“What in the world just happened?!?”
I kept asking myself the whole day. The world was moving in a hazy slow motion and yet time flew so fast for I didn’t realize where I was for the whole afternoon. While in class, as the professor was droning away about rotary pumps and other stuffs, I caught a glimpse of a white light as that of a cell phone screen from under the desk, and soon after that, Gaurav kept glancing at me with a grin on his face as if he had seen the whole thing that happened in the isolated classroom during the lunch hour.
And I cottoned on as to why Josh had said “so you are the guy huh?” when we were introduced. I had a definitive feeling that the three friends were already in on the secret about me and Kavitha. But all these happenings were running by as if in a background, while the few seconds that I and Kavitha had shared occupied the whole of my mind.
Before I knew it I was walking out of the classroom bidding bye to Gaurav, with a wide stupid grin glued to my face, without knowing that my life was about to take a great twist. I was just about to board the bus when someone tapped me from behind; I turned to face Josh,
“So, got the bag from your girl? Here take this”
And he stuffed a crumpled up bit of paper in my hands, wished me bye and walked away. I opened it and to my surprise it had the cell phone numbers of the four friends I had made. But I already had Gaurav’s, but I was most happy to see the name Kavi and the ten digit number against it.
I had just stored the numbers when my cell phone flashed showing the name Kavi!! Hi sanju, it read, I am sorry but I had to tell the guys about us, it’s the code of honesty we had sworn. But not everything has to be said ;)…. And I immediately replied, it’s no big deal , glad that she wouldn’t be able to see me blush.
The bus started just then and a beautiful breeze was playing across my face and I closed my eyes, locking out the sight of the cemetery situated exactly outside our college and enjoying the two alphabets that gave immense happiness, “us” such a simple word kept me smiling the whole journey back home.
I started walking home, happy that I had something quiet elating to think about for my 4km hike, to my house from where I get down usually, with the small bubble of happiness that bobbed within my heart I forgot all about my depressing house.
But soon it all came rushing back, the memories which I had been fighting for a year now to forget. It was a happy family, until that accident. It changed everything. EVERYTHING!! First, the unexpected car accident and the hemorrhage of my father and his death, and soon, mom’s illness, and now……
“Hi mom!! How was the day? Who is the sweetest woman on earth?”
I said in a falsely cheerful voice, gulping down the sorrow rising up in my throat. One thing always rushed through my mind when I looked at my mother. No one should ever be cursed this way as me!!
She was lying as usual with her untidy hair in a loose bun in her green dress. She didn’t respond to my question; she continued calculating and drawing things in mid air, crying, with occasional laughter, living in her own world, with peace, but crashing mine. I again asked her the same question, for which she nodded and again went into her world talking to her imaginary friends and people who lived only within her world.
“Oh Sanjay you are back! Good, so how was college?”
I heard sandhya’s voice from behind me. And she walked into the ward, the young nurse who was assigned for my mom. She was always in a cheerful self, even though she worked in an asylum with so many people to deal with, so many people with bizarre thoughts and beliefs. I hid my tears and answered her that it was quite okay. She was giving mom her tablets and dress her up for the evening; I stayed at the bench, looking at my mom’s face, imagining how it used to light up when she looked at me in past, the shock it registered after my dad’s sudden death, and the permanent sorrow it is in now and hot tears failed me once again and this time Sandhya caught a glimpse of it and tactfully said,
“Sanjay its time, u go home, I will take care of mom don’t you worry now, go study….”
I stood up, and promised mom to meet her the next day, thanked Sandhya for her special care, and started my walk home from the hospital.
My brother, santhosh, was yet again busy studying when I entered home, he always studies and I always wondered, what is it that he studied all the time!! I never studied half the time that he did! Ever in my life!! The smell of hot Tiffin was invitingly wafting towards me, my grandmother’s specials. But I made my way over to my room to keep the bag and finish the rituals that I had to do every day, the prayers offered to sun god, Sandhyavandhanam and came to my room hoping that Kavitha would have messaged and I would have something cheerful to get me out of my dreary thoughts, but had no such luck. I heard my grandmother calling me for dinner and as I couldn’t think of any excuse to skip it, I carried myself to the dining hall.
As soon as I gulped down the food, I scrammed back to my room, to write down my unusual day in my diary. After I finished; I was about to turn in for the day when I remembered the bag that Kavitha had given, and decided to take a look at what was in it. Unprepared for the unpleasant surprise awaiting me….
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
MY FIRST STORY- CHAPTER 3
“What the f***?!?”
