Keeping the Promises Page 3

  And I started reading.

  Ansh woke up and picked his phone to check the time. It was already seven. He stood up from his bed in a hurry. Gajju was still sleeping. He tried to wake him by shaking his body.

  “Wake up, bro! Only half n’ hour left for the party. I don’t want to miss a moment there,” he said enthusiastically.

  “You go Ansh! I don’t want to come. I’m having a severe headache and you know I can’t bear those loud speakers and DJs with this burning head of mine,” he answered with partly opened eyes.

  His headache problem was really irritating Ansh and had been spoiling many moments like this ever since their childhood.

  “Okay then, you go to sleep, I’ll bring some food for you here after the party,” he said and went inside the bathroom for a shower. Unlike most hostels, they had their personal attached bathrooms and lavatories for individual rooms – the only commendable thing about the boys’ hostel. Ansh took a shower, came out, and wore a white shirt and black coat with black shining trousers. Then he placed his feet into the shoes that he had polished specially for the fresher’s party. Dhruv didn’t move an inch all the while.

  He then stepped down and took a walk to the examination hall where this party was being held. He was unstoppable; moving his legs swiftly and enthusiastically – there was nothing that could stop him – except the voice he heard.

  “Excuse me, sir! Can you tell me where the examination hall is?” He heard a voice from behind. He turned around and saw a girl standing at the entrance of the girls’ hostel. He looked into her eyes. No makeup, no eyeliners or mascara. Yet, she was beautiful. He could never forget the moment he saw her for the first time; miraculous hazel eyes, a cute button nose, full lips and a mouth full of straight white teeth. She wore blue jeans and black T-shirt – not any usual party clothes from any manner but were suiting perfectly on her radiating white skin. Ansh was checking her out – she too noticed it and cleared her throat.

  “First year?” He started the conversation as a good guy.

  “Yes, sir!” She interpreted him as a senior.

  “Actually, I’m also looking for it. I’m in the first year too,” Ansh lied to her, knowing that this may buy him some time with her.

  “Oh! Sorry, I didn’t notice you on the introduction day. So, I thought you might be from a senior batch.” She uttered those words clearly, without hesitation.

  Didn’t notice me? Do I look that bad? Or is she just insulting me?

  “Never mind, we could search for it together if you don’t mind!” He offered politely, trying to make up for that.

  “Okay. According to my information, it is behind the dental college,” she instructed.

  “Okay let’s walk there.” Ansh was not missing a single chance to look into her eyes. He didn’t know the reason, but there was surely something enigmatic about them.

  “By the way, my name is Anshul Bhatt.” He introduced himself after a brief silence, but couldn’t gather the courage for a handshake.

  “Angel Shah…” She smiled, but didn’t offer a hand either.

  During that walk, they came across so many boys and girls looking at them suspiciously, Ansh and Angie were completely oblivious of the fact that walking together on the campus road of SBKS was a sign of having an affair. Ansh – compelled to keep the conversation going – asked her which school and city she belonged to. She was from Ahmedabad too. Somehow he started blushing while fantasising about their dates at various places of Ahmedabad. He started developing an irresistible attraction towards her. This walk was nevertheless heavenly for him.

  “I guess we have reached, finally. Thank you for the company.” She smiled again and Ansh felt a pinch of sugar. Pinch of sugar itches like any other pinch, but what makes it different is that you want it every now and then and you don’t require an itch-guard for it. It was now the time for Ansh to experience it.

  “Yeah, see you in class,” Ansh replied, trying to match her smile, and she disappeared in the dark. Ansh couldn’t enjoy the music there and was voraciously looking for her at that party but he couldn’t find her. Disappointed, Ansh then headed towards the hostel, taking some food for his friend.

  On the next day, he wasn’t interested in what the professors were going to teach. His eyes were in search…searching for those ‘Angel eyes’. He was impatiently moving his head to find her. Many of his male peers and other classmates noticed him doing that. They all started snapping at him.

