"FINE!" she screamed. "I am not going to study. AT ALL! Do what you can.”
"Beta, stop shouting. Saare logon ko sunai de raha hoga,” Sasha's mom said with a serious tone in her voice.
"I don't care!" Sasha screamed again.
"Mummy, where is the broom?" She asked her mother.
"Beta, calm down,” her mom tried to console her.
"WHERE IS IT?" Sasha now on the verge of exploding screamed louder.
Sahana was watching this drama from one corner of the room. She'd rather not get involved in such unpleasantness. She detested it. She abhorred it. But seeing her cousin go berserk for the first time, she thought that it was time to intervene.
"Okay, okay. Chacha, chachi aap do minute ke liye jao. I will explain it to her,” Sahana said to the senior Vajpais.
"No need. Let her do what she wants. Two days. That's all it will take her to understand how difficult life is,” he said throwing the paper on the floor with disgust.
He walked off from the room and his wife followed.
Sahana quietly closed the door and sat next to Sasha. She hugged Sasha from the side. Sasha cried more profusely now.
"It's okay, bubah. It'll be fine. If you just concentrate a little bit more it will be fine.” Sahana cajoled her cousin.
She hated this part, majorly because she sucked at it. She didn't know what to say at all. She was scared that she might just end up making people cry more.
She frantically thought about what to say next.
“Arre, yaar. Chorr naa. Get full in the next test okay? Like, don't even make one mistake. Show them that you can do it. Alright?" Sahana said while stroking Sasha's strewn hair.
"I am sick and tired, okay? Why do they always do this? It's a stupid test. Doesn't even count,” Sasha said among weeps.
"Baby, they are your parents. They want the best in you. And these tests are there to test how much you've understood the chapter in detail. It's okay. Do better in the next one,” she said.
Sasha turned away and lay down on the bed. "Yeah...Okay,” she mumbled.
"Now, you should get up and start studying. Show them how much you've studied,” Sahana encouraged her.
"I need a break,” Sasha mumbled. She turned around and asked Sahana, "Gol gappe khaane hain?"
"Uhh. Sasha, dekh, chacha angry hain. Thoda sa padhle. We will go after two hours, okay?" Sahana said with hesitation. She didn't want to go. And her intuition was telling her it would be the perfectly wrong time to get out of this house.
"No. I wanna go. NOW!" Sasha got up and started dressing.
Sahana sat there with a long look on her face. "If you want to go, then go. I am not coming. I am not abetting you in suicide,” she said.
"Fine. Your loss,” Sasha said, while putting on her jeans.
When Sasha was done, she went out of the room opened the front door and walked out without looking at her parents sitting on the sofa in the room.
Mr. Vajpai got up and rushed to the room where Sahana was sitting.
"What did you tell her to do?!” Mr. Vajpai screamed.
"I told her to study. She wanted a break. I told her not to. She still did. It’s not my fault;” she said and turned her face away from the overwhelming man.
"Go after her. God knows what she will do.”
Sahana stood there for a while. She thought about the prospect of going out. It gave her immense joy to be out of this hell.
"Theek hai,” she replied in a monotone without facing the red-faced man.
A few minutes later, Sahana and Sasha found themselves sitting in a bare park at one corner of the Mother Dairy outlet that was there nearby. Some old people occupied the only seats available, while what remained of dilapidated swing sets wasn’t even worth giving a look. So both the girls decided to stand next to the fence and enjoy their ice cream.
“So tell me. Are there any hot newcomers?" Sasha asked while licking her orange ice-lolly.
"None. I am not kidding. Not even one. It's like all hot guys on this planet are dead. Each one of them is a withered geek or weird-faced,” Sahana replied licking the trickle down her hand from the lemon ice-lolly.
"So true. But there must be someone who is moderately good?" Sasha asked shifting her lolly from one hand to the other.
"I don't know, man. Maybe, I didn't notice much. The whole day there are workshops. That's it,” Sahana replied.
