Kavya Janani U.'s Blog, page 11

Diya Rai – Touring Together 1

“What you are doing is definitely wrong, Brian. Please get a life for yourself.” Diya chided Brian. In order to acquire some incentives, he had opted for working overtime in his college. This didn’t go down well with Diya. The duo were frequently meeting up in Coffee Exotica and bonding over coffee, cakes and books. She was upset that he might stop meeting her if he opted for working overtime, but she didn’t reveal it. They still hadn’t labeled their relationship. They tagged themselves as ‘good friends’ and met up in the cafe.

“Diya, just think. I can use this extra money to take up travelling again. Since the day you asked me to travel again, explore places and add more meaning to my life, I’ve been thinking about it. So, I can strive hard now and then enjoy.” Brian calmly explained to her. Whatever be the situation, it was his composed manner that Diya liked. She admired him for that.

“Well, what you tell is absolutely right. You must definitely start to travel again.”

“Then, are you okay with my idea to work overtime?”

“Yeah, I am okay with it, though I’ll miss our coffee shop meetings.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll try to catch up with you on weekends.”

“Sure. I’ll look forward to it.”

Diya couldn’t fathom why she was behaving like a lovestruck girl, though she hadn’t fallen in love with him actually. This was the first time she was expecting a guy to meet her. Worse, this was the first time she was properly bonding with a boy. All through her life, she had detested them, snubbed them with her rude remarks and even spurned their advances. But she just couldn’t do that to Brian. He exerted some kind of powerful force over her, which made her nerves numb and submit herself to his handsomeness. Though he hadn’t even taken a step forward to stabilize their relationship, she already was of the idea that he was interested in her. She knew she was making things complicated by unnecessarily bringing in the angle of love to their sacred friendship. Yet she couldn’t help it.

*****

“Whoa! You mean you’re going to travel with Brian? That hot professor which you had mentioned earlier?” Anjali’s voice quivered exuberantly.

“Idiot! Don’t you dare to address him as hot, sexy or anything else. He is mine, okay?” Diya faked anger.

“Oh my God! Is Ms.Diya Rai in love? Tell me, tell me, do you love him?” Anjali couldn’t believe her own ears.

“I..I really don’t know. After he opted to work overtime in his college, I started missing him immensely. I’d go to the cafe, order coffee, pick up a book and sit there absentmindedly. I wouldn’t bother to read the book, instead my mind would be wandering away to Brian’s thoughts. I would think, ‘What will he be doing now? Will he call me? Will he text me? When will he earn enough money to travel? Does he love me? Why isn’t he opening up to me?’ I would think about all these and while away my time. Though I am 25, I’d be behaving like a 20 year old. Anjali, I just don’t know what has gotten into me. I seriously shouldn’t be like this. You know, I hate this new me. I want my old days back, where I used to mind my own business and never care about boys. I want to reign like a queen. Instead, I am behaving like a mad teenager. What should I do?”

“Hey, hey, chill, Didi. You’re hyperventilating. This is all new to you. Hence, you’re excited even at the slightest thought about Brian. This is normal, Didi. It happens with every girl who’s going out with a boy who doesn’t speak up. Okay?”

“Okay, I understand. Tell me what to do. How can I analyze my own heart? How can I find out whether he is in love with me?”

“He has turned into a good friend, right? Why don’t you ask him directly about his girlfriend and past relationships? By that way, you’d come to know whether he is ready to get into a relationship with you. But, I think he doesn’t have a girlfriend. Otherwise he’d have called her for touring. Not you.”

“Yeah, that sounds acceptable. Also, he doesn’t behave as if someone in a relationship. So, let me broach the topic of love some day or the other. Let me see whether he is interested to talk about it or not.”

“Okay! By the way, where are you both traveling to?”

“Ooty. He said that he hasn’t visited it before. I was shell-shocked. Being a feisty traveller, he hasn’t visited the ‘Queen of Hill Stations’ in South India.”

“Ooty? Wow! You’re one lucky dame, Didi. You are going on a honeymoon even before your marriage. I hope you’d have some spicy stories to share with me on your return.”

“Shut up, Anjali! Don’t go overboard. We’re just friends. And we’d be staying in separate rooms. Don’t even try to think dirty.”

“Ha ha ha! Cool. Click lots of pics, okay?”

“Okay, sure.”

*****

Diya and Brian boarded the MAS Double Deck train in Bangalore railway station. They were travelling to Chennai from where they’d board the Nilgiri Express to Mettupalayam. Since it was an extended weekend, Diya had informed her parents that she’d be traveling to Ooty along with her colleagues. Only Anjali knew that she was travelling alone with a guy. After seating themselves and securing their luggage, they gobbled on their sandwiches which they had packed for lunch. Then they dozed off for sometime, since they’d chatted all night and lost much sleep. After two hours, they woke up to a terrible rattling sound from the train. It was pulling into a major station named Ambur. Brian climbed down to buy bottled water and some snacks.

“Oh my God! How do you know that I love Peanut Chikki?” Diya exclaimed as Brian handed her a packet of sweet and toothsome Peanut Chikki.

“Who wouldn’t know that you like this? You’d rambled about it as your Facebook status. Remember?”

“Oh, that! Ha ha ha. At that time, I was gorging on these. I just couldn’t resist posting about it.”

“I know, right? I got some cutlets for myself. Do you want some?”

“No. I wouldn’t want to mix spice with sweet. Thank you.”

“Nonsense! Why are you being so formal?”

“Sorry!”

“Again?”

“Oops!”

“Ha ha ha! Enjoy your Chikki.”

Diya took careful bites of her Chikki, not wanting to make crunching noise. Meanwhile, Brian finished off his cutlets and dozed off again. Diya admired his sleeping face and how babyish he looked.

‘What in the world am I doing? Admiring a guy?! This is so not me. Maybe I should control myself. Maybe I shouldn’t give in to this. Maybe I shouldn’t speak about love to him. Maybe….’

There were too many maybes in her mind, but she knew that she’d do exactly the opposite of her thoughts, when it came to Brian.

**********

Diya Rai – Cakes and Coffee

“Wouldn’t you be surprised if I say that I’ve sent you a request on Facebook?” The singsong voice behind Diya asked. She turned around immediately, her wavy hair brushing against his face, as he was standing too close to her. They were in a cafe named Coffee Exotica which served cakes, pastries, cupcakes, sandwiches, cookies, and coffee. And, yes, their meeting was accidental.

“Brian! You freaked me out. And what did you say?” She cross-questioned him.

“I was asking whether you’d be pissed off if I say that I sent you a friend request in Facebook. You wouldn’t mind, right?”

“Hell no!” Diya blurted out ecstatically. ‘How can I mind when I’ve been dying to befriend you?’ She thought.

“Okay! Thank you for your kind help.”

“Help?” Diya raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, identifying me in the hospital.”

“Oh, that! Well, it was surprising that nobody came forward to identify you. That’s why I did it.”

“Hmmm, well, that was so kind of you.”

“But there came a girl….”

“Shall we place our order?” Brian interrupted her abruptly.

“Okay, sure.” Diya turned towards the boy behind the counter and ordered a cappuccino and a chocolate brownie. Brian ordered an Irish cappuccino and a butterscotch cupcake with caramel frosting.

As they waited for their orders, Brian questioned Diya about her family and background, to which she promptly answered.

Soon, the delicious looking cakes and coffee arrived. They walked towards a corner table and seated themselves facing the window. Since it was the month of October, Bangalore was in its rainy phase. The rain made the atmosphere inside the cafe cozy. Diya admired the droplets of rain splattering on the window pane and smiled to herself. Brian cleared his throat and spoke, “So, do you love rain?”

“Who doesn’t?” She quipped excitedly.

“I love rain, too. And the smell of petrichor.”

“Ditto!” She replied, taking a bite from her brownie.

“The weather is soooo romantic. Isn’t it?”

“Yeah, couples can share a lovey-dovey evening.”

“Okay, so what makes you come here alone?”

“Nothing. I had a hard day at office today. So, I just came to chill out. My sis Anjali has an assignment to complete. Otherwise she would have accompanied me.”

“Office? I thought you were a freelancer.”

Diya choked on her cappuccino as soon as she heard that.

“Oh, so you thought that I am just a columnist with TOI?”

“Of course.”

“Nope. I am also an editor of certain articles in it. So, I work as a regular office-goer.”

“Wow! That’s good. At least you aren’t like me. I always fleet. I don’t like to be in a regular job. But that was my past.”

“Well, that intrigues me. Tell me about yourself.”

“As you know, I was a feisty traveller. I travelled around a lot, blogged about my adventures and earned a living as an hippie. But soon everything turned upside down. My dad passed away all of a sudden. Mom had no one to support her. She had had a love marriage. So, she was shunned by her family long ago. I am the only child to my parents. So, I was forced to quit my travelling job. I turned from being a guest lecturer to a full-time professor of English Literature in St.Joseph’s college. It’s been two years.”

“Oh my God! Are you still working there? Like seriously?”

“Yes.”

“Brian, how could you do this to yourself? No, no, you aren’t supposed to quit travelling.”

“Circumstances made me to quit, Diya. I didn’t want to abandon that life where I had utmost freedom. I was forced to. Seriously, I don’t like my life. Sometimes I wish that dad could’ve taken me along with him than make me suffer like this….”

“Shhhhh! Don’t be pessimistic.” Diya shushed him angrily.

“I am sorry. Well, I hate my life. Nothing seems to be interesting any more. Mundane, bland and monotonous. Sometimes, I forget to take care of myself. Like the other day when I got dehydrated and fell unconscious. Life’s a burning hell for me, Diya. And I am a stone in it. I am frustrated all the time. I just don’t know what to do. I cannot fathom where I am leading myself too.”

“Calm down, Brian. You know, you don’t seem to be frustrated now.”

“That’s because I have a sweet company.”

A mild blush swept over Diya’s face, but she concealed it cleverly.

“In fact, venting out your frustration to me, is making you feel better. Am I right?”

“Correct! Okay, would you like to order anything else?”

“Ha ha! I didn’t even realize that we’re finished. How time flies by! I don’t want anything. What about you?”

“Me too. I am full. I mean, literally. Talking to you has rejuvenated me, Diya. Thanks to you.”

“You needn’t thank me. I can handle your mood swings if you are ready to meet me again and become a friend.” The words fell out of Diya’s wagging tongue, even before she could realize that it wasn’t her character to approach boys.

“Ain’t I your friend now?”

“You are. But what about me? Have I become your friend?”

“Yes, right from the moment when….” Brian stopped short. He pondered for a second and then replied, “Right from the moment when we met in the supermarket the other day.”

“Aha!” Diya gleamed with joy.

“Okay, can we move now?”

“Ummm..I don’t think I’ll leave now, Brian. The weather is sooo good that I want to curl up with a book, right here.” She pointed at the bookshelf in one of the corners of the cafe.

“Wow! That’s brilliant. I have to get going.”

“Where do you stay?”

“I stay alone in an apartment in Koramangala.”

“What about your mom?”

“She stays in Gurgaon. I have almost pleaded her to come down and live with me, but she doesn’t budge. She shares such a sentiment with Gurgaon.” Brian rolled his eyes.

“So, when do you meet her?”

“During holidays. Sometimes I visit her during the weekends too. However, I send her enough money as soon as I receive my salary.”

“That’s pretty good.”

“Okay, bye. Will meet you soon.” With those words, Brian stood up from his place and started walking towards the door. But then, he stopped mid-way and turned to face Diya. She looked at him with questioning eyes.

“Well, your hair smelled good. It was kind of addictive. Pantene, right?”

“How..how do you know?” Diya asked with bulged eyes, but all she received was a mischievous wink from him. He just left abruptly. Diya kept blushing for the rest of her time in the cafe.

*****

Diya Rai: You bake?

Diya’s fingers typed with an unnamable alacrity. She was on a chat with Brian in Facebook.

Brian Josh: I do. I am quiet an expert at it. I learnt it during my ‘traveller’ days.

Diya Rai: Oh my! If you’re an expert at it, then you can join in some high-profile restaurant or cafe, right? Why are you slogging as a boring professor?

Brian Josh: Ha ha ha! I can. But Ma would kill me if she comes to know that I work in a restaurant.

For a moment, Diya thought about her own life. How she had gone against her mom’s words and carved her own path. Here was someone who was giving in to his mom’s wishes. Suddenly she felt ashamed about herself.

‘What am I thinking? No, I chose this life. Why should I compare myself with someone else? I am living my life the way I want. And I am happy about it.’ She convinced herself.

Brian Josh: Diya??????

Diya Rai: Yeah, yeah, I am here, Brian. Sorry, I started daydreaming. Okay, that’s your wish. But you have to bake some cakes for me, okay?

Brian Josh: Okay, sure. Can we meet up today at Coffee Exotica?

Diya Rai: Yeah, sure. Time?

