Friday 26 July 2013

it got better

I was reading my journal and like always, stopped at the page full of heart doodles from five years ago.

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It was 11 PM and I was tossing on my bed when my phone lit up. Insomniac me.

"Sup loser? Haven't slept yet? Still troubling the world?", I teased.

"5 AM sharp I'll be at your door - Ooty it is!", my best friend ordered.

"What the?! WHAT? OOTY? Are you insane?! And you are telling me at this hour? NO!", I protested.

"I already spoke to your daddy, approval taken. You, me, Suzie and Ron. My Optra. I'll pick you up first, and then we will go to Suzie's place and then pick up Ron on University road. Now take a bag, and throw in clothes that you can get your hands on. Keep a damned jacket, it will be freezing. I won't give you mine", he cursed.

"It's 11 and I still haven't slept. And I should wake at 4 to be ready at 5 and I still have to pack and all my jeans are yet to be washed and ARGHH! Why do you make such random plans and kill me?!", I was annoyed. I was sleepy now.

"You are such a spoil sport! Let's do a thing. I'll come by at 4 and wake you up, and pack your clothes. You take all the time in the world to take a damned shower. Seriously, why do you girls spend an eternity in the shower?! I really.... ", he was droning on.

"Well then no problem, I think. Let me sleep now. I have 5 hours left", I complained.

"Good night maam, will see you at 4".

 The beeps told me he had hung up.

Pranav is my best friend. We have known each other for four years now. I can eat around him - I don't have to eat a salad when all I want is a cheesy burger. He is the one guy that reads me like a book. He knows my deepest thoughts, dirtiest secrets and knows what a mess I can be. He has stood by me through everything - heartbreaks, bankruptcy, bad grades and more. He has been there for me the nights I have bawled on phone, the nights I have puked and passed out, the nights filled with crazy, insane thoughts. "Life is not a fairytale maam", he would comfort me. Pranav is the best thing that ever happened to me.

Suzie is my bestie. She has been an important part of my life for more than 5 years now. She is the sister He forgot to give me. Ron, is her boyfriend and is a part that's with me since my childhood. By some fabulous stroke of luck, all four of us ended up in the same college and same class room. We four are always so together, that people call us Conjoined Quads aka CQ! I think that's hilarious! And somewhere true. Really true. I love these retards!

I drifted off to sleep that night smiling at all our inside jokes and the fun we have day in and out.

When my doorbell rang at 4, it was as if I had closed my eyelids moments ago.

"Good morning Sleepyhead", he smacked on my head.

"Idiot!"

I tried smacking him back but at a height of 6 feet, he was towering over me.

"Good morning aunty, coffee please?", he was off to the kitchen to my mom.

Before I knew, they had started off a conversation about instant coffee and Barista and CCD! Oh dear God!

I came out of my shower - hair dripping wet, the best of the oldest jeans I owned and a casual tee.

"Don't even think about spending half an eternity blow drying your hair now. I talked aunty into packing your bag and here it is! Let's go!", he beamed.

I couldn't help grinning at his child like glee of having gotten rid of the painful process of packing.

I quickly swiped across some kajal and put on some lip gloss while he was rolling his eyes at me and simultaneously playing Temple Run on my iPad. "Dude it ain't charged", I made a face.

"What do you think my Chevrolet Optra is? Your sweet, sassy two wheeler? I'll charge it in the car meri maa!", he was already walking out of my room to his car. He stood back to give a hug to my mom and by the time I gave her mine, he was screaming from the red car. "Princess of Bangalore, please show your presence". Such a meano!

And off we started with the most random plans of ours in the recent days. Within twenty minutes, Suzie and Ron were in the back seat. It was 5 30 AM and the weather was fantastic. There was a chill in the air and the dew drops had adorned every other plant. As we zoomed by in the empty roads, the city was beginning to wake up. It was Hotel California filling in the car, filling up our souls.

I had planned on catching up with some sleep but whom was I kidding?! With us four together, there was unlimited laughter and pulling legs. There was always just so much to talk, and laugh and share. By 7, our official driver felt the need for coffee again. We parked by and went to a roadside Dhaba on the national highway and slurped on coffee - probably the best we had ever had. DSLRs came out and pictures got clicked. I personally don't like posing. Every other photo of mine has a 'signature retard grin', as Pranav calls it. And that is why I prefer candid clicks. And here I had not one, but two photographers clicking away to glory. Ron was busy with Suzie while Pranav and me continued mocking their public display of affection. "Stay in love you guys!", I wished for them. "And continue the PDA until a cop walks in", Pranav teased.

Back in the car, Ron opened the box of cupcakes - his mom makes the best cupcakes in the world, period. We munched on them as Pranav drove. "You are such insensitive people! I NEED a cupcake!", he yelled. I thrust the whole of the chocolate cupcake into his yelling mouth and stopped the sky tearing scream.

"You'll have it from me!", he glared.

