With all those yearnings that he had within him, he looked at her tapping the next seat, signalling him to come and sit.
But before Abhi could go and sit… he saw Pragya getting up and running towards him. She had a wide smile and was running holding her long white chemise in her hands. Abhi found things happening in slow motion!
‘Is it my dream or is everything really happening slowly?’ Abhi wondered himself and looked around.
Everything was actually in slow motion!
Pragya was still running towards him slowly, now with her hands a little open.
‘Wow! She is gonna hug me!’ Abhi couldn’t control himself.
He was about to open his hands but someone pushed him and ran towards Pragya, hugged her!
Abhi’s eyes were open wide. The scene before him made him shocked and surprised!
Pragya came to him and tapped his shoulders.
“Meet Ibran. He is my school friend. We are meeting after so many years” Pragya said showing Ibran.
Ibran… a tall fair guy with black hairs with a brown tinge… He was well built at least to an extent, ‘Not as good as me’ Abhi would tell. His accent was wonderful… one would listen to him even if he talks all night! His eyes had that potent of attracting any one and his smile… god! It was great. In that black suit of his, he looked no less than a gentle man…
*imagine a competition to Abhi!*
“Hi” Ibran forwards his hands but Abhi was still staring him… studying him!
Pragya bet his shoulders and he came back to sense.
“Hi” he shook hands.
“Come Ibri” Pragya dragged his hands and went to the seat, leaving Abhi alone.
Ibran sat in the seat where Pragya had gestured Abhi to. Abhi felt the fire inside him.
“Come on Abhi” Pragya called him.
Abhi went and sat in the chair opposite to them.
Ibran was telling all his success stories that he wrote for pages… why and how he left India, how he settled in Sydney, how he started his career, how he got success, how he came there… and Pragya listened without blinking her eyes. Between, they were eating pani-puris also! Abhi felt like killing Ibran the very moment.
‘Ibran, I won’t leave you. You snatched my hug, sat in my seat, spoke with my girl, made her smile and laugh, and now eating pani-puris with her! I hate you Ibran!’ and he literally meant what he thought.
The pani-puris were about to get over and Abhi ordered it for them… he also wanted to ask her if she needs more. At least by that way he could gain some attention of her!
Pragya turned to thank him, but Ibran told Abhi a thank you and again gained Pragya’s attention…
‘Ibran… is one name I hate. Ibran! Yuck! What kind of name it is? She was about to talk to me and he spoiled that also! HMMMM. Go to hell’ he was getting frustrated.
Abhi looked at them with narrow eyes.
Finally after almost half an hour, Pragya turned to Abhi again.
“Look. Ibri has bought a house here”.
“IBRI?” Abhi questioned.
“She calls me that way” he said patting her head… “You know what I call her?” he pauses.
Pragya gestures him not to. She very well knows what’s going on in his mind. Her reactions changes from order…request and finally plead! Pragya begs him not to tell.
*so, all these are only in gestures. It would be great imagining Pragya’s cute puppy faces…isn’t it?*
“Pantaloon Panda” he said and laughed.
“You are so mean” Pragya said giving him a punch right across his face.
Ibri caught his jaws and acted like falling back in the chairs, as if that light punch had that much impact on him.
Abhi got so irritated.
“How can you call my Pragya like that?” he screamed.
“Coz, she looked like a Panda in that black and white pantaloon!” Ibri couldn’t help but laugh.
He was laughing like mad when he found it was raining suddenly… inside the restaurant! Pragya poured a jug of water over him!!! … And still he was laughing!
“Ibri… I am angry!” she said turning his face away.
Abhi felt like sitting on ice! He was smiling so badly *he tried hard not to get caught*
‘Finally she is upset’ he thought.
“Ok ok I am sorry!” he said holding his ears.
“Tell me 1000 times sorry” Pragya said.
Abhi was so happy! ‘Tell… tell…’ he said to himself.
“Ok. Thousand times sorry (holding his ears)… Enough?”
“Haan” Pragya said turning back to him smiling.
‘That’s all? Fight over?’ Abhi was disappointed.
She wiped his face with her hand-ki! That made him more annoyed.
‘Hey people! You were fighting!’ Abhi found his heart screaming *inwardly*
“By the way, you looked cute in that!” Ibri pulled her cheeks.
“Thank you” she blushed.
The green eyed creature sitting in front of them wasn’t able to witness all this!
‘He pulled her cheeks’ Abhi was sad and angry at the same time. Jealousy burnt him into ashes and rather he was staring Ibran with eyes, emitting fire… that would turn Ibri into ashes!
‘You brought a house here, right? I will come home… to break your bone’ Abhi gritted his teeth.
The two started to chat again and Abhi sat cupping his face in his hands, supported by the table, with a sad face!