  ‘Control yourself Ansh! Your first impression in class shouldn’t be of a pervert.’ The thought scared Ansh.

  “What is your name Mister?” The professor asked. Ansh realised he had won his attention, but like most students he still abstained himself from looking at the professor and rather looked around in disguise.

  “Yes, I am talking to you boy, stand up!” Biochemistry professor stared at him in anger. Ansh, by having no other choice, finally obeyed him and stood up.

  “I would have cancelled your today’s attendance, but you have not been allotted roll numbers yet, so for the first and the last time I am letting you go. But these looking around things will not be tolerated in my class. You are not here to chill.” His loud voice was making Ansh feel embarrassed more than ever. He was just staring at his toes.

  After completing his class, he started walking, almost running towards the biochemistry practical lab.

  “That was not an appropriate way to look for anything.” A familiar voice came from behind. Ansh knew it was hers, and she knew he was looking for her. He didn’t want to get into these confrontations, so he waffled a bit before turning around.

  “I was getting bored, that’s why I was looking around,” Ansh was never a good self-defender.

  “I thought you were searching for me.” She smiled again and yet another pinch was dropped down his chest.

  How the hell does she speak everything clearly without a fraction of hesitation? Doesn’t she know it is embarrassing? Even if it is true!

  “I wonder how are you so confident that I was looking for you?”

  “Oh, it’s not like that. I was just joking. Hey, I don’t want to attend this practical and I am going to the canteen. Come with me if you don’t mind?” she asked.

  Why the hell would I?

  “Oh yes, I’m also damn hungry and I was about to bunk it too.” He said, trying his best not to sound desperate, but he knew he did.

  “Okay, let’s go.” She started walking and he followed.

  The professor did one favour too apart from bashing Ansh. He told them that attendance were not important till their roll numbers were allotted, but he still went to college, every day. The thing that made Ansh a regular student was ‘Angel-eyes’.

  M and I looked at Ansh with a smirk as I finished.

  “What?” Ansh asked, irritatingly.

  “You fell in love with her at first sight? Aww, how cute!” M chuckled.

  “Doesn’t matter now.” He shrugged.

  “Why?” Hearing this from a faithful lover like him astonished me. Even though I knew they were having problems when I left them, I would never think that they could drift apart.

  “You missed a lot here Gajju, you were lucky,” Ansh looked down.

  “Like?”

  “Some other time guys. You’ll get all your life to bitch about my best friend after my death,” she quipped. I took her hand and squeezed her palm in anger.

  “Don’t you ever say that again, understand?” I snapped at her.

  “As if not saying this will bring me a life, c’mon Mithu! You know it’s coming.” I did not have an answer for her, nor did Ansh. We both remained quiet, in tears.

  “It’s the promise time now Mithu!” she said after a brief session of tears.

  “Yes, ma’am!” I bowed at her.

  “Promise me! You will complete your MBBS…no matter what.”

  “I’m with you on this, M!” Ansh chortled.

  “Ah, you know I’m now two years behind my regular batch a
s I missed my final exams, but I promise.” I squeezed her palm again, but this time, softly, passionately. Ansh then headed for the guest room and we spent the night in each other’s arms.

  After having an exhausting sweat session of aerobics, I’m sitting on the sofa opposite the reception table while he is still on the treadmill. He needs to get fitter and better. That’s another promise he’ll have to keep and I’m doing my job – being with him whenever and wherever he needs. After fifteen minutes, I see him coming out, sweating. Day by day, it is getting hard for me to desist myself from desiring him. As I see him more – I want him more. I won’t lie to you about the warmth I feel when he is around. Whenever I think of him, I’m completely smitten by him. And he too is…I know that. Not as much as he used to, but he is.

  “How was it?” He softly asks.

  “Good, but not better than yours,” I say with a wink, complementing his efforts.

  “Aerobics and Cardio are the flip side of the same coin. They cannot be compared.”

  “But seems like cardio is more rewarding,” I continue appreciating him – deservingly so.

