CHAPTER-20
Confidential surprise
Naomi's POV
I got up and walked towards the tree. I hid behind the tree on the other side where I witnessed two young male security guards in their light blue uniforms and a male senior security guard whose back was a little bent, standing in front of them and frowning at them.
“Eyy Deva! Is there only one electrician throughout Pune? Why didn’t you call someone else?”, ailed the senior security guard, with his dragging voice, adjusting his cylindrical spectacles.
One of the young security guards explained,” Sir, the other electrician has gone to Hyderabad for training. We too are helpless…”
The senior guard looked up at the sky, ailing,” Eyy Deva!” He looked back at them, questioning, with a higher volume, ” Are there only two electricians throughout Maharashtra? Answer me first!”
They shook their heads as the senior guard ordered,” Keep all of these nonsense reasons to yourselves. The CCTV cameras in T-330 of the Law block have not been functioning for the past three days. Rishabh sir will behead us if we don’t fix this as soon as possible. You understood?”
They nodded.
” Ey Baaba! If you don’t find an electrician, you yourself should repair it but work should be done. Understood che?”, he concluded, mixing a bit of Gujarati at the end, They assured that they will look into it seriously and the three dispersed, as the senior guard grumbled,” Ey Baaba! This generation is the worst. Everything needs to be taught. People don’t have common sense also.Kya security banega rey?(How will these juniors become security guards tomorrow?)”
I closed my mouth, laughing at his funny talking style. Wait. Am I missing something? All of a sudden, something struck my mind.
“Wait! Did he just mention T-331 of my building? That’s my classroom! The last hour was Kiku's. I’m sure Akshat sir will still be there, winding up”, I thought. I realized that it was my last chance to complete the incomplete task-my kiss of gratefulness.
Love is so blind that it just happens so 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?
I ran on the corridor, towards the other end, which was the gateway to the stairs. I didn't want to waste a second waiting for the crowded lifts. At that moment, I felt as if I were quicker than man's invention-the elevator. I rushed upstairs. I pushed a senior girl by mistake. I stopped, turned back, and shouted,” Sorry!”
Thank god! She managed to balance herself because of her boyfriend who caught her hand at the right time. They frowned at me but I ignored them, following my path to accomplish the ever-lasting mission.
I climbed three floors upstairs. At last, I ran towards the first classroom to the right of the corridor. I was breathing faster. My heart was too frozen to beat; it had paused pumping blood to my body, for a couple of seconds. I saw Akshat. I wasn't nervous but my heart's non-uniform rhythm was due to my strenuous struggle to meet him. As I had expected, I peeped through the fully enclosed glassy windows to witness Akshat sir packing his bag, like a calm schoolboy inside my class. My eyeballs rolled hither and thither to not spot a student around.
I opened the door. The artificial breeze from the air conditioner inside relieved me.
He turned to me. He smiled, enquiring, in his meek and hesitant voice,” Naomi, have you forgotten something?”
I, clinging to the door, nodded, wheezing and blushing at him. I ambled toward him, declaring,” Yes Kiku, I forgot to complete my incomplete task.”
I could see drops of sweat appearing on his forehead, in seconds. Standing two feet away, I could hear his heartbeat faster than the novice athlete. He shrugged, wondering if I had really meant what I had just confessed. I neared him.
With my rosy cheeks turning the rosiest ever possible, I closed my eyes. He was about to open his mouth and utter something that I neared my lips to his cheek. My red laser-like lips targeted the facial region above his fascinating beard that made him look like a calm, meek, hesitant, and handsome gentleman-all qualities encapsulated.
I kissed him on his cheek!!!
The pile of guilt forming Kanchenjunga, within me, blasted to particles which then dissolved in the air to be exhaled far, far away.
I whispered in his ears,” Akshat sir, the incomplete task is completed now. Thank you very much for all the struggle you voluntarily involved in for my admission to Janki University.” I caught his light brown pupils dilating at mine. We blushed. I chuckled and rushed back towards the door. I was relieved that none except the whiteboard and the fifty benches spread across five rows had witnessed me kissing the heavenly guy.
