Diya Rai – Beginning of a Puppy Love

Diya’s tryst with a boy happened in her 8th grade. Well, she never wanted it. It was her curiosity which attracted the so-called ‘puppy love’ towards her. And also, she wasn’t the one who took the first step. That was also a proposal. The boy was Karan, a fair Gujarati with a cute narrow face, beady eyes and lots of curls on his head. He was in the 10th grade and was suspected to be a playboy. He had had a girlfriend, but they broke up after the girl’s parents discovered about the cutesy love affair, and then, it was time for Karan to move on and find his next catch.

Though Diya was aware about his existence right from her 6th grade and she had also secretly admired him, she never had the courage to converse with him. She also knew that he was an orphaned boy who was taken care by his grumpy grandfather. Even his relatives back home in Surat weren’t fond of him. Engulfed by too much negativity, Karan had resorted to become a mischievous boy. He allowed himself to be admired by girls who drooled at him. Thanks to his prodigal handsome looks. He had joined Diya’s school in Bangalore only at the end of his 8th grade, as a result of his transfer from Surat. Though he had noticed Diya a number of times, he thought that she was way too nerdy in appearance. So he never pursued her, instead he began eyeing Reena of 9th grade. The latter was also crazily attracted to Karan that she never objected to his advances. Soon they were in a relationship (could that even be called a relationship at that age?). Right when things were getting mushier, Reena’s parents got to know about it and they separated the young love birds. Being the playboy that he was, Karan began following Diya, whom he had initially thought as boring ‘stuff’.

What was even more surprising was, Diya had left that school after 6th grade. She joined a new one in 7th grade and was happy with her new clique of friends. Soon 8th grade happened and along with it things named crushes, infatuations, and complicated friendships too happened in her class. Even though it was the year 2002 (mobile phones were rare), the 12-year-olds were clever enough to stay in touch with their partners. There were only three months for 8th grade to end. That was when Karan made an entry in Diya’s life. One fine evening, she was cycling back from her painting class. As she turned around in her street, she came across a group of boys, whom she recognized as the ones from her previous school. She cycled past them and stopped in front of the main gate of her house.

“Diya!” She heard someone calling out to her. Looking back, she saw the hefty and stunning Karan.

“Hi, Diya, do you remember me? I am Karan.” He was also on a bicycle, but he was pedaling it rather slowly, as if participating in a slow cycle race. Diya was taken aback. When she was in her previous school, she hadn’t even spoken a word with him. And here he was, addressing her with her name and asking whether she remembered him. Not knowing what to reply, she just nodded.

“Which school are you in now?” He questioned.

“Seshadri Vidyalaya.” She replied calmly.

“Which grade?”

“8th grade.” She never questioned him back.

“Okay, bye.” He waved at her and moved past her house.

Still confused with the unusual meeting, Diya opened the gate and entered. Just then, a boy from Karan’s group came running to the compound wall and asked her, “Karan is asking about the location of your school.”

“Koramangala Main. Just a kilometer from here.”

“Okay, I will convey.”

After the boy’s exit, Diya thought, ‘What’s happening? I have never spoken with Karan. How did he get to know about me? And why is he asking me these questions?’

Yet another day, she met Karan along with his friends, but not in her street, it was in the street next to hers where she had to cycle to reach her street. Though she tried to ignore the group and pedal away speedily, Karan spoke up, “Hey, Diya. How are you?”

She applied the brakes and turned around to face him. “I am fine, Karan. How are you?”

“I am good. Where are you coming from?”

“I had my painting class. Okay, just tell me, when is your school Annual Day?”

“Your school? Madam, do you remember that it was your school too?”

“Yes, I do. Okay, sorry for that, tell me when is our school Annual Day.”

“All right! It’s on February 21st. Why did you ask?”

“I need to attend it. I didn’t miss the previous year’s Annual Day. So, I should make sure that I attend this year, too.”

“Okay, hopefully I might meet you there.”

“Okay! Bye.” Flashing a warm smile, Diya cycled away to her home.

