ESL Blogs

13 March, 2017

It was 1 AM past in Hauz Khaz village. Standing in the parking lot, she was prying at him slowly and steadily. His lips, his smile and his voice, all reminding her past memories she had. She does not care for right or wrong, good or bad. All she wanted was to hug him and cry for some 15 minutes. Neither she wanted to say anything, nor she wanted to listen up anything. Her eyes were saying what her lips could not speak. “Hug me please!”

Definitely this was not the kind of encounter she was planning before coming back to India on the eve of Holi. She wanted to meet him and explain things which were untold till now. For a long time she was waiting for this moment and now the opportunity knocked her door.

She really worked hard to get this moment. She met failures last time on the eve of Diwali and this time she did not left any stone unturned. She put all possible pressure from his friends so that he can’t deny on the question of Holi celebration. She did help him in his interview’s preparation as well, on the cost of putting her research paper aside for some time. She still mistakenly looks at his success as her own success.

She was tired, drunk and giggly. She already informed her parents that she would be staying at Ekta’s place on the eve of Holi-Day night. All through the day she tried to get along with him, sit beside him in Haldiram, Canaught Place or while travelling in cars. They did not have any talks as such even when they were together from last 12 hours. It left her wondering how this space came in between the two?

While walking in the parking lot of Hauz Khaz, surrounded by restro-bars and pubs, she was hobbling. Poor drunken fellow! He noticed her and hold her for the little 70 meter walk up to the main road.  It was for the first time he was holding her like this after 2 years and 4 months. She could still smell the fragrance of his old deodorant and she felt the firmness in her walk once he holds her. He was not changed, he was not drunk and that old smile was clearly visible on her face. Rests of the friends were also looking at the two. They all knew about their past and tried to deflect themselves so that the two can give some time to each other.

They reached outside the parking lot, where they were waiting for Ekta and Monty. Suddenly there was an array of cars and people who were walking and driving by.  She rested her head on his chest, holding him close, waiting for all of them to pass. It was a protective gesture like – he is trying to protect her and hide her from all the prying eyes coming out of pubs. She closed her eyes and was feeling his heart beats. This is exactly the moment for which she came to Delhi. She wanted the time to stop forever and they keep holding each other like this only.                                                         

After 1 minute the cars of Monty and Ekta also came there out of blue. Ekta was smiling. Ekta knew her pain and problems. Monty asked him to come into the car. Ekta opened the door for her. But she did not want to leave that place and that position. She asked him to accompany her to Mayur Vihar. But he denied. She was expecting the same from him but he did not even ask her for Karol Bagh.

The difficult moment had arrived. She was slowly moving towards Ekta’s car hoping that he will ask her to meet him tomorrow. She was looking into his eyes which were little wet now. May be not pretending but he was also crying. She did not know what was it that was stopping him from hugging her tightly and take her along with him to his place.

All the time from Hauz Khas to Mayur Vihar she was thinking why did not he ask the obvious? Why could not she say the things she planned to say while in US. Why could not she cry like a fish when she was into his arms? When she reached Ekta’s home she went straight to the bathroom. She locked it from inside and then cried for some 20 minutes looking at herself in the mirror. Ekta knew what is going on and she even did not knock the door.

Once her eyes were dry she washed her face with the cold water. She was feeling light headed now. She came out of bathroom and went to Ekta’s room directly to  check out the cell in the hope that he might have dropped some message for her. But there was nothing. It was Karl whose messages were flooding there and for next half an hour she replied before falling asleep beside her best friend Ekta. 

PS - Written by the girl herself, shared by Ekta and here displayed by me.