"Half Paneer Tikka, Tandoor Roti & two Sprite!", she placed an order & then turned to me,"Was your Papa unwilling with you?" I took a morsel of Masala Papad & said, "Not really! Actually he was unwilling with my sudden behavioural change." Anjali opined, "Yeah, he should be!" I said, "Of course!" She asked, "Why didn't you tell him the truth?" I regretted, "I couldn't. Never!!" She kept waiting. I added, "So I told it to mummy."
Entering the clinic, mummy said, "One day to go & you've hugged fever." I defended myself, "It wasn't my choice!" She asked, "About fever?" I replied, "No, about departure." She showed me to the doctor. Doctor suggested some rest after injection. After five minutes, I was on the bed. Mummy had sat near me. I said, "Mummy, something I wanna share with you." She asked, "What?" I said in somewhat creepy tone, "Something, about Nikita..." "Oh!", she exclaimed & smiled. I felt somewhat secure. She asked, "Are you in luv with her?" I said, "I'm willing to marry her." She held my hand; said, "I too was wishing to bring her home. Thank you Karan, thank you for making my wish come true." I kept my hand over her hand.
"How much?", as soon as I peeked to see the bill saying this, Anjali hided it. I tried, "Anjali listen, let me pay it..." She refused saying, "No, I'm paying." & finally, she proved herself. I said, "Anjali, that's not fair. I should have paid it." She changed the topic, "Forget it now." She kept her purse down & asked, "You tell me, green signal from mummy! You might be feeling out of the world, mightn't you?" I smiled.
I had become more serious about Nikita. I was strongly feeling that she was the only girl I could live my life with. Her immature activities were so pleasing that they were obliging me to be a kid with her. Every of her childish thoughts had a deep maturity in it. I don't know whether it was a true interpretation of her knowledge or just a reflection of my luv. Her answer to mummy's exclamation is remarkable. I think mummy was overcast with some matter & was deploring when Nikita said, "See Bu, we shouldn't be sombre with any of disasters. They're inescapable. What we have to do is just... to celebrate a birthday!" It caught my attention. She continued, "See na, when we celebrate a birthday, we feel happy, don't we? Parties give happiness & it helps to forget sorrows. You just try it. A birthday of a disaster." What she was trying to say was that we should diverge our mind to any other cheering moments in the time of disasters. What a sanity! Who kept it in her mind in such younger age? I felt very proud of her.
"Interesting! She wasn't as child as I was thinking." I said proudly, "She isn't." She asked, "Was she physically ready?" I said, "Anjali..." She regretted immediately, "Sorry, sorry! My question was, did your story advance beyond verbal communication?" I gazed at her palm.
I picked the call up & Papa said, "Karan hurry up, we're getting late." I replied, "Coming Papa!" We had planned to visit the Lord Ganesh temple at evening. I had gone to complete some project work since morning. Papa's "we're getting late" indirectly indicated that she had come, because she was a part of that plan. I reached the home in no time; soon my phone rang. It was of one of my friends. Talking with him, I came to front door where she had sat on steps among with Neeta & Priyanka. She looked at me & I greeted her with the "As Salam." She laughed. I went into the room. Mummy asked me to get ready soon. Hari mama had dropped these girls & returned back to attend some work. I well styled my hair & changed my costume. Neeta asked me for my mobile & I gave it to her. In exchange, she handed me her purse, yes again! Nikita asked, "Do you always style your hair so?" I nodded my head. She proceeded towards my hair saying, "Let me seen!"; simultaneously I held both of her hands & enjoined, "Don't touch my hair. They're personal property." "Stupid!", said she & disarrayed them. I stared at her in dramatic angry glance. She started laughing. I sharply grabbed hold of her queue & she screamed. Neeta helped her in lashing me & finally the riot froze with mummy's voice.