Brian Josh: Around 6 PM.

Diya Rai: Okay. Give me your number.

‘No, no, no, what did you just do, Diya? Am I really being me? Why did I ask his phone number? Why did I approach him? Shit, shit, shiiittttt.’ Diya cursed herself.

Brian Josh: Here it is 9********5

Diya Rai: Thank you. I’ll send you a missed call.

Brian Josh: Okieee.

Diya Rai – Game of Serendipity 2

“Th..the news says that a 29 year old unidentified man has been found unconscious on a roadside platform in Koramangala. His wallet doesn’t contain any ID card it seems. They have admitted him in Sanjeevi Hospital. Trust me, Ronnie, this is Brian. I can identify him very well. I need to go. Will you accompany me?”

“Sure. Come let’s go.”

Ronnie and Diya hopped into the former’s Swift. As they raced on the main road, Diya began tapping her fingers impatiently on her purse. She never expected things to take such a dramatic turn. Not even in the weirdest of her dreams she would have thought to meet Brian in a hospital. Once again, it was serendipity. Though she was working with a newspaper, she wasn’t a regular reader of the newspaper. It was by sheer luck that her eyes had noticed the piece of news. ‘If God doesn’t want us to meet, then why should he do like this?’ She thought, while chewing her lip. They reached Sanjeevi Hospital within ten minutes. Diya marched towards the receptionist and inquired about the unidentified man. She was aptly directed to a ward on the first floor. Two police officers were seated outside. Both were equally burly with pot bellies, long mustaches and thick framed spectacles adorning their eyes. She approached them and introduced herself.

“So, how can you help us?” asked the burlier of the two.

“I know the patient inside. His name is Brian. I have only met him twice. So I don’t know much about his occupation or his place of stay. Pardon me for that. But I just know his name. Hope this is helpful for you.”

“Ahaa! Pretty good that we got a lead. We were perplexed as to how to convey the news about him to his family members, suppose he dies. Now that you know his name, can you register yourself as a family member in the patient ledger?”

“What the hell! How can she do that, sir? She merely knows him. Since you couldn’t even find out his name, she thought to help you. That’s it. We cannot proceed with this further. He is still a stranger to her. He must surely have family members. Let them come to know about him after seeing the news.” It was Ronnie who spoke that. The police officers were taken aback at his outburst.

“Ronnie! Behave yourself. What if he doesn’t have a family? We must somehow help him.” Diya chided him.

“Diya, you’re dragging yourself into unwanted issues. Who is he to you?”

“Chup kar, Ronnie. I know what to do. Sir, may I know what has happened to him?” She asked to the police officer.

“Just a case of severe dehydration. We asked the doctors to look into the possibility of drugs. But there wasn’t even a mild trace of alcohol or drugs in his body. Seems to be sober.”

Diya smiled meekly and excused herself to go inside. Ronnie followed her. Brian was peacefully sleeping on the patient bed. Glucose drips were being administered to him through his left hand. Diya moved closer to him and looked at his face. His skin had turned pale and his unshaven beard had covered most of his cheeks. For a moment, she felt a tinge of shiver down her spine. ‘He looked hale and hearty day before yesterday. What happened to him all of a sudden? Why did he get dehydrated? Doesn’t he have anyone to take care of him? What about his family?’ Umpteen questions were swarming through her mind.

Ronnie spoke up, “Can we leave, Diya? You’ve identified him. That’s enough. You needn’t sign yourself as a family member….”

“Shhh! I said I know what to do. What makes you restless, Ronnie?”

“Nothing, Diya. I am afraid that he might be a bad guy and misuse your identification. What if someone had planned to murder him? Then you come and identify him. You could even get embroiled in an underworld gangster case. Someone might kidnap and murder you. God knows what else might happen!”

“I am seriously asking, are you really a doctor? That too a cardiologist? You don’t seem to fit in that profession. Calling yourself as a doctor, but speaking like a psychopath.” Diya fumed at him. He shut up after that.

A few minutes later, a kind-looking nurse walked towards them and held out a ledger.

“Ma’am, can you please write the patient’s name, indicate your relationship with him and sign below?”

“Sure.” Smilingly, Diya received the book from her and entered the required details. She entered herself as a ‘cousin’ of Brian. As she finished signing off, she heard someone sob and enter the ward. It was a girl. From her looks, Diya deduced that she might be in her early 20s. Her skin was milky white and had turned pink from crying. She had straightened hair, narrow eyes lined with thick kohl and baby pink lips. She didn’t have a perfect zero figure, but her heftiness looked apt for her age. Wearing a magenta coloured long skirt and white body-hugging t-shirt with a frilled dark green over coat, she looked elegant by all means. As soon as she entered the ward, she wailed, “Brian! Oh my God! What happened to him?” She hastily scurried towards him and held his right hand. “Brian, wake up! I have come.”

Diya wondered who the strange girl was. She was also amused by the fact she hadn’t come earlier to identify him.

“Diya, someone has come to take care of him. Can we leave now at least?” Ronnie asked her with a puppy face.

“Aaarrgghh! Don’t irritate me, Ronnie. If you’re in such a hurry, you can leave. I am capable of returning home.”

Ronnie was once again rendered silent. The mysterious girl looked at them with enigmatic eyes. She slowly moved towards them and asked, “Who are you both?”

“We had come to identify Brian. Though I’ve met him only twice, I know him by his looks. I signed in the ledger as a cousin of him.” Diya spoke confidently, not even a bit budged by that girl’s questioning expression.

“Oh! Thank you soooo much. You’ve done a good thing. Thanks a lot.” The girl knelt down beside Diya and took her hand in hers.

“Hey, that’s okay. I was just being human.” Diya tried to wriggle her hand out. She felt uncomfortable by that unusual gesture. She wasn’t used to stranger’s touches, though it might be a girl.

“Anyway, thank you.” The girl smiled widely. The next moment, realization hit Diya. If she introduces herself, then Brian would get to know that she’d identified him. Though he might ask that from the nurse, she didn’t want to be present when he wakes up. Then her game of serendipity would be shattered. Hence, before the girl could ask her name, she abruptly stood up and said, “Ummm..we need to leave. I am sorry. My friend here has got some work to do.”

“Oh! Is it? Okay, I’ll take care of Brian. Thank you.” The girl’s voice was exceedingly sweet.

With one last smile, Diya left the ward. Once they were in the car, Ronnie asked, “Why didn’t you wait till he woke up?”

“Serendipity.” That was the only word which she spoke.

*****

“You didn’t ask her name? Have you forgotten basic manners of courtesy, Monali?” asked Brian, clearly irritated with Monali’s behavior. He had woken up with a mild headache. Hence, Monali had treated him to a glass of Horlicks.

“I am sorry, Brian. I was shell-shocked to know that you were admitted in a hospital. In all that fuss, I forgot to ask her name, but I spoke with her. She seemed to be nice. Also, I’ve already seen her somewhere. I think she is a popular face. She was almond brown in colour, had deep-set black eyes and wavy hair. Also, she had dimples on her cheeks.” Monali spoke innocently.

“I think I can make out someone from your descriptions, but I don’t know surely. We can find out from the patient ledger. Call the nurse who attended to me.”

Monali stood up and walked out to fetch the nurse. Meanwhile, Brian thought, ‘Who would have probably identified me? No one knows me in this area. I don’t have any friends too. Only Monali knows me and she was also away. Who could it be?’

“Sir, here is the ledger.” The nurse snapped him out from his thoughts.

“Err..thank you.” He replied and looked at the page where an entry was made for him.

Diya Rai!

His heart skipped a beat.

“Do you know her, Brian? She said she has met you twice.” Monali said.

“Yeah, we have met, but we weren’t even proper acquaintances. She is a popular columnist in The Times of India. Also, she writes for ScoopWhoop. I met her in The Hindu Literary Fest and in the supermarket day before yesterday, but that was it. She has no need to come here and identify me.”

“Wow! Is she Diya Rai? God! I didn’t recognize her. I love all her columns in TOI.”

“Who doesn’t?”

Saying so, Brian’s mind drifted away. ‘I think it’s time for me to stop this hide-and-seek and really seek her out in Facebook.’

**********

Diya Rai – Game of Serendipity 1

“God! I haven’t seen so many likes, comments and shares in my life.” Diya thundered, while looking at her listicle 14 Interesting Facts about Mushrooms in ScoopWhoop. Since mushrooms were her life, she had decided to pen a listicle on them. And voila! The article turned viral within a few minutes. Probably people weren’t completely aware of what mushrooms could do to them. So, when they learnt that there was something more to the delicious fungi, they began sharing it to the entire world.

“Nargis Fakhri, Aditi Rao Hydari and Tiger Shroff have also liked on the listicle. Now this is too much for me!” She exclaimed. Mamta Rai was in that room and she was also pleased with her daughter’s latest hit, despite being cold about her career as a writer.

“This is something to celebrate, Didi. Let’s go and buy some mushrooms. We will whip up some dish out of them.” With those words, Anjali Rai tugged at her sister. They changed their dress and were off to the supermarket. Diya was amused at Anjali’s choice of clothes. The latter was doing her final year in fashion designing and that led to the bizarre designs on her dresses. Though Diya felt them to be too flashy, she didn’t bring it up to Anjali. She was sure that there’d be a row and she’d be scolded for being an immature 25 year old.

Entering the supermarket, they began moving through the shelves to reach the refrigerator at the end. The fridge consisted of all dairy products, juices, flavored milk boxes and mushrooms. Picking up two packets of mushrooms, the girls began inspecting them for decayed ones. Just then, someone tapped on Diya’s shoulder.

“Hey, Diya Rai, right?” The soft and matured voice wafted to Diya’s ears. Immediately she looked up and stared into those doe-shaped eyes. He was looking cheerful and a citrusy odour emanated from his body. Wearing a black-and-white polo t-shirt and navy blue jeans, he almost looked stunning.

“Br..Brian!” Diya exclaimed. Of all the places in the world, she did not expect to meet him in the supermarket.

“Yes, why are you so surprised?”

“No..I mean..I..I didn’t expect you in a supermarket. What are you doing here?”

“Just purchasing some groceries. My apartment is nearby.”

“Ugh? You mean you live in an apartment? When did the hippie turn into a homely man?” She asked mischievously.

“Ha ha! Just like that. I am no more a hippie. I have a home. The world isn’t my home anymore.” His face adopted a pained expression. Immediately Diya regretted asking something that wasn’t meant to be asked.

“I..I am sorry. I don’t want to go into all these now. Okay, tell me, I don’t remember telling you my name on the other day in the fest. That means, you remember me from your lecture in Mount Carmel College, right?” She asked with a slight hope brimming in her voice.

“Oh! No, no. Seriously, I don’t remember you from the college, Diya. I read your listicle today and noticed your name and photo. That’s how I recognized you as Diya Rai.”

“Oh! Okay.” Diya felt disappointed.

“And, this is hilarious. You are coincidentally picking up mushrooms, just after your listicle has went viral.” Brian suppressed a smile.

“Ha ha ha! Actually this is a celebration for the success of my listicle. We decided to whip up some mushroom dish for our lunch. By the way, this is my sister Anjali Rai.”

“Hi Anjali.”

“Hi Brian. You look good.” The words rolled out of Anjali’s mouth. Diya stamped on her left foot intentionally and silenced her. Anjali let out a tiny squeal of pain.

“Thank you.” Brian blushed a little. “Well, nice to meet you both here. I have to go now. There are chores waiting at home. Bye!”

“Bye Brian!” The sisters chorused in unison.

After he left, Diya felt an unexplainable void. This was the first time she was feeling like this. Usually boys drooled over her, made advances towards her, competed for her friendship and even proposed her. But Brian was different. He didn’t even leave a phone number with her or promised to stay in touch with her. He met her just like that, made a small talk, and left. That didn’t go down well with her. Instantly, she was bitten by pride and jealousy. Boys have always treated her like a queen, even though she’d spurned their advances. But in front of Brian, she looked like a pauper. Though secretly she wanted to gain his attention, her ego prevented her from asking his phone number or searching for him in Facebook.

As if Anjali could read her mind, she asked, “Didi, do you feel bad about Brian that he didn’t ask your phone number?”

“Ugh? How did you know?”

“You look crestfallen. Diya has always been someone who is surrounded by guy fans. But Brian’s behavior is different from the rest. He doesn’t flirt, doesn’t make unnecessary promises and doesn’t even tell you whether he’d meet you again. This has really irked you. You aren’t used to such a character. Am I right?”

“Yes, kind of. But, he seems to be a nice guy. I just want to be his friend. He doesn’t take any step towards getting to know me. How can I expect him to be my friend? I was really disappointed when he said that he didn’t recognize me from the college. I was actually his fan girl that day. I loved his lecture on Shakespeare a lot.”

“Hmmm, well, if God wants you both to be friends, he’ll make you meet again. I know that you don’t want to go searching for Brian in Facebook.”

