weight - from diets to exercise to hanging upside down, she was ready
to try it all. After consulting friends, trying exercise, jogging early
mornings, she finally decided to try her hands at Yoga. Within a
couple of days, she had joined a yoga center near her hostel and
excitedly texted me the details of her new journey.
“Joined Yoga dear. I am so happy”
“But why Bru?” I replied.
“What why? I am looking like a bloated balloon. I need to reduce
weight” she replied.
“You are lean” I said.
“I am fat. Rob”
“You are just chubby and fluffy and cute. You don’t have to do all
that”
“I want to be Anushka, not a Kiran Rathod” she replied. “But you already are Kira” I deleted the content and replaced it
with. “Following your role model Anushka?”
“Very much yes. Why don’t you also join the yoga classes? “If only there is a teacher like Anushka!!” I sent a sad smiley. “Rob. Yoga is good for health. It helps one control both mind and
body. I think you definitely need it to control your wavering dirty
mind.”
“I am happy with whatever mind I have now. You became a yoga
ambassador already!” I responded.
However, after twenty minutes of texting, she convinced me to
join a yoga class near my place. Women!!
I never took the yoga classes seriously. Even though I liked yoga,
I hated the fact that I had to get up early in the morning for it,
EARLY MORNING!! I learnt a few basics and began to practice and
self-teach myself at home. I forced myself to endure it as she was
constantly asking me to provide updates on my daily progress as she
was providing her weight loss updates. I started imagining that ‘her’
losing weight would be good for me during the ‘woman on top’
position.
A few Weeks Later:
Brindha texted me frantically as she was returning from office. “You know what that rascal Divakar did today?”
“Divakar who? What did he do?” I asked in a rhyming tone. “That senior guy, friend of my brother who also works here. That
rascal told he had a dream about me and talked all bullshit” “Like what?”
“Like in his dream, I was lying down it seems and he had poured
honey all over me and he started to lick, starting from my legs and then slowly went all the way up to my thighs and then he sensuously” “Yuck, Enough. Stop it already! Were you intently listening to this so-called dream of his?”
“No no, I didn’t. How could I? And how dare he dream about me that way and tell that in person to me?” she fumed,
“Was it really a dream or are these his deepest desires?”
“Seriously! How would I know? I have decided to stop talking with him hereafter, no more dream talks. Have blocked his number already”
“Yeah, just don’t talk to him, ever. How dare he talk to you that way, sick” I was agitated. I would have opened his skull with my bare hands if he were in front of me then. How dare he have such dreams of her. Not even once have I had a dream of even kissing her. And how dare he discuss it with her. Sigh! I couldn’t keep my thoughts away from it, neither could I stop putting myself in that dream of his, in his position. The honey was sweet though.
A few days later, she called me up and said in a dry tone. “I am very upset today” and started to sob.
“What happened dear?”
“I was travelling in a bus today. A guy was sitting next to me and
he… he”
“It’s okay, tell me”
“He touched my”
“Your, what? Hip?”
“No, my… he bumped IT with his elbow”
“Your breast?”
“Yes and that scoundrel!”
“Did you just leave him like that? Didn’t you beat the shit out of
him?”
“How do you think I could do that. Slap him in front of
everyone?”
“He touched you, right? You have every right to hit him” “I couldn’t. I immediately moved away and sat at a distance” “It’s because of people like you that such men are taking
advantage”
“It’s easy to talk Rob, but you need to be a girl to understand all
that. I couldn’t and I wouldn’t hit him. I am like that, but I gave him
a stare he would never forget. That was enough, he didn’t disturb me
further”
“Are you alright Bru?”
“Yes da. I cried a bit. I kept wondering why the woman of this
country should endure all this”
“I know, apologies on behalf of all men”
“Why should you apologize?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you would feel better”
“I wonder what’s just there in these breasts. Why do men keep
ogling at it and want to fondle and feel it?”
I didn’t know what to reply to her.
“Why silent, what are you thinking?”
“About your boobs” I wanted to say, but considering the gravity
of the situation, I withheld my silence.
“You there?”
“Yes, am sorry, was thinking about the bad state of Indian
women”
“What could we do?”
“I know!” I said, both of us weren’t in our usual self. There was
one guy dreaming about her and there was one guy taking advantage
of her and all I could do was sit 300 Km away and listen to her
sobbing. I so badly wanted to be by her side. I so badly wanted to
take care of her, protect her, love her, be for her. I so badly wanted
to tell her that I had a crush on her and that I loved her. “So tell me. Who was your first crush?” she asked me out of the
blue.
“Wait, What?” I came back to reality with a jerk.
“I just need a change of mind. So, a change of topic, tell me about
your crush. I am sure you would have one.”
I wondered how she knew what was exactly running in my mind then. “What silly question! I don’t have any crush” I blurted. “Come on, don’t lie. It’s just me, tell me – just between you and
me. I will keep it a secret. Pinky promise” she almost cornered me. How would one react when his crush is asking about herself.
