance for hostel, fee was out of question. And the other option of leaving college, I couldn’t do that, as I had already taken admission for entire year. No way…

I was standing in the college campus waiting for syali to finish her paper. There were so many people around me, just sitting, talking without any tensions or worries of future. All happy with their known happy endings…

I just wanted to run away somewhere, I started thinking on my stupid thought of running away. Where I would go? To the sea face, well I could till the evening.. what about after that? And then my cell started to buzz in my backpack.

Darn it… mom.

She might have known till now that I left uncle’s house. And I didn’t have time to think about what should I answer her.

I pressed receive button.

“hello”

“hello, Leena?” her voice was cracking with worry and anger at the same time.

“where are you? I have been calling you since morning” she said.

“ I am in college.” even I could sense how stupid I was talking.

“ yeah you might be now, but where have you been whole night? Do you have any idea what are you up to?  Neelam told me that you left suddenly last night and didn’t returned the whole night…” she said angrily.

“ oh, and maybe she also told you why I left?” I said in firm voice.

“ its not important right now alright? They are like your mentors; you have no right to leave home with anger in the middle of the night?”  she said.

“ then you have no right to shout at me without even asking me what had happened last night” I said furiously.

“Leena?” my answer was unexpected for her maybe.

“ mom, I stayed at my friend Sayli last night. And I don’t think I will ever stay at Neelesh uncle anymore.”

I told her that till I find another option I will stay at my friends.

“but…” I didn’t heard anything further and cut off the call.

I was so angry on something I didn’t even know, but then I started feeling guilty for talking so rudely with mom, but I didn’t call her back.

I looked towards the classroom, Sayli was just coming out of the room and was picking her bag. And my mobile buzzed again I was going to cut if it was mom again but it was unknown number. I punched receive button and motioned Sayli to wait.

“hello”

“ hey… its me Sameer” he said, I recognized his voice immediately. But why is he calling now?

“yeah. Whats up?” I asked.

“ where are you? Can you meet me now?” he said.

“now? Why? What happened?” I couldn’t think of anything explaining why he wanted to meet me.

“yeah, I needed to talk to you.” He said sounding a little confused.

“ well ok. I am at my college” I looked at Sayli, she was looking at me eyeing who’s that question silently.

“ ok. So can I come at your college?” he asked. I looked at my watch and said

“ yeah sure, I am at the cafeteria.”

“ ok, bye” and he cut the call.

“ who was that?” Sayli asked me.

“ amm Sameer, he said he wanted to meet me.” I told her.

“ why?” she said.

“ don’t know” I said shaking my head.

“ anyway hey listen, you can stay at my home as long as you want ok?” she told me keeping her hands on my shoulders.

“ amm yeah ok thanks a lot” I said with gratitude.

I was thinking about his phone call, well maybe I had forgotten something at his home last night, but there was nothing with me to forget it. And he said he wanted to talk with me. Now I had no other option to wait for him till he came. Sayli had to go home earlier, so I went to the cafeteria alone.

After some time he came there,  in a half sleeved black vest, white t shirt, frayed jeans and fiddling with his keys. He still had those enormous shoes on. He looked around the café till found me and gave me a smile. I waved my hand and he came towards my table.

“hi..” he said.

“hi..” I said looking at him , there was sunlight everywhere around us as it was past 4. His shaggy hairs were looking auburn in light.

“ coffee?” he asked me while keeping his keys on table.

“sure…” I said.

And he went to order two coffees at the counter. He came back and sat in front of me.

“ so?” I said.

Oh he sad light brown eyes, same shade as me… and sunlight was just enough to make them look more lightened. And I was just lost…

What is wrong with me…

He was just saying something and I didn’t heard a single word.

“ what?” I said trying to pull myself together.

“ I was saying…” he was about to tell me and our order came. And finally he said after waiter went back keeping our steaming coffee mugs on silver table top. I inhaled the coffee smell with his sandal wood like perfume or something.

“ so have you decided now where to live?” he asked cupping his hands around the mug.

“ no, not yet…” I said looking at my coffee.

“ amm well what I wanted to say was that.  I don’t know, but please don’t misunderstand ok. I just kind of have an option” he was talking choosing his words carefully.

“ what option?” I said confusingly.

“About your accommodations.” He said looking at me.

“So? What’s there to misunderstand?” I asked.

“ I mean, after I dropped you yesterday I was thinking and, please don’t misunderstand ok…” why is he saying that again and again?

“ I just want to help you…” he said with same carefulness.

I just took a sip of coffee and heard his further words…

“ you can stay with me.”

And that sip of coffee just almost chocked me and I had tears in my eyes. But even though I managed to say, “ what?”

“ I mean I don’t have any room mate and there’s an extra room in my apartment, you can…” he said and I cut him off

“ Sameer? For you kind information? I am a girl…” what did I just said? Well what else I was going to say anyway?

“ yeah of course I know. I just thought maybe I could help you. Am sorry, you know what just forget it” I kept looking at him.

He had guilty and sad expressions at the same time. I started feeling guilty looking at him.

“ hey I am sorry,  maybe I overreacted a little bit but I don’t know what to do right now. Maybe I will think about it ok? How about I will tell you after some time?” I said. “And thanks a lot; I know you are just trying to help me.”

“ yeah sure… take your time.” He said leaning back. We finished our coffee and he dropped me at Sayli’s house.

I told her everything about what he said.

“ do you even know him?” she said sounding suspicious.

“ yeah I mean not much but he is good”

“ but sharing flat?” she said.

“ yeah I know…” I knew what she meant.

“ you should lock your doors.” She said suddenly.

“Sayli?” I looked at her rolling my eyes.

“oh I mean…”

“ but when I said no, he didn’t forced me, he rather said sorry for what he said. Maybe he just wanted to help me” I remembered his expressions.

“ but lets see, if you considered this option you will have a place to live for now, and after some months you can look for place somewhere else. “ she said.

“ yeah that’s right.”

“ but what are you going to tell your parents?” she said suddenly remembering something.

Oh god! I haven’t even thought about this.

If I told them, they will never agree rather send me back to that hell.

“ I can tell them that I am taking flat with my friend.” I said.

“ and what about rent?” she questioned.

“ amm I can say that for some months its ok”

“ will they believe it? And what if they came here?”

“ no they wont..” I assured her after thinking for a split second.

“ you sure?”

“ yeah, I mean they won’t come without telling me first” I told her.

“ but I told you already Leena, you are always welcome to stay here.” She said.

“ I know, but I am extremely sorry Sayli. I already owe you for letting me stay here last night. I will figure something eventually ok?” I patted her on her shouder.

