Do something Cupid {Chapter 5}

Ayan Pal:

We hadn’t planned for a night out but then it was already 9.30 and none of us wanted to return home, for all the loss of time over those nine months, we were to square it on a single night. She didn’t care for the bigbazaar sale anymore. Actually, the date was going so awesome that we actually didn’t want it end at all. Mind you, she came directly from office and I had travelled three hours to reach her.

Even though there were posh restaurants around but we decided to go to Bade Miya and that also on a Victoria, the French styled vintage horse carriage. I was trying to make this date special with every possible thing so that we had an incredible story to tell our kids.

I quickly climbed on to carriage and looked behind, she was furiously looking at me.

‘Ayan! Please, there is no hurry. It’s not a local train that you want that window seat.’

‘Well, I’m sorry.’ I looked at her sheepishly. I leaned to her and gave my hand. ‘Come.’

These days when a Ferrari or a Lamborghini is very normal on Mumbai streets, a Victoria always manages to turn heads. It’s not just about the royal setup but the ride actually takes you back in time where in only a Prince could take his girl on a long drive. With the tacky lighting, heart-shaped balloons, antiquated seats, flowers and other preps, no matter how embarrassing it looked from outside but once in, nothing is more romantic than that. No matter, they charge 600 rupees for a 2 kilometre ride.

As we reached Apollo Bandar, I first went down the carriage and like those gentlemen from British era, I offered her hand to help her get down those high steps of Victoria. She smiled as she walked down. OK! Did I say yet, she was 5’ 2’’ and didn’t care to wear heels on a date?

‘Ayan! I got down the Victoria. You can now leave my hand.’ She giggled.

‘You are very unromantic.’

‘And you’re so impatient.’

I had been to Bade Miyan before with friends many times and I was well aware of the rush, especially on Saturday nights. But then, I had actually never cared for the long waiting but that with Shreya, I felt a strange anxiety in me. To get your preferred order in time there was itself a roadies task, I had always wondered how that place actually worked. There were these waiters cum agents whom you pay and they bring your order from two roadside kitchen. I have never seen a cashier tracking the orders not even the chefs care, they just roast the meat and pack. Moreover, there is no favouritism, almost everyone there is regular and I guess even SRK is not in that demand than those rude waiters.

I had somehow managed to get hold of one but then even after 20 minutes, there was no sign of those kebabs, I had ordered. If I was freakingly hungry and I expected her to be the same, I could see the restlessness in her eyes but even she knew that I was helpless.

‘Bhai! Mere order ka kya hua?’  I asked the Waiter.

‘Sahab! Time lagega. Rukna hai toh ruko warna apne paise le lo.’ He snapped at me.

Seriously, who talks to a customer like that? Without even waiting for my reply, he returned the 500 rupees note to me. I looked at Shreya, she was equally bewildered.

‘It’s okay! We can eat somewhere else.’ She suggested.

‘No. I’ll get the order.’ I walked to the chef and asked for some Kebab. He completely ignored. I asked again.

‘Waiter karlo!’ He said.

‘Please de do. Maine suna aap bahot acha banate hai.’ Shreya said looking at Chef. He gave us a blank look but in another moment he packed our order and hand it to Shreya.

You see, it can’t be anything better than having road side Kebab with a pretty girl in front of Taj Mahal hotel. Truly, it’s the city of dreams. Yes! We had walked up to the Gateway of India, if not the whole city were definitely on South Mumbai Darshan.

‘Ayan! Is that cigar?’ She pointed towards a group of youngster sharing the puffs.

‘Well, yeah!’ I said.

‘I always wanted to try that.’

‘Tada! That’s not candy floss. Pretty girls don’t smoke.’

‘C’mon! Ayan. I hate this when girls are treated like second grade humans. If boys can smoke then why can’t girls? Why she is termed as slut or whore? Why so much discrimination? Trust me, I feel so much constrained towards my life that I wish I was born as a guy.’

‘No please. You don’t have to be a guy.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I’m not gay. I’m straight.’

‘That’s not funny.’ She had her hands on her waist as she said that.

‘Really?’

‘Then why you are smiling?’

‘I’m not.’ She bawled at me and then was blushing all.

‘Girl! You’re so pretty.’

‘The pretty girl still wants that cigar.’

‘Oh god! You’re are so demanding, Shreya!’ I bit my tongue as soon as I realized my mistake. Oh god! No kantikari lecture again. I looked at her with a bated breath.

