CHAPTER 21
AKSHAT PROPOSES NAOMI !!!
Naomi’s POV
“Sure, sir. Let’s go”, I agreed, as Vyomi too would return to PG very late that evening. I would be bored till then. So, I decided to go with him.
“Naomi!Naomi!”, screamed Akshat, standing right in front of me.
“Kiku, why are you shouting? I am right beside you. You are calling me as if I lived on the next street…”, said I, shrugging and raising my eyebrows at him. I closed my ears with both hands. I shrank my eyes on him, as he increased his volume.
“Stop! Kiku, my ears will bleed if you go on. Stop!”, I said.
He disappeared!
I released my ears. I threw my mouth wide open. My eyes rolled hither and thither only to observe that he was nowhere in the vicinity around me. I peeped into his car. I searched for him behind the pillar, behind his car, and also bent to check under his car.
“That's bizarre. Where did you go? Kiku! Kiku!”, wondered I, with my anxious eyes focusing on the entrance where Rishabh’s jeep just crossed. The security guard gestured for the crowd of two-wheelers, most of which were owned by students while lecturers rode the rest.
“Kiku! Look here. Sexy! Where are you seeing?”
I followed the familiar masculine voice-the gentle voice which hardly turned loud.
“Akshat sir!”, I called, spotting him leaning on the pillar opposite. He was blushing and chuckling at me. I hurried.
“Sexy! I have been calling you for the past five minutes”, he commented. He imitated how I was busy looking everywhere else excluding where he actually stood.
“For a second, I felt like a ghost”, he concluded, chuckling along.
“No way!”, refused I, shaking my head along.
“Yes yes, I know that I’m not a ghost…”, he admitted.
“No, sir. I wasn’t talking about it”, I interrupted him. I checked him out. While he chuckled and shrugged, I pinched my right hand.
“Aah!”, I ailed, in pain.
“Aye! Kiku, why are you pinching yourself?”, asked my puzzled lecturer.
“Shhhh”, I hissed, placing the finger on my lips. I grumbled at the gray floor, “Wait, so this is real. You are now indeed talking to me. In that case, what was it earlier?”
I felt a strong manly pat on my left shoulder. I displayed my puzzled face, full of questions, at him.
“Sexy! What are you concentrating on?”, he mocked.
“Sir, was it a prank?”, I enquired, chuckling at him.
“What prank are you talking about? You seem to be lost. What happened?...”
“When did you come here to the basement?”
“I just came now. I had been waving at you from here. I called you twice. I shouted yet you didn’t notice me…”
“Akshat sir, please, enough of your game. I have learned the truth. You were standing there”, I argued, pointing at his car parked opposite us. “We were conversing till you vanished…”
He burst into a round of laughter. He confirmed that he was tied up with some work in the staffroom for a long time until then.
“I seriously came here, just now.”
“Wait a second. Was I imagining our conversation all this while? His kiss, his offer to drive me to the Bundh garden, him untying my pony…was it all an evening dream?”, I wondered.
“Anyways, shall we have tea together?”, he asked.
“Just tea?!”, I exclaimed. “But you said you would take me to the garden as well”, I murmured.
“Sexy! What else does one want now at five in the evening?”, he enquired.
While the scenes of my imagery flashed over and over, in my mind, he said, “Where is my Naomi lost yet? Looks like you were standing near my car and recapping today’s notes and I suddenly called you due to which you struggled to come out of the world of law. Although you closed the folder of notes in your brain, they seem to be open in your subconscious mind…”
“No, I saw you”, I denied.
“Wait, I hope I am not dreaming again.”
I bent to pinch my right thigh really hard-harder than the previous pinch. I hopped after realizing that Akshat stood to face me and I was, in fact, talking to him.
“Ooooo! I don’t know why you have been hurting yourself today. Enough of pinching your poor body. Let's grab a cup of tea. You have lost your energy upon the notes, I feel”, he consoled me. He took a step forward. I looked back at his car, followed by the CCTV up the pillar.