“ hmm” I exhaled nervously, “ okay so now I am gonna tell him.” I picked up my cell phone and scrolled down to Sameer.

I couldn’t believe what I was up to till I dialed his number, I looked suspiciously at her when the beep sound started, “ don’t worry, everything will be ok. And if you have any problem at all you are always welcome here alright?” she said trying to make me feel relaxed.

“hmm, hello” he had picked up my call.

“ hey, whats up?” he said, sounding a little uncertain.

“ hey its me Leena.”  He have my number, why am I telling him my name? I was just nervous maybe.

“ yeah, got it…” he said.

“amm well I just… I just wanted to tell that I think I can consider your option for couple of months. I mean…” he broke me in the middle.

“ so you mean you can move in with me?” he said, now sounding a little unbelievable.

“yeah I mean I just couldn’t find any other way so… just for few months, but I will pay you rent in few days. Is that…” he interrupted me again.

“ hey hey , hold on… did I asked you anything about rent?” he said.

“ no you didn’t but…” I was about to say something.

“ please, I just want to help you, and if I take rent from you it wont be a help right?” he said.

“yeah but, how can I just…” I tried to press my point.

“ ok, we will talk about it later, right now you need a place to stay, and I have one. We will figure out everything else later ok?” he asked me.

“ alright.” I said finally.

“ so how you coming? Should I pick you up somewhere?” he asked.

“amm I don’t know, maybe tomorrow. I have to collect my stuff so…”

“Yeah sure, call me anytime ok” he said.

“Ok”

“See you tomorrow then… bye” he was about to hung up.

“Hey” I called out.

“Yeah”

“Thanks.. Thanks a lot.” I blurted out.

“No problem. And welcome.” He was smiling a little bit, I could sense it.

Then he hung up the call.

I looked at Sayli, I was already feeling nauseous with the thought of moving with a guy without telling anyone. I never had to lie to my parents ever but now I was about to do that. I called my mom and convinced her that I was going to live with me friend for few months. She kept forcing me talk to my uncle once but I didn’t listen to her. Finally she convinced, but now I had to tell my father. After a while he called, but he didn’t oppose me like her. He just said after few months we will try for hostels. He even asked me whether he should come here but I opposed him somehow, and tried to convince him that everything was alright.

Finally when I ended my call with him, it was almost fixed that I was going to live with Sameer.  I spent that whole night thinking about whether I was doing right or wrong. But till morning I couldn’t find any other way so now next step was to bring my baggage from uncle. I didn’t even want to see them, but instead of going there behind their back, it was easier when they would be home. So I decided to go there in the morning.

But it was nothing as I had imagined, when I rang the bell I heard so many loud voices from the kitchen, maybe they were in the middle of fight or something. Someone opened the door and I nervously adjusted my purse on my shoulder.

“ yeah, and here she is…” his mood seemed to be more furious after watching me there.

“ I haven’t come back to live here.” I said trying to be as calm as possible.

“Oh really? Then? What are you going to do?” he said.

I didn’t even wanted to tell him anything, but I told him anyway.

“ I am going to live with my friend. I just want to pick my stuff.” I said in one breath and passed him to go to the staircase.

I saw neelem emerging from the kitchen.  I get passed her before she could say anything, but she kept talking something anyway.

I shut the bedroom door and started packing my cloths and books, and after half an hour I came out with two bags packed with all my stuff there.

Suddenly I remembered Savni, she wasn’t downstairs, and maybe she was in her room. I kept my bags on the stairs and went to her room. She was still sleeping, I woke her up and she looked at me while rubbing her eyes.

“ hey , you came back?” she said still sounding sleepy.

“ no, hey I am gonna live with my friend ok? So I just came here to say you goodbye” I told her trying to make her messy hairs out of her face.

“ but why?” she said.

“ Savni..” I didn’t had anything to answer her.

“ oh I know, you are going because of mom and dad right.” She looked down.

“ hmm, anyway I gotta go. I have college today so…” I was feeling a little depressed to leave her.

“ ok bye” she said,” I missed you, will you call me? But…” she continued.

“ got it” I smiled, “ between 6 to 8” I told her smiling.

“bye…” I said and came out of her room. I picked up my bags and went downstairs and heard my uncle calling my mom. But I had nothing to do with that so I just left my keys in the table, and started walking out.

And finally left a sigh of relief.

After few minutes I was at his door steps, I rang the bell and he opened the door.

“hi… I was just waiting for you.” He said leaning in to pick my bag. He was wearing a white button down shirt with dark blue jeans, and his sandal wood perfume waffled towards me.

“I got it” I picked up my other bag and went inside. The apartment looked the same just the light was filled in whole living room. I could actually see the small dust particles hanging around in the golden sun light coming through the enormous glass window.

“ so? Coffee?” he asked me, I looked in my wrist watch, it was past 10.

“Yeah sure” he motioned me to sat on the couch.

I just went over and sat there while he went into the kitchen. I kept looking outside the window, there was a little piece of sky looking gray along with the same entangled roads and cars and people.

“Here” he brought two cups and placed them on the table.

“Thanks..” I picked up one.

“So…” he said.

“So?” I replied, I didn’t understand what he was asking.

“What did your relatives said after you wanted to move out?” he asked.

“Well nothing, I mean I didn’t tell them anything. He was calling my mom but I have already told her so nothing much”

“and…what you have told your mom?” he said, raising one eyebrow.

His classic move, oh god he looks so cute whenever he does that.

I turned my gaze towards my mug and blurted, “well I told her that I am going to move in with my friend.”

“And did you told that your friend is amm…” he sounded like he was teasing.

“Yeah I mean no, I can’t tell her this. Because if I did, I would have to return home, or go back to them, and I can’t …” I said all of sudden.

“Yeah yeah… I got it. Chill, I am just kidding” he smirked.

“Ok” I smiled and took a sip of coffee.

“You have college today right?” he asked me sipping his coffee in between.

“Yeah, at 11 o’clock”  I said.

“Ok, so how you going then?” he asked.

“Oh don’t worry, its hardly 15 minutes from here, I can go by walking” I said as I had came by the same road.

“You sure?” he said.

“Totally…” I confirmed.

We finished rest of our coffee in silence, and he said as soon as I kept my cup at the table.

“so anyway your room” he said. I was about to get up but

“ lenna, amm I wanted to talk about something.” He said.

“yeah sure.” I sat back on the couch.

“ amm I mean we don’t know each other very well and this sharing flat thing is a little, you know awkward.” He said searching for words.

“ oh ah yeah.. It it is a little” I bit my lip nervously.