  “Good to hear that.”

  “Dhruv, you don’t have to be so formal with me, you know that,” I say with a frown.

  “Let’s not get there now. Tell me, do you want to hear further?” He says distracting my thoughts successfully.

  “I’m not offering you any choice on that, you promised me, remember?” I snap at him.

  “I know ma’am, all I’m trying to say is that we are not alone today.”

  “Then?”

  “Ansh, Angie, Shilpan, Aakash, Harsh, Rishi, all are waiting for you.” I literally jump as I hear that. Only I know how long I have waited for this moment to come.

  “Finally!” I shrug, in joy of course.

  “Yep, finally!” He smiles as we head towards his car.

  He takes me to Ansh’s home where everyone is present already. He introduces me to everyone, and they all greet me cordially. Within five minutes, I gel with them as if I have known them for years. Ansh, who once was finding it hard to get along with me, was smiling and singing with them: “Don’t lose her again bro!” That brings a shy smile on my face. I hug Angie as I meet her – remembering something we both have lost.

  “How are you bro?” Dhruv asks after introducing me to Rishi.

  “Better than you, Dhruv!” He muzzles and Dhruv smiles.

  “I’m sure you are.” He coyly replies.

  He then introduces me to Aakash, Shilpan and Harsh. They all are happy to see us together, finally. After having a long session of chattering, we all are finally silent and waiting for him to start. After reassuring our attention towards him, he pulls out his Mac.

  And he starts reading.

  3 February

  Ansh took the initiative of being my regular supplier for orchids, and in return I allowed his presence when I read to M. I asked for her permission and she, without any reservation, agreed on this. In return, she took a promise from Ansh. Just one promise from Ansh and one every day from me? That was quite unfair. Still, I did not have any objection, as I liked those promises; they weren’t hard, at least not till then. She opened the envelope after kissing the orchids.

  Your always ready to turn red nose, ears,

  Your always blushing and giggling cheeks,

  Your always coming in a way to save you on the crucial moments – hair,

  You cannot take that away from me.

  Just as I sensed this coming, her nose and ears turned red in giggles. By expanding her arms, she ordered me to embrace her. I took her in my arms and gave her a passionate morning kiss. Just then, her folks entered.

  “Oh oh…I should’ve knocked,” Dad shrugged and they both went out. We laughed and informed them to come in.

  “We should learn to knock before coming in.” Mom quipped.

  “I don’t believe it was unintentional,” M retorted.

  “You mother-daughter are impossible!” Dad sighed.

  “And you father-son, so easy.” She winked, triggered tears to fall from mom’s eyes. I could contemplate that they were the tears of joy. I too was having the time of my life with my new family. I managed to call my own parents once a day. They were concerned about where I was but I strictly asked them not to track me, nor ask anything till I get back. A new optimist and a sense of confidence in my voice were playing an agonist too.

  It was now the time to make omelettes. Ansh was already in the kitchen preparing everything to assist me. Mom knew he was the best guy to assist me as he was my regular assistant back in Baroda. I tried to have a conversation with him to coax out what they were hiding, but in vain.

  “Are you going to tell me now?”

  “No Gajju! Please.”

  “Why Ansh? What is it?”

  “You are not ready, buddy! Besides, M has given me strict instructions not to tell you anything.”

  So she was the one who was behind it. M, I hate you for some things. Just as I love you for most others.

  “Okay, I won’t push you then. But you love her, admit it.”

  “It will not make any difference.”

  “It will. You will be ensured.”

  “I’m ensured Gajju! Let me tell you what I feel. I still am in love with Angie, madly, and that’s why it pains more. But if I keep thinking about that now, I’ll screw my final year which I don’t want to. I want to get through, at least for my parents’ sake. Now do you need any more answers?”

  “No, I got it.” I said with a smile, patted his back to calm him. I didn’t intend the conversation to go this belligerent.