"Hmm...Good,” Sasha said taking a huge bite of her ice-cream.
"Although...” Sahana said.
“What?” Sasha asked with excitement. “Remembered anyone?”
"Arree. Don't worry. He's not hot. He's ok-ok. Kind of do-able. Though he's a writer,” Sahana said.
"Ooohh…writer! What book?" Sasha prodded for more information.
"I don't know. I don't remember the book. He told me a week ago,” Sahana replied.
"So you've talked to him? Whoa!" Sasha exclaimed.
"He’s not a celebrity. Stop getting so excited,”Sahana replied.
"Chal koi toh hai,” Sasha said, biting her empty stick.
"Bakwaas na kar. Let's go,” Sahana said, while pulling Sasha by her hand towards their home.
*
“You should take tuitions,” Mr. Vajpai said to his niece.
"Okay. But why?" asked Sahana. What's going on? What new scheme have they thought over? She wondered.
"Because you need them,” he replied shifting his weight from one side to another on the huge brown sofa in the living room. Sahana sat on the opposite side, on the single sofa, thinking. "Can I tell you in an hour about it?" Sahana said, biding for time.
"Okay. An hour,” he said with a stern voice.
Sahana got up and straightaway walked into the washroom. She sat on the cold tiled bathroom floor.
She thought about why he was doing it. Why? What possible help can going to tuitions be in this situation? I guess, they don't want me in the house, she thought.
She thought about the downside about going to tuitions. She to her own wonder could think of none.
She could only think of the pros. The reasons I should go to tuitions, she thought.
a) I get to get out of this hell.
b) I don't have to get involved in the drama.
c) New people.
d) Social life increasing.
e) No need to study in class.
f) Possibility of meeting hot guys.
Ah, hell. I am so going to tuitions!
She opened the latch of the bathroom door. She walked towards the living room. Her uncle was still sitting in the same spot, sipping his evening tea.
“I'll take English tuitions,” Sahana said.
“English?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes,” Sahana replied. She wanted to keep the conversation to the bare minimum.
"Why not Maths?" he asked again.
"My father taught me Math already. I know Mathematics of Class 12th since Class 9th itself. I don't need it,” she replied in a monotone.
"Fine. Where?” he asked.
"I'll find out and tell you,” she said and walked out of the room.
*
“This isn’t a very safe idea, you know?” Sahana frowned.
“What’s wrong with meeting a guy?” Rishav shrugged his shoulders. He looked around trying to assure Sahana that there was no-one present who could actually pose a threat to either of them.
“It’s not about people Sen! It’s about my aunt. She comes this way, every Thursday to the temple. Calling me here to meet wasn’t the best idea you know.” Rishav and Sahana stood close to each other on one side of the main road in Sector 33. As Sahana spoke, she slowly drifted more towards the interiors of the Sector, towards the cold-drinks stalls and chaat waalas.
Dressed casually in a brown, wide necked tee and dark jeans, Sahana was perspiring profusely. As the two started walking aimlessly, Rishav tried to engage Sahana in a conversation, before she could raise the much pertinent question regarding the reason for t
heir sudden meet.
“Why on earth are you perspiring so much?” Rishav popped in a question.
“I ran dude. I was already late by fifteen minutes, I was sure you’d be hell annoyed if I delayed you more. So I gobbled up the burger Aunty got for me and ran.”
“What excuse did you give?” he asked.
“Umm…I told her that I was going for stationery. Why do you ask?”
“No, just like that. Wanted to know how long you can hang around.” The road took a left-turn towards the gigantic main park of that sector. It was evening time and the park was crowded like hell. The dying Sun was like the perfect setting for each and every person present there.
“You waited for fifteen minutes right?” Sahana inquired.
“Not really,” he smiled. “You can make that thirty.”
“Thirty?! Why? How?” she was surprised.
“Actually, I decided to come fifteen minutes in advance for two reasons…”
“And the reasons being?”