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
“Wow Purab! You’re awesome man. Time slips so fast with you. See it has become one hour and I didn’t even notice. I loved it” Bulbul said and Purab found himself flying.
“I must tell… you are actually good in impressing girls. You were in relationship with two, three or four?” Bulbul asked showing fingers.
“Ha! How come you can ask me like that?” Purab was shocked with her question.
“Don’t tell me no” she said narrowing her eyes.
“To be frank, you are the first” Purab said in a low voice.
Bulbul could feel what he actually meant. She felt so happy.
“I am glad” Bulbul said getting up.
“How about a walk?” Purab asked raising his eyebrows.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Abhi couldn’t keep it anymore. He got up.
“Ibran, we came here to have some private talk. Don’t you think you are disturbing us?” Abhi asked him straight away.
But Ibran did not give any reaction. Both Pragya and Ibran were closing their eyes and sitting like statues.
“Can’t you hear?” he asked shaking them.
Pragya pulled the earphone out… “Such a wonderful song, isn’t it?”
Ibri blinked his eyes in yes.
Abhi was like… boiling!!
‘This is too much’ he thought and sat back with a sad face.
“Ok Panda, it was a nice time with you. I have to leave now. See you soon” Ibri said patting her head.
“I will miss you Ibri” Pragya found tears rushing down.
“Arey panda! Stop crying. I will be here only no? I will shift soon… may be by this weekend. I will be in this address. You can meet me anytime. The doors will always be open for you. If you want to talk to me, ring to this no. It’s mine. Now, bye. Take care panda. Love you” he told her and they hugged.
“Bye Abhi. It was a nice time with you both” Ibri hugged him.
‘Tell with her, not both. You were spending time with HER!’ Abhi thought.
Ibri leaves and Pragya goes to send him off.
‘HOO HOOOO. He is gone. Ibri is gone’ Abhi was jumping.
He found Pragya coming back and so sat quietly.
After few seconds of silence,
“What made you jump so much, Abhi?”
“Paathutiya?” Abhi asked like a baby caught by his mom, putting his head down.
“Hmm…”
“Nothing” he was still looking down.
“I don’t understand what made you do that”
“No. Noting like that (scratching his head)”
When Abhi ultimately found Pragya was not convinced he said, “How can I not be happy when he is gone finally? If some girl comes and talks to me all the while and I leave you alone will you be quiet? I know you cannot. You would have given her a tight slap. Be grateful to me as I didn’t do that. Only I should talk with my girl. No one else” Abhi burst out.
“There is nothing to be so jealous Abhi” Pragya said trying to control her smile. Pragya was flying with happiness…. ‘Thanks to Ibri’ she thought!
“There is everything to be jealous. I love you. Is it not enough to be jealous?” Abhi asked unable to control his tongue. He simply blurts it out!
“What did you say?” she asked.
“Is it not enough to be jealous?” he asked again.
“Before” Pragya said shying.
“There is everything to be jealous”
“Between” Pragya was so eager to listen it again.
“I” he paused suddenly, realising what he said.
He looked straight into her eyes. A cute eye lock.
In this time BG song plays…
Mazhaiya illai veyila
Un Paarvai vaanavilla
Yaarum vizhunthu vidum valaiyaa
Muthala illai mudivaa
Un Paarvai neelum kathaiya
naalum thodarnthuvarum alaiya
Un Paarvai pennae inbama
Naan virumbum valiya
Un Paarvai uyirai kolluma… porkkalama
The person attended the phone call, this side breaking the eye lock of Abhigya.
‘That song really played?’ Abhi asked himself.
‘Wow, such a wonderful song for a nice situation… what a wonderful coincidence’ Pragya thought.
Before Abhi could give a possible explanation, he found someone tapping his shoulders.
“I think someone is planning for their marriage, even before us” Purab teased Abhi. Bulbul stood next to him, holding his hands.
Abhi stared him while this side Pragya was angry.
‘You are gone Abhi. Gone! Everything is gone! First learn to control your tongue. Next learn to control your brother! He is your first enemy and your worst enemy! Purab… you are dead. Thinking of romancing with Bulbul? I will teach you what it is. Come home… I will break your bone. PURAB… Enough of scolding him Abhi! Now your situation is itself desperate. Oh! Yeah, right? Where was I? Haan… Gone! Gone! Now I can’t even be Pragya’s friend. Gone… gone, GONE!’ Abhi cursed himself.
Pragya got up and started walking off.
Abhi again stared Purab in anger. Purab gave an ‘oops’ reaction.
“Am I wrong or what?” he asked Bulbul who simply asked him to shut.
Pragya, who walked a few steps, came back.
“I wouldn’t mind making what you told, mistakenly, come true” she said and walked off smiling without knowing to others.