“Yes. And, it’s not difficult to find him. He has read my listicle. So, he might have liked it, commented on it or shared it. Anyway, I am not going to scour my listicle for any action from him. I strongly believe in serendipity, even in this technologically advanced era.”

“Good, Didi. Now, can we pay for the mushrooms and leave? Ma might be wondering what makes us so late.”

“Okieee.” Diya let out a lopsided smile.

*****

Diya was blow drying her hair in the balcony, when something fell upon her. It was a ball of crumpled paper. It looked like someone had intentionally thrown it on her. She looked around for the miscreant, but found no one on the road. She also looked at her neighbor’s house. There was none in sight. As her roving eyes searched for the culprit, she heard a voice that imitated a howling dog. At once, she knew that someone was playing a bad joke on her.

“Who is that?” she hollered.

Yet another howl was heard. Impatiently, she threw the ball of paper back on the road. She watched in surprise, as a hand picked it up. It was a guy. His face and torso were completely hidden behind the compound wall.

“If I come down there, I’ll make sure that you end up dead.” She threatened the impostor. But there was no response. Smirking to herself, she prepared to go down. Just then, someone called out, “Hey Diya!”

Turning around, she saw him and squealed in joy. “Ronnieee!” she screamed out her lungs.

“Diyaaaa!” The noodle-haired skinny boy shrieked back.

“What a surprise! And what’s this childish habit of playing games? Come inside. I’ll be down in a minute.”

Ronnie was Diya’s best friend from her childhood. Even after they’d changed schools, they’d stayed in touch through letters, phone calls and text messages. He was pursuing M.D Cardiology in Delhi. He was a busy bee and never had time to experience the simple joys of life. Hence, it was unlike of him to give surprises to his friends.

Diya opened the door and engulfed him in a hug. He embraced her back and flashed a warm smile to Anjali who was also present in the hall. Mamta and Rohit came from their bedroom and greeted him. After a few minutes of group conversation, they left Diya and Ronnie alone.

“So, how is your life going on? Though I am busy, I don’t forget to read your columns in TOI and listicles in ScoopWhoop. And your recent one about mushrooms was just smashing.”

“Awww! Don’t make me blush, Ronnie. You know, I wouldn’t utter the word ‘thank you’ to you. But still you keep complimenting me.”

“My pleasure, Diya. Okay, other than your professional life, what’s happening in the personal front? Friends? Boyfriends? Marriage ideas?”

“Stop there! Yes, I do have an awesome social life. I have a thick bestie named Mahima. We stick to each other like leeches. Then, I have a few friends from college too, who aren’t as close as Mahima. We just hang out together for fun. And about boyfriends, no, I don’t have any. I mean, as a friend, I have you, Rahul and Smaran. But if you meant as a lover, I don’t have anyone. I don’t wish to fall in love and I don’t want to get married. Seriously, I hate marriage.”

“Oh my god! What is this, Diya? How can you be without getting married?”

“Ronnie! People do exist without getting married. I never expected you to be old-fashioned. Have you forgotten our very own Abdul Kalam? And why can’t I stay as an independent woman?”

“Hey, I am not going into all these ‘independent woman’ and blah blah blah. I just want to know what makes you hate love.”

“There are many reasons for that. Well, I am happy with my parents, sister, friends and job. So, I don’t wanna depend on anyone.”

“This is ridiculous, Diya. Haven’t you ever fallen in love?”

“Yes, once. But that was not love at all. It was just an infatuation at the age of 12.”

“Shit! That cannot be categorized as love. You didn’t love anyone after that?”

“No. That guy spoiled my views about love. He sowed hatred for the emotion called love, that it is forever etched in my heart.”

“So sad! If you’re headstrong about not falling in love, then I cannot help it.”

“But, you know, Ronnie, I have been feeling strange for the past few days. I met someone during my college days. He came as a guest lecturer for a day. He was also a traveller and got paid for travelling. I was so impressed with his lecture on Shakespeare that I had a brief interaction with him at the end of the class. Later, after seven years, I met him a week ago in The Hindu Literature Festival. He didn’t seem to recognize me. That hurt me a lot. I was so full of expectations that I’d strike a friendship with him, but that was not the case. I left him abruptly that day and moved on. I didn’t search for him in Facebook or visit his website or ask his phone number from anyone. Then, day before yesterday, I met him in the supermarket. He recognized my name after reading my listicle and approached me. We just made a casual talk, by which I came to know that he has stopped being a traveller. Even at the end of the conversation, he didn’t show any interest to become my friend. He didn’t give his phone number or promised to stay in touch with me. And now, I am hurt by that, again. Since he is a good guy, I desperately want to be his friend. I don’t want to take the first step. I firmly believe in serendipity, but I have a low-lying fear that he might slip away from my life, forever. Though I can live without him, I strangely feel that he’d be a best friend for a lifetime and missing him would be a great sin. I..I just don’t know what to do.”

Diya turned to look at Ronnie who had his jaw dropped. She hit him playfully and brought him back to senses.

“Wow, Diya! That was one amazing speech. And, who is this guy that has a strong hold on you? You are someone who have never given in to guys. This is so surprising.”

“I am surprised at myself, Brian.”

“Brian? Who is that?”

“Oops! Did I say Brian? Sorry, Ronnie. That is his name.”

“Oh! So, you’ve come to level of confusing names. I think this is heading somewhere, Diya. Hence, you’ve to take the first step in befriending him.”

“No chance! I’ll never do it.”

“What a dork you are!”

“Let I be a dork, but I wouldn’t initiate a friendship with him.”

“Egoistic.”

“Thank you.”

“Stubborn.”

“Thank you.”

“Headstrong.”

“Thank you.”

“Obstinate.”

“Thank you. Now, will you stop this synonym game?”

“Okay, ma’am. Let’s go for lunch.”

But Diya did not respond to him. Her eyes were transfixed on the newspaper on the table. At a small corner of the front page, there was a news. 29 year old guy found unconscious in a roadside platform in Koramangala.

She picked up the newspaper and had a closer look at the photo insert. It was Brian.

**********

Diya Rai – Seven Years Later

“And they lived happily ever after….” said Diya and looked up from the fairytale book. She was reading to her three year old niece Nainika. As soon as the Cinderella story was over, Nainika clapped and babbled to her heart’s content. Diya faintly smiled at her, closed the book, picked her up, and handed her over to her cousin.

“Hey, are you okay? You seem to be….kind of odd,” said Ashritha, mother of Nainika.

“Yeah, I am. Seriously, I don’t believe in all these happy endings. Just look at the reality. Breakups, complicated relationships, and divorces. Jeez! I don’t want any of these. It’s better to stay out of love.”

“So, wouldn’t you get married?”

“I don’t know. I have no idea about that. Right now, I want to concentrate on my job.”

“Where are you working, by the way?”

“Don’t you read The Times of India? I am a columnist in it. Humour and Lifestyle. Also, I work for ScoopWhoop. Writing and curating articles. I am also the editor of the online literary magazine The Trope.”

Ashritha looked at her with an enigmatic expression.

“So, how much do you get paid?” She asked sarcastically.

“Well enough like other people. I almost receive 20,000 to 23,000 a month.”

“Do you think that is enough for you?”

“Yeah! Of course. I am happy with my job. I am contented that I follow my passion. What else is needed?”

“Um…nothing. I just thought you’d earn better if you work in a bank or in any organization.”

“So, are you demeaning me? Do you think that writers are worthless? Don’t even dare to tell that. You know, people like you just type away on a computer or crunch numbers all the day. But I create something. I weave lives out of my words. I touch people’s hearts. I advice them on what to do and what not to do. Have you done anything like that?”

Ashritha was rendered silent. She quietly nodded her head and muttered an apology. After she moved away, Diya heaved a sigh of relief and plopped down on the sofa. ‘Morons!’ She thought and picked up the TV remote. Browsing through the channels, she settled on B4U Music and began watching some hit Bollywood numbers.

After a few minutes, Mamta Rai made an appearance at the door. She meekly smiled at Diya and said, “Diya, I have something for you.”

“What is it? If it is yet another marriage proposal, then I am not game for it. Please don’t begin your ‘You are 25. Why don’t you get married?’ chants once again. My ears are already bleeding.”

“Mch! Why don’t you ever listen to me? See, take a look at this proposal. He is such a good guy. He works as a Senior Business Analyst in UK. He is also good-looking, smart, handsome….”

“Brat, bastard, dork….” Diya completed the sentence.

“Shit! Stop saying such, Diya. You’re going beyond your limits. What are you thinking about yourself? If you go on like this, then no one will marry you. You will age, your skin will become rough, your body will turn fatter and you will….”

“Stop it, Ma! Why can’t you accept the fact that I’d like to stay single?”

“No! I cannot accept this. I have compromised everything for you, Diya. You’ve to abide by my wishes now. I gave up my dream of seeing you as a CA, just because you liked Literature. I gave up my dream of seeing you working in a bank, just because you wanted to take up a job in the media. Now, I cannot give up on this. You’ve to marry the guy whom I choose.”

“I cannot.”

“Are you in love with someone? You can tell that to me. I’ll meet his parents and talk to them. Then we’ll arrange your marriage.”

“Ma! Please don’t irritate me. I am neither in love with anyone nor do I want to get married. Do you understand? Let me enjoy my life as a singleton. I don’t want to depend upon anyone for the rest of my life. I am capable of taking care of myself.”

“Diya, then what about love? What about someone who’d care for you after we pass away? What about a baby? What about a good family life?”

“Ma, even after you and Papa pass away, I don’t want anyone to care for me. I have my best friends for that. And, I will adopt a baby and take care of it as my own child. He or she will become my successor. Enough?”

But Mamta was not ready to accept that. She stood up angrily and moved away from Diya.

Yet another sigh escaped from Diya’s lips and she continued watching B4U, pretending like nothing had happened.

*****

The Hindu Literature Festival was taking place in Bengaluru. Diya felt eccentric about it. Every year, she visited the fest, interacted with authors, participated in contests, and made new friends. She was also a popular face among the entire fraternity, despite working as a columnist for a rival newspaper.

As soon as she entered the fest, a group of girls surrounded her and shook hands with her.

“Diya ma’am, we’re a great fan of your columns in TOI. I just enjoy reading your hilarious write-ups,” said one.

“I love the lifestyle tips which you provide. I have even implemented some and found them to be working out,” said another.

“Thank you, girls,” replied Diya humbly. She then took selfies with them.

“Diya ma’am, why don’t you start a column for love, relationships and sex? We’d like to hear some romantic tips from you.” An enthusiastic girl put forth her views.

“Umm..I am sorry. I can’t write on love and romance. I..I..well, I am not experienced in all such things. I am not really into all that. According to me, love and marriage suck.”

“Oh my God! Seriously? Such an immensely creative writer like you doesn’t believe in love?! I am really surprised,” replied the girl.

Diya smiled at them vaguely and before they could put her in another awkward situation, she moved away from there.

She then met popular authors like Preeti Shenoy, Jhumpa Lahiri and Anita Nair. After a mindblowing discussion with them, she moved on to participate in some contests. She came across a board named ‘Bukowski Corner’. At once, she knew that it was an on-spot poetry contest. She excitedly moved towards it and made her way through the crowd surrounding the stall.

“Excuse me! What are the guidelines for this contest?” She asked to a man who had his head hung down.

He looked up at her with his optimistic eyes. For a moment, their eyes locked. A splurge of familiarity washed over Diya.

“Brian!” She exclaimed.

The guy raised an eyebrow at her.

“You’re Brian, right?” She asked carefully.

“Yes.” Brian replied quietly.

“Oh my God!” Diya almost jumped up. She felt happy from the bottom of her heart. The only man whom she’d admired, was in front of her. She couldn’t believe her eyes. She was of the thought that she would not meet him ever again. He’d turned into a mature man from a quirky 22 year old. He looked stern, yet maintained his jovial appearance.

“Do you know me? Have we met before?” He asked in a matter-of-fact tone.

At that moment, all the colour from Diya’s face drained out. ‘He doesn’t remember me,’ she thought sadly.

“Yeah, we’ve met before. Don’t you remember your lecture in Mount Carmel College seven years ago?”

“Yup, I have a vague remembrance of it.”

“I met you as soon as you finished your class and appreciated about your teaching. Don’t you remember me?” She asked with abundant pain in her voice. She was feeling weird.

“I am sorry. I’ve come across too many people in my life, since I am a traveller.”

“A feisty traveller.” Her lips curved into a smile.

“Oh my! You remember me so well. Did I have an impact on you?”

“You were the one who bowled me over with your Shakespeare lecture.”

“Bowled you over? Ha ha, was I that good back then?” His voice had a sarcastic touch to it.

“Aren’t you now?” She asked curiously.

“I don’t know.” His face fell.

“Brian, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I am. Okay, the guidelines for this contest are….”

