Maitri

by Nandita Rani

  “Oh Piyush is calling…right on time!” Koyel giggled.

  Maitri froze in her place.

  Koyel received the call. ‘Hi’, she let out a chirpy cry. Then there was a frown.

  “No...I did not. Arey baba nooo, I am just returning from my class.”

  “Oho, Maitri, you tell him. Have I not just returned?”, Koyel spoke gesturing to Maitri to take over the phone.

  Maitri gave an awkward smile. She was all ears at that moment. She kept hovering around that place pretending to be looking for a textbook till the time Koyel and Piyush spoke over the phone. She exhaled noisily on that narrow escape.

  Maitri had become quieter after the incident. She often daydreamed about being in the arms of a faceless man. She had even stalked Piyush’s social media accounts and he appeared to be a very smart man from the looks of it. Sub-consciously, on several occasions, she had imagined Piyush to be the faceless man.

  One night, when everyone was fast asleep at home, Maitri punched in his number and gave a missed call impulsively. She regretted doing so the very next moment. Her heart stopped beating when her mobile began to vibrate; it was the same number. She let it vibrate till it stopped, and kept staring at her mobile when it started vibrating again. She impatiently waited for the call to disconnect and hastily switched off her mobile. Koyel’s reaction about the matter made her shiver.

  With her heart in her mouth, when she switched on her mobile in the lunch-break the next day, she found 151 messages and 17 missed calls.

  Maitri’s heart sank on seeing the missed-call number. It was the same number that she had dialed the previous night. She hesitantly pressed the green WhatsApp logo. Apart from messages from other groups, there were 5 messages from Piyush.

  'Hello princess. I got a call from your number.'

  ‘I tried calling you but you did not pick up.’

  ‘I have been trying to call you but your number is switched off.'

  'When can we talk? What is your name?'

  ‘Can I see your picture?’

  Maitri’s profile picture showed a bouquet of red roses and her status read- Papa’s princess.

  As Maitri scrolled through the messages with a pounding heart, there was another ping from the same number.

  ‘Hey!! So you are online. I was $$$$$’, Someone suddenly covered her eyes from behind as she read that message.

  Maitri groped the person’s hand with her left hand and flipped her mobile with her right hand before speaking out, “Koyel?”

  “How did you guess?”, Koyel grumbled.

  Maitri turned around quickly, but not before pressing her mobile’s lock button. She forced a smile to act normal. “Hi!”, she mouthed nervously. Beads of sweat had erupted on her brows.

  Koyel extended her hand to grab Maitri’s mobile, and while flashing her pretty smile, said, “What were you secretly watching, Maitri di?”

  Before Maitri could speak, the morning bell rang, much to her relief. She thanked God for His small mercies.

  That night, when Maitri stood in the kitchen, making herself a cup of her favourite ginger tea, she cursed herself for being so desperate to even think of having a fling with someone’s boyfriend, let alone her own friend’s. She promised to delete the number from her mobile and never have a conversation with him again.

  Days passed by and Maitri kept herself aloof from Piyush’s number and his 'good morning' messages. She stopped making efforts to overhear Koyel’s conversations with him. Moreover, ridden with guilt, she was looking for the right moment to confess everything to Koyel.

  One morning, Maitri prepared herself to come clean to Koyel. She looked into the mirror and rehearsed her lines. That very afternoon, one of the teachers asked Koyel in the break time, “when are you getting married to your boyfriend, girl?” Koyel couldn't hide the blush on her face, and immediately responded, “work in progress, Kanchan miss.”

  She then turned to Maitri and casually said, “Maitri, when are you giving us a good news? We are all craving for a party.” With this remark, the staff-room filled with laughter.

  As Maitri struggled for an answer, pat came the reply from Koyel, “Well, that is a tedious task you people are asking for.”

  Maitri frowned, trying to understand what Koyel meant by that.

  “Girls lose their appeal as they grow old. Don’t mind, Maitri di.”, she said, while winking at Maitri.

  Maitri felt hurt by the remark. She tried faking a smile, but tears of humiliation rose in her eyes.

