Episode 4: THE
TURNING POINT
I woke up with full enthusiasm & energy since today we
will reach our destination, Bangalore. I will pursue my path to achieve career
goals & this is gona be a new start of my life. Uncle & Sunaina seemed
equally excited, everybody was busy assembling scattered baggage. Nishant came
to say goodbye to all of us as his station was prior to ours. I realised we
never shared our contact details neither showed up any interest in being in
touch in the future. I guess that’s a good sign for me.
“Disha, could you help me with the laptop bag & books?”
Nishant asked the last favour. “Yes sure” How could I say no. Soon the train
was inside the platform, he got down & kept all his belongings in one
corner. While I passed down his last bag, he embraced me & our eyes stuck
for half a minute. He wanted to say something & I wanted to hear from him
but I could only hear my cell phone “Mama calling”. I had to receive her call
before she starts panicking.
“Beta where are you?
How was your journey? What time you will reach? Call me from the station
without fail. Blah Blah Blah” once a mother starts her concern no one can stop
her. By the time I finished explaining her all the details of our journey, the
train had left the station & there was no sign of “Mr Sorry”.
I couldn’t realize how time passed & how I starting
feeling for a stranger. Uncle shook me out of my contemplation, “Hurry get
down, we have reached Bangalore central. Coolie ko pakro (get the coolie)” Even
after emptying the entire compartment, I felt I was forgetting something inside
& kept cross-checking. “I guess I know what I was missing”. Inner voice
Just as I pulled out my mobile to make a call at home, my
hands felt something inside my sling bag. It was the smiley bagde which Nishant
had in his duffle bag & a small chit of paper. “Call me, I will be waiting
(phone no below)” My heart stopped beating for a moment “Was I dreaming? Did he
really meant it?”
“Why does it always happens with me, one moment I grab bliss
the next moment it’s gone”. Before I could observe his number properly, a tough
hand dragged me out of the train. “You are still inside, the coolie has already
moved with our luggage, hurry up” Uncle pulled me so unexpectedly that the
small chit slipped out of my hand into the railway track & I was blank. That’s
the end of the story.
Somehow I am never going to forget this journey, the first
bang, first zing in eyes, first heart throb, first crush or infatuation or
love. Whatever it was, I was in seventh heaven for sometime.
Episode 5: CLIMAX
I was in Red stone studded Lehenga, wearing heavy gold
jewellery & bridal makeup, encircled by my family & relatives. Uncle kept his hand on my head & said
“Its bidaai time” my entire family came hugging me. I could hear the whistle blowing
& looked forward to see the train leaving. I paced up lifting my 20 kgs
heavy Lehenga but the train took up speed. At that point of time I saw a hand coming
forward, I ran to grab it & the next moment I was pulled in. “Thank God, I
didn’t miss the train this time, Raj” I spoke in a breathless voice. “It’s
Nishant dear” was the reply. I looked up & saw the same brown smiling eyes staring me with
love. I was mummified & he shook me heavily. “Its getting late, wake up,
wake up” I opened my eyes to see Sunaina shrieking my body hard. “You have just
half an hour to get ready for the first day of college. Hope you don’t want to
get late. My class starts in 10 minutes & I am leaving now.”
I was lying in my hostel room & Nishant was nowhere to
be seen. “Oh, filmy dream, but nice” I laughed at my stupidity. Passed four
days I tried keeping his thoughts out of my mind & concentrate in my career
dream. In the next 20 minutes I was ready to soar high, with full confidence
& exhilaration I entered the campus, it was full of genius minds floating
here & there. “I am proud of myself to get admission in one of the best
B-schools in the country. “ I congratulated myself.
There a middle aged gentleman, with geek specs helping
freshers locate their classroom. I walked up to him, “1st Year BBA
classroom?”
He ogled at me as I looked much trendier than my counterparts
in the campus & without a word pointed upstairs. Finally I could make up to
the classroom just before the principle entered along with his PA (the geek
glasses). I shared the front row as usual with two other scholarly ladies in
spectacles & oiled hair. The
principle delivered mind boasting dosage for the next two hours continuously,
post which we were given half an hour break to mingle with each other. I
received a surprise Dairymilk from behind. To my utter astonishment “Y...you, what are
you doing here? I can’t believe this. You followed me till here?”
“Madam, I was waiting for this day, I knew earlier from your
Uncle that we are in the same class. He asked me to take care of his beloved
niece & I promised I will. I wanted to surprise you one more time” Nishant
winked at me.
Life has enormous surprises stored for us but I guess I was
the luckiest. Nishant & I had a lot of dreams in common & now our path
is also common.
Hope you can understand. “After all, it’s about love. Happy
Ending”
