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The Journey
"Abe kya hua.....?" His friend nudged him. And the picture dissolved. The picture of his Wonder Girl. He was still fighting with his thoughts. When something frustrating of this magnitude happens, and people expect you to 'relax' and be 'normal'; its all the more frustrating. Sitting in that autorickshaw, with his feet rested on his suitcase, he looked at Bangalore swifting past him, with the wind slapping hard against his "Gulgula Cheeks". Gulgula .... with this word he felt, as if his mind shifted gears. To the present.
They stepped off the auto. His friend paid the autowallah as he stepped at the entryway, flanked by rose bushes and moneyplants and a marble staircase leading to the floors above. He waited for his friend, and as he was staring at the beautiful flat, he got the usual one on the back of his head. "Come on, move!" And he sensed he made a joke of himself. He was staring at the wrong house. It was the one besides. Absent mindedness was his virtue since he became aware of himself, which is every single morning. So he moved to the flat, which surely did look like a room on rent for an engineering student. Black patches of worn off paint on the walls, typical dusty floor, half broken steps of the cemented stairs ...and what not! They went in, and the aroma of food greeted them. Their stomachs seemed to purge gastric juices like the water spewed out of a gardners thin pipe, and they understood the call of hunger. Without further delay, he was asked to get fresh and appear for lunch...at the floor, on the widespread clothsheet, unlike his expectations of a dining table. But his adaptability rescued him. He went for a shower, and the soothingly refreshing water shut his mind and relaxed every inch of his scalp. And then restarted his mind. And it struck to him. Tomorrow, he would be having lunch with her. After a span of 2 years. And he smiled.
After the food, lounging on the bean chair was the best idea. It had been an hour or so since they got over with lunch, and discussing about last year coaching classes. The smooth wind caressing him, and his hair freshly fluffy, he stood up with his cup of cappuccino, he could see almost a lot of Bangalore from this terrace.
And memories, and excitement erupted as a combination. They both discussed, about meeting after a year, about what all they encountered in the past year, about lost friends, about not getting through exams, about not becoming doctors but engineers! Anything and everything under the blue moon. Friendship blossomed after a very long time, as this young college life gifted them one thing both were seeking since last year: Peace.The sun faded away, and dusk set in. Afternoon in Bangalore also seemed like an evening time. Atleast to him, as he was used to the hot, sweaty and humid Delhi air. They had fun talking about everything, and now it was time to move out. Roam around in Bangalore. Discover what he had not in the previous visit. They went to his friend's college, and he enjoyed the visit. As soon as they were about to walk back to the room, after having a hot chocolate fudge each, after he was shown the beauty around (both scenic and otherwise), he recollected that he had to buy something. A gift. A gift for her. Tomorrow he would travel 300 kms away from this place. Just to see her after 2 long, patient and uptight years. A conscious , beautiful yet humming excitement filled his heart. And he bought the gift..smiling at his own stupid, lovestruck self. All his friend used to ask him was, "Hua kya hai tujhe? I know tu yahaan kyun aaya hai...but fir bhi??!!! Are you insane?" And his consistent unwavering reply woould be, "Tu nahi samjhega."
Next morning the train was supposed to be boarded at 6:00 am. But owing to the 3 movies and "college life fun stuff" last night with his friend and his three other friends, he realised that it was 9:00am when he woke up. Laughing at themselves, they got ready and he asked his friend the remaining alternatives. "Catch the earliest bus. Main tujhe Majestic pe drop kardunga." Without delay they left. And dropping him at Majestic, for a first time journey to the destination, his friend left, wishing him best of journey and a safe one more importatntly. Attributing to the hurry and the excitement, he just jumped in an average bus, and left Bangalore at around 9:45am. All that was left now, was just the meeting. After just about 6 hours. It seemed like a dream come true. And considering the fact that she had the knowledge that he would be arriving three days from present day, this surprise arrival would surely be eventful and memorable!
Witnessing the beauty on the way, he did not sleep for even a fraction of second. The company in the bus was not really one to keep him busy. So his headphones, and the cool breeze were his friends. The sight of windmills at a distance, on the mountains, looked like a call.
A call towards love. The flashback started. Her vibrant face lit up as he closed his eyes. The moments together, the warm hugs, the numerous passionate kisses, the unparalleled fun, the annoying tease statements, the coaching class footsie, the class bunks to be together, the assuring hand holds, the early morning fights, the unending phone conversations all throughout the nights....everything became vividly alive and tingled him somewhere inside. He was sure... something memorable is so damn sure to happen!He walked towards the gate and could see her friend with whom he made the plan to surprise her. Surprise her by arriving 3 days earlier than she was told. Her friend waved energetically enough to confirm him that she was his partner in crime! They met and took the next step as decided...bring her there for a random reason. Her friend went to find her. He stood there. There, in front of the gate, near that dhaba. The view of the walkway from where she would come was blocked as he stood just besides, sticking to the wall at the turn. Yet far away from the turn. The surprise element was gripping him from inside. He was about to see her. Damn! It was happening. Everything inside him was haywire, but unlike girls, he could not let it get revealed on his descriptive, now red hot excitement filled face. Unknowingly his feet were tapping alternately, and his palms rabbing against each other.
Then all movement was paused. He could hear the footsteps, standing at a distance from the corner, sticking to the wall. Steps of many people walking. Like 3-4 of them.
His breath suddenly fell deep in his throat, he could feel his stomach intensely churning as the steps came real close, just around the corner...
PS: Guys I had to rush somewhere, so will update it soon. I guess it might be having some mistakes... :D