“We kissed despite those eyes on us. I had overcome its fear. Who would keep checking the camera’s feeds unless a theft had occurred? But, it wasn’t even a kiss. It was the first time I had an evening dream. What’s going on? Is this an erratic sign for something to follow? Will it be good or bad?...”, a cloud of thoughts quarreled with each other.
“Naomi, come let's go. I think you are tired”, he said. While I turned back at him, he blushed, catching my left hand and walking me along. I blushed, seeing my hand in his.
“Chaat & Chaai Corner '', announced the red cursive font on the milky whiteboard. The shopfront had a colorful sheet having vertical stripes of blue, green, and pink, of light shades, alternatively. It was not only the cafe but also the chaat shop of our campus. Yummy!
The elderly gentleman at the order desk smiled and nodded at us. He had a white beard and was bald.
“What a surprise! Akshat sir, how are you?”, he invited us, joining his hands together.
“Are you close?”, I enquired, bulging my eyes and smiling at both of them. The shopkeeper, with tears in his eyes, nodded at me.
“Ma’am, what do you mean? Akshat sir has given me a new life. How could I forget him?”
“Sir, nothing…I just did what I could to help you…”, diverted Akshat. He rolled his meek and hesitant eyes at us.
“Not a little thing at all”, denied the senior citizen. He narrated to my curious eyes.
“I have two sons. They threw me to the streets after I signed the property papers. I was roaming every street with my old luggage. I happened to encounter this good samaritan who not only wanted to buy me a water bottle or a plate of dinner but also fixed my problem of livelihood. He put an end to my starvation by speaking to his management and permitting me to open the shop. He also supported me with the other resources such as the tables and the chefs here.”
He bet the right hand on his desk. “I swear one can’t find a man like Akshat sir anywhere in the entire world. While my own sons weren’t compassionate, he, a random stranger, treated me like his own family. At that moment, I saw the first human of my life.”
As tears rolled down his cheeks, I too swallowed my tears at Akshat.
“Awww! He is sweeter than the sugarcane. Who comes forward to help these days? Even known classmates whom you helped in the past run away from you despite you sharing a serious problem with them. But, he is a symbol of genuine humanity.” I really felt like kissing him without any reason. I had never met someone like him before.
“You are my Lord”, the shopkeeper completed, flooding a river of tears.
“Sir, don’t thank me too much. I feel shy”, said Akshat, chuckling along. My cheeks couldn’t stop turning pinker and pinker at him.
“Okay”, said the old man, chuckling along. “What would you like to order?”
As he moved his fingers toward the keyboard, Akshat ordered, “Two cups of special tea.”
“Special tea?”, asked I, chuckling along.
He blushed and nodded.
“For my special student”, he completed.
“Is it? Why am I special to you?”, I questioned him.
“Goal-oriented students interested in studies are always special to every lecturer. That's what I meant”, he answered me.
“Oh, I see…So, is Ruhi special to you as well?”, I asked, shrinking my eyes along.
“Never. Don’t you ever remind me of her. She sucks due to her attitude. Being smart-working goes to the trash when you are proud and egoistic.”
“You are right”, I agreed with him.
“What’s your girlfriend’s name?”, asked the young man with a shower cap on his head. He stood with his elderly owner at the counter. I bulged my eyes, seeing him, pointing me to Akshat sir.
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?
“Hey, I think you are mistaken”, began Akshat, blushing at me. While I chuckled and blushed, looking away, as the term ‘girlfriend’ echoed within my heart, Akshat clarified, “Why do you feel that way?”
“Sir, come on, both of you blush together…I don’t know I just felt so.”
“Me too”, added the owner, smiling at the both of us.
We smiled, shaking our heads at each other.
“Fine. What’s the other person’s name for whom you just ordered your special tea?”, asked the biller.
“Naomi”
“Naomi”
Akshat and I uttered my name, in chorus. His light brownish eyes caught my dark black eyes and weren’t ready to release as well. I looked away and pretended to skim my fingers through the menu card.
I felt a strong pat on my shoulder; it was as if he were beating me instead of calling me. But, his smiling face relieved my pain. He pointed at a two-seater having a circular table in the center. It had a big glass window to witness the greenery outside and also spot a rabbit or two, at times.