“So I just wanted to tell you that you can trust me, and here’s the…” he put his hands into his pocket of jeans and pulled out three keys with a keychain and he placed it on the table, “it’s the key to your room, I mean both of them”

“hey its.. not really.” I tried to search for what to say next.

“yeah its needed. Maybe you are expecting me to do the same ok, but you wont tell me this because you maybe already under the pressure that I am helping you and all”  he said silently.

Darn it..he was 100% right.

But I really felt happy inside for whatever he did just now.

“Right?” he asked me.

“Yeah” I said smiling.

“this one is our apartments key, and these two are your rooms.” He said showing me the keys and then handed them over to me.

“So room…” he said while getting up from the chair.

“Sure” I picked up a bag near to the couch and followed him, as we passed the small passage which led further into a room. There was kitchen on my left and another room just making right angle with the room we went into.

This one was also furnished as the living room, with cupboards to the top of the room with dressing table in the middle and study table too in a corner.

There was exactly same enormous sliding glass window on the one side of the room which was opened to a balcony outside.

“wow” I blurted after watching it.

“you liked it?” he said looking at me.

“of course, it’s great” I kept my bag on the bed.

I opened the curtains of the window and same light spread in the room.

“anyway, I have to go now, I have lecture at 11.30” he said crossing his hands on his chest.

“okay.. I gotta go too” I said looking at my watch, its been past 10.45.

“ see you later then..” he said clasping his hands together.

“ yeah, bye” I said and saw him turning towards the door.

I told everything to Sayli as soon as I reached college, and her first reaction was

“Well he is definitely better than I thought.”

“Ahmm…” I said while scribbling notes in my notebook.

“Wow, you know what I should also live like this with Jatin.” When I looked at her she was looking ahead with dreamy eyes.

“Hey you guys are engaged, and if that’s not enough why you don’t marry him?” I said nudging with my arm.

“No re… I mean I have heard every bf turns to the husband after marriage, and anyway he doesn’t live alone… lucky you.” She blurted.

“Hey for your information you are already engaged, he is going to be your husband someday. And what lucky? Sameer is not my bf…”

“We will see…” she said rolling her eyes teasingly.

“Huh” I was about to say something and our lecture started.

After our college finished we came out of the gate, and I started walking towards the bus stop as always, but she stopped me and said, “ hey where you going?”

“ oh, I totally forgot.” I laughed and started walking towards Sameer’s apartment.

When I reached at the elevator it was 6.30. it took me 20 minutes to get through traffic. I rang the door bell and he opened the door.

I smiled at him, and he did too.

“ when you come home every day?” I asked him putting my bag on couch and sitting down exhausted.

“ usually 5.30, but if no last lecture then 4.45.” he said while going inside.

I went inside to have some water, and I saw a cooker on the stove-top.

“ what’s this?” I said surprisingly. I had thought he might have joined mess here.

“ what?” he eyed me with question.

“ you cook yourself?” I asked him.

“ yeah..” he said being obvious.

“I thought you might have joined mess somewhere.”

“Yeah I did actually for some months, then I got bored with it, so now this.” He said handing me water bottle from fridge.

“I mean I am not really food, but I can cook” he said standing next to the table top.

“Hmm” I said taking sip from the bottle, “so would you mind if I help?” I asked him.

“You can cook too?” he said.

“Of course, and better than you I guess…” I said teasingly smiling.

“Okay… well that’s great, I could use some help” he said and put the bottle back in the refrigerator.

“Well you really are better than me” he said as we were taking our dinner.

“Thank you” I just smiled softly at him.

It seemed really quiet around; we could only hear the horns on the roads and nothing else. When I was at my uncle, we would watch tv while eating. I looked at the tv.

“ do you wanna watch something? But you don’t watch those daily soaps right?” he said while picking up the remote.

“ oh please, and do you?” I rolled my eyes at him.

“ I used to watch only movies when I was back in home, but I don’t get much time here.” I said. I was almost done with my dinner.

“Lucky you. I watch only movies too.” he said and he flicked tv on.

He searched channels in channel log.

“So, lets see, matrix 1, hangover part-II, and ugly truth, my favorite…” he said.

“Which one?”

“Ugly truth…” he changed the channel.

“Oh I like that one too, but never really watched it till the end.” I said.

“Well then today’s your day.” He said. There were commercials going on.

“Not really. I have my tests going on, and I am almost done so…”

“Okay…” he said and started surfing channels.

When I came to my room, it was almost 10 pm. After half an hour I had a call from mom. And I finished my assignment after 15 minutes. I peeked into the hall, and he was still watching movie. But I couldn’t see whether he was sleeping, because the lights in the living room were of tv. I look towards the screen and it was the balloon shot going on, this is the one I never really saw. And suddenly I stunned as  he called my name, “Leena?”

“Hey. You wanna watch?” he said, sitting up at the couch.

“amm no… I was just going to brush.” I said to him and turned to my room to get my brush.

God I am such an idiot. Maybe he knew I was standing there… alright . let it go..

When I was returning to my room, he had switched off the tv and he said good night to me, I murmured the same and went inside. And locked it after some time.

I just leaned back on my bed, but I couldn’t sleep for a long time, maybe because of the new place. I took out my headphone and started relaxation music but no use. Suddenly I looked towards the window. I wrapped my comforter around myself and went outside by opening the window. There were still so many cars going from the roads. And everything was so bright even the deem streetlights, neon boards, headlights in dark. Some idiots were honking horns at this time, even though no one was in the lane, and some people were sleeping peacefully on the foot paths. I looked up in the sky and there was only half moon blinking in the dark sky. We can’t see much stars in Mumbai much. But still because of moon only the sky was looking so beautiful. And I just felt so relaxed all of sudden. As if I was free, I could see everything from there, but no one was watching me.

Like I was invisible.

After some time when I woke up, I was still in the balcony, curled up against the floor. I went inside and slept on the bed.

Then I woke up straight in the morning. And I wasn’t awake because of alarm or my aunt’s horrible voice, I just woke up. I looked in my cell nearby. It was 7 o’clock. I went into the kitchen and saw his door was still closed. Maybe he was still sleeping. I made tea for me and came to the living room. I suddenly felt guilty for all this, but then I felt I was really in need now, and unless I do something wrong there was no reason to feel guilty about this.

And even though they found out, maybe they will understand me… maybe…

Suddenly someone opened the main door, and I watched him entering in the living room.

“You? I thought you were sleeping.” I said keeping my cup on table.

“When did you wake up? I went to jog” he said removing his headphones. There were sweat beads on his forehead, and he was wearing a gray sweat shirt with almost same colored sweat pants and jogging shoes. His shaggy hairs were messed up. He had some news papers in his hands too.