Before I opened the door and left, I turned back to notice him staring at me. He couldn't stop blushing yet. The scene of him kissing my forehead on that rainy night when he surprised me with the admission letter at my home. Presently, I chuckled at him, blushed wider, closed the door, and ran away.
On the forthcoming Wednesday morning, around seven, I came out of the loo, in my pink mini-skirt and black top inserted. I put my wet hair, all in the front, till the hip. I rubbed it, applying little or no force, with my towel. My phone rang. Placing the towel on the bed, I picked up the cell. I blushed, reading,” Akshat sir!” displayed on the screen in bold white font with a light blue background.
Vyomi, sitting on the bed opposite to mine, with her smartphone on her lap, smiled, cheering an ‘Oh!’ I threw the pillow at her, placed my right index finger on my lip, and gestured her to stay quiet. She bowed at me and continued to scroll her phone but I knew that although her eyes were on her phone, her ears were all here on my phone. I accepted his voice call.
“Hi”, said us, in chorus, followed by which I blushed, sitting on my bed and leaning back on the wall.
“Akshat sir, how come you are calling me?Big people you are! Why did you remember me suddenly?”, asked I, extending my legs and sitting comfortably on the bed.
“Sexy!”, exclaimed he, asking,” Can we meet this evening?”
I agreed and demanded the reason.
“I need to share something confidential with you that’s why..”
” OK. See you then, Kiku!”
“Boiii!! (Bye)”, said he,” You hang up.”
“Akshat sir, you cut the call. How can I?”, said I.
“No, it will be rude if I hang up first!”, reasoned he.
“No, Kiku. You deserve to hang up first as you were the one who had called me. Above all, how can I cut my professor's call? It will be ruder”, consoled I.
“No. The last time when you had a video call, the call got cut abruptly from my side. I felt very bad. I am sorry…I wanted to say this for a long time but kept forgetting...”, explained he.
I remembered how I had video-called him by mistake that night due to the pressure of the assignment from my MOOC course. I closed my eyes and slammed my forehead for my stupid act that night. I shouldn’t have disturbed him late at night. Sorry, Kiku! I had to apologize.
“Sorry, Akshat sir. I called you late that night by mistake. I am very sorry. I too had to apologize. You were tired and I disturbed your sleep-of course! It was midnight! So, it was reasonable that you cut my call soon after the main discussion and went to bed”, revealed I.
My rommmate shrugged at me, with her eyes enlarged, as round and big as a spherical celestial body. I slammed my forehead again for having spoken it out in front of her; she didn’t know about my accidental video call. It was a long story then.
“No, that’s fine. I know that you called by mistake. Also, you had already apologized to me. Why are you apologizing again, Kiku? Don’t!”, uttered he. From his tone, I could feel him blushing on the other end of the call.
“Bye, Kiku. You hang up”, declared I.
“No..you hang up”, replied he.
As we repeated “No, you hang up” over and over for over five minutes, Vyomi got down from her bed, snatched my phone, and spoke,” Sir, Vyomi here…”
He hung up before she completed her sentence. She threw her mouth open at me, showing the white screen which had his name, call, and video-call icons on it.
“Dude, as soon as I entered, he cut the call!”, commented she, in a fast tone, as usual.
I blushed, chuckling,” Naughty Kiku!”
She cheered an “Oh”, dashing and teasing me, imitating what I had just remarked about Akshat.
“Anyway, it's because of me that your conversation came to an end otherwise it would have been a tug-off war”, concluded she, making her way into the loo. I wondered why Akshat wanted to meet me.
I stood beside the pole where he parked his car. I looked up and smiled at the CCTV camera.
”You aren’t my enemy anymore. And, you are one of mankind’s best inventions to date, indeed!”, said I. I wore a black Kurti with light red embroidery works on it. I paired my top with plain black legging pants that evening. I had also worn long black drops which had a small circle fixed to the ear like a stud, from which an oval hang down.
I took out the small mirror which I always carried in the first zip of my bag. I looked at myself and massaged my high pony, just to check if it was tied fine and not spread out as if I experienced an electric shock! I smiled to myself looking at the gorgeous me as I glowed in black. I closed it and sighed, looking around, in the front, for Akshat.