“Brian, I am sorry. I..I am no more interested in the contest. I will participate in some other event. Thank you. Bye!”

Diya left the place abruptly, even though Brian called out to her twice behind her. She felt something break inside her. She couldn’t name the feeling. Strangely, she felt sad at Brian’s forgetfulness. She just couldn’t digest that he’d forgot her and behaved differently. Tears were threatening to stream down from her eyes.

‘Shit! What’s happening to me? Why am I feeling like this? What if Brian had forgot me? He was just a visiting lecturer who had met a thousand people before. It was just a few minutes of conversation. Why should he remember me? And why should I feel sad for this?’ There went her unending thoughts.

She wished that she wouldn’t bump into him anymore. He made her feel peculiar. She didn’t want that. If she was to meet him ever again, then it would have to be serendipity. She didn’t want to take the first step in striking a friendship with him. Something about him was unusually wrong.

‘No searching for him in FB or Twitter. No asking for his mobile number from anyone.’ She warned herself. ‘As if I would,’ her unromantic character leapt up.

**********

Diya Rai – Cousinmania

“College life is soooo much fun, Papa. And Literature department is even more enjoyable.” Diya spoke excitedly.

“Glad to hear that. I am happy that you’ve successfully completed a year.” Rohit Rai replied, while looking up from his morning newspaper.

“Achcha! Suno, Preyosh is coming to our home. I would be preparing Chicken Biryani for him. So, I am going to the supermarket to get some frozen chicken. I need to marinate it well and refrigerate it again, so that it tastes good on the day of his arrival,” announced Mamta Rai.

“Preyosh? Who is that?” asked Diya curiously.

“Arey, have you forgotten him? You both have played together when you were small kids. He is your cousin. I can say, a distant relative.”

“Is that so, Ma? I am completely blank. I can’t even remember his face. What is he doing now?”

“He is doing a course in Agriculture. And also, in his free time, he paints. That’s what he has told me.”

“Wow! That sounds interesting. I really like people who paint.” Diya was pleased.

Anjali nudged her. “Didi, don’t act as if you would fall for him.”

“Shut up! You know about me very well. I despise falling in love.”

“Wow! Thank you sooo much, Didi. Then, I can date him.”

“Jeez! This is why you asked me that awkward question. Have him all for yourself.”

“He heee!” The 14 year old giggled and ran off to her room.

“When will he be arriving, Ma?” Diya asked to her mom. Her tone was rather eager.

“Day after tomorrow.”

“Oh, okay.” Her lips curved into a smile.

‘I hope Preyosh will make a great friend to me. He seems to be talented.’ She thought.

*****

“His name is rather different. I haven’t heard anyone named Preyosh,” said Mahima, munching on a chicken strip. She and Diya were in the college cafeteria for their regular tea and bites.

“Yeah! His name is also intriguing. I hope he brings some of his paintings too.”

“Hmmm, well, don’t launch into a I-know-about-you-very-well session in the beginning itself. Just start speaking with the usual pleasantries. Conversation about hobbies can wait. Don’t make yourself look like an eager girl. He might get a wrong notion about you. Always be the stern girl that you are.”

“Cool, Mahi. You know about me. I wouldn’t even speak with him until he does. Because, I can’t even remember playing with him in my childhood.”

“Maybe you might have been four or five then.”

“Hmmm, okay, finish the strips fast. I have the Shakespeare class next. I don’t want to miss even a single class. I am a fanatic of Shakespeare.” Diya spoke hurriedly, while gulping down the last mouth of her chocolate tea. She also had a faint vision of her school Shakespearean drama ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ which fetched them first prize in the inter-house competition. Also, she was reminded about Dhruv who was a cheesy romantic. Smiling to herself, she stood up, walked towards the dustbin and threw the Styrofoam cup into it.

Once she reached the class, there was a furor among the students. Diya was confused. When questioned, she learnt that a guest lecturer was to come and teach them the nuances of Shakespearean sonnets. Everyone wondered who it might be. Just then, their regular lecturer Ms.Reshma entered the class and shushed the students.

“Girls! Please be seated. We have a guest lecturer today. His name is Brian. I don’t know what to say about his occupation. He is a traveller and gets paid to write travel blogs. He is also a visiting lecturer for many colleges. Since he is fascinated by English literature and holds a Masters degree in it, he is the most recommended guest lecturer for many colleges in and around India. And mind you girls, don’t be smitten by him. This is a strict warning, because he is just 22. Don’t fool around with him.”

“Okay, ma’am.” The girls chorused in unison. Ms. Reshma smiled at them widely and left the classroom. The girls began whispering among themselves.

Just then, Brian made a dashing entry inside the classroom. He held a pleasant smile and greeted the girls. Immediately, every girl in the class forgot about their existence, for there was the handsomest boy they’d ever seen. He was milky-white skinned with a pinkish tint. He had doe-shaped eyes and feathery hair. Added to it was his unshaven beard. Not too much, not too less. He had the most charming smile ever and his teeth were perfectly aligned. His eyes wandered over the entire classroom and finally fixed on Diya. She was the only one who wasn’t looking at him with her jaw dropped. She just flashed a casual look at him, read his features, and went back to nibbling with her pen. Brian, who was used to lots of female attention, was piqued by her indifference. He kept staring at Diya and found it hard to digest the fact that she wasn’t looking at him.

“Okay, girls, lemme just skip the introductions. There are about 50 girls over here and it would surely take up the entire period if I start with the intros. Well, I am Brian, a feisty traveller, I must say. I like to travel around the world and write about it. I own a travel blog ‘www.brianstravelogue.com’ where I get paid for writing about the places I visit. Also, I occasionally work as a visiting English lecturer for colleges around India. Today, I am here to bore you with the deep meanings of Shakespeare’s sonnets. So, get ready for a few yawns.” Brian chuckled. The girls also laughed along with him.

As he plunged into the sonnets world of Shakespeare, Diya felt herself drawn to his words. He wasn’t boring. In fact, he was just the opposite. He taught them in a lively manner with some slapstick humor here and there. For the rest of the class, she was looking only at him. Her jaw began to drop slowly. But it wasn’t for his looks. It was for his attitude, body language and intelligence. Even Brian began to notice that he’d kindled some interest inside the only girl who didn’t gape at him. He did a small jig mentally.

But as fate could have it, every good things come to an end. So was Brian’s class. Every girl was sad that a hot lecturer was leaving them in the middle of a passionate ruckus that he’d created. However, Diya wasn’t feeling sad for that reason. She felt sorrowful that she’d have to listen to Ms. Reshma’s not-so-cool Shakespeare classes thereafter. She rushed towards Brian and waylaid him as he was leaving the classroom. Brian raised an eyebrow at her, equally surprised that it was ‘that girl’ who had stopped him.

“Well, Brian, I hope you don’t mind me calling you Brian and not Sir. The..the class was just mind-blowing. I think I will never get to listen to a class like this anymore. Really, you should visit us once again and teach us more on Shakespeare.” With those words, she shook hands with him.

“Thank you very much, Ms…?”

“Diya. Diya Rai.”

“Thank you very much, Ms.Diya Rai. I would surely try to come again. And, I don’t mind you calling me Brian. I don’t like formalities.” He flashed a cute smile and a wink. Instantly, Diya felt a liking for him. He wasn’t like the other immature guys whom she had come across in her life. He wasn’t flirty. Neither he was too composed. Just the perfect balance between the both.

After he left, the other girls surrounded Diya to question her about her ‘small talk’ with him. She replied to them calmly and went back to her work. Well, that was it. Brian was a guest lecturer. He came, he taught, he interacted, and he left. She assured herself that she mustn’t think about him anymore.

*****

Preyosh. He was at the doorstep of the Rai family, ringing the doorbell fiercely. Since it was a Sunday, Diya was at her home. It was she who opened the door for him. At first she didn’t know who it was. After Preyosh flashed a pearly smile at her, she recognized him and spoke, “Oh, is this Preyosh? Ma said you’ll be coming today. Okay, come inside.” He was a narrow-faced guy with a cleft on his chin. His hair was well-gelled and spiked at the front. He had expressive eyes and a chiseled body with muscles at the right places.

“Well, I hope you are Diya. How are you?” His voice was manly.

“I am fine, Preyosh. And I feel so funny that I don’t remember you well. Ma said that we were playmates during our childhood. Do you remember me?” she asked, while helping him with his luggage.

“Yes, I vaguely remember playing with you. I also remember baby Anjali. I think she might have grown up now.”

“Yes, of course. She is in her 10th grade.”

“Wow! That sounds great.”

“Well, are we of the same age?”

“Yes, I am 18. So are you.”

He flashed another pearly smile of his. Diya liked his frank attitude and secretly hoped that he might turn into her best friend. She liked to have guy friends, provided that they don’t violate the friendship protocol.

Then, Preyosh met Mamta, Rohit and Anjali. From the moment she set her eyes upon him, Anjali felt a magnetic attraction towards him. She tried to flirt with him, but he was paying more attention to Diya, since they were of the same age.

“Diya, he is mine. Don’t take him away from me. Give a chance for him to talk to me. Leave us alone for sometime. Will you?” Anjali pulled her sister to a corner and raged at her.

“Shut up, Anju! I am not here to grab him for myself. Since we’re of the same age, we are able to discuss upon many things. If you want to talk with him, then join in our conversation. Dare you speak to me like this once again!”

“Sorry! That was rather rude of me. But do let us alone, so that I can have some mushy talks with him.” She flashed a toothy grin.

“Arere! Don’t grow wings and fly. As if he would let you have mushy talks with him. He still considers you as the baby Anjali.” Diya stressed on the last two words which angered Anjali.

“Hmph! Get lost. I know how to talk with him.”

“Ha ha haaa!”

During lunch, the entire Rai family were at the table, devouring fish fingers and chicken biryani. Preyosh had deliberately seated himself beside Diya, as he was interested in her and wanted to know about her. Diya was also elated, as she too wanted to do the same, but in the way of friendship.

“So, tell me about your Literature course.” He began the conversation.

“It’s pretty good. I love the classes. Especially Shakespeare period. There was this guest lecturer named Brian who breathed a whiff of fragrance into the Shakespeare classes. I hope he does come again to teach.” She drifted to the memory of Brian. Though she was initially drawn towards his intelligence, giving it a second thought, she accepted that he was attractive too.

“Sounds interesting!”

“Achcha, what do you do?”

“I am doing my B.Sc in Agriculture in a private college in Delhi. My passion lies in it.”

“Amazing.”

Diya deduced that Preyosh was rather a different guy.

“So, if you are in Literature course, you must read lots of books, right? What genre do you prefer?”

“Mystery, thriller, crime fiction and fantasy. I am surrounded by Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, James Patterson, J.K.Rowling, and Dan Brown books.”

“Wow! They are my favorite too. I love books that are filled with mystery and suspense. I am a great fan of Sherlock Holmes.”

“Hi-five!”

The duo hi-fived each other and Anjali glared at Diya. It was the first time Diya had voluntarily hi-fived a boy. She felt Preyosh’s touch lingering in her left hand. She couldn’t understand what was happening to her, but she felt happy to be beside him.

“So, who is your best friend in college?”

“Mahima. Not only in college. She has been my close friend since childhood.”

“Awww! I lost the chance to be your best friend. Had I stayed in Bangalore, I would have turned into your bestest friend by now.”

“That’s true! We share so much in common.”

Diya felt surprised at herself. ‘Oh my God! What’s happening to me? This is the first time I am speaking to a boy like this.’

“What about Anjali? What does she want to do?”

Diya decided that it was the best opportunity to slip away and ask Anjali to sit beside him.

“Why don’t you ask that to her? Anjali! Come, sit beside Preyosh. He wants to talk to you.”

Immediately Anjali’s face lit up like a thousand watt bulb. As Diya stood up to go, she felt a slight tug at her fingers.

“Diya! Don’t embarrass me. Your parents might think that I am interested in Anjali. She would also get the wrong notion. Please be seated.” He almost whispered to her.

Though she immediately plopped down on her chair, she was shocked by his touch. She had been touched by boys earlier, but she felt different with Preyosh’s touch. Meanwhile, Anjali, who had stood up to sit beside Preyosh, felt humiliated and went back to her seat.

“Oops! Sorry, Anjali. He said he’ll talk to you later.” Diya flashed an uneasy smile and was met with another deadly glare from her sister.

Mamta Rai and Rohit Rai were amused with the entire scene before them. They silently smiled to themselves and continued eating.

By the end of the day, Diya and Preyosh had almost become good buddies. They retired to their respective rooms with a promise that they would go for a walk the next evening.

*****

Days passed. After numerous walks in the park, movies in the theater (along with Anjali), coffees in cafes and ice-creams in parlours, Diya and Preyosh’s relationship turned into something that had no name. Diya was coming to terms with the fact that finally she would find a good life partner in Preyosh, while he too thought the same.