“Oh, so you go every day?” I said, as he dropped them on table and sat across the chair.

“Yeah, almost every day, since I came here” he said leaning back in the chair looking exhausted.

“good… do you want any cof…” I was trying to ask him.

“ nah, I will take it later…” interrupting me, not even listening to me completely. Why does he never listen my full sentence, he talks as if he already knows what I want to say. Shut up Leena…

As he was busy in reading news, I slipped to my room. What is wrong with me…

And I started preparing for college.

When I reached at college, I met Sayli at classroom, “hey” I said to her as I sat beside her.

“Hey, how was your day? I mean your first day and all…” she asked enthusiastically.

“ yeah, good… pretty great actually.” I said.

“wow” she said and sat silently for few seconds and then said “ hey, am so jealous of you…”

“hey..” I looked at her.

“Yeah, I am sorry, but I can’t help it ok” she said.

“oh please” I ignored her and started pulling my notebooks out.

Some days went by, maybe some weeks, and one day we got our results of tests. I was a little upset that day. When I returned home he hadn’t returned yet. I just went to my room and stood in the balcony. There was a gloomy light of evening filled everywhere.

I tried so hard to not to cry, but I couldn’t help it. I was losing the thing for which I wanted to stay here; I had lost my rank at my college. I just remembered my aunt’s words and felt sunken. Even though I tried hard to push them away.

“Leena?” I heard him calling me.

As I turned back, I saw him standing by the door in dark. It was pretty dark by then. I couldn’t remember how long I had been standing in the balcony.

As I was about to go inside he came there, I wiped my tears with my palm.

“What happened? Are you ok?” he said to me.

“Yeah…” before I could say anything my throat blocked with urge to cry.

“Get in…” he said and he went out of my room.

I went in and sat on the bed, and he came back with a glass of water. I just took it and drank it at once. He just stayed at the chair besides study table.

“You ok?”  he asked me.

“Yup” I said fiddling with the empty glass in my hands.

“What happened? Any problem?”

“Nothing, just… I got the result of my tests today.” I said ,still in a little shaky voice.

“So?” he said.

“I got 6^th rank this time.”

“so what? Its good then” he said.

“ I was 2^nd in last one ok?” I said in shaky voice.

“Is that why are you crying so hard?” he said, leaning back and smirking a little bit.

“Hey I lost my rank, and its important for me ok?” I said a little irritated by his expression right now.

“Yeah, I know, but it was just class test, and anyway you were with all this moving out mess up. You will do better next time. Ok?” he said.

“I don’t like to give reasons ok, if I couldn’t do it then that’s because I didn’t do it right” I said.

“But there are reasons, you say it or deny it” he said silently.

And I just felt as if he was so close to me even though he was actually sitting so far away, but whatever he was talking made me feel relieved.

“Yeah, maybe” I said.

“Good, but you gotta ace the next test, I don’t like to hear reasons ok?” he said trying to be fake strict teacher.

And I couldn’t help but smile, “yeah…” I echoed.

Since then he became my friend, we talked a lot about our lives, our dreams, everything…  even though we were doing  same course we rarely talked about it till one day. It was our semester exam and I was studying in my room, it was past 12.30 but I had to complete some things before tomorrow. When I went to grab a coffee from kitchen I saw the lights were still on in his room . I went over to see if he was still studying. He was … he looked at me, he was looking darn tired.

“Need a break huh…” I said cupping my fingertips around the hot mug of coffee in my hands.

“aahhh, am so tired.” He said leaning back his head.

“here…” I handed him my yet untouched coffee.

“thaankss…” he said taking it.

“what about you?”he asked after taking a sip.

“nah…I am almost done” which was true .

“How can you finish this in a night ?” he motioned to biggest book of S.E.

“because I don’t start doing it on the previous night of exam.” I said smirking at him.

“hmmm…” he just  sipped his coffee  silently.

“anyway best luck ..”I said turning towards the door.

“hey, are you going to sleep ?”he asked after taking a quick sip of coffee .

“no….maybe after an hour .”I said leaning against the door.

“would you mind studying here with me? I might fell asleep after two minutes here.” he said, almost pleading.

“well ok.” I said and brought my books in his room and sat on the chair near to the study table. He was sitting with all his books spread on the whole bed.

I was never really into his room before. I saw a photo of a girl with him on table; she was almost of his age, or maybe 1 or 2 years older. They were standing on a beach or something. I stared at the photo, maybe she was his…

“That’s my sister. Shriya” He said as he noticed I was looking at the photo.  I felt a little embarrassed. “ oh” I said looking at the notebook in my hand.

“You know she was like the topper girl of her batch” he said, even though I hadn’t asked, “ like you…”

“Hah…” I sighed and rolled my eyes.

He smiled, and continued, “ she won this scholarship to international research or something.”

“Where is she now?” I asked, I wanted to know.

“ Bangalore…” he said, without looking at me.

“She was been always the perfect in everything, then she started working with my father and it was like miracle for him” he continued, his voice was a little disappointed.

“She works with your father?” I asked.

“Yup, our Bangalore branch.” He said, fiddling with the pencil in his hand.

“Wow that seems nice. Well then you got yourself a job already.” I said.

“nah, I don’t wanna be in family business, I wouldn’t be doing this then…” he said pointing towards our books.

“Why not? I mean you already have a comfort zone, no stress of failure plus you can be your own boss. Sounds like treat to me.” I didn’t understand why he wouldn’t want to work there.

He laughed, “You sound just like her.”

I just smiled.

“I don’t want to be just the part of something my dad created; I just want to find where I belong.” He said. And I just stared at him.

“That was pretty lame huh…” he said smiling.

And I smiled and said, “yeah, that was kind of lame…” and we both burst into laughter.

We stayed awake for a long time that night, studying and talking meanwhile. He fell asleep anyway. I just picked his books on table and went to my room by turning the lights off. I just wondered  how he never told me about his sister before.

He didn’t had much friends, or at least they never really came home. One day when I came home, I saw a girl sitting in the living room. She was a little short and having too much curly hair. She had a little wheat like complexion.

(but compared to me she wasn’t really that good, hey shut up. But who is she, His friend ?I never saw her before. And why didn’t he tell me. Before the list of question in my mind could grow, Sameer entered in living room.)

“Hey, hi!” he said, trying to balance piles of books in his hands. He placed them all on the table.

“Leena? Right ?” she said in chirping voice.

“hi!” I eyed him questioning who’s she?

“Leena, its Shriya. She was my project partner.” He said sitting on the couch next to her.

“was?” we only had one project per year.

“yeah. I changed my topic so she’s in different group.” He said flipping through pages.