  That night, thoughtfully tossing her mobile in her hand, she revisited the day’s incident, pondering over Koyel’s remarks. The words echoed in her mind. She scrolled through the WhatsApp chat with Piyush and wrote-‘Hi’

  A vicious smile took over her face as she waited for a reply.

  Chapter 2: Meeting Piyush

  ‘Hi, what a pleasant surprise! Where have you been, Madam? If at all you are one.'

  ‘What?’ replied Maitri.

  ‘A madam, I mean a girl, because I cannot see your picture.’ Piyush replied.

  ‘Yes... :)’, Maitri replied.

  It was the onset of a new relationship for Maitri. She did not feel any remorse at her new advancement: I have the right to be happy too. For the first time, she decided to go with the flow. They communicated every day through mobile chat. Piyush tried calling her too, once in a while, but she requested him not to; she told him she needed some time. On much insistence for a picture, she assured him of sending one soon. Winning over a beautiful girl’s boyfriend was such a rewarding feeling to Maitri. She had taken her revenge for the humiliation Koyel had made her feel. Also, the void that was created in her life after Dipak, was filled with Piyush’s presence. She loved every bit of the attention she received.

  On reaching home one day, she found her father resting in his room which was very unusual. She sneaked in and found him sleeping. Nishu informed Maitri of her father complaining of some uneasiness that afternoon. But he refused to go to the doctor. Maitri waited for him to wake up.

  “Papa, are you feeling alright?” Maitri entered the room and sat beside him.

  “Better now, just a little tired.”

  Maitri insisted him to go see a doctor, but he only smiled and said, “I am fine. The nap was refreshing.”

  “Papa, what keeps you so worried? I know it is your constant worry that is affecting your health. We are all fine.” Maitri tried to reassure him. “With Minal and Nishu taking up jobs, we are managing quite well. You don’t need to think so much.” She kept her hand over her father’s. Suddenly, she heard a 'ping'. She glanced at her mobile and found Piyush texting her. “I will just come, Papa. My friend is calling.” With that, she got up to leave the room.

  ‘Why?’ she texted back; Piyush was requesting for a meeting.

  ‘Because I want to see you...’

  ‘Have patience!’

  ‘You don’t even pick up my call. At least we can talk.’

  ‘Give me some time.’

  Piyush sent an angry emoticon.

  ‘I am going to meet my girlfriend tomorrow.’

  ‘hmmm…’ was what Maitri responded with.

  ‘You don’t mind?’

  ‘Why should I?’

  ‘I never asked you but how did you get my number?’

  Maitri thought for a moment for the appropriate reply and then wrote: ‘from a friend.’

  ‘Which friend? How does your friend know me?’

  Maitri got scared for a moment at that question. She suspected Piyush of knowing the truth.

  'Well, that’s a secret!’ She then sent three smiley emoticons.

  'No, tell me your friend’s name.’ Piyush insisted.

  Maitri got uncomfortable at his persistence. ‘We had decided on these things, remember? You can end it now if you want to.’ She wrote.

  ‘Fine!’ came Piyush's reply.

  Maitri fathomed if that ‘Fine’ was of agreement or otherwise. She did not receive any message after that.
>
  The next day when Maitri came out of the school premises, she saw Koyel talking to somebody.

  Everything inside her collapsed into singularity. It was Piyush standing next to Koyel. Maitri turned around to change her path.

  ‘Maitri di...Maitri diiiii...’, Koyel was calling her from behind.

  Maitri froze in her place. But had to turn back after a few seconds. Koyel and Piyush walked up to her. She forced a smile.

  Piyush looked suave in his white shirt and stone-washed jeans. His shades complemented his ensemble. He was tall and fair. Maitri sensed the girls ogling at him. Koyel walked along with him with a proud smirk on her face. Maitri brushed her fingers through her hair to straighten them, preparing herself for the uneasy encounter.

  “Maitri di, meet Piyush!!!” Koyel could hardly contain her excitement.

  “Hi”, Piyush waved at Maitri.

  “I think I spoke to you once.” Piyush said, recollecting their conversation.