  In the afternoon when she was asleep, Ansh and I were together, writing the next part, which undoubtedly was the craziest day of our life. So we both knew that night was going to bring so much fun. M too sensed it when she woke up and was swift in finishing her dinner soup along with the salad, which Ansh had brought from my house. I was having food cooked by my mother after seven months and it never tasted more delicious. After having dinner, we three gathered in our room.

  I opened the diary and started reading,

  Ansh opened his eyes when he felt the touch of green grass tickling inside his ear and the cold breeze of the morning playing with his hair. He knew this wasn’t the feeling he got every morning. He moved his eyes and realized,

  ‘Bloody hell!’ He shrugged.

  He lay in the goalpost of the football ground and his head was spinning with excruciating pain. He anxiously reached inside his pockets to take out his phone, but they were empty.

  ‘How the hell did I arrive here? Where are my friends?’ These were some of the questions which ran in his mind, but the most important part was missing. ‘What happened last night?’

  He stood up and started running towards the hostel. When he was passing through the cricket ground, he saw someone lying flat on the pitch. He got closer, and feared since the figure was appearing like Dhruv. He took a close look and found his ideas turning into reality – he was right.

  “What the hell man!!” Ansh took a big gasp before reaching close to his friend.

  “Gajju!” Ansh yelled and shook his body.

  “Ansh?” Dhruv said with groggy eyes.

  “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Shut the fuck up Ansh, what happened?” He asked appraising his obliteration.

  “Dude look around, you are lying in the middle of the cricket ground.” He stood up with Ansh’s support and looked around.

  “O gosh, my head…” He screamed and placed his hand over his head.

  “I think it’s because of a hangover Gajju!”

  “Don’t get filmy Ansh.”

  “Oh really? I found myself in football ground and you here. What does it mean? Do you remember what happened last night?” Behind Ansh’s sarcasm, there was a hope.

  “No, I think… results came out in the evening, I passed with grace and we decided to party, trying booze for the first time… and…”

  �
��Exactly! Our result, party and then, blank. I remember the same and by knowing the fact that we are college students and still inside the campus, this is even worse than the movies,” Dhruv stood pale, and was as clueless as Ansh was.

  “Now move your ass and let’s go to the hostel. I wish no one has seen us,” Ansh angrily said, because it was Dhruv’s idea to include alcohol and he had pestered Ansh to drink. When they were walking through the campus road, seeing their biggest fear turning real, they saw every person – no matter boy or girl – laughing at them. They were having the same feeling as a male escort would have, watching his family when his true identity is revealed.

  “Dude, some real shit happened last night,” Gajju muttered.

  “As I feared, Gajju!”

  When they were about to reach the hostel, they saw Shilpan coming from a sideway. He was all wet – as if he was all out in the rain and they all knew it hadn’t rained last night.

  “Just tell us where you found yourself?” Gajju asked, cutting off all unnecessary points.

  “In the water tank,” Shilpan dismayed.

  “What????? In the water tank??? Any memory?” Ansh asked astonished.

  “Our result came, and…”

  “Got it, no need to say more. We both are stuck at that part only.” Gajju shrugged in disappointment.

  As they entered inside, they saw thrashed TVs, wardrobes, wooden beds, steel and plastic chairs in the centre hall which was also their basketball court.

  “I’m afraid if we have to do anything with this, Gajju!” Shilpan murmured.

  ‘If he is right, then we are totally fucked up,’ Ansh thought.

  “I’m sorry Shilpan, but I think we have,” Dhruv had prepared himself for every worst scenario.

  “I’ll kill you, bastard!” Ansh gave him a shot of disdain. Dhruv frowned in return.

  They went to the third floor and saw Aakash standing in the lobby.

  “Finally, we will get to know what happened!” Gajju said enthusiastically. The only part they remembered was that Aakash had refused to drink. Dhruv got closer to embrace him, but before he could go any closer, Aakash slapped him. It was so tight that even a self-proclaimed tough guy like Dhruv went numb for a while.