“oh…”I said tentatively smiling at her.

“you are at NIT right? Sameer told me.” she said in her chirpy voice.

“yeah …” I nodded.

“I heard their entrance is the toughest” she said.

“yup, it was. I think I saved myself” I smiled. Well I don’t want to brag about it.

She smiled too.

“Anyway, I will be back” I said picking up my sack.

“Yeah sure” she said.

I went to my room and closed the door but I could still hear them.

“So you guys share this apartment huh…” she asked. As she knew my name obviously she knows that I live there too. Her question was totally unnecessary.

“Yup” he said.

“Oh isn’t that awkward?” she blurted.

(I am going to kill her, who the hell she think she is?)

“Not really. We kind of adjusted.” He replied.

According to the tone of his voice, it seemed as if he didn’t want to reply. But she continued anyway. “So you guys are like in relationship or something?”

No!!! you didn’t… arrhhh…1,2,3…

“no…” he said.

“Then…” before she could say anything, he interrupted her and said.

“Well here’s everything you need. I have copied all the forms here, and all the notes are in this folder.” He said.

“Ok…thanks.” She kept mum.

And then in few minutes she said, “Anyway I have to leave now”

Go to hell…

“Sure bye…” he said.

“Bye, see you tomorrow then.” She said.

And then I heard the door being closed. And I opened my door. He was just going to his room and he had his laptop in his hands.

“ah, annoying ha” I teased him.

He just smiled at this and said “yeah, kind of…”

I just went into hall, our exam was over so there were no studies. I flickered tv on but there was nothing to see. He also came in the living room after some time.

“God, I am bored.” I said shutting down the tv, and looked at him.

“hmm… you wanna go out?” He said raising his eyebrow.

“where?” I said putting the remote aside.

“How about movie?” he suggested.

“nah…Especially including I am not you gf…”I said being a brave, even though I wanted to…I smiled nervously. Well that was a joke.

“right.” He smiled too.

“How about just a walk?” he said.

“Yeah that’s good.” I said getting up from the couch.

We went out together, for the first time in the whole time I had been there. Darn I was nervous. What a freak. Its just a walk.

When we stepped out of our apartment, it was almost like rainy day. I felt a little cold in the air.

“Hey you know what? We can go somewhere really awesome right now?” he said suddenly turning to me.

“Where?” I asked.

“Sea face… it’s not too late” He said looking at his watch.

“What like this?” I looked at myself, I was wearing a ragged jeans and really old t shirt, and he was not really in different attire. How can we go like this beach?

“Who cares? Come on… its not like there is fashion show going on there, half of the people will be like this”  he said.

“Alright.”  I said finally. He stopped a cab, and we reached there in around 15 minutes.

We purchased two ice-cream cones on the stall there and started walking towards the beach. An almost rainy night, chocolate ice cream and a friend like him… I was feeling really amazing with all this setting. There were waves breaking on the shore really soothingly as if the whole sea was breathing, taking all the water in and then letting it out. We just stayed silent for a long time, till I decided to break the silence.

“Amm hey, you know… I just wanted to say something. I mean I really appreciate you letting me stay with you. If you weren’t there I might b at my home by now. I am just so thankful for all your help” I really suck at saying something out loud, I felt as if I started crying there with all my efforts to say this. So I stopped.

“Hey, its nothing. Am just glad that you considered that option. I wouldn’t like you to leave your dream behind and all.” Well I felt as if he was in same situation like me.

I just smiled.

“So what’s the plan further ha?” he said after few minutes of silence. I could hear the radio behind us, and constant mix up of voices of people and waves. The wind was tickling my hairs around my shoulders.

“Well after pg, wanna have a job first. Then lets see what happens.” I licked the drop of cream dripping from my ice-cream.

“what you mean then?” he said.

“yeah I mean…when I was little I wanted to be a writer. I was totally into fairytales, and love stories” I said stumbling at my words.

“really?” he said, partly believing it.

“yeah… I mean I always liked the happy endings and happily ever afters, it just a…” I stopped as I couldn’t find a way to tell him.

“what?” he said, “say it. Say it…” encouraging me to tell.

“well its that…in real life we don’t really have any happy endings all the time. And I think that’s why people write fairy tales. Just to give a … courage to people who read them. And I wanted to be like that… that people in my story has twists and turns, extreme sadness but still somehow they find a way to overcome them and they get rescued by someone and live happily ever after.” I just smiled at the end of my sentence.

He smiled too and said “that’s great…”

One day when I was at college, my mobile buzzed and it was him, as I picked up.

“hey hello” he said.

“oh hi… whats up?”

“Leena, amm I am really sorry, its just …there’s been a little problem.” He said hesitating a little bit.

“my sisters is gonna be here, actually she was going to Bangalore straight but we haven’t met in months so. I am really sorry.” He sounded a little awkward.

“oh what? What are you saying. Amm anyway how many days she is gonna be here, so I will move…” I started thinking about moving with Sayli so…

“oh no no no… she is not going to be staying here, she is just coming to meet me. She has a flight to catch at 10.30. Its just the question of one evening”  he said.

“Oh… ok I got it” I said.

“Hey I am really sorry, its just .. I tried to convince her a lot but she…” he said.

“Hey its totally alright. I will be ok, but what about my room? I mean she…”

“Yeah, I will take care of that. I will call you as soon as I can ok” and he finished me sentence as always.

“Ok, see you at night then” I said and he hung up the call.

The moment I hung up the call I remembered that I can not go to Sayli’s, as she was out of station for the marriage of Jatin’s sister. But I couldn’t tell this to him as he was already being paranoid about this whole thing. Well lets see. I stayed at college till 6.30, and then I went to library but it got closed at 8 o’clock.  So to pass the time I just went from a long road towards the house.

I suddenly started having thoughts as if I would have stayed at uncle’s. which was stupid but I couldn’t stop thinking about this. I saw a caffee house at the corner, I checked my wallet I had around 300 rs which was enough to get a cup of coffee. I went inside, it was almost 9.30. There were few people sitting inside. I ordered a coffee and sat at a corner, reading a book. After a while I had call from mother. While I hung up I saw the battery was about to die. If in case I had to call Sameer , so I switched off my mobile to save the remaining battery. I kept reading book till 10.30 to stop the thoughts in my head but it wasn’t helping. After few minutes when I turned my cell on I had 11 miss calls from him. when I called him almost immediately he almost yelled at me, “GOD LEENA? Where the hell are you? I have been calling you since at least an hour? where have you been? And why didn’t you tell me that Sayli wasn’t here. When I called her she said she don’t know anything about where you are…”

“hey hold on a second. Let me say something? Anyway I am at the coffee house at m.g. road. And my cell’s battery is about to die. I will…” he interrupted.

