Ivy here! I have already posted Short Stories in here. Though in other serial departments. Anyways, I used to write SanDhir stories on fb; I’m a huge fan of them. This is one of them. Do read and feedback.
“The best thing about travelling alone, that too by road is the beautiful scenario shown to us by the window of the bus”
Like Sanyukta, was travelling back home to Delhi by bus, absorbing the beauty of the nature to its fullest. She being a mechanical engineer, couldn’t find such scenarios sitting in her cabinet. She was of 22 years, her marriage got fixed to her best friend, whom she was going to see after 15years. She was happy with this, though she didn’t know how he looks now.
Also happiness, because the ‘Ladke wale’ allowed her to do the job. Her in-laws had no problem with this.
The sun started setting down, the bus now was passing through a dense an dark forest. “Beautiful” Sanyu chipped seeing the greenary around.
Soon, the bus stopped as there came a stop. A handsome young guy got into the bus having a backpack on his back. Sanyukta was kinda checking him out. There was only one seat left and was beside Sanyukta. He got seated there.
Sanyukta looked away because she had more interest in view seeing than him. The guy was looking at Sanyu only and she sensed his gaze on her. She turned to him with ‘What?’ expression on her face. He nodded in a ‘NO’. She looked away. Yet again she felt his gaze, but this time she didn’t bother.
~An hour passed~Sanyu was feeling sleepy, she yawned. She put her head on the window frame for a support and slept. She was uncomfortable, so time to time she was twitching her tiny nose. The guy chuckled at this and made her head comfortable on his shoulder. He was smiling looking at her angelic face. The sleep also got into his eyes, he slept putting his head on her’s.
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The time was around 7 o’clock in the evening, sun was still showing it colours. It was late summer, you see?
Sanyu slowly opened her eyes, and found them in that position. She immediately made herself straight, thus waking him up. He looked at her, but she wasn’t even taking a glance at him. “Ek thank you to bol hi sakti thi” he snapped. “And for what?” she sounded sarcastic. “For allowing you to put your head on my shoulders” he said calmly. “Did I ask you to do so?” she snapped back. “Well, no” “Then, no thanks” she again looked away. But deep inside her heart, she was smiling.
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Sanyu stood up to take a biscuit packet from her bag, which was hanging on a hook. Suddenly, the driver applied the breaks. And you know inertia? so Due to it, she landed on his lap. She closed her eyes anticipating a loud thud, but nothing such happened as she was safely landed on him. His arms around her waist, looking deep inside her hazel orbs, he was lost.
She snapped her fingers, to gain his attention. It broke his trance and he left her. “Kya hua Driver Uncle?” the guy asked.“Beta, vo bus kharab ho gayi hai ab pata nahi kab tak thik hoga” “Chalo achha hua” he murmured. This made Sanyu little tensed. He sensed it. “Kya hua?” he asked. “None-of your business” she chipped. “Hey that’s really rude! Waise mere business ka hai”“O really? Kaise zara batana?”
“Tumhe jald hi pata chal jayega” he grinned. “Whatever” she ignored. She was getting more and more tensed. He didn’t like it.
“Where do you live Miss?” he asked not expecting any answer from her.
But to his surprise she replied, “May be because of tension” he thought.
“Miss.Sanyukta! Mujhe Delhi jana tha” she said.
He smiled as she accidentally though, told her name.
“Mujhe bhi Delhi hi jana hai” he said happily. She hummed. She wanted to reach home, anyhow.
This was the time when they realized that they are the only passenger left.They both climed down the bus. Others already got down at their respective stops.
The driver was little aged, while the conductor was in his mid thirties.
The conductor called that guy to talk in private. “Hey! Sunn vo ladki tere sath jo h, tu chahe to.. apun dono masti kar sakta h.. kisi ko malumich ni padega” he was showing his dirtiness, where the guy was boiling in anger.
He started beating him.“Saale! Ladki ki respect karna sikh, tum jaise ko karan hi India abhi tak ek developing country hai” Sanyukta sensing the seriousness of the situation, went upto him and with the help of the driver, they parted them.
“Tum kar kya rahe ho?” she asked. “Usne tumhare baare me ganda ganda kaha!” “Are to tumhara kya jata hai”“Mera… vo.. kuch ni” he stammered.
She smiled at him, for the first time.
“Thank you” she chipped. His got shocked because of this sudden changed behavior of her’s.
(Respect, that’s what a girl or woman always wants.)
They started walking on the highway, all alone. It was dark, actually.
“Agar aise hi chalte rahe to ho pohanch gaye hum, Delhi.” he said sarcastically. “Do we have any other option?”“Well, dekha jaye to! Yes.. we have”
Sanyu upped her brows as if asking what it was.
“Let’s go through jungle”“Whhaaattt?” Sanyu screamed. “Itna chilla kyu rahi ho? Darr gayi kya?” he teased her.“Mai.. mai… ni dartii…. haan… ni dartii maii” she was lacking words. “To chalo fir”“Are you sure?”“Tum tension mat lo! I’m there na.. so chill”
“Tum ho isiliye tension me hu” she murmured. “Kuch kaha tumne” he enquired. “Nahi nahi, chalo” she faked a smile.
Now, there forest adventure started.
Sanyukta was scared of dark. But, she didn’t let him know about this silly fear. The main problem was that, their phones weren’t showing network coverage. They were helpless. They were walking, walking and walking.
“I’m tired now.. Let’s wait here for sometime.” Sanyu said getting seated on a rock. He agreed. “Aur kitna der chalna hoga?”“Mujhe thodi pata hai”“Tum kehna kya chahte ho?”“Mujhe nahi pata kitne der chalna hai, mai thodi na rasta janta hu”
Sanyu looked at him in disbelief.
“To tum Jungle se laaye hi kyu mujje? I thought you know the way…oh yeah I was a fool to believe you” she sighed. He was numb.
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Late summer, that is rainy days. Rain can come any time, at any place.It was the forest, this time.
Yeah, it started raining heavily. “Bas yei reh gaya tha hona” Sanyu was clearly annoyed.
They ran to save them from getting wet. To their luck, they found a huge tree. They took shelter there. But, they got half wet.
TBC…
Ivy