She narrowed her eyes and again broke into giggles. I tell you, this girl knew all possible tricks to make me go crazy for her but this time I chose not to show her more affection for the time being. Let me show some attitude too. Anyway, I ran down to a Pan shop and got that cigar. She was so excited as if she was to kiss Ranbir Kapoor. If men would be men then women would be women too!

‘Give it to me.’ She almost snatched the cigar.

‘Shreya! Let me light it first.’ I said.

‘No. I will do that.’ She put the cigar between her lips.

‘Yeah sure! But then I guess you would burn the filter.’

‘What?’ She the checked.

‘That’s the wrong side.’ I smirked. I pulled the cigar from her. ‘It’s chocolate flavour?’

‘Dude! Cigar flavour are as useless as the condom flavours.’

‘Really? You seem to know a lot about condoms.’

‘Yeah! I told you, I had a boyfriend.’

For a moment it hurt me but then it wasn’t like that her virginity was bothering me but I was too much into her to think that she could have loved someone else. I had actually fallen in love with her some three months back and this meeting had actually made me feel that she was all mine. I wasn’t being narrow minded or jealous. I really can’t explain the feeling but I agree it had hurt me.

‘Ayan! I read Mumbai Mirror.’

‘Ask Sex expert Dr. Watsa.’ I said and both of us laughed at it.

‘Anyway, I want to tell you few things about my past.’

‘Shreya! Have you seen that movie Kung Fu Panda?’

She shook her head.

‘There is this dialogue – past is history, future is mystery and present is a gift; maybe that’s why it’s called present. And trust me, this night is the best gift I had in recent time. I actually don’t care what your past is. Just promise me that we won’t talk about it again in future ever.’

She looked at me blank. There was a strange silence between us and I didn’t like it all.

‘Shreya! I may not be your first kiss but I want to be your last.’

‘Ayan!’ She said. ‘Good that your ex-girlfriend dumped you.’

‘What?’

‘I mean if you were dating her yet, you wouldn’t have come after me.’ She blushed.

At that very moment, I felt like taking her in my arms and kiss her hard but then if I had known her a little bit till then, I was sure she would have immediately pushed me into the sea. Patience Ayan!

I lit the cigar and took a puff. ‘This is nice.’ I passed to her.

She was a bit anxious but I gave her a bit of confidence to go ahead. She took a puff and immediately broke into cough. I simply couldn’t control myself laughing.

‘Idiot! Don’t you dare to laugh at me?’ She warned.

‘Shreya! Take it easy. Take the puff slowly.’

My short training actually didn’t work. She even struggled more and after some more attempts she gave up. Anyway, I was happy finishing rest of the cigar alone. She felt a bit suffocated with the smoke and so walked a few steps near the sea. I instantly threw the cigar and followed her. She was leaning down the promenade, I held her hand so that she doesn’t lose her balance and fall.

‘You won’t leave a single chance to hold my hand, right?’

‘Shreya! I don’t want to fall down.’

‘Really? But then I am already falling for you.’ She said looking into my eyes.

The momentum between us was just building when her phone turned villain as it started ringing loudly. She checked her phone, Sahil Boss calling.

‘Girl! You’ve an affair with your boss or what?’ I teased. ‘He is calling you at 11.30 pm.’

‘Shut up! That’s the normal time for me. He wants to know about the sales report.’

‘Didn’t you tell him that you would be out?’

‘Yeah!’

‘Then why is he calling even. Shreya! Don’t pick. Leave the phone and live the moment.’

‘C’mon Ayan!’

‘I’m serious. Choose me or your boss.’

She gave me a long stare and then switched off her phone.

‘Let’s go to Marine drive again.’ I smiled.

‘Yep!’ She nodded. ‘By the way, you can hold my hand.’

***

They say Mumbai never sleeps and they are right. At 1.00 am, there was a traffic jam at Marine Drive. Mumbai actually never runs out of surprises. There was no point waiting for the traffic to get clear since we had almost reached our destination. Moreover, Shreya was feeling dizzy in that cramped taxi. We left the Taxi and decided to walk.

The only problem with Mumbai is that we don’t actually have chilling winters. So some 15°C is enough for us to get those warm jackets on. I was wearing a denim jacket that night not that I was feeling cold or that I wanted to look those American bikers but just to hide my little paunch, the curse of all bong guys!