“Hmmm Okay. Well then there are two crushes I have had” “Two crushes? Wow interesting, tell me, tell me” she was all
enthusiastic. I wanted to say it was her, but my ego and fear of losing
her friendship didn’t allow me to talk about it and I said. “One is Catherine Zeta jones. Oh, man, what a beauty, flawless,
perfect shape, one goddess face and shapely boo”
“Boo? What? Boobs?”
“Boody, body “I managed.
“Who is the other?”
“The other is my maths teacher from 12th. Oh man, I lost marks
in my twelfth because I was admiring her all through the class. She
has a son who is of my age, but then who cares, she is an ethnic
beauty”
“Lol. I didn’t know you were an ‘aunty’ hero”
“Every single boy would have had a crush on one of his teachers.
Its nature’s law, can’t help it”
“I have never been attracted to any of my male professors or
teachers”
“Unlucky you”
“Ha ha ha “She giggled.
“What’s that sound in the back ground. I hear another girl talking”
I asked her.
“You know I have a stupid room-mate. She always keeps talking
to her boyfriend. She is just crossing limits and what will I
do? I don’t
have a choice but talk to you”
It didn’t sink in properly or I chose to ignore it. If her room-mate was
talking to her boyfriend, why should she feel like calling me? My stupid brain
didn’t ask me that question.
“I feel a little light after talking to you Rob. So, what next?” “You forgot what happened in the morning?” I asked. “I can’t, but I have stopped feeling bad about it”
“Hmmm. Alright, so tell me, who is your crush”
“What?” she asked.
“I know you would have had a crush too, tell me about him” “Ahem. My crush…You really want to know?”
“Yes. I must. Tell me”
“Like really?”
“Yes, just tell me” I pestered her.
“Okay. I am saying only to you. Just between you and me” she
took a vocal promise.
“Yes, I am all ears”. I said hoping to hear her tell that it was me. “Just tell that it’s me, tell it’s me” I was hoping hopelessly, when
she responded.
“Even you know him well”
I was pretty sure that I was the only person she knew from my
college. It was cute the way girls played around in telling such
information to men.
“I kind of guess whom you are going to say”
“Oh cool Rob. It’s none other than Vinoth from EEE
department”
“Vinoth who the duck?” I had made it a point not to use expletives
to her and so had she.
“Vinoth, tall, lean, has glistening eyes and long well-oiled hair. You
should have seen him”
“I don’t know; besides I see only girls in my college, that too a
selected few, not all” I was trying hard to hide the disappointment. First it was Ramesh, then Vinoth, I wondered how many others
were in store.
“So you have met him, gone out with him?”
“No da. He is just a FB crush. I like him, his photos, am a big fan
of his, but he puts scene at times and sir won’t talk, simply shows
off!”
I was relived a little bit, but not completely. It is difficult to know that
you are not the crush of your crush. At least my case was better, I had my crush
as my best friend. But we humans never would be content with what we have, we
always want more.
“Hey Rob, wait a minute, mom is calling” she said and cut the call
abruptly.
I kept looking at my phone and felt empty. As I decided to dismiss
all thoughts, she called again and almost screamed.
“Rob! Looks like mom has found a guy for me named Rakesh.
She has just mailed me his photo and he looks super handsome.” I stood frozen as she continued to praise him at the other end.
₪ ₪ ₪
Chapter 15
The Search Begins My thoughts froze as I listened to what Prabhu said. I tried to compose myself, but couldn’t.
“What the fuck do you mean?” I uttered, still shocked.
He continued.
“It is a break-through in science Rob. The professor was perplexed to find this chip in you and so was I, we never thought this was possible”
“Is it like that “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” movie, where they will land on a planet in which a hand from beneath the ground will punch people every time they try to think? I had always laughed at it while also marveling at the thought process of the author. To think that someone has managed do it, God! Prabhu, I am really worried now. I don’t even know what all I have thought about him in the last few hours. Damn, he shouldn’t harm Diana. He knows every word I speak and think of speaking. Oh God”I was shit scared.
“No, he wouldn’t know what you are thinking now, Rob. The device has only a range of 50 KMs. We are 50 Kms away from Chennai now and he can’t hear you. I even tested it by making you think of your priorities between Diana and Brindha and how you would react on seeing him, he wasnt able to receive the signals.”
“But he knows I am out of range, right?”
“Yes, but we have convinced him that going to Trichy was the only way to find her, so that should seal the deal”
“And how did you know that this works only for 50 Km. You say you see it for the first time?”
“We didn’t know, but this is i4-263 IC chip. The processor usually has a small range. 50 KMs was just a guess and it turned out to be right.”
“Are you sure this is the range, what if he knows even now. What if he, what if I think of something wrong. What if Diana is harmed.”
“Rob, relax. Trust me on this. We are definitely in the safe zone”
“I am not sure Prabhu, I feel dizzy”
“Rob, be strong. There is nothing to worry now. “
I was in no mood to be consoled.
