Hum Tum #1

 

Dear Girls, 

What will you do if you find a guy

who loves you with his life?

He drives 30 kms down your place just to see you once, 

He plays guitar, sings and records those songs and send you on Whatsapp 

He scolds you for driving with headphones

He likes and comments on all your posts on FB

He never misses to give you chocolate whenever he meets

He never complains when you keep him waiting for hours

He always asks about your family when he calls you

He is bad at poetry but still he writes poems for you

He calls you Hottie

He picks your call even during INDvPAK matches

He has over a hundred pics of yours in his cellphone.

He calls your best friend if your phone is switched off for few hours

P.S.: He is of your caste, well settled, nice and good looking.

Those lines on her news-feed hurt her, she thought to ignore but then clicked on the comments. More than thirty comments were posted which was above par for a post by a guy. Incidentally, all were from girls and they all have the same opinion- MARRY HIM.

She quickly closed Facebook and stretched herself on her bed. Why he always does that? He loves me, I don’t love him! Can’t he accept that? Why he makes me feel guilty always? Most importantly, what makes him love me so much? She cursed her miseries. Over the days, he had forced himself in her life which had only made her to start hating him. She had always appreciated his unconditional love towards her but then somehow she couldn’t feel differently for him. If for him, she was the love of his life but for her she was just another random friend.

She checked her phone, there were already messages from him. Yeah! He starts his day messaging her good morning and only sleeps when he had wished her good night. Wasn’t he just irritating? She wondered. But then, she knew he genuinely cared for her so she would reply him back but that day, she was determined not to reply him at all and he kept messaging him. She finally burst in anger.

‘What you want?’ She messaged him.

‘Call me. I’m missing you.’

‘No.’

‘Please! Urgent kaam hai!’

Uff, this guy! Reluctantly, she dialed his number and then waited for him to pick the call. He almost picked the call on the first ring itself, he was sure that she would call.

‘Hello!’

‘Hi!’

‘What were you doing?’

‘None of your business! Say what the urgent work is?’

‘Ummm… You’re very pretty.’

‘Is this your urgent work?’

‘Pari! Why you always talk like this?’

‘Because I hate you.’

‘Hate me for what? For loving you?’

‘Don’t start it again!’

‘Did I start it? Fuck! Pari! Why you hate me so much?’

‘God! How could you even ask me that question?’

‘I love you Pari!’

‘Don’t say that! It scares me off.’

‘Baby! Don’t say like that.’

‘I have to go. I am hanging up.’

‘Hottie! Talk to me. Please.’

‘Say. Fast.’

‘How are you?’

‘I’m fine.’

‘What you’re wearing?’

‘Aru! Don’t make things difficult for me.’

‘Pari!’

‘Bye.’ She hung up.

He wasn’t finished yet, he thought to call her again but he already knew what would be her reaction, either she would not pick his call or even if she did, she would shout at him. He walked up to the smoking area, lit a fag to calm down his mind. But it had never helped him, smoke can make your head tipsy for some time but it could never flush out your memories, bad or good doesn’t matters. Perhaps, it’s amazing how quickly your mood change, how deep your heart can sink and how much one person can affect you.

It wasn’t like that she hated him always. Once, they were amazing together. He thought that was love while for her, it was just friendship. They argued over it many times but there was never any outcome, they always ended up blaming each other for their glooms. But then, they never went apart from each other, he found one or other way to stick with her because she was everything he had ever wished for, while from her side even though she denied but she did care for her awesome friend with whom she could share all her problems, gossips and stories, he would listen to them no matter he is tired, hungry or busy.

***

A week later…

‘C’mon Pari! You’re coming home. We can meet right?’ He tried to reason with her.

‘Listen Aru! I am coming home for just few hours. Next morning I’m going to Tirupati with my family.’

‘Are you serious?’ He smirked.

‘I’m hanging up!’ She blasted.

‘Ok! Listen, I will come to pick you up from station.’

‘Are you mad? You think I’m allowed to travel alone. Dad is coming tomorrow to pick me up.’

‘Ok then! There is an idea. I’m missing you a lot. I want to see you no matter what. So, I’m coming to station. We will see each other, we won’t talk not even smile and you go home with your dad.’

‘Are you crazy?’

‘Yes! For you.’

His cheesy lines irritate her to hell. ‘You’re just impossible… I hate…’

‘I hate you… I hate you…’ He cut her. ‘I know that very well, anything else.’

‘Go to hell.’ She hung up again.