Once safely secured inside her pink-lavender room, she began foraying into her thoughts. And surprisingly, Karan occupied most of her thoughts. She couldn’t even fathom why she was thinking about him, when she should be doing her Maths homework. She replayed their conversation repeatedly and a warm feeling seared through her heart. At that moment, she sowed the first seed of puppy love.

*****

“Diya! Are you there?” It was Mahima. She slowly opened the latch of the main gate. Listening to the sound, Mamta Rai ventured out. “Arey, Mahima…what a surprise! Come inside. Diya is getting ready for her painting class.”

“I know, aunty. I have a doubt in Physics. So I thought Diya could help me out for few minutes.”

“Sure, she would. Be seated.”

Soon, Diya emerged from her room. Looking at Mahima, she spiralled into a wide grin.

“Mahi darling, how are you? It has been a long time since we’ve met.” She lunged forward and hugged her best friend.

“I am fine, how are you?”

“As usual, I am happy.”

“Good to hear. Well, has your mum gone inside?” Mahima’s tone turned into a whisper.

“Yeah, what’s the matter?” Diya whispered back.

“I didn’t come to ask a doubt in Physics. Do you know Karan bhaiya?”

“Karan bhaiya? Is he a brother to you?”

“Yeah, I address him like that. We are in the same tuition. You know him, right?”

“Of course, I know him. We have been meeting recently. I mean, we met accidentally. Though I haven’t spoken with him during my 6th grade, he seemed to know about me and initiated a conversation.”

“Well, well, he passed a message to you.”

“A message? What’s that?” Diya was taken in surprise.

“He said ‘I love you’ to you.”

“Whaaattt?” For a nanosecond, Diya had reminisces of her 6th grade, where Shreeka had conveyed Akshay’s proposal.

“Yeah, he said that he is in love with you.”

“Mahi, what are you speaking about? Two years ago, you were there when Shreeka had conveyed Akshay’s proposal. And you very well know how I’d reacted to it. Now, what do you expect from me?”

“Arey, I know about you. And I don’t expect anything from you right away. Karan bhaiya has asked you to tell whether it is a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’.”

Diya just gazed at her blankly. Gulping some saliva, she asked, “Are you sure, Mahi? Did Karan really sent the message through you?”

“Of course, Diya, he was constantly speaking about you in the tuition.”

“Okay, I will let you know my answer tomorrow. Is it okay?”

“Completely fine. Think about it and decide.”

Though the girls were conversing in hushed tones, they had the Physics book wide open in front of them, eliminating even the slightest doubt of Mamta Rai that they were speaking something else. After all, adolescence was a period where boys and girls were experts in the art of cheating.

*****

Diya’s heart raced like a speeding car. She acquired the butterflies-in-stomach feeling whenever she thought about Karan. She fidgeted with her fingers and broke her knuckles. Though she was alien to the concepts of crush and love, she could feel happy at the thoughts of Karan. And that made her to believe that what she was feeling was indeed love. She convinced herself about it. She was also aware that her decision would require her to waste a lot of time in useless thinking and also to cheat her family members thereafter. But she couldn’t even care an iota for all that. She was excited at the thought of getting into a relationship. The new feeling called love was alluring. And Karan’s handsomeness was acting like a love-philter to her.

‘I will say yes to him.’ She thought and squealed in joy. Impatiently she waited for Mahima’s visit.

“Diya!” Mamta Rai hollered from the kitchen.

“Yes, Ma, coming.”

“Do you need strawberry milkshake? I am gonna prepare for Anjali.”

“Yeah, I need. And I think Mahima will be here in a few minutes. Prepare for her too.”

“How do you know that?” Mamta asked inquisitively.

“Arey, I met her yesterday, right? She told me that she had doubt in Chemistry too and she will come today.”

“Okay, okay.”

The bell rung. Diya sprung into action to open the door.

“Hi, Mahi!” She beamed with happiness. Immediately Mahima knew that the answer would be ‘yes’.

“Hi, Mahima, I have prepared a delicious strawberry milkshake for you. Take it.” Mamta handed over a glass of milkshake.

“Thank you so much, aunty.” Mahima received it with gleaming eyes.

As soon as Mamta moved away, she whispered to Diya, “What’s your answer?”