The clock clocked six. Fresh evening. Peaceful environment. Holy place. We parked our car & entered the temple. Leading us, Nikita & Neeta entered the temple & pealed the bell. Then they spread to corners. Mummy called them, "Nikita, Neeta, come pray to Bappa." We came to Bappa's idol & joined our hands. Nikita came & stood nearby my side joining hands. I kept looking at her. She looked at me & signalled, "Look forward." & continued to her prayer. I smiled. She ended her prayer & smiling at me, ran outside. No sooner did we exited the temple taking the prashaad, a plate of rice than Neeta finished her fourth plate. Papa, Mummy & I were proceeding towards the lawn; soon I found a gorgeous girl sat beyond Nikita. Her beauty caught my attention for a while. Nikita saw that & signalled me, "How is she? Beautiful na?" I signalled in reply, "She's sod at all. You're coveted." She extruded the morsel eaten & saw shockingly. I smiled & unsettled the glance at her. She covered the distance between us in a scurry & asked hitting, "What did you say?" I behaved like an innocent, "Nothing." She said, "Stupid! Give me your handkerchief." I gave it to her & she went. We spend a time of about half hour on the lawn. We took some photos. She was happy in taking photos of mine so we couldn't take much photos together. We moved towards the footpath for a little walk. Mummy - Papa were distant ahead. We four were following them in tortoise speed. Papa was saying something to Mummy & she was looking at me over & over again. I estimated what they were talking about. Priyanka asked, "Karan, what after post - graduation?" I said, "I'll choose to get employed soon. Further studies if any, will be done part time." She asked, "Still single or in a relationship?" I stared at her. She asked, "What? Can't I ask so? I'm a college girl yaar!" I came to sense. I said, "No, not that thing. I mean, I'm searching for." She said, "Because I want you to advise me something." I asked, "What?" She took a pause & then said, "I'm in luv." I said, "Great! You're three years younger than me. Keep it up, sis!" She said, "Karan, don't chaff na!" I apologized, "Okay, sorry! What's the problem?" She said, "I luv him so much. But I fear to propose. How can a girl propose, right na? Still I use to express it from my activities, but he doesn't understand signals too. What should I do?" I kept looking. Was Nikita trying the same? Do all luvstories have the same theme? Neeta shouted, "Karan..." & I came to sense. Priyanka said, "Neeta is there." I looked there. Standing near a Kulfi seller, she was demanding a Kulfi. I looked at Priyanka. She said smiling,"Lets deal it later." I also smiled. We came near her. Nikita said, "Stupid, don't waste your money. She's just unblushing." Neeta knocked her saying, "He is paying, you've any problem with it?" Nikita knocked back. I bought Kulfies for them. Neeta said to Priyanka, "Lets go priya di, she's so careful about her brother." She replied,"And aren't you for anybody?" Priyanka took Neeta with her & moved. We started following them & hence to Mummy-Papa too. Nikita said, "You shouldn't have bought them. She has no sense where she is & what the scene is. Just before she has eaten four plates of rice! Say! Does anyone behave like this? It's a prashaad after all, right na?" I was just looking at her. She said, "They're returning back." I saw all of them coming. We stopped to wait. Nikita said, "Now she'll have the dinner too! And a glass of milk after that. Doesn't it seem manners less?" I said, "You're sane." She said proudly, "Yes, I'm!" Priyanka & Neeta came near & we started walking in return. She said, "I insist, but only in front of Papa." & unbeknown, held my hand. It made my hair stand on end. I looked at her; soon Neeta shouted, "See what Nikki di is doing!" She tightened her hold listening that in order to tease her. I said grabbing Priyanka's hand, "I've held her too. Come here, I'll hold your too." She said, "You just hold this." & handed me the stick of her Kulfi. Mummy-Papa reached & Nikita complained, "Bu see na, Neeta is behaving shameless." Neeta said, "Me? Bu you know what she had done? She was walking holding Karan's hand." I looked at Papa in a furtive glance. Mummy said, "Don't fight, lets go. We're getting late." & we moved. Time passed away but my mind paused at that scene. The scene didn't advance from my mind. Even I didn't get idea when she left.
