Naomi's POV
Akshat and I shook our heads at Vyomi.
“Simple! Then stop arguing, sir, and dude, you. First, both of you fall in love, experience the beautiful emotion in question, and then let's finalize what’s right and what’s wrong!”, concluded she.
“Bye, sir!”, said Karan, smiling, as Vyomi escorted us outside.
I turned away and left. Standing at the entrance, Akshat sir called me,” Kiku!”
I looked back, raising my eyebrows at him.
He came strolling towards me, with hands in his pockets and blushing. As soon as he neared, he challenged,” Naomi, some concepts of life cannot be explained. When you cross these boundaries of yours, violate your own policy by losing your so-called self-control, and fall for someone, you will remember my words.”
He extended his right hand, asking,” Challenge, Kiku?”
I smiled, shaking hands with him, declaring,” Challenge accepted, Kiku! Be ready to lose!”
As I stood on my bed, that night, at the PG, studying Labour Law, Vyomi suddenly closed my notes. She was in her yellow shirt on loose white cotton pants while I was in a black frock with white floral patterns on it.
When I shrugged at her, she kept my notebook aside and sat beside me.“Wait! We need to talk!”, said she.
“Dude, what was all that tamasha back in college? How could you talk like that to Akshat sir?”, she scolded me.
I shrugged, justifying that I wasn’t wrong and that I had been discussing a general matter with him. I also pointed out that different people will have different points of view.
“So, from your angle of vision or whatever you call it, does it mean that you don’t love Akshat sir?”, asked she, bulging her eyes and raising her eyebrows at me.
Equally puzzled, I got up from my bed and stood in front of her.
Love is so blind that it just happens unexpectedly.
You may fall for anyone!
Would you let go of your policy if you fell for someone you shouldn't? What would you choose-your policy or your beloved?
“Dude, you guys tease me with him just for fun. I enjoy it and take it for fun that’s all. I don’t love him...I cannot love him though…Didn’t you hear my policy? I had told it the very first time when you had teased me with him. I believe that I don’t lack self-control…Yes, Akshat sir and I are a little closer...I agree that we are a little attracted to each other. But, it's not love. Beyond a lecturer and a student, we are maximum close friends that’s all! I repeat that’s all!”, clarified I.
“Guru Devo Bhava!”, repeated I, joining my hands and closing my eyes at the ceiling.
My bestie stopped me, got up from the bed, and argued,” Dude, utter the truth…”
I still denied it as I shook my head, with my high pony swinging along.
“Fine! You are lying to yourself, not to me. I am sure when you realize you will screw up your silly policies and blame yourself. Dude, you are tormenting yourself with such thoughts”, advised she. Frowning at me, she walked outside, banging the room’s door behind her.
“Dude, wait! Why are you acting weird?.. Do you seriously feel that I am in love with Akshat sir?”, I shouted back.
“Ask yourself. How am I supposed to know?”, replied she, descending the stairs for dinner.
I felt the cool breeze blowing from the silver oak opposite my building. I ran to the window and looked outside. My silky pony flew behind as my eyeballs rolled hither and thither. I thought,” What’s Vyomi blabbering? Do I love him? No... it's not possible..no way… it's wrong and I won't do anything wrong despite knowing that I'm wrong..can't even think of it…”
An orange flower hit my face. I closed my eyes and let my fingers on the face to grab it. I saw Akshat’s face, his meek and hesitant eyes dilating at me. I looked up at the mirror opposite me and blushed at my strong black eyes dilating. I touched my chin and stopped smiling. I didn’t know what was happening to me. I had never been this close to a guy ever before so as to fantasize about him!
“No Naomi, you are not in love with Akshat sir. Did such a remarkable situation strike your lives for you to go to the extent of loving him?... All that’s happening around you is just an illusion created by your friends playfully teasing you with him that’s all…Don’t overthink…Everything is normal..”, advised I. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
One afternoon, around two, I pushed the last bite of the choco-pie inside my mouth and disposed of the wrapper into the bin as I stepped outside the canteen on the eleventh floor of our CSE block. The canteen area had none other than the biller lady and the two attendees who always wore plastic covers on their heads. There wasn’t anything much left after the lunch break two hours ago.