Was my first reaction .The guy who had just insulted me was standing right in front of me. No one could ever look so much out of place as he did. He had a perfect blonde hair and blue eyes and was casually smirking at me. I was much perplexed because I knew this college wasn’t famous enough for NRI or foreign students but there he was standing right in front of my eyes.
“Stop kidding around Josh!!”
Kavitha scolded the guy shaking me out of my shock. He just smirked and took his seat next to Kavitha.
“Sanjay, this is Josh. Mr. Joshua Rodriguez this is Sanjay. Now is that enough formal intro for his Highness?!?”
Aruna teased Josh. I later came to know from the conversations that followed, that Josh’s parents had moved in from San Francisco long before he was born for some unknown reasons, and they had ancestral properties strewn in and around Tamil Nadu.
“Hey, you are the guy huh?!? So Sunny boy I hear you are in Gaurav’s class?!”
Though I had no idea what the guy meant by “you are the guy” I just gave him the smile which I reserve for my irritating and embarrassing relatives. And from that day on I was christened as Sunny. The lunch was quite normal from then on and it seemed the guy Josh was friendly after all, in his own way!!
“So Sunny have you really thought it through?! You are gonna go for it?!”
Josh asked suddenly, I was totally lost and I guess it showed on my face, for Gaurav explained that I didn’t know it yet and that he found it ridiculous, a small argument broke out and Kavitha kept her head bowed without joining in on the argument and jus playing with her food without much interest in it. Aruna was backing Josh’s side of the argument while Kavitha kept on ignoring the whole heated argument. Suddenly Josh said,
“Don’t just sit there, what is your take on this kavi?!”
Kavitha still didn’t answer Josh’s question but kept her eyes closed. I was completely lost upon what is going on. After what seemed like ages, Kavitha spoke,
“Rules are rules, we can’t change that”
And that put an end to the argument, and everyone turned to face me, everyone except Kavitha. And Gaurav spoke,
“Sanjay, all four of us, me, Aruna, Josh and kavi we come from the same school, and back in our school we formed our group upon one thing which we shared common interest. Ghosts!!”
Kavitha looked up at me and her eyes were a bit moist, but before I could see it clearly, they were gone and then they all, the four friends explained me how they formed a group similar to a brotherhood and made a vow that any person who wanted to join their group have to go through a test of some kind to show their interest and courage in paranormal activities and how some have tried and many others have chickened out.
I was petrified to give any response to it, I felt transported to some R.L.Stine novel and no longer in a boring engineering in Chennai, the sunny pleasant day and a lovely afternoon lunch suddenly turned into a suffocating unknown place with me sitting with some people who are so casually explaining a kind of cult that they practice. It was a few minutes before I realized that Gaurav had stopped talking and they have been waiting for me to answer some question. I heard myself apologize and ask what is it that I have to answer.
“Dude! Are you in?! Will you go through it?!”
Josh asked me. And all I could see was Kavitha’s face, eager for my answer. She looked even more beautiful when she was tensed with beads of sweat on her forehead. I heard myself laugh and say,
“That’s no big deal; I myself am intrigued by paranormal activities. Count me in!!”
And looking at Kavitha’s relieved face I thought, I could tell a thousand more lies to keep that face happy. And everything was back to normal, Josh his usual sarcastic jovial self.
“That’s my Sunny boy!!”
Aruna and Gaurav were still bickering over the argument that’s long over. But all my eyes were for Kavi who looked more radiant after my words, and kept glancing at me all the time with a coy smile on her face.
The bell rang to indicate the end of the lunch hour. I felt a few days have passed in the last half hour!! And Kavitha stood up saying she had to go and ran off from the canteen leaving her half eaten lunch behind. And soon Gaurav and I finished eating and started off to our classes in the third floor in our block while Aruna and Josh made their way over to IT block.
Gaurav was unusually silent and just when I was about to ask why, I heard Kavitha’s voice from behind me,
“Sunny, can I have a word with you? Alone?”
Gaurav just grinned at Kavi and asked me to join him in the class and ran off. And Kavitha and I made our way to an empty class room and as soon as we were inside she started speaking in rapid Tamil, which was roughly translated as,
“I am so glad you are ok with it, to be honest I knew you would say so, come on Sanju, don’t say you didn’t feel the magic when we first met!! I feel I can understand you even before you do!! I know we share something more than friendship, a much deeper relationship!! And I knew you will say ok!! That’s why I brought this.”
And she gave me a back pack, I could hear things rattling inside, and she told me not to open it before going home and before I knew it, she kissed me on my lips and wished me luck and was off to her class, leaving me dumbstruck!!