One evening, as they were relaxing in the park, Diya came up with the topic of painting. She had almost forgot that Preyosh was interested in painting too. She had never discussed on that topic, though that aspect of him was what attracted her to him.

“Preyosh, Ma said that you paint. Is that so?”

“Yes, Diya. I love painting. Colors make up most of my life. That’s why my life is soooo colorful.” He said that with an air of happiness around him. Also, he looked at Diya passionately.

“Awww! I love people who paint. They are very expressive, you know. I like all forms of art and artists.”

“So, does that mean you love me?” The question popped out of Preyosh’s invariably wagging tongue. He had almost fallen in love with her. Since he’d heard about her past rejections, he was afraid to tread on the path of love without double checking that she too was interested in him.

“Ummm…I..I don’t know, Preyosh. I feel strangely attracted to you. I mean, I have rejected so many boys in my life. Karan was my first love. But that was just an infatuation. I can’t even term him as my first love. And, I have also taken revenge on him for that, but you seem to be special to me. I can’t categorize this feeling as love. For the first time, I am not able to analyse myself.” After saying that, Diya turned away.

“Diya, you know, you’re blushing. Unknown to you.” He moved closer to her and entwined his fingers with hers.

“Pre..Preyosh, let me first analyse myself. I need something to assure that I am in love with you.” She looked hard into his eyes.

“Tell me, what do you want me to do?”

“Do you have any sample of your paintings? Maybe, if I see them, I can know whether my heart has fallen for you.”

‘Oh my! She is so strange’. Preyosh thought.

“Sure, Diya. I have painted in Bangalore also. Come, let’s take a bus to that place.”

Together, the duo travelled to Whitefield. Preyosh took her inside a bright looking house. The house was painted in light green and orange in the exterior.

As soon as they entered, Diya was met with a dead silence. The house was completely empty. There were no furniture items, not even fans or tubelights. But every room in the house was painted elegantly. The colors were completely unique and the wall works looked exquisite.

“Preyosh, where are the paintings?” She asked him intriguingly.

“What? Can’t you see, Diya? These walls were painted by me. The entire house has been painted by me. Even the exteriors.”

Diya creased her eyebrows and looked at him disbelievingly. “Preyosh, what are you speaking about? You’re a painting artist, right?”

“Of course, Diya. I am a painter. Till now I have painted almost 100 houses in Delhi. This is my first one in Bangalore. You know, I took this up for my pocket money. Since my parents said that they wouldn’t lend me any money, I took this up as my part-time profession. I paint houses.”

It was at that moment realization dawned upon Diya. ‘All the time, I have been hanging out with a painter. Not an artist!’ She slapped her forehead. Now it was Preyosh’s turn to get surprised.

“What happened, Diya? Didn’t you like my painting?”

“Don’t you dare to call this as your painting! I will roast you to death, Preyosh. Whom are you fooling around? I thought you were an artist. Painting pictures, artworks, etc., that are displayed in art galleries and museums. I never thought that you’re a painter.”

“What are you saying, Diya? Being a painter is not bad. It’s also a profession.”

“Arey, I accept that it is a respectable profession. But I feel cheated, Preyosh. I..I misinterpreted you. I thought you were sooo talented, unique and blah, blah, blah. But, seriously, I don’t want to get married to a painter-cum-agriculturalist. Sorry, if I am hurting your feelings. I cannot take this relationship forward. Let’s remain friends.”

“Damn it, Diya! I knew you’d say something like this. I was warned by Anjali that you’re a heartbreaker. Now, it’s confirmed. I..I feel like collapsing.”

At that moment, Preyosh broke down. He cried for about five minutes, but Diya did not console him. She was already on her way towards her home.

*****

For the rest of his stay, Preyosh avoided Diya and started spending time with Anjali. Through Anjali, he was able to heal his wounds. As for Diya, she considered him as yet another guy who had proposed to her. She normally went about her life. But something made her feel bad. Anjali said these lines ‘One day, you’ll love someone, get hurt and end up heartbroken. That day is coming soon, Diya. Don’t you go breaking hearts like this!’

Though Diya took it as an usual sibling spat, those lines repeated itself in her mind almost everyday.

**********

Diya Rai – Karan Returns

For another year, Diya had no proposals or unnecessary confrontations with boys. The 12th grade board exams contributed a major part for the peacefulness of the classroom. Apart from occasional outings with her friends, Diya kept away from other sources of enjoyment. She immersed herself in books, crazily preparing for her board exams. She stopped writing stories, but got in touch with her journal occasionally. There was also another thing which kept bothering her. Her career decision! She knew that she wanted to be a writer. When she put forth her views to her parents, they lost their cool and opposed her decision. Especially with her father having lost his job, her mom sternly said that she must have a well-settled job in her life. Mamta Rai put forward options like taking up B.Com or Chartered Accountancy, but Diya completely despised them. She knew she would miserably fail in her life if she goes against her heart’s wishes. Hence, she made up her mind to take up B.A English Literature.

“Literature? What future does literature hold? What will you become after that?” asked Mamta Rai disgustingly.

“I will become a writer, Ma. I will work with a magazine or a newspaper. I assure you that I will get paid well. Also, I will be able to achieve my dreams.”

“Shut up, Diya! Everyone has dreams, but not everyone can achieve theirs. You should also take your family into account. Can’t you see that I am struggling as the lone breadwinner?”

“Ma, but you earn enough for our family. When you can take care of both Anjali’s and my education expenses, why can’t you allow me to follow my passion? And please don’t think that writing doesn’t pay well. Writers too get paid adequately. Please have an open mind, Ma.”

“Don’t dare to speak like that to me! Do you know what I am going through? All you know is that I pay your school fees, feed you well and bring you up. Do you know how much compromise I am doing behind that? It’s not as easy as you think, Diya. I am literally struggling.”

“Sorry, Ma, but my dreams are important too. I have only one life, Ma. Why can’t I do what I like?”

“You can write while you work in a good company, Diya. You can take writing as your part-time job. I am not completely against your wishes. But if you take writing as your main profession, I am sure you’d struggle to make ends meet.”

“Okay, then in future, find me a husband who earns millions. Then, my family will be fine. Now, please let me take up Literature.” Diya folded her hands together and begged her mom.

Mamta flashed a defeated look at her. “Diya darling, please listen….” She tried to persuade her. But being the headstrong girl, Diya told that she wouldn’t take no for an answer. At that moment, Rohit Rai made an appearance in the room.

“I have been listening to the entire conversation. I think Diya is right. Life is short. Let her follow her passion.” His voice had a tint of determination.

“Rohit! Are you also with her? What do you know about all these? You’ve become jobless. You shouldn’t have a say in this.”

“Please don’t patronize me, Mamta. I accept that you’re the current breadwinner of the family. But do remember that even I was earning for this family. Just because I became jobless doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t interfere in my daughter’s career decisions. And I am her father. I have all the rights to advise her on what’s right and what’s wrong.”

“I..I am sorry,” stuttered Mamta Rai.

An awkward silence hung after that. Neither of them spoke.

“Papa, tell something.” Diya broke the ice.

“Yeah, I have said, Diya. You can take up Literature.”

“Ma?” Diya looked at her mom questioningly.

But Mamta held a grim face. She didn’t look into Diya’s eyes. She looked at the wall and spoke, “If your father is okay with it, then I am also okay with it.”

“Ma, this is not fair. Please accept my decision wholeheartedly.”

On hearing those words, Mamta Rai turned and looked at Diya. Her eyes were filled with anger. Yet she calmed her expression and said, “Give me some time to come to terms with this. For now, you can take up whatever you like.”

With that, Mamta stood up from the chair fiercely, moved towards her room and banged the door shut.

Diya looked at her father with a remorseful look.

“Don’t mind about her. She will be fine. Now, you go and prepare for your exams.” He gently patted on her back and moved away.

Diya slumped down on the sofa with her hands on her head. Anjali Rai came over and sat softly beside her, “Didi, don’t worry. Ma will accept your decision soon.”

Diya looked up and smiled at her. “Thank you, Anju, but I am afraid that she wouldn’t talk with me properly.”

“Arey, don’t worry. She will behave normal with you.”

“Achcha, tell me, what do you want to become?”

“Fashion designer.”

Diya gasped. “Ma was furious for Literature itself. I don’t know how she will react for Fashion.”

“I think she will become open-minded within that.”

“We can’t conclude anything now. Let’s wait and watch.”

“Okay, don’t be so dull-headed, Didi. Come, let’s go and have some ice-cream.”

Anjali grabbed Diya’s hands and led her out. For the first time in the entire evening, Diya felt at peace.

*****

2007. It was the year when hi5 and Orkut were becoming popular among the youngsters. The social networking sites were used to connect with friends as well as meet new people. A 17 year old Diya was equally excited to create an account in both sites. Passing out her 12th grade with 94%, she was admitted to Mount Carmel College, one of the prestigious arts colleges of Bangalore. And what more, it was a women’s college! Diya felt at peace that she wouldn’t have to encounter boys thereafter. And, of course, she took up B.A English Literature. She successfully made new friends in her college, yet maintained her close friendship with Mahima, who had taken up B.Com in the same college. Also, Diya went in for a makeover and changed her dressing style. The kurti clad girl changed into a modern diva with the introduction of t-shirts, tops, denims, jeans, casual shirts, knee-length skirts, shorts, and capris. She also opted for contact lens instead of wearing spectacles. On the whole, she looked damn gorgeous in her new avatar. Soon, she became popular in the campus circuit for her flawless English and her heartwarming write-ups. She also occasionally journeyed into poetry and published a few poems for a local literary magazine.

The ‘famous’ tag came with the pressure of being active in social media. Hence, she ventured into exploring hi5 and Orkut. She liked the latter more than the former. She also began sharing her writings in her Orkut scrapbook which went viral among her friends and friends of friends. It was then that she met someone whom she thought was obsolete from her life. It was Karan! The guy who broke her heart when she was in the most vulnerable period of her life. Though she tried to ignore his friend request in Orkut, she couldn’t keep away for long. Karan never gave up. He sent a request daily, even after knowing that Diya was ignoring them. Similar to Diya, he was also a changed person. His appearance was like a film star and any girl would go weak on her knees. He had magnetic eyes, attractive stubble of beard and fluffy hair. He was also of the notion that since he looked like a model, girls would easily accept his friend requests. But Diya wasn’t someone who would budge at the drop of a hat. Only after persistent requests and scrapbook messages did she accept him as her friend.

Even after accepting his request, she never chatted with him. Though she had a mild desire to initiate a talk with him and know about his life, her ego prevented her from doing any such thing. Days later, Karan sent her a message.

Karan Patel: Hi, Diya, do you remember me?

Diya Rai: Yes, of course. How would I forget you?

Karan Patel: Does that mean you’re still burning with rage?

Diya Rai: Sheesh! Not at all. I have forgotten all those long back.

Diya Rai – A Corny Classmate

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is an amazing comedy written by Shakespeare. The breezy love story of Helena, Demetrius, Hermia and Lysander laced with dollops of comedy and fantasy is one of the greatest plays ever. Diya was a fanatic of that play. Hence, when the discussions for a skit was going on, she came up with a plan to act out the Shakespearean comedy.

“But, can we act that for an inter-house competition? I mean, the other three houses might choose plays with a social message. ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is out and out fictional,” said Shruthi, the Red House captain.

“It isn’t mandatory to have a skit with a social message. No rule like that has been mentioned to us. So why don’t we try this?” asked Diya, excitedly.

“I know the story, but our acting queen Lily doesn’t know about it. We have to make her read so that she can come up with scenes.”

“Don’t worry about that. I will take her to the library today and make her read.”

Saying so, Diya flashed a pearly smile.

“Okay, I want it to be perfect, Diya. Especially if a school topper like you is acting in it, then it should be extraordinary.”

“Arey, I will take care of everything. Please don’t embarrass me by quoting me as the school topper.”

“Ha ha ha. That’s the truth, Diya. Scoring 1175 out of 1200 is something phenomenal.”

“Shut up, Shruthi!” Diya hollered in mock anger and burst into peals of laughter. Yes, she was the school topper of Seshadri Vidyalaya in her 10th grade board exams. She has been on top of the world ever since. She was also aware that she must tread carefully in her 11th and 12th grade. Potential dangers like jealous classmates, drooling boys and scary subjects were lurking around the corner. Though she had chosen the easy Commerce with Computer Science as her stream, she found Economics to be a deadly subject.

“Lily.” Diya called out for the so called acting queen Lily. The latter was an Anglo-Indian whose English accent was much spoken about in the classroom.

“Yes, Diya.”

“Haven’t you read ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ yet?”

“No, I haven’t. Though I’ve read other works of Shakespeare, this one remains to be read. I am not finding time to read it, since I am busy reading Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince.”