“Take your seat, Kikoooo”, he dragged, pulling the chair for me to sit.
“Thank you, my dear gentleman”, I thanked, taking my seat and relaxing back on the cushion. He blushed and nodded, as he sat opposite me.
I sighed. I extended my left hand to grab the packaged bottle of mineral water placed beside the holder of spoons and forks.
“Sexy! Why are you drinking water now? Drink after you’re done with our tea. Are you so damn thirsty?”, he stopped me, catching hold of my hand. I blushed, signaling for him to let go of me.
“Kiku, my hand…”
“Ooo! Sorry”, said he, releasing me.
I nodded. I sighed again, this time deeper than before.
“Why do you appear tensed?”, he enquired.
“I think I must consult a psychiatrist. I am suffering from hallucinations wherein one claims that something which never happened has actually occurred. I still have a strong feeling that we were conversing when you hadn’t even come there….”
I leaned forward. I asked him one more time, “Were you definitely not there? Sir, stop playing around if you are fooling me…”
“Ayeeee!”, he exclaimed, hurrying to open the bottle’s lid. “Why are you still in your dream world? Looks like I need to pour water and help you come back to reality”, he highlighted.
He pretended to throw water on me that I screeched, closing my eyes and chuckling along.
“Chill!”, he consoled me. I gestured for him to replace the water bottle before he uttered another word. He nodded and closed it.
While I sat back erect, he leaned forward.
“The poor psychiatrist will become a psycho after dealing with a patient like you!”
“Sir!”, I exclaimed, inverting my lips and pretending to sob at him. Although there wasn’t a drop of tear near my eyes, I pretended to wipe it.
“Hmmmm!”, he gave a long sigh. “I mean why a psychiatrist? I myself can solve your problem in under a minute.”
“Wowww! Please go ahead, sir”, I pleaded. He chuckled.
“All I need to do is ask a question.”
“Proceed, sir. I’m ready to answer.”
“Naomi, are you in love with me?”
My smile narrowed. However, I could feel my cheeks turning pinker. I breathed hard. It was the first time a guy asked me that question. Yes, there were some guys stalking or flirting with me but never dared to propose; perhaps, I seem to be strict. My thoughts were interrupted as he patted the table.
“Kiku, tell me if you have fallen for me”, he repeated, blushing along.
While my eyeballs rolled hither and thither, for I didn’t know the answer myself, he moved his right palm to catch my left palm on the table.
“You can tell me anything you feel. Feel free”, he reassured, pressing my palm hard. I blushed at his light brown pupils rolling hither and thither, as they attempted to read my eyes.
“How can I?”, responded I, releasing my palm from his.
“Guru Devo Bhava!!!(Lecturers are like the almighty)”, I emphasized. “It's a sin to even think in this manner. How could you?...”
“Yes, I agree that I’m quite close to you. I feel happy and safe when you are with me.” I blushed, citing, “And yes, just the way I’m special to you, you too are special to me. But, I can’t love you…”
My heartbeat just froze although I vomited out my answer. I shook my legs restlessly when he couldn’t take his eyes off me; an entire minute of silence followed us. I witnessed a few drops of sweat on his forehead as well.
Thanks to the waiter who placed two cups of tea on our table and broke our awkwardness.
“Akshat sir, this is very cute! Awww!”, I complimented, pointing at the white heart shape drawn on the top surface of our tea. One of the cups had my name inside the heart while the other had Akshat’s.
“This is the specialty of the special tea here. It's dedicated to you”, began he.
I blushed at him. He was about to begin sipping his cup when I gestured for him to stop. I grabbed my smartphone to capture my cup followed by my selfie with the cup. I waved at him to look at the camera and captured our first selfie together. I observed the tears concealed in his soft eyes.
"Smile please!", said I, at which he faked a smile and swallowed his tears. While I shrugged at him, he just shook his head.
"Are you crying?", I asked. He faked a round of gentle laughter to convince me.
“Wait!”, said I, while he chuckled and aimed to grab his cup once again. I placed our cups together at the center.