Was my first reaction .The guy who had just insulted me was standing right in front of me. No one could ever look so much out of place as he did. He had a perfect blonde hair and blue eyes and was casually smirking at me. I was much perplexed because I knew this college wasn’t famous enough for NRI or foreign students but there he was standing right in front of my eyes.
“Stop kidding around Josh!!”
Kavitha scolded the guy shaking me out of my shock. He just smirked and took his seat next to Kavitha.
“Sanjay, this is Josh. Mr. Joshua Rodriguez this is Sanjay. Now is that enough formal intro for his Highness?!?”
Aruna teased Josh. I later came to know from the conversations that followed, that Josh’s parents had moved in from San Francisco long before he was born for some unknown reasons, and they had ancestral properties strewn in and around Tamil Nadu.
“Hey, you are the guy huh?!? So Sunny boy I hear you are in Gaurav’s class?!”
Though I had no idea what the guy meant by “you are the guy” I just gave him the smile which I reserve for my irritating and embarrassing relatives. And from that day on I was christened as Sunny. The lunch was quite normal from then on and it seemed the guy Josh was friendly after all, in his own way!!
“So Sunny have you really thought it through?! You are gonna go for it?!”
Josh asked suddenly, I was totally lost and I guess it showed on my face, for Gaurav explained that I didn’t know it yet and that he found it ridiculous, a small argument broke out and Kavitha kept her head bowed without joining in on the argument and jus playing with her food without much interest in it. Aruna was backing Josh’s side of the argument while Kavitha kept on ignoring the whole heated argument. Suddenly Josh said,
“Don’t just sit there, what is your take on this kavi?!”
Kavitha still didn’t answer Josh’s question but kept her eyes closed. I was completely lost upon what is going on. After what seemed like ages, Kavitha spoke,
“Rules are rules, we can’t change that”
And that put an end to the argument, and everyone turned to face me, everyone except Kavitha. And Gaurav spoke,
“Sanjay, all four of us, me, Aruna, Josh and kavi we come from the same school, and back in our school we formed our group upon one thing which we shared common interest. Ghosts!!”
Kavitha looked up at me and her eyes were a bit moist, but before I could see it clearly, they were gone and then they all, the four friends explained me how they formed a group similar to a brotherhood and made a vow that any person who wanted to join their group have to go through a test of some kind to show their interest and courage in paranormal activities and how some have tried and many others have chickened out.
I was petrified to give any response to it, I felt transported to some R.L.Stine novel and no longer in a boring engineering in Chennai, the sunny pleasant day and a lovely afternoon lunch suddenly turned into a suffocating unknown place with me sitting with some people who are so casually explaining a kind of cult that they practice. It was a few minutes before I realized that Gaurav had stopped talking and they have been waiting for me to answer some question. I heard myself apologize and ask what is it that I have to answer.
“Dude! Are you in?! Will you go through it?!”
Josh asked me. And all I could see was Kavitha’s face, eager for my answer. She looked even more beautiful when she was tensed with beads of sweat on her forehead. I heard myself laugh and say,
“That’s no big deal; I myself am intrigued by paranormal activities. Count me in!!”
And looking at Kavitha’s relieved face I thought, I could tell a thousand more lies to keep that face happy. And everything was back to normal, Josh his usual sarcastic jovial self.
“That’s my Sunny boy!!”
Aruna and Gaurav were still bickering over the argument that’s long over. But all my eyes were for Kavi who looked more radiant after my words, and kept glancing at me all the time with a coy smile on her face.
The bell rang to indicate the end of the lunch hour. I felt a few days have passed in the last half hour!! And Kavitha stood up saying she had to go and ran off from the canteen leaving her half eaten lunch behind. And soon Gaurav and I finished eating and started off to our classes in the third floor in our block while Aruna and Josh made their way over to IT block.
Gaurav was unusually silent and just when I was about to ask why, I heard Kavitha’s voice from behind me,
“Sunny, can I have a word with you? Alone?”
Gaurav just grinned at Kavi and asked me to join him in the class and ran off. And Kavitha and I made our way to an empty class room and as soon as we were inside she started speaking in rapid Tamil, which was roughly translated as,
“I am so glad you are ok with it, to be honest I knew you would say so, come on Sanju, don’t say you didn’t feel the magic when we first met!! I feel I can understand you even before you do!! I know we share something more than friendship, a much deeper relationship!! And I knew you will say ok!! That’s why I brought this.”
And she gave me a back pack, I could hear things rattling inside, and she told me not to open it before going home and before I knew it, she kissed me on my lips and wished me luck and was off to her class, leaving me dumbstruck!!
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