“Okay, I am planning to adapt that play for our inter-house skit competition. I think it would be good and might also fetch prizes for us. I will take you to the library. Please read the story and start preparing for the scenes. We must allot the characters too.”

“Wow! This sounds good. Shakespearean plays always win prizes. Surely ours would also win. Come, let’s go.”

Lily grabbed Diya’s arm and marched towards the library. The library was where Diya had spent almost half of her school life. If others found peace in temples, churches, and mosques, she found peace in the library.

“Wait! I know where the book is. ‘Tales from Shakespeare’ written by Charles Lamb and Mary Lamb.” She took out the colorful book and handed it to Lily.

“Give me 15 minutes. I will be done.” With those words, Lily began reading the story. At times, Diya could listen to her suppressed giggles. She knew that the story would entertain her.

Exactly after 15 minutes, Lily was in a discussion with Diya, as to how to allot the characters and start the practice. Soon, it was decided that Lily would play Hermia, Diya would play Helena, a funny classmate of theirs named Dhruv would play Demetrius and another classmate named Shiv would play Lysander. The other characters of Oberon, Titania, Puck, Bottom, Theseus, Hippolyta and Egeus were also decided. Though everyone were happy with their characters, Diya was a tad disappointed. She hoped that she would get Hermia, because Helena was a character who would go in pursuit of Demetrius, while in real life Diya had vowed that she’d never pursue any guy.

The practice for the play began and the young actors were excited to portray their respective roles. The dialogues were also simple for them to recite. Hence they had a gala time during the rehearsals. But Diya wasn’t enjoying much. Though she got into the skin of the character Helena, something was amiss with Dhruv who was playing Demetrius. Whenever she mouthed her lines, he turned over-reactive and made crazy expressions. She warned him thrice, yet he continued his craziness.

“Oh! Why was I born to be mocked and scorned by every one? Is it not enough, young man, that I can never get a sweet look or a kind word from Demetrius;” Diya began reciting her lines with emotion in her voice. As soon as she mentioned Demetrius, Dhruv’s eyes lightened up and he said, “Why not, Helena? I will always love thee. Thou are the star in my life. I will be marrying thee sooner than thou think.”

“What the hell! What’s happening here? Dhruv, those lines don’t exist in the play. Why are you making up?” Lily clamoured from her chair.

“Arey, I thought Diya is speaking those lines to me. And it was such a pity to see her telling that she doesn’t receive a sweet look or kind word from Demetrius. Hence, I comforted her with my words,” trilled Dhruv in a singsong voice and winked at Diya. Diya clenched her fists and let out a snort.

“Dhruv! This is a play. A skit which we are going to perform for our inter-house competition. Don’t confuse it with reality.” Lily’s tone turned stern.

“Chill, Lily. I know what I am doing. I was just teasing Diya. She looked so cute when she had recited her lines. So I couldn’t resist myself.” He looked at Diya with a warm-blooded look.

“Shut up, Dhruv! I will kill you.” Diya bayed at him.

Dhruv chuckled at that and began performing the lines that were originally given to him. But all the while, he threw ardent glances at her, which was a definite put off for her.

*****

The canteen of Seshadri Vidyalaya was the best hangout for the students. If library provided peace for Diya, the canteen provided entertainment for her. It was the abode of gossips, jokes and interesting tidbits. She used to hang around with Shruthi and Lily. Added to the radiance of the canteen were the piping hot aromatic samosas. And also the introduction of mushroom samosas tingled her taste buds. The ‘canteenwala’ brought extra samosas especially for her. Though she knew that samosas were junk, she burned out the calories with the help of exercise in the morning, so that she could gorge on more samosas the next day.

“Get me two panneer samosas, Diya,” ordered Shruthi from her place. Diya nodded and proceeded to pay for the samosas.

“Diya! Let me pay for them. Consider it as my treat.” Dhruv came running to the counter and almost grasped her hand.

“Dhruv! Get lost. I don’t want any treat. And take that filthy hand of yours from mine.” Diya raged.

“Sorry, dear, I had just acted in an instant. Okay, let me treat you some other time.”

“Arrrgghhh! I don’t expect treats from you, Dhruv. It’d be better if you keep off from me.”

“Why are you so strident, Diya? Don’t you like to talk with me?”

“You are too cheesy, Dhruv. I hate that. Talk normally with me and I’d be normal with you. Just like that.” Diya lifted the tray of samosas and moved towards her friends.

“Am I that cheesy? I just want to spend time with you, Diya. I want to be your special friend.”

“What the heck do you mean by special friend?”

“Never mind. Enjoy your samosas.” Dhruv moved away without further explanation. Diya let out a smirk and turned to her friends.

“Why is Dhruv bothering you?” asked Lily.

“God knows! He wants to be my ‘special’ friend it seems.”

“Special friend? What does that even mean?”

“I think he is falling for you, Diya.” Shruthi put forth.

“Jeez! Don’t induce wrong notions about him. Already Diya has too many Roadside Romeos following her.” Lily retorted.

“Hell yeah! Let me have good thoughts about him. At least till we perform the skit on the D-day. Coz, if I begin to despise him, then I might not get along with him during the rehearsals. Then it would lead to poor performances.”

“Okay, okay, cool.” Shruthi smiled.

“Diya, can you come over to my table?” Dhruv was beckoning her. He adopted a polite tone, after his initial unpleasant exchange with her.

“Why should I?”

“I..I just need to discuss about something.”

“Can’t you just come to my table and discuss? Why do you want privacy?”

“Please, Diya.” Dhruv began pleading. Diya pitied him, since she wasn’t used to pleading tones. She gave in immediately once people began beseeching. Some called her egoistic. But that was Diya. She had learnt it the hard away, after coming across fake and arrogant people.

Moving on to his table, she made herself comfortable on a plush green chair. He seated beside her and passed her a cup of coffee.

“Coffee? I told you, right? I don’t want any…”

“Shhhh! This is a free coffee. Look over there. They are providing free coffee and tea for the people who have attended the Wealth & Economy seminar today.”

“Oh! Okay, I’ll have it. Thank you.” Diya tried to ease the situation. As they sipped together, Dhruv asked, “What do you think about the friendship between girls and boys?”

“Ugh! Why do you ask that suddenly?”

“Arey, Diya, why do you always ask ‘why, why, why’? If a question is posed to you, just answer it. Don’t cross-question. This is okay with me, but it might offend others.”

“Okay, okay, I am sorry. I think the friendship between a girl and a boy is a divine one. A girl can be closer to a guy than she is with a girl. He will be there for her whenever she needs him, even if it is 3 AM. But a girl friend would surely think that as a burden. So, I think the most beautiful friendship is the one which exists between a boy and a girl.”

“Wow! That was beautiful. Do you have any boy friend like that?”

“Yes, I have. His name is Ronnie. We were childhood friends. Then he moved to Paris for his secondary education. We kept in touch through phone calls and letters. We are still best friends.”

“Super! I don’t have any such girl friend on whom I can depend upon. So, will you become one for me?”

Diya raised an eyebrow at him. However, her lips curved into a smile and she said, “Well, I can become a best friend to you, provided that you maintain your limits.”

“Of course, Jaanu, I will maintain my limits.”

“Wha..what did you just say?”

“Oh, that’s an equivalent for ‘dear’. You have a problem with it?”

“Hmmm..no. But stay within your limits. By limits I mean, you shouldn’t cross the boundary of friendship. I hope you know the meaning of friendship. I needn’t explain the rules and regulations.”

“Hey chalo, Diya, friendship constitutes of feelings. Not rules and regulations.”

“Okay, don’t get pissed off. I’ll be your best friend. Bas!”

“Thank you, Diya, I love you.”

“Ugh?”

“I meant it as a friend, Jaanu.”

‘Hmph! So corny he is. Anyway, it’s hard to find good friends. He seems to be all right. Let me be a good friend to him.’ Thinking so, Diya flashed a toothy grin at him.

*****

“And the first prize goes to Red House for the skit ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream….” The jury exclaimed from the podium. A harmonious cheer erupted from the crowd. The actors of the play almost jumped in joy. Lily and Shruthi did a small jig, while Shiv patted on Kiran’s shoulder. But the strangest thing was Dhruv raced towards Diya and hugged her. She was shocked beyond words. She tried to sway from his grip, but he held her tightly in his arms. She wasn’t used to such things and her eyes welled up with tears.

“Dhruv! Please leave me.” She choked back tears. It was then that Dhruv realized that he’d gone beyond his limits. In the past two weeks they had really grown close as best friends. But she never thought that ‘hugging’ was included in a thick friendship, especially with a boy who was only close for two weeks.

“I..I am sorry, Diya. Hey..why are you crying?”

Before she could answer, someone sprayed snow around them and they were entirely covered with it.

“Oops! This is sooo sticky.” He said, hoping to change the topic, but Diya had stormed away from the scene.

‘Oh my god! What have I done to her? I should make amends.’ Dhruv thought.

*****

Diya’s eyes were brimming with tears when she met Dhruv under the school’s banyan tree.

“I am sorry, Diya. I was overjoyed by our win. I didn’t know what I was doing. Please stop crying, Jaanu.”

“Stop mentioning me as ‘jaanu’. It’s irritating.”

“But you’d allowed me to call like that for the past two weeks.”

“Yeah, that was because I thought you were true to our friendship. But..but everything has changed after the….hug!”

“Diya, please don’t get me wrong. I hugged at the heat of the moment. I didn’t mean to.” Dhruv took Diya’s hands in his, but she had turned restless.

“I think you’re going beyond your limits, Dhruv. What’s with this holding hands?”

“Arrrrggghhh! Why do you always question my actions, Diya? Well, let me come straight to the point. Yes, I love you! I love you, dammit! I just don’t wanna stay as your best friend. I want to be beside you always. I want to hold your hands and revel in the warmth of them. I just want to hug you when I feel happy. I want to share my fears, joys, and deepest secrets with you. I want to wake up everyday looking at you. I need you to be with me through every experience of mine. I love you, Diya…” Dhruv moved closer to her.

SLAP! A tight slap it was. Dhruv’s head began to reel. His left cheek reddened. Tears formed in his eyes immediately.

“Don’t speak another word. Get lost! Get out of my life, Dhruv!” Diya spoke through her sobs.

“But, Diya…”

“Shhhhh! I don’t want to see your face again. Just get out of my sight! Now!” She roared at a high pitch.

“Diya Rai, let me explain….”

“Look, Dhruv, I lost respect for the emotion called love. It was due to my past experiences. But I never lost respect on the boy-girl friendship. Please don’t make me lose it. I beg you!” She joined her hands together and hung her face down.

“Can’t best friends turn into lovers, Diya?”

“You didn’t even turn that close to understand me completely, Dhruv. How could you meaninglessly plunge into love?”

Dhruv did not speak back. He didn’t have any more answers to Diya’s prodding questions. Picking up his backpack, he walked towards the classroom, hoping to mend his broken heart in the following days. Diya looked on. Her face held a triumphant smile. She had warded off yet another proposal. ‘Shit! I don’t want boys in my life. They are just douchebags. Let me break my friendship with Ronnie, too.’ She thought. Anger surged through her as Dhruv’s proposal kept flashing in her mind.

The rest of the year, Diya and Dhruv never ran into each other, though they were in the same classroom. Due to her ruthless rejection, Lily also stopped talking with her. She found justice in Dhruv’s love and fought with Diya to accept him, but as usual, the latter turned the tables upside down.

She was Diya, a stubborn and headstrong lass. Not a people-pleaser. However, she didn’t break her friendship with Ronnie.

‘Why should a stupid guy’s wrong notion about friendship lead to breaking up my friendship with Ronnie?’ she thought and continued to be Ronnie’s best friend.

**********

Diya Rai – Junior No.2

Juniorophobia hadn’t left Diya. She was still afraid of junior male students. She never indulged in any talking with them. Just a pleasantry ‘hi’ or ‘how are you’. Though juniors thronged her for asking doubts in English, she maintained an enviable distance from them. Other girls of her class wondered how she could thwart the enormous attention that she received from the junior boys, while they indulged in some healthy flirting. All Diya could think about was her studies, stories, and poems. She had forayed into writing, after she discovered this hidden talent of hers. Though she was in the 10th grade, she thought that an occasional journey to the world of writing wouldn’t do any bad. Her parents also encouraged her, while her sister Anjali Rai was uninterested in issues relating to her. She was of a notion that a 6th grader wouldn’t understand what a 10th grader wrote.

“This poem is awesome, Diya. I think you should get published,” said Mahima. She had visited Diya at her house for a chat.

“I don’t know how to go about it, Mahi.”

“Arey, what an annoying answer! There are so many resources to get published. You can submit your stories and poems to the magazine Gokulam. Also, the Internet is flourishing nowadays. You can also try publishing online.”

“We don’t have Internet connection in our home, Mahi. I’ve asked dad to set up one. He has told me to score good marks in the board exams.”