"Try me", I winked.

We stopped by for breakfast around 10 and had the famed dosas in Mysore. The authentic South Indian food is such a treat to the taste buds!

As the car ran swallowing the kilometers, Suzie and Ron had fallen asleep. The chatter had reduced and slowly come to a stand still. Pranav was driving, lost in his thoughts and I was lost looking out of the window - the Nature always got my attention. Almost until about half an hour had passed, I hadn't noticed the silence. It was a good silence. The music player was at volume level 1, the sound of the engine, occasional honking and the wind in my hair. It was 11 AM and Mr. Sun was starting to warm the cold. My hair was still damp and the warmth made me feel better. The car was smelling like us - my shampoo, Pranav's and Ron's deodorants, Suzie's perfume. It was us. I smiled at my stupid thought. This moment, was perfect. It was so serene. Road trips with friends always have the notorious fun and noise accompanying, but this solitude was beautiful. It couldn't have gotten better. There were another three hours of drive required to reach Ooty.

I looked at Pranav's eyes and he looked back, sensing a pair of eyes on his. For the first time in our history, there was no speck of naughtiness in his eyes. There was no shred of fun. The prankster Pranav wasn't there. He looked deep into my eyes and smiled. All this happened in matter of seconds, and I wasn't sure what it was. I leaned back on my seat, stretched my legs and got lost looking out of the window. The trees that run past us always give me a sense of peace and pleasant detachment.


I felt a mild sting on my eyes and I woke up, it was 2 PM. Boy, I had fallen asleep. The Sun was bright - not too hot, but the mild mister I had met in the morning was now shining high.

"Good afternoon maam", Pranav grinned while Suzie and Ron joined him.

"You should have woken me up! Every body fell asleep except you, thank God for that! How did you manage to shut up for so long?!", I laughed at him.

"When I am sweet and wish you after you wake up, you do this. When I make fun of you, I am an idiot. You are so complicated!", he complained.

"Oh god you both!", Ron and Suzie said in unison.

"Whatevs! Did we reach Ooty yet?", I was eager.

"Yup, let us stop by my aunt's house. Homemade chocolate time people!", Pranav announced.

"Whoa cool bro! The treat is on you!", Ron said in his ever-so-excited voice.



We reached Pranav's aunt's house in half an hour's time. It was a beautiful farm house - surrounded by tea plantations. Such pretty women worked there - complete with tea bags and the lovely caps. When the engine finally went off, it was 3 PM. Pranav got down and stretched.

"Ron, you are driving all the way back to Bangalore. I am done! Phew!"

"Here goes all the gymming", I teased.

"Yea yea, 'cuz sleeping in the car almost half way doesn't burn much calories", he made a face.

The maids had already taken our bags into the house and our couple was in their own world, ignoring the world.

Pranav's aunt, a little old lady was such a warm person. She put us at so much ease, it was like being in our own rooms. After some small talk and a heavy lunch, Pranav, his aunt and Ron hit the bed while Suzie was working on her laptop after her boss had called half an hour ago. After giving her my sympathies for the sad internship, I walked out to the car to take my iPad that was supposed to get charged.



"Damn him, it still has 40% battery", I cursed Pranav as I settled on the bonnet of the car. I took his jacket too, it was cold. At 4 PM, Ooty was at its best. The clouds were all above me. They felt so near, I was sure of touching one if I stood on the bonnet. I sat on the bonnet - Pink Floyd in my ears, the heat of the engine and Pranav's jacket keeping me warm. "This got better, I was wrong", I smiled.

Happy thoughts were clogging my brain. Us, our friendship, the Nature, the breeze, his aunt - everything was so beautiful. For a moment, I remembered that interesting smile that he had given me, and something fluttered inside me. In a good way. I think they were butterflies. "Jeez! What is up with me?! He is my best friend!", I scolded myself. But still, that new feeling that I was feeling, was nice. I liked the butterflies. I also smacked myself in the head for the thought. And I still liked. "Have I fallen in love with him?" "Oh dear god!" "Oh well!" "Hmm this jacket smells like him!" "Sheesh Namitha buckle up!" "Sssh you tiny little voices!" "That smile stirred something!" "Okay no!"

While I was lost in the thoughts of his smile and mentally smacking myself for it was inappropriate, I felt something wet my toes. Astonished, I looked down and there he was - the cutest lil pug pup at my foot. He was so so adorable, I think I died for a few moments. He was just so cute! Cooing away and baby talking to him, I noticed a thread tied to his tail. Surprised, I gently tugged at it and found a blurry yet shiny object move in the grass ten feet away. I started pulling it towards me and when it was finally near enough I kneeled down on the ground to examine it. What I saw killed me in a good way. A huge solitaire was shining in all its might and when I looked up, it was Pranav, smiling that smile he had smiled at me in the car. I was taken aback. I was so shocked. Words didn't exist in my brain. I felt a huge cloud filling my head, a pink, fluffy cloud. What was happening?!