We sat at the same place over the promenade under the glistening midnight sky. The mighty sea and its romantic waves were back. The cool breeze tickled us. The city lights chased the horizon till eternity. The stars that night shone extra bright irradiating gorgeousness in the dark. Underneath the moon’s bright beam, the stars magically dance which made me wonder, was that really a dream or merely just a trance?

‘What you’re thinking so much?’ Shreya asked.

‘Is this a dream?’

‘Well… Even I am wondering so!’ She smiled as she wrapped her hands around her.

‘Gosh! You’re feeling cold.’

‘It’s ok!’

‘No. It’s not. Take my jacket.’ I removed.

‘Ayan! C’mon! Don’t be so filmy.’

‘Shreya! I don’t know whether it’s filmy or romantic but then I don’t you to get sick because of this cold and miss our next date on Christmas.’

‘God! How can you be so positive about us?’

‘Well! I am an optimistic and find sense in senseless romance and hope in hopeless people.’

‘How do you do it? Insult me and impress me at the same time.’

‘That’s all about talent, you won’t understand.’ I said sheepishly.

‘Now that’s too much, Ayan!’

‘Arey! Tum toh senti ho gaye yaar! I’m kidding. Put the jacket now.’

She didn’t reason again and put the jacket.

‘Ayan!  Two Shreya will come in this jacket comfortably.’ She laughed and showed me that she couldn’t her hands out of the sleeves, it was that big for her.

‘You see, there is nothing more sexy than your girl in your oversized clothes.’

‘Really?’ She raised her eyebrow. ‘But think she is even more sexy if she just wearing your oversized jacket.’

Her words gave me goose bumps, I gave her a long stare. ‘Shreya! Stop seducing me.’

She blushed and turned away only to glance at me once again. This time she looked at me differently, her stare was setting me up. Hugging and kissing is normal at Marine Drive and the moment actually demanded us to same but somehow I still feared reclusive Shreya, my one wrong step and she was all gone. But then I wonder what exactly she was looking at me for.

‘Ayan! You’ve a prominent paunch.’ She frowned. ‘And this jacket was to hide it.’

I was embarrassed to hear that. I could have taken a long breathe in to hide but now she knew my secret. ‘It’s normal. I had been busy with work of late and couldn’t exercise. It will go once; I hit the gym once again.’ I defended.

‘You better do that if you really want me around.’ She said point blank.

‘Yeah!’ I nodded, disheartened. It’s seriously not that easy to get rid of that. I silently looked at the sea, saddened and lost. I wondered why I couldn’t control my eating habits especially meat and rice. I took a resolution immediately to turn Vegan. That paunch, I hated so much.

‘Ayan!’ She shook me. ‘Tum toh senti ho gaye yaar!’

I looked at her. She had a slick smile on her face.

‘Shreya! I hate you.’

***

And that magical night continued, might be our soul craved for more of it but our body had started to give up. She propped on my shoulders staring the endless sky while I looked those stars in her deep eyes. We had talked about everything from our happening school days to hectic office life, from our failures to our ambitions, from crushes to foes, from families to friends. Somehow, we felt so comfortable with each other that we even forgot that we were yet to propose each other. Actually, being a guy, it was my job but then I felt we had been together forever.

By the time it was 3.30 am, we knew the end was coming to our surreal date. One of my friends was getting married that Sunday and I had to attend that. So, I didn’t want to miss the first train but then I didn’t want to leave her too. I wished we get married that night itself and take her my home directly. You see, I had been stalking her Facebook profile way too long all these months.

‘Ayan! I think we should leave now.’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘You told me that you have to attend your friend’s engagement.’

‘It’s not more important than you.’

‘I know.’ She smiled. ‘But then every good thing in life has to come to an end like this amazing night.’

‘I don’t want it to end.’

‘C’mom! Ayan! Now don’t act like a child. We will meet again. May be on New Year’s Eve this week. Let’s go somewhere, I mean I want to go for a road trip with you.’

‘Shreya! You’re so amazing.’

‘I know.’ She hugged me.

After our hug, I held her face and she was smiling at me. I looked into her eyes and pulled her towards me to kiss.

‘Ayan! Not now. You got to wait for that.’ She just spoiled the moment.

‘Shreya! C’mon! It’s ok. We are already a couple.’

‘Ayan! We should not miss this train.’ She said firmly.