“Hmph! Get a connection soon. Have you watched the movie Dil Hi Dil Mein? In that movie, love blooms between two youngsters via the Internet. Who knows, you might find your soulmate, too.”

“Shit! Don’t even imagine such a thing. I am literally against crush, infatuation, love, and relationships. I have accumulated such an hatred towards that emotion that I’ll gobble up anyone who tries to discuss it with me. Okay?”

“Cool down, Diya. I will not open my mouth about love again. Achcha, back to your writing. Try sending your stories to Gokulam.”

“This is the first time I am hearing about such a magazine. I’ll ask my dad to buy one. Then I’ll send in my stories.”

“All the best!”

“Sheesh! Don’t be so formal.” Diya chortled.

*****

‘I have seen this guy somewhere,’ thought Diya. She was eyeing at a chocolate brown skinned boy with a burly figure and thick framed spectacles. His face was replete with pimples and his teeth were misaligned. Though she had eyed him, she noticed that he too had eyed her before she had. She wondered whether he had recognized her. For the rest of the day, she saw him at the most unusual places in the school – tuck shop, audio-visual room and the male staff room. But she couldn’t accredit him to any memory of hers.

After three days, a discreet epiphany washed over her. He was the younger brother of Roshan who had been a secret admirer of her in her previous school. Though she cringed at the fact, she couldn’t help smiling at the brother who was rather calm and composed.

“Hi! I think I know you. I’ve seen you in Seventh Day Adventist. You’re Roshan’s brother, right?” She asked him in a concerned manner.

“Yes, I recognized you, too, but I didn’t muster the courage to speak with you. How are you?”

“I am fabulous. What’s your name, by the way?”

“Karthik. You’re Diya, right?”

“Waah re waah! You know my name, too? I feel honored.”

“Ha ha! Okay, I have a class now. Bye.”

“Hey! Wait a minute. Are you in 9th or 8th grade?”

“Ninth.”

“Okay, bye.”

At the end of the convo, Diya wondered that Karthik never mentioned her as ‘Didi’. ‘Strange,’ she thought.

*****

The problem with Diya was that she could sense every guy who looked at her with romantic intentions. She would’ve been a good replacement for a police dog, if she had joined police force. Such strong were her sniffing sense that not a single Roadside Romeo could escape her. And that special power of hers led her to capture the roving eyes of Karthik, who had begun eyeing her crazily. He followed her everywhere around the school, even after he knew that Diya had acknowledged his ‘following escapades’. Another problem with her was that she never chose to ignore the guys who stalked her. She flashed them glares once in a blue moon, to make them shiver with fear. But Karthik was different. He was neither afraid of her unabashed glares nor did he stop stalking her. Yet there was an advantage in him. He never tried to talk with her. He was satisfied with eyeing and following her.

“Hey, Karthik, how are you?” Diya attempted to take the first stride towards impeding him. He was rather surprised by her sudden friendliness.

“Ah, I am good, Diya. How have you been?”

“Frustrated.” Sarcasm was evident in her tone.

“Frustrated? Why so?”

“You know, I have an allergy for dogs. I just can’t stand them, but they keep following me everywhere. They follow me, when I am just taking a stroll outside my house. They also follow me in school. I hate those dogs. They aren’t even cute like the Hutch dog that appears in the ad. Yet they pride in themselves. Shitty dogs!”

Karthik was dumbfounded. He knew that she was referring to him. He even reminisced to the day when he had stalked her outside her house.

“Karthik! Did you hear me?”

“Ugh! Yeah, Diya. I heard you. Yes, dogs are really monstrous creatures. I don’t like them.”

Diya felt disgusted. Yet she smiled mischievously to herself. ‘Foolish boy! He hasn’t noticed Britto in my house.’

“Okay, I have to get signed in the work done register. See you later.”

She trotted away to her classroom, performing a victory dance mentally.

*****

“ANJALI! What do you want? Why are you in my room? And what are you doing with my personal diary?” Diya yelled at the top of her voice. As a result, the diary fell from Anjali Rai’s teeny-weeny hands. She gasped at her sister’s outburst.

“Didi, I…I was just searching for some….”

“For some?” Diya hissed.

“I was searching whether you’d written any tips on boyfriends and love.”

That was enough for Diya to go into her terrorist mode. She lunged forward and sent a tight clout across Anjali’s back.

“Aaaaaaahhhh! Didi, I am sorryyyyyy…..” Anjali began wailing bitterly. Diya snatched the diary from her and said, “Dare you take my diary again! And what’s your age, idiot? You’re just ten. Do you even know the meaning of boyfriend?”

“I know, Didi. I am not ignorant like you.”

That made Diya to deliver another blow to the poor girl.

“Aaaaahhhh! Stop beating me, Didi. It’s painingggg…”

“Let it pain!” She thundered.

“I am sorry, Didi. I promise you I’ll never take your di..diary again.” Anjali stuttered through her choked tears.

“Hmmm! Serves you.”

The curly-haired Anjali made a dash towards the door and made her way towards her room.

‘Goddammit! I am shocked. Where is the world heading to? Anjali is just ten. When I was ten, I didn’t even know the meaning of love. But my sister is asking for tips from me. Aarrrghhh!’ She clenched her fists tightly and plopped down on the bed.

Then her thoughts wandered to Karthik. ‘That bastard! I am gonna kill him someday. How dare he pay for my milkshake in the tuck shop? It was only for a minute that my attention strayed, but that brat paid for my drink and hastened away from the place. What does he think about me? I will confront him tomorrow.’

*****

“Who do you think you’re? Why did you pay for my milkshake yesterday? Did I ask you to pay for me?” Diya had pinned Karthik to the wall. Oops! Actually she didn’t do it. Karthik pinned himself to the wall in alarm. He didn’t know how to react to her paroxysm.

“I..I..Diya, let me explain.” He pleaded with her.

“I am not here to hear your cock-and-bull stories. It was irritating, Karthik. Don’t think that you earned brownie points with me by that idiotic gesture of yours.”

“Uffho! Diya, I didn’t mean any of these. It was my ‘Do A Good Thing’ day. I have a policy that on every Thursday I should do something good for others. I reverently follow this every week. And that’s why I paid for your milkshake yesterday.”

“You could’ve paid for someone else. Why did you choose me? I am not poor or starving for food. My parents give me enough pocket money to have whatever I wish. You could’ve done that good deed for Mohan, who was asking his friend to buy for him.”

“I didn’t know about that.”

“Shut up! And look, address me as Didi.”

“No way!”

“Why not? I am a year elder to you. You were born in 1991, right?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I should call you as Didi. It’s my wish, Diya.”

“Then, just be out of my sight! Talk to me only if you can mention me as Didi.”

“I cannot. Anyway, there’s no difference between Didi and Diya. Both starts with ‘Di’.”

“Grrrr! This is why I hate juniors. Especially junior male students. They’ve an explanation for every wrongdoing of theirs.”

“Actually, the problem lies with you, Diya. You hate dogs. You hate juniors. You’ve set some unwanted preconceptions about everything. Just try to be flexible, okay? You’ll begin to see everything in a new light.”

“Aahaa! You needn’t teach me about all these, Mr.Karthik. And I had lied to you about the dogs. I have a dog at home. His name is Britto.” She stressed on every word as she spoke.

“I know that, Diya. Don’t categorize me as a fool. I have come by your house so many times. How could I’ve missed to notice your dog?”

“Shit! Just get lost, Karthik. I’ve had enough with you. I think your brother was better. He was only a secret admirer of me. That too I heard those via gossips and rumors, but you’re way too daring.”

With those words, Diya stomped the mud beneath her feet and walked away.

*****

Navratri was one of the festivals that Diya’s family celebrated in a grand manner. Though the general Konkanis never celebrated it with pomp and splendour, Diya’s family was a tad different. Since they were Bangaloreans, they mingled along with the Kannadigas and celebrated the nine-day festival magnificently. They constructed the Bomme Habba (decorated dolls) in their home. Diya and Anjali painstakingly arranged the dolls with a dash of their imagination. Sweets were prepared by Mamta Rai, while a puja was conducted everyday for the respective avatar of Durga Ma. And Diya enjoyed visiting the nearby Durga temple along with her grandfather. Yes, their grandparents were on a trip to Bangalore (originally they stayed in Mangalore). On one such visit to the the temple, an unexpected event happened which made Diya go nuts.

Wearing a black flowery top with a white long skirt, she headed out along with her grandfather. On the way, she narrated him stories about her school life, excluding the list of crushes and proposals which she had received. As she was removing her slippers outside the temple, she felt that someone had halted behind her. She turned around and noticed ‘him’. Immediately her pulse raced at a top gear. She appeared as if she had suffered a mini cardiac arrest. Bumping into Karthik in the temple was the last thing on her mind. She hadn’t noticed him on the previous days. Then, a bright revelation struck her. It was the day of Skanda-Mata (one of the nine forms of Goddess Durga) who gave birth to her son Karthikeya.

‘Since Karthik’s name matches with Durga Ma’s son, he might have come to the temple.’ She convinced herself. She didn’t even acknowledge his presence. Flashing a short and cold stare, she moved ahead with her grandfather. But soon, her revelation was proved wrong. Karthik did not join the long queue to visit the deity. He walked beside her, maintaining a pretty good distance. He was eyeing at her. Simply unapologetic. She smirked at him on and off. She was also afraid that her grandfather might catch him red handed. Though she secretly wished that some thrashing would stiffen him to righteousness, she felt that her grandfather shouldn’t be pulled inside that unnecessarily. Also, she was terrified of the fact that he might suddenly pop in front of her and shout ‘I love you’ to her. She had watched that in movies.

But the queue-travel to the deity was rather smooth. Karthik was joined by his friend. They were murmuring among themselves. Diya knew that they would be discussing about her. After paying her obeisance, she joined the queue for the prasadham (religious food offering given in a temple), while her grandfather trudged behind her.

“Ajja! You know, the junior boys in my school are just disgusting.” She said to her grandfather, intentionally raising her pitch, so that Karthik could hear her.

“Why do you say so, Diya?”

“There have been rumors that they chase girls. I mean, they stalk senior girls.”

“Oh my goodness! That’s so bad. Keep away from them.”

“Yeah, Ajja, I hate them. So I don’t talk to them.”

Karthik’s face twitched a bit, but he seemed sad. Diya could notice that he was filled with sorrow. She couldn’t fathom what was the matter with him. He had seemed to be happy, while entering the temple. Maybe Diya had spoken too much.

While she bent down to wear her slippers, she noticed him waving discreetly to her. But she ignored him, as usual.

Thankfully, that was the last she saw of him.

Three days later….

Diya, I don’t know how to put this to you. Though I am just a 13 year old, I felt that you were the one for me, as soon as I set my eyes upon you. I never knew that my brother was your secret admirer, but you have that aura of attraction surrounding you. That’s why I too got attracted to you. Don’t mistake this as a mere attraction. Yes, I fell in love with you, Diya. I am confessing here. I love you. Now, don’t get upset. You won’t see me anymore. I am leaving the school for good. I heard from a friend of mine that you’re the best ‘heartbreak machine’ in this locality (remember Himanshu?). I don’t want to end up with a broken heart, Diya. Instead of getting rejected by you and then plunging in sorrow, I chose to distance myself from you. Now, this seems a mature decision, right? I told my parents that I wasn’t comfortable studying in this school. I also added that NOBODY LOVED ME in the campus. So, they obliged to change my school. Don’t worry. I’ll never try to contact you. Be happy in your life. Do well in your board exams and score high marks. Goodbye, Didi (you wanted me to address you like that and hence, I am calling you like that for the first and last time).

Yours,

Karthik.

After reading the letter, Diya had emotions ranging from anger to disappointment. In between, she also felt guilty. And then she broke into tears. No, she wasn’t in love with him. She was hurt by the term ‘heartbreak machine’ that was coined by the known and unknown around her.

‘Being intelligent and friendly is not my fault,’ she painfully thought. Tears continued to stream.

**********

Diya Rai – The Suicidal One

“Tuition?” Diya screamed out her lungs. She was a topper in her class, yet her father was approaching her with the idea of sending her to a tuition. It was quite horrific for her.

“Ahhhh! Don’t yell, Diya. You’re in your ninth grade. You have to compulsorily attend tuition for your tenth grade. So why don’t you practice from now onward?”

“Papa, I hate tuition.”

“Who doesn’t hate tuition? Everyone does. Tuition doesn’t hate you, it loves students. Hence, it’s a compulsion. Your mom has inquired in a few academies and she will be paying the fees tomorrow.”

“Arey, let her not attend an academy. Let that wait for her tenth grade. We’ll send her to a local one,” added Mamta Rai.

“Whatever, she must go to a tuition,” declared Rohit Rai.