“alright stay there. I am coming over” and before I could say anything he hung up the phone.

I picked up my bag and went outside. After few minutes I was expecting him to show up with his bike but he stopped a small car in front of me. He motioned me to get in, he was still looking mad at me.

“where’s your bike?” I asked him as I got in.

“This is Shriya’s. she had to keep it here. So? Why didn’t you tell me that Sayli wasn’t here?” he said, again coming back to almost yelling.

“Nothing… I mean I didn’t knew what to do and then…” I was trying to tell something.

“Are you really crazy? What were you thinking? What were you going to this late night? I have been trying to call you from last 2 hours, it was switched off… god what I was thinking. Do you have any idea?” he said, jerking the car in front.

“Look I am sorry ok…” I tried to make it up.

“No…. actually  I should be the one to be sorry ok? What I was gonna do if something would have happened to you.” He said very softly, almost like whispering.

“But nothing happened, and am alright” I said, and he didn’t said anything further.

“And how you came earlier? Her flight was at 10.30 na?” I remembered that.

“No, I dropped her earlier.” He said.

When we reached to the apartment, he told me to ahead and he went to park the car. I was so exhausted that I just fell asleep on bed as soon as I went to my room. After a while he wake me up, “hey Leena. Hey get up”

“hmm” I tried to block his voice in sleep.

“hey wake up.” He continued.

“ahm please let me sleep” I said in sleepy voice.

“ come on, get up. You gotta eat something.” He said.

“ oh god, please go away” I said blocking the light with me comforter.

“no, wake up…” he didn’t gave up until I opened my eyes.

“alright, keep it there. I will eat” I said, slightly opening my eyes.

“ok…” I heard him going out of my room, and I tried to sleep again.

“hey leeennaa…” he called out again.

“ man you are just…” now I had to get up. I ate my dinner somehow and went to kitchen to keep the plate there.

He was still there. “you ok?” he asked me.

“yeah..” I replied, trying to make my messy hairs out of my eyes.

“Look, I am so sorry, because of me…” he said looking at me.

“Sameer…”I just stared at me for a split second.

“Its alright, you have done everything for me already, and hearing this apology from you making me feel guilty.”

“Hey please do not ever feel guilty about this ok?” he said.

“Then stop saying sorry! You are forgiven” I said and smiled at him.

“Now please can I go back to sleep, I am really tired” I said turning back to my room.

“Okay, good night” he said.

“Good night.”

Its been three months since I moved here, one day when I woke up the sky was filled with clouds. It was as if it will rain any minute. But how can it rain in winter?

When I went out in hall, he was standing near to the window, looking outside.

“Good morning”

“Morning…” I said picking up paper from the table.

“Its going to rain maybe…” he said sitting at the chair.

“Ahmm…”

When I reached at college, it had already started little raining. And when my lectures were finished it had almost stopped. I decided to leave but while I was walking suddenly a big droplets started pouring like whoosh. Till I reached home I was totally wet from head to toe. The door was still locked, means he wasn’t home yet. I just went to my room shivering with cold. I just pulled out all the drained books out of bag and looked outside the window.

The surrounding was so packed with steam and rain. It was looking as if sun was never there to set. I could only hear the rain droplets tapping on the little shade of balcony. I just went over and stood there. I was shivering with cold, but I just never wanted to leave. I could smell the moist smell of rain, and I just stayed there catching the droplets in my palm.

I took a deep breath, “Leena?” I looked over my shoulder and found him standing at the door of balcony. He was wet with rain too. The water droplets were dripping from his messy hairs. His v neck sweat shirt was looking dark blue because of water.

“What are you doing here?” I thought he would tell me to come in, but instead he came outside and stood beside me.

“Nothing… and how you get wet in rain, you took your car right?” I asked him, looking at the droplets falling from his eyebrow.

“Yeah… we went to beach.” He said, clamping his hands together.

“Why?” I asked.

“Nothing, just to see the rain. That was really fun” he said laughing hysterically.

“Wow, that’s great. I was just returning from college, and suddenly it started heavily raining.” I told him.

For few minutes we were just standing there. There were many people standing in the shaded of shops, houses. Some children’s were playing in water, and cars were waiting helplessly at signal. And no one was watching us… as if… as if we were invisible this time. Behind the clock of rain.

Before I could think of anything, his hand was on mine, I just closed my eyes. And he just pulled me towards him, keeping his other hand around me. I was just standing in front of him, wet with rain, shivering with cold. I could feel his hot and cold breaths at the same time. And I didn’t want to think of anything. I opened my eyes after split seconds and found him just staring at me.

And he was just so close, so close to me…

So close that … that I could even kiss him.

But suddenly he just left me abruptly, and went inside. I just leaned against the balcony door, feeling nothing but the rain splashing.  I felt few tears burned my cheeks and cold rain droplets too. I went back inside and locked the door. After when I changed and went to kitchen, he was there. I just took bottle of water, without looking at him. there was a weird silence between us. I was just about to say something …

“Leena…” I looked at him.

“I am sorry for … what happened. I just…” he said, “I just don’t want to do something which will make our relation complicated, and which will make you uncomfortable living here…” he said, I just didn’t know what am I suppose to say.

“Its ok. Am sorry too…” I said finally.

“Are you mad at me?” he said almost whispering.

“No…of course not.” I said trying to sound convinced. I just said this and returned back to my room.

No.it wasn’t fine. it wasn’t fair at all. I wanted a meaning for us to be together. The way he worried about me, the way he helped me all along, I just wanted it all to be justified. I wanted our relation complicated. But I wasn’t sure whether I will ever be able to tell him any of this.

After that incidence we started behaving awkwardly with each other. My second semester was about to end, so I was thinking about what should I do further.

One day when I was returning from college, I saw him coming out of a café. And he wasn’t alone. He was with her…he was with Shriya.  They were laughing at something. (What are they doing here? But since when do I care anyway…) I was mad at something I didn’t know. I just started walking from the longest way towards the road, and went to the same ccd I went the other day. Why was I being so cynical about this thing… I just didn’t know. I stayed there till 8.30 and then my mobile buzzed with his call. I let it rang for 2 times, but he called again anyway.

“hello” I heard his shaky voice.

“ hello?” was I being stupid and jealous at the same time?

“Leena?, where are you? Why aren’t you home yet?” he asked.

“I am just…here. I will be…” I said, still sounding rude.

“What do you mean here?” he said, a little annoyed.

“Here…”

“Alright tell me where you are?”

“ I said I will…” I said, in a little sharp voice.