Suddenly, someone tickled me from behind. I squealed. I almost lost my balance. I was about to fall. A familiar hand wrapped me. My right hand caught his left shoulder for support.
“Akshat sir!”, exclaimed I. We blushed at each other. I was immersed in his weary yet smiling light brown pupils. I didn't want the moment to end. I had never been this close to a guy ever before.
“What’s special, Kiku?”, asked he, releasing and helping me stand up.
“Wow! Look at you. You called me here. You are asking me what is special. You should tell me”, said I, winking at him.
“No...I meant you are so well dressed up. Must be something…”, investigated he.
I argued,” No, I just dressed up…”
He chuckled as I bit my tongue and slammed my forehead.
“Your expressions are so cute”, remarked he, imitating how I had bit my tongue. I chuckled.
I thanked him and explained,” I had come to college in a different dress..”
“Yes yes, I knew it. I mean we met in the Criminal law two class, right? You were in a violet top with white floral patterns on it and light blue jeans..”, said he, recollecting.
“Akshat sir?”, shrugged I, wondering and blushing how much he observed me. A guy had never been this close to me ever before.
He blushed, after which I continued,” Vyomi and others had to attend Music club activities for the cultural fest. So, I sneaked to the PG and changed my dress.”
“Why did you have to change your dress?”, enquired he.
“Such a dumbo you are. I was going to meet you, right?”, thought I, blushing back and shrinking my eyes at him. I stopped smiling as soon as the question struck my mind,” But, why did I feel like dressing up beautifully and getting ready just to meet him? Why did I want to do something for him?”
He patted my shoulder gently, interrupting,” Are you fine?"
I smiled, nodding and lying,” I am fine...The dress...haan I bought it recently. I was trying. I like it very much. I got late and remembered that I had to meet you. So, in the hurry, I couldn’t change it back that’s why…”
He nodded. I sighed after having managed the situation!
“Kiku, you wanted to share something confidential with me, right? What’s it? I'm very curious. Tell me! Tell me!”, insisted I.
He looked around to find none in the deserted parking lot and gestured me, with his fingers, to come closer. I neared him. He removed the rubber band and untied my pony. He let his fingers through my hair while I blushed.
“Leave it free”, said he. He then whispered in my ears,” You are beautiful and lovely in loose hair. Don't tie it.”
We blushed.
He caught my hand and pulled me towards him. He brought his lips closer to my eyes. I closed my eyes and felt him kiss them. No sooner had I opened my eyes than we were lost deep in each others' eyes.
I had never been this close to a guy ever before.
My smile narrowed as I wondered why he kissed me. The kiss to get well soon, and the kiss wishing me all the very best when I resumed my degree at his university, were all acceptable. But, why did he kiss me now? Does he love me? Akshat sir, don't put me in a tough situation. Don't kiss me without a reason. It's forbidden. Neither should I love you nor should you love me no matter what others around us tease. I can never see you as my boyfriend or husband.
I released myself from his arms. "Akshat sir, why did you kiss me now?", I asked. He shook his head. His meek and hesitant eyes showed no signs of evil intentions either.
He nodded. "Hey, calm down. I have a habit of wishing through kisses, especially to those who are very close to me. I get along well with you just like that of my family. Don't you worry, it's the kiss of good news! The confidential surprise I was talking about, can never bring another trouble from Rishabh's end until you graduate."
I smiled. I had guessed it right. Some of us kiss to wish others. Sexy! None of his kisses were out of love so far. I'm relieved! I kissed his left cheek.
He blushed while I whispered,” This is my kiss for your sweet nature to care for me. What’s the confidential surprise? Tell me now...Don't make me wait anymore.”
He looked around to see none and turned back to face me.
”No, it's very confidential. Let’s not open it up here in college. Shall we drive to the Bundh garden?.. Just an hour’s drive from here.”
It's a kind of forbidden love. Look at how one must find reasons not only to satisfy the other but also to convince oneself. By the way, what's Akshat's surprise for Naomi?
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