Diya was driven to tears at that moment. Her intelligence was being tested, yet she couldn’t do anything. She couldn’t argue with her parents on that issue. If they were determined to send her to tuition, then that was it. She was already drained out of energy because of the Karan episode. She didn’t have any energy left to fight with her parents.

“Okay, I will attend.” With those words, she entered her room and slammed the door behind her. Safely cocooned inside, she let out her tears. Crying was her favorite escape from facing the reality. At that moment, she decided that she would fight for her wishes and passion in the future, that she would be determined in her decisions.

*****

Contrary to her beliefs, Diya Rai enjoyed going to tuition. Within two weeks, she felt comfortable in her surroundings and started to make friends. She struck up a friendship with a Sonam, whom she categorized as sweet and bubbly. She was also a buddy to Rahul, a sturdy fellow with a witty sense of humor. She began enjoying her tuition life with her new friends.

And then joined Himanshu. He was rumoured to be a failed 10th grader. He was also timid in appearance, always with a lopsided grin hanging on his face. His incisors were protruding which made his speech rather difficult and his mouth sloppy with saliva. Nobody cared about him much. Usually he took the last row and minded his own business, quipping in only when needed, but he had an eye on Diya. Whenever there was a chance, he tried to strike up a conversation with her, though she cleverly avoided him on most occasions.

The conversations would be like this.

Himanshu: Hey, Diya, what’re you doing?

He would ask even after noticing that she was devouring her Physics textbook.

Diya: Ummm..I am trying to find out the name of Shah Rukh Khan’s next movie. Would you help me with it?

Sonam and Rahul burst into peals of laughter, but Himanshu tried to cover up his embarrassment.

Himanshu: Well, I am just a student. Not an entertainment news investigator.

Diya: Oh, is it? Then, being a student, why do you ask such stupid questions? Don’t you see that I am studying Physics?

Himanshu: Sorry, Diya. I didn’t know what else to speak.

Diya: Better luck next time. Try to come up with interesting topics to speak about.

Though Himanshu deeply despised Diya’s sarcastic tone, he bore with it every time, as he was fond of her.

*****

“Hey! Don’t you think Himanshu is hitting upon you?” whispered Rahul, while flipping the pages of the Maths textbook.

“What the hell! He cannot even pronounce my name properly. It sounds like ‘Jiya’. How can he hit upon me? I always try to ignore him. He doesn’t know about me well. How can someone fall for me without knowing about me completely?” Diya was disgusted. Yes, she was disgusted to the prying eyes of boys who looked at her with a notion of proposing to her. She had nurtured hatred for the emotion called ‘love’. She owed her hatred to Karan.

“Cool! It does look like that. Now watch! Hey, Himanshu, Diya is asking you whether you can teach her a sum in Maths. Can you?”

Himanshu nodded his head fiercely.

“Stop it, Rahul! Oh my God! He is coming to our row.” Diya hung her head down immediately. Being taught by Himanshu was the last thing on her mind.

“Hi, Diya, show me the problem. I will teach you.” Himanshu almost swallowed half of the words.

“No need, Himanshu. Rahul was just bluffing.”

“Oh!” Disappointment was written all over his face. Yet he didn’t move his body. He kept staring at her.

“What?” She asked in an irritated tone.

“I..I..nothing..” He blabbered and moved away.

“Ha ha ha ha! I told you, right?” Rahul squealed with laughter.

“Well, excuse me, Diya.” Himanshu was back at her place.

“Now what?” Disgust was peaking inside her mind.

“If you have doubt in any problem, just call me. I will teach you. I am there for you, Diya.”

“Wow! That was cheesy, Himanshu. But, no, I don’t need any help from you. Thanks!” She snapped at him.

Himanshu moved away, dejected.

“He he hee heeee!” Rahul couldn’t control his laughter.

“Stop laughing, Rahul! Himanshu is pissing me off.”

“This shows that he is in love with you. ‘I am there for you, Diya’. Wow! What a romantic line it was! Ha ha haaa!”

“Idiot!” yelled Diya.

After the tuition was over, Himanshu waited for Diya at the entrance. But she swiftly ignored him and moved away with Sonam. He began following her.

“Diya, I think he is following you. Just look back,” whispered Sonam.

“I know that. If I look back, he will take that as an advantage. By any means, I don’t want to encourage his romantic advances.”

That was Diya. Firm and determined to not give in.

*****

When in love, people begin to behave in the weirdest way possible. They collect things that their lovers have dropped. They don’t even leave the discarded pencil waste from their lover’s sharpener. They stalk till their lover reaches his/her home and slams the door at their face. They daydream, forgetting their very own existence. Every sentence spoken by them has an indirect reference to their special someone. They steal glances whenever and wherever possible. They sing songs in the bathroom, thinking – oops! – fantasizing about their lover. Not a word spoken by their parents or family members gets registered in their mind. It’s like that their lover is the The Supreme Lord for them.

Himanshu wasn’t an exception. Despite Diya’s impassive attitude, he clung to her like a leech. He even started a ‘pen saga’. He would claim that he forgot to bring his pen. Then he would ask another guy to borrow a pen from Diya. He will then use it. Then the guy would return it to Diya.

Initially, Diya was oblivious to such a thing happening behind her. Then she noticed. Her favorite floral blue pen in Himanshu’s hand!

‘What the heck!’ She thought, as she wondered how to retrieve the pen from him sans talking to him.

‘That’s not possible. I am not dumb. I think this is a smart plan by him to make me talk with him. Let me play it safe.’ Diya realized.

“Rahul, I think my pen is with Himanshu. Just go and get it from him.” She mumbled in his ear.

“Arey, he craves to speak to you. That’s why he had borrowed your pen.”

“Stupid! He didn’t borrow it directly, so that I will wonder how it ended up in his hand and approach him for an explanation. If he is smart, then I will prove that I am way too intelligent for him.”

“Ha ha! Look at you, Diya. You’re miserable. Pity on you. Okay, I will get it from him.”

Diya flashed a weak smile. She was extremely perturbed by Himanshu’s actions. He was a stark put off for her.

Finally, the pen reached her hands, but the saga continued thereafter. Every other day, Diya would find her pen in Himanshu’s hand. Though it was a source of entertainment for him to see her turning uneasy at the revelation, it looked like the rarest of the rarest crime for her and she equated Himanshu to a criminal.

*****

“Diya, now is the right time to speak with you.” It was Sumrit, yet another chum of her in the tuition, but he was also a good friend to Himanshu. That made her to distance herself from him.

“Hi, Sum, what’s the matter?” She asked him, while her eyes roved around the classroom and found that her stalker was absent.

“Well, I think most probably you’d have guessed this. What do you think about Himanshu?”

“He is a brat. Why does he behave in such a peculiar manner? Right from the beginning, I’ve been avoiding him. Arey yaar, I don’t even want to be his friend. Why is he bothered about me?”

“Bothered? You are not just a ‘bother’, Diya. You are his life. He is in love with you.”

Diya glowered at him. “Hey Ram! Why should this happen to me always? And why should it happen like this? Don’t you guys have the courage to face a girl and propose to her? Should it be done through someone else every time? First it was Akshay, then Karan, and now Himanshu! Cowards! They are afraid to face me and confess their feelings, yet they want me to know what they feel about me. Ridiculous!”

“Cool down, Diya. It’s not easy being a boy. And it’s not that easy to face the girl whom we love and speak our heart out. It needs immense courage. Almost every boy fails in that. Just understand.”

“Sumrit, haven’t you seen movies of the 70s or 80s? Even during those days, men have faced women directly and proposed their love. Is it such a big issue nowadays? If you can’t face the girl and propose to her, how will you take care of her lifelong?”

“I agree with you, Diya. However, a direct proposal needs time. You can’t propose to a girl who is known to you only for three months.”

“Then why do you propose? Why can’t you wait for some more time?”

“What if the girl begins to love someone else? That’s why guys propose hurriedly. Especially through a messenger. Well, let me make it clear to you. Himanshu did not send me to convey his proposal. It was I who blurted it out. Okay?”

“What? Are you bringing in a twist? Was Himanshu really waiting to propose to me directly? Is he that brave?”

“Maybe. Well, don’t tell him that you know about this. Maintain it as a secret. I think he has a plan for a grand proposal.”

Diya creased her eyebrows. She did not even know what a grand proposal meant.

“What in the world is a grand proposal?”

“Flowers, chocolates, teddy bears and everything that is pink.”

“Bullshit! Chod do, Sumrit. Don’t fuss over this. I’ll take care of him, if he ever comes up with such a proposal.”

“Okay, Diya. And I am sorry, I have spoiled your mood.”

“That’s okay, Sum. You needn’t be sorry.” She curved her lips into a wide grin, which soothed Sumrit’s guilt.

*****

Diya thumped her fist on the desk. It was Himanshu again. He was asking for a pen. That too, he was asking directly to her.

“No! I don’t have.” She said curtly, while hiding her spare pen inside her notebook.

Himanshu made a puppy face and proceeded to ask others. It turned out that no one had an extra pen with them. Eventually, he approached the tuition master Ravishankar. The latter, being a brilliant one, approached Diya.

“Diya!” He called her.

“Yes, sir.”

“I think you’ll have an extra pen. Give it to Himanshu.”

There was no way that Diya could go against her tutor. She brought out her hidden pen and hesitantly handed it to Himanshu. He wickedly grinned at her as he received it. In turn, she fumed with anger.

After a few angry minutes, she called out to the boy seated next to Himanshu.

“Hey, Rishabh.”

“Yes, Diya, any problem? You seem to be angry.”

“Of course, I am. Ask Himanshu to throw that pen away into the dustbin after using it. It shouldn’t come to my hand again.”

“Oh my! That’s too rude, Diya. He is very sensitive.”

“Just say it!” She hollered.

But Himanshu had overheard the conversation. Immediately he burst into a bout of tears. Diya was taken aback. She didn’t expect such a reaction from him. She also felt bad for making him cry. She felt guilty of her words which had hurt him deeply.

“Oh shit! What have you done, Diya? He is crying,” yelled Shubha, who was seated in front of Himanshu.

The tutor was oblivious to the incident. He was busily teaching a few 12th graders in the front row. Himanshu’s tears were unstoppable.

“Do something, Diya. Pacify him.” It was Sonam.

But Diya did not budge. She remained like a rock.

“Diya, is your heart made out of stone? Look at him and tell, ‘I love you.’ That will pacify him.” Shubha put forth her view.

Diya flashed a piercing glare at her, while Rahul spoke, “Hey, don’t disturb her. Himanshu deserves that. What did he think about her?”

“Heartless idiots! Don’t you even have basic humanity?” Shubha felt pissed.

For the first time, Diya stole glances at a crying Himanshu. Though she felt remorseful, she couldn’t do anything.

The bell rung. Diya and Rahul stayed back, while the others dispersed. She stood up and looked through the window. She saw that Himanshu was gesticulating something furiously to Shubha. She felt puzzled.

After a few minutes, Shubha entered the classroom and patted on Diya’s back.

“Are you happy now, Diya? Himanshu says that he is going to commit suicide. He also added that he cannot live without you.”

“WHAT THE HELL!” Diya shrieked at the top of her lungs.

“Silence! What’s happening there? Diya, Rahul and Shubha, you can leave. Come tomorrow evening.”

“Okay, sir.” They chorused together.

Once outside, Diya fidgeted with her fingers nervously. She had never imagined that a boy would take away his life because of her.

“What are you saying, Shubha?” Her voice turned shaky.

“That’s true, Diya. He told he will commit suicide.”

“Suicide? Is that even a solution for his problem? God! There are hell lot of girls out there. If I don’t accept him, it doesn’t mean its the end of the world. And, leave all that, he is a failed 10th grader, right?”

“Yes, he is. He holds two arrears.”

“He will come to tuition in the morning also. Tell him to pass his 10th grade first. Let him think about love later. There are many years to fall in love, but there is only another chance for him to pass his 10th grade and save his name. If he doesn’t, then he has to give his exams along with us. That would be too shameful. Do you understand? Will you convey this to him?”

“Of course, Diya, I will. You’ve opened my eyes. Sorry for my earlier outburst. As you say, his studies must be his first priority. I will make him understand. You don’t worry. He will not commit suicide. It’s just a threat so that you accept him.”

“Thank God! Even then, I am afraid. Just make sure he attends the tuition tomorrow morning. If he is missing, then I am sure that I’ll be behind the bars for abettment of suicide.”

“Ha ha ha! Don’t panic, girl. I will take care of him.”

“Thank you, Shubha. Bye Rahul.” She smiled and waved at them. She then made her way to home, all the while thinking about Himanshu’s stupidity.

*****

As luck could have it, Himanshu was alive. Diya got to know through Rahul. She was also happy that her advice had reached him. She stopped attending the tuition, stating to her parents that she needs to join in an academy for her 10th grade. Her parents readily agreed with her. Though she missed Rahul and Sonam immensely, she looked forward to a Himanshu-free life ahead.

**********