“Um, one I presumed that you’d be on time or maybe before time. So I didn’t want to have a situation where I had to keep you waiting and secondly…” he dug his hand into his left pocket. “…and secondly, I thought about arranging for some evening snack you know!” He pulled out two mini-chocolate bars that were a little soggy.
Sahana broke into a short laughter, “You bothered to do that? Stupid you are.” She smiled. “Who told you, I liked chocolates?”
“Well, you see… all I saw you doing on your birthday was eating and eating and eating more. And every time, only chocolates! I presumed, it must be on the top of the list of your favourite edibles. Huh?”
“Ah huh dumbass! You got something right for a change,” she casually smacked him on the head.
Now that’s what friends do, Rishav said to himself. In the meanwhile, Sahana carried on, “…and ooooh! I also like Chinese you know? And McDonalds too....Indian kababs are tasty…”
“Yes yes, you like everything that’s edible, you Mother Earth’s load. Don’t you?” it was perhaps the most casual sentences Rishav could have ever spoken in his life. However, it warranted a not-so-casual response.
“Uh, I detest fat jokes. Okay?” she spoke with an absolute straight face.
“You aren’t fat, so why should you take this personally?
“Because I just did so, dude.” She seemed visibly annoyed.
“Point noted, but can we get over with the sappy stuff now?” he asked innocently.
“Sappy?”
Rishav shook the two mini-bars in front of her eyes.
“Oh that…” she said. “…sure, thanks!”
And they started dirtying their hands and faces. It took Rishav seconds to get done with his bar but it seemed Sahana relished every inch of it.
“You have a tissue?” she asked.
“No. But I have a handkerchief,” he slid his hand inside his jeans pockets to get it out.
“No no, not handkerchiefs, they aren’t hygienic!”
Rishav made an expression that was hard to miss, “What?”
“Arre, they aren’t hygienic and it applies to everyone, not you in specific… dumbo!”
“Oh!” he managed to calm down a bit.
“So you don’t have a tissue eh?” she confirmed again.
“Apparently not, but you can surely use my jeans to wipe the chocolate. It’ll go for laundry anyway.” Rishav encouraged her by wiping his own hands first.
“Oh and also…” he began.
“Huh?”
“…also, try and keep it restricted to your hands only. There’s chocolate all over your face too and it wouldn’t be too good for people to see you wiping you face on my legs you know?” he tried hard to be funny.
“Rishav Sen, did anyone ever point out that your jokes make no-sense at all? And are pretty lame?”
“Now, that was blunt!” Rishav replied.
“Do get used to it, as you’ll be in for more…” she flashed her trademark lopsided grin.
And while Rishav searched for an apt reply, Sahana preempted his move and followed it with another snide remark, “your hair, you kind of look dorky in it. Do push it back when you are around me?”
“Really?” he confirmed.
“Yeah, but again it’s a personal choice. If you want to, that is. Otherwise, I’d just avoid looking at your face.” She said.
“Oh so you’ll be talking to me looking straight at my chest, will you now? Now I wonder if I ever did the same when ugly chicks came in front of me, I’d be mauled!” he laughed at his own joke.
“Dude…!” she exclaimed.
“What?”
“…lame again!” she smiled and moved her head in a circular motion.
“Damnit!” Rishav replied.
As they completed an entire round of the park’s perimeter, Sahana got reminded of the question she was supposed to ask in the first place. “Why did we meet today?”
“Oh, actually tomorrow is my dog, Ruffle’s birthday. I am kind of celebrating it on my own. Join me for lunch would you?” Rishav made up something obscure.
“You celebrate your dog’s birthday?”
Rishav nodded.
“What do I tell my aunt? Why was I late?” she inquired.
“Tell her you had some stay-back shit. She’ll believe you.”
“What if I get caught?” Came another question.
“Seriously dudette, we spent twenty-five minutes together at a place barely five hundred meters away from your place. What else can be riskier than this?” Rishav tried analyzing the thing logically.
“That’s true, but isn’t the risk too much?”