“No, you are going to stay there until I come there ok? Where?” he said, maybe now he was really mad.

“ccd, m.g. road” before I could say anything he hung up the call.

And within few minutes he was there. I opened the door and sat at the passenger seat.

He looked at me for a second, I didn’t look at him.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Nothing” I just said, ignoring him.

“Then? Why you were here for last 4 hours?” he said putting car into acceleration.

“Yeah, do you have any problem with it?” I said, looking at him with cold gaze.

“What?” he sounded shocked, “What do you mean? And yeah of course I have problem”

“Then see for yourself, why do you even care?” I hissed, and just kept looking outside the window; we were just few blocks away from our building.

(Ok, enough Leena. Stop right there)

“How was your date anyway?” I said finally.

“What? What date? What are you talking about?” he said, sounding confusing, or at least trying to be…

“Ah ,let it be” I said. We were at our block; I just opened the door as soon as he stopped the car and stormed out towards the gate. I went to the elevator and pressed the button down. He just came rushing behind me and entered in the elevator.

“What’s wrong with you? And what date are you talking about?” he said.

“You already know, what I am talking about” I said without looking at him. I just sounded so weak and stupid.

“No. I have no damn idea. You tell me”

“Alright, Shriya. Its about Shriya I am talking.” I said looking through him.

“What?” he looked confused again, and then he pressed his hand against his forehead “oh god.”

“Alright that wasn’t any date ok? We were there with some of our friends.” He said waving his hands trying to tell me.

“Oh really? Then how come I didn’t saw anyone else?” I said rolling my eyes, without looking at him. I was just on the verge of crying. I looked at the elevator lights, we were on the 5^th floor. Crazy, stupid me…

“I don’t know… but why are YOU so upset about this?”  he said.

“Shouldn’t I? I have been living with you from last 4 months, we share an apartment, and you even tried to kiss me.” I said.

CRAP!!!…

“But I didn’t alright?” he snapped at me.

I just stayed calm.

“Alright Leena? She is no one ok?” he said, holding my arm. I tried to get away from him sapping my hand.

“Whatever…”I said.

He just pushed me to the side of elevator, and he leaped towards me. Before I could know he was pinning me towards the wall and his eyes freeze at me.

“Don’t whatever me, I already said she is no one, why don’t you believe me?” my eyes were blurred with the tears about to drop, I just closed my eyes and tears rolled down to my cheeks, I just didn’t know what else to do. I just felt his lips on mine; I just froze for a second and found myself kissing him back blocking all of my thoughts.

And I knew that he meant it, and he wanted it… she really was no one for him.

I heard the sound of our elevator reaching to our floor, and I pushed him aside and went outside. I saw a man looking us weirdly as we came out of the elevator door; I just tried to wipe the tears with my palm and went to our flat as fast as I could. I just opened the door and out my bag on couch and my cell buzzed.

“Leena?” he came behind me, and I motioned him to stay calm as it was my mother’s call.

“Hello” I said trying to make my voice as calm as possible.

“Leena? What is going on?” he sounded so mad.

“wh.. what happened. “ I felt as if I couldn’t breath, with a slightest thought.

“Where are you living there? And with whom? We know everything now. What do you think? You can fool us around and we will never know? Because Neelesh told us at least we found out…

“Mom, Listen to me… please let me explain” I cried, trying to make her stop.

“Leena, you have already disappointed us. I don’t want anymore discussion about this. Just listen what I am about to say. Your father will be there tomorrow, to pick you up. And you are coming back here with him immediately. YOU UNDERSTAND?” she said.

“Mom, please…mom?” she had already hung up.

I just pressed my head into my hands and sat helplessly on couch.

I just had no idea what Neelesh uncle might have told them. But it wasn’t difficult to guess.

Sameer sat in front of me.

“What happened?”

“I think my parents know everything now. And my father is coming here tomorrow to take me back” I said, in unstable voice.

“What? But how do they…”

“My uncle.. he might have seen us somewhere…” my voice trailed off with a small sob.

“Hey please don’t cry, we will find out something ok?” he said taking my face in his hands.

“No. everything is over now. Am sorry.” I said, trying to pull myself together.

“No..no nothing is over. Should I talk to them? maybe they will…” he said.

“That’s not going to change anything, Sameer” I said, keeping my hands on his.

He just looked away.

“I gotta go pack my stuff.” I picked up my bag and went inside.

Next morning I called my father, and told him to pick me up at uncle’s as I didn’t wanted him to come here and out Sameer into any situation. He agreed. I just kept my bags in hall, and went to his room. We hadn’t talked after last night. He was sitting at the corner of his bed, as he saw me at the door, he just rushed and hugged me.

“God, I am going to miss you” he whispered in my hairs, his voice soft and trembling at the same time.

“Yeah me too…”  I said, easing myself in his arms.

After a while we left each other, and he said, “Hey you still have one paper to go”

Our final semester was about to finish.

“Yeah” I nodded.

“At any cost, do not miss that one ok?” he said.

“Yes of course, for one paper I am not going to let my year go by”

“Good”

“Gotta go now, bye” I said turning towards the hall.

“Bye” he said.

“I will call you. If I could.” I said picking up my bags.

I reached to uncle’s house in 15 minutes, my father was already there. I went inside and sat beside him. I had never seen him this much hurt before. I felt so ashamed of myself for this. My uncle was already repeating his story of how I was wrong and how he found out this all to me and father again. He saw us the day Sameer’s sister had came. He followed us to our apartment and found out everything. Then he did the best work of telling this to my parents. My father wasn’t uttering a single word. He always was keeping my back, he never would have even thought that I will lie to him. he looked so disappointed, on the top of this he wasn’t saying anything which was hurting the most. After my uncle’s live commentary was over and when it was our train timing we left their home. My father didn’t said a word to me in whole journey. Not even one.

But I knew it was just the start of storm, as soon as I got home my mother littrally made me want to die. Without even giving me chance to utter a word, although I didn’t even had any explanations to give her. But after few bunch of yelling I opened my mouth and made another mistake,

“Yeah, we were living together. Does it has only one meaning mom?” I said, irritated.

“Actually, there can be so many meaning. Now you tell us which one we should understand” she said, fussing at me.

“Alright, for me I only wanted a place to stay for couple of months, because if I would have stayed there at uncle’s I wouldn’t be even able to pass first year.”

“Yeah but what about society Leena? You didn’t even think once, what we might feel?” my father said, he was just giving comments in between.

“I don’t give crap to what others think. At least you believe me, don’t you? I have done nothing wrong. Ma…” I said angrily, pardon my language.