"Sleepyhead, sup?", he grinned and pushed the ring up my finger. It fit, perfectly.

Tiny tears were starting to form in my eyes. I bit my lips to hold them back.

"Oye! What the?! Wow don't weep!", he panicked.

I smiled as tears still rolled down my cheeks. He gave a sweet sigh and pulled me into his arms. "Damn you!"

"Eeeeks!", I laughed.

"You know me, please don't expect Ranbir Kapoor like dialogues from me now. Well just know that I love you, a lot. I don't know where I fell in love with you - the midnight talks, your sulky voice, those noodle curls, those signature retard grins, the little kid that broke her heart, your twenty-five-minutes-to-make Maggie, all the leg pulling and arrgh! I don't know. All I know is I love you, and I ain't your beepy ex-boyfriends. Are you willing to spend your life with me? I won't promise you a perfect, fairytale life ahead, but I promise I'll make you laugh, I'll take you shopping as long as you keep me from going broke, and well. I'll listen to you and your stories. Okay? And I already spoke to your daddy, approval taken"

I didn't have words. I was just so lost in his arms, I was yet to confirm whether I was dreaming on the bonnet or this was my reality. But I knew, this was my fairytale ending.



I knew it was my reality when Ron and Suzie pulled both of us into a big, tight hug shrieking their lungs off. "OMG you both!!", they were yelling on the top of their voices. I was still lost, tears still streaming down my cheeks. I was smiling, laughing and crying all at once.

"Suzie, can you please make this damned girl stop her tears? It's scaring me!", Pranav pleaded.

"Oh shut up! You give her a shock of her life like this and ask her not to react? She is THE drama queen after all!", she punched him in his arm and made me face her, wiping my tears away and pulled me into one big sister hug. Pranav and Ron were bro-fisting.

Hearing all the commotion, Pranav's aunt had come out. She sensed everything in seconds and brought out a basket full of home made chocolates. Of course, experience it is!

It was getting dark and the little lamps lit the farm house. Ron and Suzie had gone for a walk with aunt, leaving me and Pranav by ourselves. We sat on the bonnet of his stupid Optra, and he put an arm around me.

"Cold?", he asked.

"Nope, your jacket is mine already, like always", I smiled.

He pecked on my nose and pulled me closer.

After a few minutes, while still gazing into the stars, he asked, "I told you you'll have it from me? See? I won!", he grinned.

"Try me again!", I winked.

We laughed and sat there all night.

The day had gotten still better, so much better.

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"Pranav?", I smiled at him.

He was next to me watching some sports on the TV.

"Hmm?", he looked at me.

"Nothing!", I smiled back.

"Read your journal again? Okay I know, that was the best damned road trip! Can I watch my sports now?", he raised an eyebrow.

The prankster Pranav never really went anywhere.

I sighed.




PS: This is a contest entry on Indiblogger, for Ambi Pur India. It is a piece of fiction. The character names and the places have been used to connect with the readers. Any resemblance to anybody's lives is co-incidental :D

None of the images belong to me. I have taken them from the internet as they fit in so perfectly with my story line.
Image One - Source
Image Two - Source
Image Three - Source
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20 comments:

  1. Namitha. This is awesome!

    heena
    http://icynosure.blogspot.in/

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  2. Dudette I am waiting for your book next!!!!!
    Seriously!!!!!!!!!!!!! Write one ....sooon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    Replies
    1. Haha Pooja! :D I still have a long way to go :D Thank you though, you are a darling! :*

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  3. Beautiful!
    I loved your narrating style.
    You've managed to get the connection between the reader and your work, I think.
    I'm certainly going to visit your blog more often.
    Read this post thanks to the competition.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Brendan, that's really sweet of you :) I am glad you liked it :)

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  4. wow.. cutest story ever.. and i was seriously thinking it is your real story.. :P

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  5. Awww! don't tell me its fiction!
    Its super cute lovely story!
    please do write more such stuff's!
    and all the best!

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    Replies
    1. Lol Rajani, its fiction :D I like making stories in my head, so yeah :D Sure, thanks a lot :)

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  6. Lovely, lovely story....Keep up the good work!

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  7. Loved the read Namitha. The rhythm over the words and the free feel of lines all converging to a great story. Wished all this had actually happened, he he :D All the best!

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    Replies
    1. Lol thanks :D I am a hopeless sappy girl, so this seemed real :D Thank you Vasanth! :)

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  8. Beautiful! Fluid narration, engrossing writing style, and very entertaining. You've got talent; do write some short stories for young adult/teen magazines or websites. It's your genre bang on :) Keep writing (and posting!)

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    1. You are always so sweet! Thank you so much, Vivienne :) I maintain a blog 'cuz I love to write :D Thanks a bunch :)

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  9. Ha Ha! LOL
    Hatke climax! :D
    Good narration!
    almost felt J for a moment! :D

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