  Maitri looked at Koyel in horror. Before she could frame an excuse, Koyel volunteered, “No silly, that was Mansi.”

  Maitri took a sigh of relief and thought, 'sometimes, all you need to do is just stay quiet.'

  “Which subject do you teach?” Piyush tried striking a conversation with her girlfriend's colleague.

  Maitri moved her lips soundlessly.

  “Hey, your bus is leaving, Maitri di!’ Koyel almost jumped. “Stop the bus!!!”

  “Oh, I need to go. Nice meeting you!” Maitri left them hastily.

  She did not even turn once to look at them, and heaved a sigh of relief as she settled in her seat. She took out a kerchief to wipe her sweaty face. It took her the entire journey to calm herself down.

  That night, as she sat in her room with a cup of coffee, she thought about Piyush and how handsome he had looked. She blushed at those thoughts and peeped out of the window to get a glimpse of the beautiful moon. Her face glistened in the moonlight. Maitri let her hair loose; a cool breeze wafted through her hair. Maitri felt pretty. Suddenly, her mobile signaled an incoming text.

  A ‘Hi’ from Piyush further increased her adrenaline rush. She did not reply and kept staring at his profile picture. She brought her face close to his picture, intending to kiss it, but had to back off as her mobile vibrated with another message from him. It was late in the night and Maitri wondered if he was two-timing Koyel at that moment, copy-pasting the same message to both of them. The second message said- ‘I am falling for you, girl.’

  Maitri smiled tenderly, her cheeks flushed with a scarlet red. She fathomed if it was better like this- just texting each other forever. But her body craved for more, much more. She picked up her mobile to text him, ‘same here!’

  The next evening, while returning from the vegetable market, she picked up eight pastries from a cake shop. Crossing the children’s park, she absently looked at the children playing in the park- some were squabbling, some chased each other while some giggled aimlessly. She halted at once and turned to enter the park. Placing her vegetable bag on an empty park bench, she sat beside it. After watching the children for a while, she carefully took out one pastry from the box and dug her tooth into it, savoring each bite. It had been some time that she had eaten one.

  On reaching home, Maitri surprised her mother by offering help in chopping vegetables, which was something she had always hated doing. She kept slicing the lady-finger while lost in deep thoughts. One slip of the knife and she cut her index-finger. She wailed in pain, in turn dropping the knife onto the plate. Drops of blood formed a pattern on the marble floor. She rushed to the washroom and placed her bleeding finger under running water. After the bleeding subsided, she took out the first-aid box and was covering her finger with a bandage when her mobile vibrated with a‘What’s up, sweet-heart? Missing you.’ text.

  Maitri finished her dressing and picked up her mobile.

  ‘How can you miss me without meeting me?’

  ‘Then let’s meet up.’ Piyush responded immediately.

  Maitri did not reply.

  ‘What were you doing?’

  ‘I cut my finger.’

  ‘Oh! Is it bad?’

  ‘Not really, it’s fine now.’

  ‘I wish I was there!’

  ‘And how would that help?’

  ‘I would kiss your wound and...’ , quickly came Piyush's reply.

  ‘and..?’ Maitri couldn't stop blushing.

  They kept texting for hours that night. Maitri brought her dinner to her room and ate while still chatting with Piyush. No one noticed her absence from the dining table as she would sometimes prefer eating her dinner in her room whenever burdened with school work.

  Maitri was never fond of applying make-up but the next morning something unusual happened. She thoughtfully lifted the kajal pencil and brought it close to her beautiful, expressive eyes. She smeared kajal around her eyes with a trembling hand. Applying the pink lipstick, she stood in front of the mirror, admiring her pink ensemble. Maitri was glowing. As she dashed out of her room, with her handbag dangling from her shoulder, her mother suddenly stopped to get a glance of her. Maitri rushed out of the house bidding bye to her mother.

  “You are looking pretty today, di. Anything special?” Koyel enquired.

  Maitri shook her head and smiled. She felt an indescribable happiness within; she knew that it was a momentary illusion- a bubble, which was ready to burst any moment, capable of causing extreme pain to her.