We walked silently towards Churchgate station, exactly the same we had started the date. May be, I was being impatient but then Shreya had to care for my feelings too, why it’s always her way. If she hugged me then that was a moment if I wanted to kiss her, it was being desperate. Even if I didn’t say I love you, she wasn’t that dumb not to know that. I just wanted the amazing date to end perfectly. I just wanted to kiss her, that’s it.

‘Ayan!’ She called.

‘What?’

She held my hand. ‘I wished it had rained today. It would have been just perfect.’

‘Shreya! A perfect date ends with a kiss and not rain.’

‘Oh god! You’re still stuck there.’

I just twitched my lips and walked.

‘You know what, when you demand like a child, like this, you look so adorable. I feel like kissing you but then it’s not the time yet.’ She teased.

‘Let’s play a game then. I’m fucking stubborn. Let’s see if I could convince you to kiss me till we reach your place.’

‘You’re messing with the wrong girl then, I’m more stubborn than you and you know that very well.’ She winked.

***

We reached the station, I still couldn’t score rather I wasn’t even close. She had all the reasons on my stupid antics to laugh at me but I didn’t lose hope either. It wasn’t about the kiss anymore; it was who comes up winning the first battle, who was to be the King or Queen in our relationship.

She was now sluggish, she desperately needed sleep, so did I but then I wanted to drop her home first even if it meant three hours of travel while changing 4 different trains and I guess even she wanted me to do so. I mean she didn’t even say once that she can manage on her own.

We boarded the first train to Borivili. The coach was almost vacant with three other boys and two of us. I could sense the insecurity in Shreya as she curled around my arm tightly. Well, even if I had a paunch, I was strong enough to protect my girl from those skinny jerks. Anyway, I know these types of guys; they can’t do anything more than staring.

‘Shreya! It’s ok. I’m there with you, babes.’ I comforted her.

She smiled at me and rested her head on my shoulders. ‘Good night.’

She kind of dozed of immediately. I was feeling sleepy too but her long hair flutter over my face with the wind. I try to put them back and they kept coming. Even though, it was very cold and I was just wearing a thin shirt, I could feel a strange warmth when she was in my arms. I didn’t sleep at all rather it was more fascinating watching her sleep.

I woke her up once our station was nearing, she refused to wake and nudged me. Other commuters looked at me awkwardly but did I care? The prettiest bong in Mumbai was in arms. However, I had to wake her hard and just made her sit still and shook her up.

‘What?’ She said, half sleepy.

‘Our station in two minutes.’

‘Really?’

I nodded. She stretched her arms and let a long yawn while others looked at her amusingly.

‘Shreya! We are in train.’

‘So?’ She glared at me.

‘Nothing. Let’s go.’ I said and dragged her down the train.

It was 5.00 am. The station was still vacant and dark. Sunday mornings are like that. She was so drowsy that it didn’t make any sense to let her go alone. Anyway, I had come this long then 10 more minutes seemed trivial.

‘Let’s take an auto to your place.’ I suggested.

‘Ayan! It’s ok. I will go.’

‘Shreya! You always look this sexy?’

She smiled and pulled me by my hand towards the exit. We got an auto straightway. She perished on my shoulders once we got in. Her hair fluttered over my face once again, she was back into her dreamland.

‘Shreya!’ I called her.

‘What?’

‘Don’t sleep again. I miss you when you sleep.’

She blushed. ‘From where do you learn these cheesy lines?’

‘They just keep coming when you’re with me.’

She hugged me tight which kind of run a chill down my body. I held her face and kissed on her forehead. She smiled, she was still sleepy. I kissed her cheeks and was about to kiss on her lips when she pulled herself away.

‘Ayan! No.’

It wouldn’t have taken me a bit to pull her back and kiss but then something stopped me. I wondered if it was too early to tell her that she now owned me. I loved her truly, deeply, madly. I want to wake up with her every morning. I wanted her to be mine forever. She was everything I had ever wished for. I was so much in love with her. But to my bad luck before I could say anything to her, the auto had reached her building.

‘Ayan! This it. Thanks for the amazing date.’ She said.

I smiled and gave her way to get out of the auto. She hugged me tight once again before leaving. They say if she turns once then she loves you, Shreya turned thrice. She was still wearing my jacket. I was now seriously shivering but then the jacket looked so amazing on her, I let her go. I waited outside her building till she came to her balcony and blew me a kiss.