“Ask your friend Vanya, it’s a basic principle – risk involves probability of huge profits. So shall I count you in my guest list?”
“You have a guest list too?” she was intrigued.
“Yes, as of now the list just has the names of two people, you know. And I doubt it whether they’ll be further additions.”
“And the two people being?”
“Rishav Sen and Sahana Vajpai,” he stopped to notice her reaction to this carefully. She had a straight face initially, as though she hadn’t got what he had said completely. And then the expression changed to that of amusement. “Aren’t the two enough?” Rishav added,
“Of course they are,” Sahana concurred.
“So would you be there with me tomorrow, after school?” he was persistent.
“Why do we ask when we already know what the answer is?” said Sahana.
“Why do we not tell when we know how much our answer means to the person?” Rishav replied.
“Because my friend, some things in life are better left to be understood,” a smile lit up Sahana’s face.
Rishav reciprocated. “I will see you in school tomorrow and then after school too,” he said.
“You know my decision?”
Rishav nodded.
“Then you know right,” she looked at him for a second or so and then started walking again.
While Sahana headed back home, she briefly went through the first few texts she had exchanged with Rishav. One of them read:
‘I am allergic to animals. Dogs in specific. Can’t stand one. Never ever had a pet and neither will have one. – sent by Rishav.’
There was a certain experience of buoyancy at that point of time for Sahana. He tries too hard…she thought.
TEN
“We call him Aam-chutiya!” Hardik whispered into Jai’s ear, who started chuckling the moment he heard the name. “He likes nibbling on Mangoes and chut and he is ordinary, hence, aam-chutiya!” Hardik explained on a louder note, much to the annoyance of the Accountancy teacher.
A better part of Siddhant’s school days were spent having people poke fun at him. Be it his shabby Hindi pronunciation or his diet or his diction – the ‘popular’ ones would ensure that Siddhant was at the receiving end of all their taunts. And his fault?
He just didn’t cede to their superficia
lity. He didn’t lick their asses like other wannabes did.
“He knows you guys call him this?” Jai asked.
“Yeah man, he does,” Hardik replied. “Despite that, he’s such a loser man, he doesn’t protest!”
“Ha ha ha..!” Jai laughed. He looked at Siddhant who was taking down notes with a lot of intent. It was as though his whole life depended on those twenty minutes spent inside class, taking notes. Jai felt a tad sad for him. Two years and no recognition would have been terrible, he thought. Personally, Jai had started mixing with the right kinds and laying the right foundation for becoming the Head Boy, ever since he was in Class IX. Networking and diplomacy was something Jai’s dad had taught him ever since birth.
“Sleep with the maid if needed, but ensure that at the end of it you have gained something considerable!” Jai’s dad had told him this when Jai had gone to find out whether being manipulative was unethical.
“Ethics, young man…” Jai’s dad had broken into a burst of laughter when he heard Jai’s question. “…ethics and success don’t walk on the same road Son, you will realize that. You are meant for big things, so don’t let tiny people come your way.” Jai had taken these words with considerable amounts of seriousness and it was visible in the way he dealt with people in school. He wasn’t the types to go out of the way to help someone in need, he would just appear to be helping that person or maybe he would first try to find out how his act would benefit his reputation and after all these considerations would he extend his helping hand. Jai’s principles seldom worked beyond the definitions of a ledger, trial balance and a balance sheet…everything had a direct bearing on his goodwill. And his job was to keep it enhanced as much as he could.
“Let’s go and heckle him,” Hardik suggested.
“Nahi yaar, leave it. He is a chut anyway, why bother?” Jai replied with his usual calmness that accompanied his stupid logic.
“You wait and watch, let me do it…” Hardik got up to move closer to Siddhant. A whack on the head with his notebook would be enough. And the Accountancy teacher wouldn’t really do anything to His Highness Jai’s friend. And this in fact gave Hardik a lot of encouragement to do silly stuff which he would not have done otherwise.
Anyone Else But You... Page 5