  Sometimes, one smiles without a reason, one talks without a conversation, one dances without music- it was one such day for Maitri.

  That afternoon after school, when Maitri stepped out of the compound to board her bus, her feet suddenly balked to move at a sight- she saw Piyush approaching her. Her eyes moved around to look for Koyel but they could not find her anywhere in the vicinity. Maitri kept shifting uncomfortably in her position. Piyush neared her and waved a ‘Hi’. She moved her hand to wave. Her throat got parched and lips turned dry: she stuck out her tongue to lick her dry lips but found it as dry as her lips.

  “How are you?” Piyush was too near for Maitri to breathe normally.

  She took a deep breath and replied, clearing her throat, “Fine, how are you? Koyel must be coming out soon.” Maitri looked behind, trying to spot Koyel desperately.

  “I came to meet you.” Piyush said even before she could turn to his side.

  Maitri gobbled another lump and murmured, “Excuse me...?”

  She could hardly look into his eyes while Piyush’s gaze lingered on her. She wiped her face with her kerchief but winced in pain as the bandage got entangled in her hair.

  “What happened?” Piyush asked.

  “Nothing, just a cut.” Maitri tried trivializing her wound but suddenly felt Piyush glaring at her.

  “I wish I was there, then I would…” Piyush said slowly bringing his face close to hers.

  Maitri’s heart was doing somersaults in her chest. Her thoughts moved between thinking if he knew or if he was just flirting with yet another girl.

  “Piyush?” Koyel almost screamed in disbelief. “You did not tell me that you were coming and what are you two talking about?” Koyel asked, raising her brows playfully.

  “I was wondering if we can go for lunch.” Piyush suggested.

  “Yeah, why not?” Koyel jumped in excitement.

  “Maitri, why don’t you join us?” Piyush spoke signalling Koyel to ask her too.

  Before Maitri could utter, Koyel blurted out, “She has tuitions.”

  “Yeah but we will be back by 4.” Piyush said reassuringly.

  Both the ladies looked at him.

  “I mean, is it from 4 PM Maitri?” Piyush asked nervously.

  He has found out. He knows for sure, Maitri thought and nodded.

  Koyel glared at Maitri.

  “No, but I have to take papa to the hospital for a follow-up appointment.” Maitri excused herself before her friend’s smoldering looks could carve a hole through her.

&
nbsp; “No problem Maitri di, you can join us some other day.” Koyel gritted her teeth in irritation.

  Yet another narrow escape for Maitri.

  Chapter 3: Maitri's father

  Maitri twisted and turned in her bed trying to decrypt the sequence of events that had occurred that afternoon. She picked up her mobile to check messages. No new messages.

  She enlarged Piyush’s profile picture with her thumb and forefinger and found it to be that day’s. He stood in front of the school gate in the picture.

  Koyel must have clicked this picture after I left. She sulked.

  She hesitated before sending a “Hi” to him. The blue ticks appeared but there came no reply from him.

  “What happened? Why don’t you talk?” Maitri further poked him.

  “Nice Profile. Which place is it?” She continued texting him.

  The blue ticks kept appearing but still, no reply.

  “That is your school gate. Don’t you know?” Piyush replied after a while.

  Maitri began typing a reply instinctively but stopped abruptly. The cursor kept blinking in the textbox.

  So he knows it. Maitri established eventually.

  “What happened? Why don’t you talk now?” Piyush repeated Maitri’s words.

  “You looked beautiful in that pink dress.” He wrote with a flying-kiss emoticon.

  Maitri was dumbstruck. She knew not how to respond. Her hands trembled in fear. What now? She thought. He might blackmail me for this.

  “Say something, princess”, came another message from Piyush.

  Maitri switched off her mobile and tossed it away from herself on her bed. She could not sleep the whole night, scared to be exposed in front of her friend. She kept toying with the possibilities that Piyush might resort to after knowing the truth.

  Did he know all along?

  I am sure he knew already. He must have informed Koyel, who in turn will tell everyone in the school. God!! It is a major soup. I didn’t need to do this. Maitri covered her face with a pillow in embarrassment.