“Hey bhagavan! You know, I was totally confused yesterday. I am alien to all such things. I thought, thought and thought. And finally, I decided that I should go ahead with this. How beautiful Karan and I would make a pair! Sounds exciting! And everyone would be jealous that I would be marrying the most handsome boy in our school.”

“Marrying? So, you’ve even decided to marry him, eh?” Mahima displayed shock.

“Of course! Getting into a relationship means marrying the person whom we love, right?”

“Oh ho! You need to learn a lot, Diya. I am sure you would learn as days go by. Okay, I am happy for Karan bhaiya and you. Let me convey this to him.”

“Thank you, Mahima.” Diya engulfed her best friend into a tight hug.

*****

“Annie, did Karan come to tuition today?” Diya asked desperately. It had been 15 days since she had said ‘yes’ to Karan’s proposal, but there was no response from him. Neither he met her in her street nor Mahima contacted her regarding the proposal. So, Diya chanced upon another girl named Annie who was also studying in Karan’s tuition.

“No, Didi, he did not come. Don’t you know about his suspension from school?” Annie asked innocently.

“Suspension? For what?” Diya panicked.

“Karan was in a relationship with Reena. You know, right?”

“Yes, I know about that. But they broke up after Reena’s parents came to know about the affair.”

“Oh! Don’t you know what happened after that? Karan had visited Reena’s house once again. He just wanted to meet her to return some money which she had given him, but her parents discovered him. So, they complained to the principal of our school and he was given suspension for a week. And that week has begun yesterday. Post this, he will have his board practicals. I think he would attend tuition only after that.”

“Oh my god! This much has happened and Mahima didn’t tell me a word about it. Okay, did he say anything about his love for me?”

“What the hell! Is he in love with you now? Or are you cooking up a story?”

“Shut up! Why should I spin a make-believe tale? He has proposed to me by sending a message through Mahima and I have also accepted it. Otherwise, why should I ask about him?”

“Aha! Didi, I am completely unaware of this. Let him come to tuition. I will roast him like a chicken.”

“Ha ha ha! Cool down. If you get to know anything about him, just come to my home and convey it to me. Okay?”

“Okay, Didi.” Annie flashed a pearly smile and left the place.

‘Does Karan really love me? Or is he playing a game? Or did Mahima dish out a false story?’ There went Diya’s unending thoughts.

*****

Almost a month passed since the proposal episode. Diya was yet to meet Karan and start her relationship with him. She received no information about him. Her conversation with Annie was the last she had heard about him. With shattered dreams and crashed hopes, she began concentrating on her studies and painting. Then, one fine day, Mahima visited her. She was studying sincerely for her History annual exam when Mahima fiercely banged the main gate latch. Peeping from her window, Diya was overjoyed to see her. She welcomed her with a warm smile, while Mamta Rai requested the girls to enter.

“No, aunty, I just have a simple doubt in Maths. I’ll ask her and go away.” Mahima replied promptly.

So the girls stood in the porch.

“Go and get your Maths textbook. Quick!” Mahima spoke through gasps.

“Why?”

“Aarrgghh! Don’t ask questions. Karan is waiting over there with his bicycle. He has sent me to give his mobile number to you. His grandfather has bought a new Nokia 1100 for him. So, get me your Maths textbook!”

Diya’s joy knew no bounds. She couldn’t contain herself as she hurried inside her home to retrieve her textbook.

“Come! Let’s move to the main gate so that I can see him.” She spoke excitedly.

“Give me the book first. I’ll write down the number.” Mahima snatched the book and penned a string of 10 digit number.

“Wow! I never knew that Maths could be so simple. Just think if every problem is diminished to the size of a 10 digit number.” Diya bantered. And then she heard the tinkling bell. It was Karan. He was ferociously ringing the bell from his cycle. Taking it as a signal, Diya moved to the main gate to glimpse at him. He waved to her with a smile pasted on his face. She waved back and yelled, “I will call you tomorrow!”

“Sure! Byeeee…” Karan replied in a singsong voice.

Once inside her home, Diya Rai blushed for the first time in her life.

**********