Aru’s weird ways had always scared her like a nightmare; it wasn’t like that he would have hurt her. She knew a little sneeze on her side and he wouldn’t sleep that night but then that’s where the fear was, she could just see the obsession but beyond that was an innocent love and strangely, she had knowingly ignored that. You see, we don’t really care for things that we get easily in life. Life always needs to be served hot.

For the next two days, they didn’t talk at all, no ton phone or chat; they didn’t even exchange a message. Though Pari wanted to believe that Aru had actually forgotten about it but she was aware that this was mere silence before the storm. On other end, Aru would endlessly wait for her ping and his wait would always be actually endless. For his all high expectation, Pari had always disappointed him more than Yuvraj’s innings in the final. Finally, few hours before her train, he lost his patience and he called her. She didn’t pick.

‘Dad with me.’ She messaged.

‘Great! Happy journey. TC.’

‘Listen! Aru! I’m not feeling bad about you coming to the station.’

‘Did I say a word about that?’

‘So, you’re coming?’

‘Did you tell me which train? Which coach no.?’

‘That’s not funny!’

‘What you want?’

‘I want you to stay home.’

‘Train details please?’

‘BYE.’

She was offline in a moment. His messages didn’t get a double tick, they didn’t reach and that was indeed a serious bye. He was now in double mind whether to go or not. Two hours in the crowded local train after office and that also just to see her, she wouldn’t even talk, might be not even smile, and was it worth? Anyway, on a reality check, would really he be analyzing such stupid thoughts. When it came to Pari, it was always game on and the only thing that was worrying him was how he would convince his boss to let him leave early. And just then his phone beeped.

‘Duronto, 9.35 pm, B-4.’

‘Nautanki!’ He replied back.

It was all set.

Work? Completed!

Report? Send!

Bag? Packed!

Workstation? Locked!

Local train timings? Checked!

By his calculation he was to reach more than an hour before, he didn’t want to take any chance considering the erratic Mumbai traffic both rail and road. Moreover, he had always loved waiting for her. Actually, she had never reached on time and had always kept him waiting for hours but he never complained but rather he had found a strange happiness in it. In fact, he enjoyed that rush in his blood, his thoughts which would keep predicting about her dress, shoes, hair clips. Ok! Not hair clips, no mystery in them. She only wore pink clips.

It’s actually amazing feeling to search her among the crowd passing, every time someone familiar to her passed, his heart would sink and he would almost jump of his seat only to be disappointed, it just went till the show stopper finally arrived. Actually, his whole world stops when she comes. He had the same mirth in eyes every time like he had for the first time they met. Her along curly hair mesmerized him, those big eyes blocked his senses, her steps skipped his heart beats but he admired her nose most, had she ever noticed that every time they met, he would naughtily pull her nose.

‘Aru!’ His boss came to his desk.

‘Yes Sir!’

‘We have this meeting with the Product Owner. I want you there.’

Aru frowned. ‘Sir! I told I have to go. I have some work.’

‘Well, I guess your work can wait for fifteen minutes, I hope it’s not that important.’ That wasn’t just a statement but an order.

He trudged to the conference room and the meeting started soon but it wasn’t to end that soon. You see, a meeting of fifteen minutes in corporate is a big joke. He kept on checking his phone for the time, he was to reach an hour before and now he was wondering whether he would be able see her. His bewildered look conveyed the frustration in him, if he had it his way, he would have slaughtered his boss in two but then such is life dearies.

‘Let’s take a break.’

Fuck!! It was already 7 pm, probably his last chance to make it but his boss just declares a break. He wasn’t upset, he was heart-broken, he would not be able to see her for next two months straight. But there wasn’t anything he could do about it; in today’s world client meetings are more important than true love. His mobile battery was dying, so he messaged her that he wasn’t coming and switched off his phone. He walked to smoking area for his so called BREAK.

‘Hey Aru!’ Product Owner followed him.

‘Hello Shruty!’ He smiled. He had to.

‘You seemed lost in the meeting, any problem?’

‘Ummm… No not really?’ He shrugged.

‘She is coming?’

‘Who?’

‘Your #ISoDamnLoveHer!’ She blushed.

‘What? How do you know?’

‘Well… May be, I am a client in office but I am also your friend in Facebook. I read all your posts, they are amazing. Boy! You so damn love her.’

‘Umm…’ He looked sheepishly.

‘When is she coming?’

‘9.30 but in Mumbai Central.’