“My best college memory ever! I know I’m overseeing things. I’m just in the third semester. I have more than a year to pass out, I know…But, this is more than special! I will never forget your sweet surprise even after my college days. This is the best memory of my second year. It really feels special, sir”, said I, getting up from my seat and capturing our cups together.
“Akshat sir, this is really cool…”, I continued.
“Kiku!”, I exclaimed, facing back at him. I caught him wiping a drop of tear rolling down his right cheek. He faked a smile.
“Why are you crying?”, screeched I, kneeling down in front of him. I suddenly felt my cheeks grow damp.
“Naomi, why are you sobbing?”, he enquired, pointing at tears rolling down my cheeks.
“I seriously don’t know but I think it's probably because I can't see you in tears…”, sobbed my trembling voice. He stood up. He rested my cheeks in his cozy hands.
“A year and a half later, you will graduate. I will no longer see you on campus. Neither will we get to talk as often as we do, at present. Won’t you miss me?”, asked he, with his voice trembling along as his meek and hesitant eyes, couldn’t stop shedding tears.
“What sort of doubt is this?”, said my voice, beginning to break.
“Of course, I will...You have saved my degree, the ladder to my ambition. I can never forget you. You are very special. None to date have made me feel special or cared about me…”
“Am I just close to you?”, he interrupted me.
“Akshat sir”, began I, wiping his tears and completing, “None have ever been closer to me more than you. Neither my friends nor my family…”I hugged him. He hugged me tighter.
“I wish you never left my life. I want my college days to go slower than a snail climbing up a wall”, shared I.
I wept bitterly, as I concluded, “I will miss you very much…I don’t know how I will deal without you…It's the first time I feel someone is very important in my life…more than my family.”
“What do you think your feelings for me mean then?”, asked he. I opened my eyes. I released him. We looked into each others’ eyes. He pulled me closer. While I bulged my eyes, he closed his eyes and neared his face.
He let his tongue into my mouth. I breathed hard and swallowed my anxiety. His arms wrapped me like the venus flytrap wrapping its prey insect. My attempts to escape were all in vain. After an entire minute of a deep French kiss, he released me.
“Akshat sir, what was that? Why did you give me a French kiss?”, argued I, sobbing along.
“I love you, Naomi”, he confessed, blushing along.
“Sir, but…”
“Don’t ask me why, how, and when this happened. All I know is that I love you. I love you very much, Naomi.”
He caught my hands and smooched them.
“I have perhaps given you enough clues. Its time...It's really time I confess the words of my heart...I don’t want to miss you…”
I freed my hands. I was about to speak when he placed his finger on my lip.
“Sorry, I can't hide my feelings anymore. I know that you love me too. It's your policy that's stopping you. You will realize that law is for the nation and not for oneself. I will wait for the day to come.”
He pulled me closer once again. His tongue hugged mine for the second time that evening. I was glad that there wasn’t anyone around to notice us kissing on campus!
“Sir!”, I exclaimed and sobbed.
“Don’t you understand? How can a student and a lecturer love? You clearly know my policy. I myself am against it. Why are you putting me in trouble?...”, I squealed, with my twitching voice.
“Sexy! Don’t worry, I will make you realize what you feel for me very soon. I can feel your love. I know that you love me too!!! I challenge you to bring out your truth soon. Fate is often favorable to my desires”, he assured, chuckling and blushing. He headed towards the door.
My eyes went over our cups of tea that had gone stale by then. I broke down. I folded my hands across and rested my head over.
“Akshat sir, why don’t you understand? This is wrong and forbidden. I can’t love you. I shouldn’t love you. My consciousness will kill me if I love you. Please don’t do this to me, Kiku…”, I trembled.
I closed my eyes, shook my head, and wept to myself.
Bravo! Akshat finally did it!!! Will Naomi ever realize what she feels for Akshat is nothing other than love? Will Akshat manage to help Naomi overcome her own restrictions?
Dear readers,
Thank you for following my series and reading the episode. Rate it and write your review, give it a heart and share it in your circle whenever you are free. Your voice matters a lot to me.