“The professor, wait Prabhu, I am confused. What next? Can he infuse data into my brain and make me do as he wishes?”
“That he can’t! It’s just a transmitter. There is no inception involved. Rob, stay calm. Keep thinking that you are in the safe zone. You can think whatever you want now and I already proved you that there is no harm.”
“What if you are wrong and the transmitter still works and the Loser is just playing along”
“From what we have seen of the Loser, I don’t think he is someone who manipulates things. He would have definitely buzzed you the moment you told you will kill him” Prabhu tried to comfort me with his logic and continued.
“The professor has promised to track your signals to where it leads, to locate the identity of the kidnapper.”
“Will the LOSER still be tracking me?”
“Yes of course Rob. He is tracking your mobile, right? We were unable to remove that bug. You forgot or what? And we can’t be discussing this by being static here for a long time, we need to move soon” saying Prabhu began to drive the car and added.
“And that’s why I wanted you to think about going to Trichy and not about removing the bug while you were still in his range, in the professor’s house”
“How the heck did he place it there? In my brain!!”
“Near your brain” He corrected and continued “No idea. Maybe you should have been admitted in a hospital recently, were you? Wait. That accident.”
“Yes, two weeks ago, that accident and I got admitted and yes I was having some pain in the back of my head too. They told it was a normal concussion and that it needs to be operated. Diana used to pray every single night for my speedy recovery, man. It’s all a long laid out plan, Prabhu. How could the hospital guys do this? I will sue them for sure.” I was furious.
“We will do that after we save Diana” Prabhu assured.
“Prabhu, I am pretty sure that I would have thought of killing him, the moment I find Diana, even when I was in his range. Shit, he knows Prabhu. He knows. Will he kill Diana?” I kept pestering him.
“Highly unlikely. If he had wanted, he would have killed Diana already, but guess he needs you to find Brindha”.
“Prabhu, don’t even talk like that man. It hurts, it really hurts” I shook my head praying nothing should have happened to Diana. She was just a child.
“It hurts me as well Rob, Diana is my sister and I will find that kidnapper and will reprimand him, give him more than what he deserves”
I looked at him. I couldn’t have asked for a better friend than him in my life. But there was still a doubt in a corner of my mind on how he knew everything about the kidnapper and his subsequent moves. Was it plain guessing or was he a partner all along?
“So what next?” I asked him.
“You know Brindha’s house, right? That will be the next stop. He will be tracking your mobile still. We need to keep moving and reach Trichy asap.” He said and pressed the accelerator.
The car was speeding at 120 KMPH, I was looking o
utside through the window, aimlessly when I was disturbed by a WhatsApp message.
“You will have company, as long as you are there in Trichy”. It was the LOSER.
I wondered how he had access to everything and every place, but then that’s what happens with six months of meticulous planning. I wondered what all he had intended to do. If he had a ‘Thought Detector’ and fixed that chip in my brain, he could have gone to any extent. He should have a huge amount of money at his disposal. What a name to call himself, LOSER: ironic.
I looked at his Whatsapp profile pic, there wasn’t any. He didn’t have any status as well. Should have been a number he had got for this very purpose. I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or cry. All this for Brindha. Bru that was the name in which I had saved all the 3 numbers of hers, but none of that was working. Her last Whatsapp status was some love failure quote. She of all people posting such a quote, but wait, what if it were actually a love failure? What if the LOSER was Ganpath…
LOSER, Ganpath.
I was reminded of the video where Diana was accompanied by a short haired man as she was leaving from Ascendas. I frantically looked at the photo I had taken of him in my phone in that security room… it resembled Ganpath. It was so similar to him. Ganpath was the LOSER.
My mind was working at a breakneck pace. Ganpath was in love with Brindha, maybe they broke up and that’s why he wanted his revenge. May be Brindha became inactive in Social media because she wanted to avoid him. She wanted to let go off all contacts with Ganpath, so vanished from Social media. Ganpath knew that I was close to her. He might have guessed that I was still in touch with her and that I was the only way to reach Brindha. Incidentally, Ganpath was also from a rich family. But would he go to this extent to find Brindha? Was he that obsessed with her. I would never know. I felt that things fell in place.
“Prabhu, I have found him. I have just found who LOSER is” “Who?” he asked without taking his concentration off the road. “It’s Ganpath”
“Ganpath who?”
“Ganpath is the lover of Brindha or may be could be the ex-love now”
“The guy whose second name you didn’t know? Her lover is doing all this?” he doubted.
“Not sure if he is the lover now as well. Could be ex. should be ex” I was coming to my logical conclusions.
“If so, then why should you be involved? Whats the logic?” Prabhu questioned.
“May be he thinks I know the whereabouts of Brindha. Maybe he wants me to reach Brindha for him, talk on his behalf or worst case, I could have been the reason for their break up?”
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