(Well technically, if we left a kiss out of this…J)

“First of all, your mistake was that you lied to us” mother.

“Ah as if you were going to give me permission to live with him. you didn’t even let me explain myself before making me come back here. If I would have told you back then, I would have been spending rest of my degree here at home” I said, rolling my eyes at their accuses.

“Yeah, but we could have find some way. I would have talked to Neelam.” She said.

“But why should I live at someone else mom? Like living in orphanage, plus with people who has so much interest in giving me constant realization of our condition. College fees are non refundable, mom. I have earned admission there after so many efforts. Giving all that up just for one thing was just out of question.” I had already started crying.

They just stayed calm after this.

“Alright, I just have one more paper to go. I will take a gap for next year and complete my education on my own” I just snapped and went to my room.

After this my parents never bring the subject, maybe they have already accepted my decision.

I had to go back for one paper; I was there just for one day. After my paper finished I was going to Sayli’s but I had call from him.

“Hey can we meet up now? When you going back?” he said, I felt so relived after listening his voice after so long time.

“My paper just finished, I still have some time, can we meet up now? At my college?” I asked him.

He came to meet me at my college, and I told him my further plan. He looked so sad and disappointed, but he wasn’t able to do anything about this. He just said he will be in contact, and he left without even saying bye.

When I met Sayli, I felt so sad about the thing that maybe next year she would be post graduated, and I might be getting second year admission here. I told her this and she said, “I am really sorry Leena…”

“Hey, why are you being sorry? Its just one year” I tried to tell her, actually convincing myself.

“Yeah but I am gonna miss you a lot” she said, and gingerly hugged me.

“Me too…” I just repeated.

Do you think my story ends that way? What did I said? I wanted my story to have a fairy tale ending where someone rescues me… and it happened… J

It has been few days since I returned from Mumbai, It was almost final that I was gonna do job for next year. I started even searching for some.

But on a very evening, our door bell rang.

Have you ever felt a moment filled with electricity that this is going to change our entire perspective of life? Well then I will say this one was mine…

As I opened the door, I saw him standing at my door steps. I felt so happily shocked after watching him there. Especially in formal attire, in plain white button down shirt, jeans and something black sandals. He wasn’t looking usual Sameer at all. Except his wickedly charming smile and blinking eyes.

“Hi…” he said, making his unique move of raising an eyebrow.

“ amm hi.. what…” he interrupted me( as always).

“Are your parents home?” he said.

What did he just asked me? My parents?

“Yeah, but….” I was confused with all this.

“May I come in?” he said.

I didn’t even understood it, he was still standing at our doorsteps.

“Ahmm. Yeah. Sure” I let him come inside.

“I will be back” I rushed to kitchen to take water glass for him.

“Well tell your mom and dad too.” he called out from hall.

What is going on?

I called my parents to the hall, and gave him a glass of water. When I came to kitchen he had stood up and introduced himself to my dad. I stood beside my mom, who was standing at the door. My mom, dad never met him. he looked at me, silently motioning me to introduce him.

“Amm dad, this is Sameer Desai. We used to…”

Before I could say anything he just stopped me with his hand in air,

“Actually I am her friend from Mumbai, so maybe you don’t know me. But actually we used to live together” he said, trying to keep control on his voice.

I noticed a tiny wrinkle on my father’s forehead.

What is he up to?

“And I think that her decision of leaving post graduation in the middle is totally unfair.” He said further.

My father was looking at him, with anger or with surprise, god knows…

I was just so curious to hear what was he gonna say to this.

“We haven’t forced her to do anything. That was her decision totally” he said, adjusting his glasses.

“Yeah, but still it is a wrong decision. First of all her one year will be wasted, and even later during her career this gap may bring some problems.” He said genuinely.

“Maybe, but right now she doesn’t have any other option” my mother interrupted, who was watching this all for long time.

“Actually there is… I want to marry her” he said out in one breath.

“What?” I almost jumped up with shock.

Everyone was watching me with shock with my reaction.

Breath Leena, breath…

“Are you out of your mind?” I shouted at him.

“Yes, I want to marry you. Of course if you wanted to. I am almost of her age, my father is a well known businessman, Girish Desai. Maybe you know him?” he said looking at my father, “my mother was a principal, but she I retired now. I have  an older sister who is at Bangalore. And the most important thing is,

I love Leena.” He said the last sentence looking at me.

(Dear god, I have dreamed of someone proposing me so many times, but I would have never even thought about someone proposing me in front of my parent, Way too much…)

“I have fallen in love with her when I was living with her, even though she is a little fuss and cry baby” he said, again looking at me. Blood ran to my cheeks and I didn’t want to look at him anymore, maybe I was blushing. So I looked at my mother instead. And I found her smirking at me on his last sentence.

“When we will be married, I am ready to do all expenses of her education. Of course again if you and Leena consider this proposal” he said, looking straight at my father.

“Okay, everything is acceptable, but what about your family? I don’t think…”

Good question father, but he interrupted my father too..

Man, have some respect…

“I told them everything, and they don’t mind at all” he said, being a little cheerful about this.

Dear god…

After this, when I went to leave him outside, he said looking at me with the most loving stare I could ever imagine

“Happy?”

“A lot… don’t even ask” I said, I couldn’t stop smiling from all that has happened there.

He opened his car door, and slid inside. And then suddenly said, “Hey wait…”

He picked up a plastic bag from back seat, and handed it over to me. And I found my closest thing inside it. My Diary…

“Because of this I could come here.” He said, smiling satisfied at me.

I had nothing remaining to say to him. I just smiled, and he said good bye to me.

But I called out for him before he could go,

“Sameer”

He stopped and looked at me.

“Thank you… and … love you too…” I said, and found him smiling through my tearful eyes.

Well after a while, rather after many days, our discussion end up on a point that we weren’t going to get married.  Instead we were going to get engaged, and my all expenses of education was going to be done by my father. But the most important thing was…

I was going to live with him. I don’t wanna bring out all the struggle we went through to get our parents agree on this, but somehow they did. We got engaged in a small ceremony and returned to home together.

As we put our luggage on floor , he suddenly turned around and pinned my both hands to the door,

And again he was so close to me… and nothing was going to stop us now.

“So ready to start our fairy tale?” he said, sounding so amazingly sexy all at once.

And I just replied looking at his eyes, “Obviously…”

So this is how our fairy tale began, we completed our post graduation together. We got the best jobs we could get, and get married after two years. But we would never forget the extra amazing years we spent together. Of falling in love and after falling in love. We were together at every new step of our life. When I scored the top rank in my course, when we had our first salary, when we had our promotions… and we always cherished those moments in our life to never to forget.

And live happily ever after…