‘Hey man! If you really wish to catch her up then you must leave now.’

‘But meeting?’

‘I don’t think so your boss will question his Client. I’ll handle it. You now run.’ She gave him a high five.

What sucks about travelling is the fluctuating network and on the top the charging points in her compartment weren’t functioning, so she kept her phone away most of the time. But those monotonous view outside window and irritating co passengers, she was mentally drained. At last, she dropped her idea to save battery and picked her phone. There were many messages, she always has them whenever she checked her phone and among those messages there would always be one message from Aru. Generally, his message would be read last but that day she tapped on his message first.

‘I’m stuck in office. I can’t come. :(’

Fuck!! Did she read it well? She read again, he wasn’t coming. How was that possible? Pari was coming to Mumbai and he said he was not coming to meet. She could believe once that Uday Chopra won an Oscar but Aru not coming, can’t be true. She hoped that wasn’t a prank and only way to know that was to play it cool.

‘Ok!’ She messaged but there was just one tick which meant he was actually busy for his phone. He was possibly not coming.

‘That’s good. Anyway, I didn’t want you to come.TC.’ She messaged again after sometime, it wasn’t delivered again. She threw her phone in the bag and looked outside angrily. She wondered was she really that upset about it, maybe not. As if she cares about him, she consoled herself.

On other side, Aru didn’t get a rickshaw to the station and had to run a mile, by his calculation, he could still reach her if he got the 7.30 train. It was to be hectic for him; he needed to change train thrice, Nerul-Kurla-Dadar and that also in peak hours. But then, God was testing him that day, all trains were running 15 minutes late. By the time, he was reaching Kurla, he was squashed like a banana in the crowd, with his huge bag and laptop in it, he was like a tortoise on two feet and to his dismay, he couldn’t get down in Kurla. Going back to his route was a big risk but then did have another option, yes! Taxi from Sandhurst Road but can Mumbai traffic be trusted? He trusted his love.

When he reached Sandhurst, he checked his watch he still had half an hour but there wasn’t a single Taxi and even if any came, they refused to go to Mumbai Central. 10 minutes gone and he was now panicking, finally he saw one and he jumped inside. The driver refused to go and he threatened to complain against him which led to a heated argument.

‘Excuse me!’

He looked outside; a young lady was standing outside. ‘Yes.’

‘My dad is admitted to Jaslok hospital. I am in hurry, I want this Cab.’ She requested.

That Taxi was his last hope but wasn’t more important than someone’s dad. He happily left the Taxi as the lady got it in.

‘Thanks.’ She said.

He smiled.

‘By the way, I heard that you are going to Mumbai Central, it’s on way, I will drop you.’ She offered.

‘Really?’

‘Come in.’

So he finally reached Mumbai Central station and he was late by some 15 minutes but then Pari’s train had yet not arrived. He was overjoyed.He bought a chocolate for her and waited anxiously for the train to come on platform no. 2.

On her side, she had reasoned herself in many ways but she still couldn’t get over the fact that he wasn’t coming. She hated him more, how could he? This is what he meant when he said he loved her with his love. True love? Ghanta!!! All boys are same, he must be hanging around with some chick from his office, Pari was distraught.

‘Pari! Take your bag, we are reaching.’ Her dad said.

‘Hmm…’ She moved lazily.

As the train light appeared from a distance, Aru’s heart beat sprinted to its best. He felt restless now, though he almost spent two hours reaching there but those few minutes seemed eternity. As the train scooted in the platform, he searched for B4 impatiently. Why do trains are so long? He thought and when the train stopped, why do so many people travel in train?He cursed as he found himself lost in the crowd.

Her dad scolded her twice as she moved with a pace of a snail. She was lost in her thoughts, suddenly she had started to miss him. May be she would argue that she didn’t love him but she admired his love. Maybe she didn’t want him to take so much stress but now she was missing. If he was craving for her smile, she was dying to see him. Upset with in yet consoling that it didn’t matter to her anyway, she pulled her trolley bag.

And then…

He was standing just few yards in front of her. She was shocked and automatically, her steps slowed. Was he for real? Of course, told you before, it was impossible that he wouldn’t come and she very well knew that yet somehow she couldn’t even smile back. Her heart sank as he walked towards her, Dad was still beside her. She stopped just a foot before him, she was now scared but he was still smiling and moved on, clutching her hands for a second as he passed by. She sighed and then smiled as she noticed a chocolate in her hands.

She turned and winked at him.

Love is really innocent.