“What did you tell by mistake?” Bulbul asked him eagerly. Purab did not open his mouth *obeying Bulbul’s order*!
Abhi thought for a while.
“Mrs. Insane” he said and ran behind Pragya.
Purab and Bulbul were blinking.
“Stop” he said and Pragya turned.
Abhi ran to her.
“Really?” he asked and he looked as cute as an innocent boy. Anyone cannot stop pinching his cheeks!
But Pragya only smiled and her cheeks turned to shades of pink.
Abhi stood still, looking at her. She was so cute as never. But Abhi had other thoughts too…
‘Is she really telling me or what?’ he thought.
Purab and Bulbul also came but stood silently a few metres away.
“So, are you gonna stand like this?” Pragya asked not knowing to tell something else.
When Abhi didn’t reply…
‘I, myself, am so frank. What for this dumbo? I will have a tough time with him it seems. At least I will ask something now’ she thought.
She started speaking, “You know I am frank. I can’t stand like this. So, what are you gifting me for the first time?” Pragya couldn’t control her eagerness.
But Abhi was still a statue.
“Urgh! Jiju! Your brother is literally waste!” Pragya told him and walked off.
“Hey wait. I will also come” Bulbul ran behind, not before bidding an adieu to Purab and placing a kiss in his cheeks!
Purab smiled touching his cheeks while Bulbul went red. He placed his kiss on her cheek and waved her a bye.
Finally Abhi came to reality when Purab shook him.
“Dei… ava poraada!” Purab screamed in his ears.
Abhi started running. Pragya was not that far. She didn’t want to go far. She was just a few steps ahead.
“Oye Chashmish! I have something to give you… NOW!”
Pragya stood.
Abhi came to her. Purab also came, to see Bulbul!
“I have something to give you” he said.
“What?” Pragya asked in signal without taking that smile off her face.
“Aur ek plate pani-puri?” he asked with raised brows and a wide smile.
Pragya’s happiness knew no bounds and she hugged him tight with delight.
Purab and Bulbul also hugged each other in happiness!
*idhukku perudhaan sandhula sindhu paadrathu pola irukku!*
The screen blurs showing their happy faces.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Guys that was so hard… so very hard *sad* *depressed* *dejected* *feeling unworthy*
You know what? I am so much upset. And like seriously was it that boring that u didn’t even bother to make a cmnt? If not for nannu dear, reshma sis, priyu akka, nive akka, and akshaya dear, I would have really felt so bad… even now feeling the same 🙁 🙁 ???
What am I talking about? U would have guessed… yeah, I’m talking abt IN MEMORIES… I posted it after a long time and I was very eager to read ur cmnts. But ppl were kind enough not to even bother. Was it that boring guys? Was it so bad that u felt it was not worth a cmnt? I am not demanding… I just wanted to know… Ok, I find that it was my mistake to post it. Sorry if it was that much boring and yeah, obviously… bad!
I don’t know what the silent readers feel… sorry to upset u all *holding my ears*
If you guys tell me…I can, for sure, stop posting… don’t get hyper on me for bluffing all this, but I actually wanted to know.
Again I’m telling u, I am neither demanding nor angry… I just wanted to know whether to continue or not. Do tell me… if no reply, I can take it as a RED SIGNAL. I would have stopped posting without asking, but I didn’t want to disappoint those who actually read it. That’s why I am asking it again and again.
About this one, I just wanted to have a talk with u all and that’s why posted this one. I didn’t know other means to get in touch with you all.
I was actually writing this one before posting that. After almost completing half of this, I posted that because I finished it soon (but yeah, no response!)…
But now I am posting this. And yeah, i didnt want to show all my depressions in the story. Tried to bring it out as natural and jovial as possible. Hope i did some justice to my part of writing (ok scribbling) stories *thinking* Also, bear for mistakes guys. I am sure it might contain so many!
if you feel its good…
Please don’t stop urself from cmntng Even if u feel it is actually boring, do tell me… nil cmnts make me so upset yaar???.
And yeah, don’t mistake me guys… it is natural and humanly that people get offended when there is no response actually??. And I felt the same… arey all human beings feel the same?… I am not an exception???!
Ok, ok… enough of my melodrama… I stop it here. I am not in a so bad situation for u guys 2 worry…… I am ok???.
Don’t feel sad for me! I think i bluffed too much. but i couldn’t control you see. i am rather depressed so much (definitely not because of you all. if i get one reason to be happy that’s you) i dont know why i feel so blue! there is no earthly reason for that but still i find myself sad and depressed always. as i said already, i dont know why also… i am in such a desperate situation… if you guys can, please help me!
besides
Love u all so much ?????
*that is actually one truth that can never change*…..