I headed towards the central lift in front of the canteen. It was yet on the third floor. I stood, adjusting my bag on my right shoulder. I missed my gang who were relaxing during the free hour at Shanghai Tastes, the Chinese restaurant of the university.
Akshat's POV
The doors of the lift slid open. I shrank my eyes at Naomi who returned a wicked smile. It was the first time we met after the controversial conversation; it was a heated argument the other day, I must say! I shrugged at her. She was in grey jeans and a light blue top with white floral patterns on it.
"What a silly student I have! She is a modern and strong girl...indeed so advanced to take a transfer to pursue just two years of law. Inspiring but I had never dreamt of her being orthodox...Hmm! I happened to see her other face recently! So startling! Kiku, you will have to withdraw your words one fine day. I challenge!"
As she set her foot inside, the doors hurried to crash her. She closed her eyes with her hands and squealed for help.
Phew! I placed my hands on the doors just on time! I felt like a hero saving the heroine in a movie! She came in and the doors shut. She was about to press the zero on the silver-plated number board on the right when my hand too accompanied hers.
She looked a little up, at me and asked,” Ground floor?”, in chorus, with me. We blushed. I turned away from her and back at the board. Our fingers touched each other as we pressed the same button, at once. My shy eyes caught her brisk and black eyes smiling back at me.
She walked to the other corner of the lift. She gave glances, shrinking her eyes while I grinned at her. My eyes wanted to convey,” Naomi, wait and watch how you will call off your self-control-theory in matters of love. Hahaha!" I know, you pretended to ignore all of it that day. Perhaps, Kiku wouldn’t argue with me again.
The doors opened on the eighth floor. A lady in her young thirties, in a saree and a handbag hanging from her right shoulder, joined us. She also carried a baby on her left arm and a heavy brown suitcase on her right. She stood at the center.
“Which floor, ma’am?”, asked Naomi and me, in chorus, for the second time that day! Sexy! Our eyes were interlocked again but we were interrupted soon by her reply,” Ground floor.” We nodded at her who smiled and thanked us.
“I came here for my younger sister’s admission. We landed in Pune just in the morning and came here directly!”, informed she, chuckling a bit. Naomi nodded, smiling back. Sexy! Naomi's smile is so damn cute. She gets dimples when she smiles. It's difficult to infer if she smiles or blushes.
Hmmm! But, her smile was natural and simple to the baby who too was spellbound in her. He stared silently and seemed an obedient baby. She waved at him who then smiled. "Sexy! Girls pampering babies! She was no exception at least in this case!", I reflected.
“Hi!”, greeted she, at which I chuckled at her. She shrugged at me as the lady suggested to her baby,” Hi bolo didi ko(Say hi to the sister).” Naomi asked her if she could help the lady carry her baby. She refused at first yet Naomi continued insisting. Aye! Why are you obsessed with the unknown kid as if it were your boyfriend?!
At last, Kiku took her baby in her fair hands; they seemed to have been waxed recently because last time, as far as I remember, there was a mini forest...Anyway! What am I saying?... I don't care!
She supported the baby's tender buttocks in her left hand and whistled at him. I laughed to myself, this time, a bit loudlier so that she could hear. She smiled and whistled at the baby who too smiled a little. She massaged his small and soft hands and tickled him, at which he laughed. She touched his nose with hers. They enjoyed playing until he left his little finger into the hollow space of her golden ring on the right ear and pulled it with maximum force.
The honey loop-like earring fell off.
Fuck! Naomi ailed in pain. She touched her bleeding ear. My breath stopped. I enlarged my eyeballs at the blood on her fingers. I also witnessed blood flowing down from her ear and along her neck.
Oh no! But, the baby too can't be blamed. Will Akshat help Naomi or stick on to their difference in opinions even now?
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