Monday 17 February 2014

More Ridiculous - (4)

Those of you new here,

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

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Within the next half an hour, I had composed myself. The butterflies nodded with the thought process. "No Nam, you are better than this. You shall not hit on a man that's taken. Until you find the next ridiculously hot guy, we will not flutter. Hand on heart".

They all flew out of the window to the maddening traffic of Bangalore. I was finally setting my insides back into order and returning to my usual tempo of heart-beat, breath and social awkwardness.

"Its okay", I told myself, "You'll be alright".

I did all this with the mint vanilla combo hitting me every time he shifted and made himself more and more comfortable. By the time the bus almost halted at my stop, Dhruv was friend-zoned. Or, I was. 

"NAM WAKE UP!", sleepy eyed Ritu started jostling me like she did every evening. I always fell asleep. Madam had  assumed that I was asleep that evening too.

She shook me so hard, it woke up Dhruv.

"Darn I fell asleep!", he rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair.

"Ofcourse you did, Sherlock".

Why was he so dorky? Or, why was I being mean?

But then, if it was anything I had learnt from How I Met Your Mother, the only way to get over someone is to put them off the pedestal. Don't make them into quasi god.

"Well lets rush! The stop is almost here!", he sprung up with his bag and reached the door in ten quick steps.

"The bus is at the stop, the stop stays there all day", I followed him.

"Very funny, Nam", he made a face.

I winked at him and proceeded to cross the road whilst I continued adoring the random stray pup on the footpath.

"Hey!", he grabbed me by my arm and pulled me beside him, while a very scorned driver drove past me in his stupid taxi. My head mildly hit his shoulder, and the mint vanilla damnitness hit my nasal region. I think Biology has got it all wrong. The nasal passage passes through that part of the brain that makes you want to turn around and kiss him. And then it goes to that part of the brain that reminds you that he has a girlfriend and you are a total bitch if you hit on him knowing he has her. Finally, it ends in that part that pats you on the back and pacifies you Sheldon style, "There there".

"Watch where you walk", he smacked on my head.

"That pup is just so cute!", I was astonished. At the improvement of my gain-composure-ASAP skills.

"He is, right? Well hey lets go to Goli? Long time I binged on junk. I have to hit the gym at 9, so 6 is perfect for junk. Treat is on me. My first day was awesome!"

"Umm I have to hit the gym now, why don't we hog over the weekend?"

"Oh, which gym?"

"The one on the third floor, J.P.Building one"

"Okay honestly are you kidding me? That is where I go gymming! How on earth we haven't met before?! Jeez this is so annoying!"

"May be because I leave the gym at 7 30 and you reach around 9? You know that one half hour time gap? Yea, that one matters"

"How about you hit the gym with me? Everyday?"

I didn't know what to respond with. Of all things, I didn't want to sweat like a pig in front of him. I wasn't hitting on him anymore, but I still had a lot of butterfly garbage to clean up with. Plus, it was too early to spend so much time with him. Or so I thought.

"Okay maam, here's the thing. I'll hit the gym at 6 from tomorrow, cool? I am so glad we met!"

Creepy. Weirdo.

"Yea okay, cool". I gave him a thumbs up.

By then, we had navigated through over-enthusiastic-cloud-man guys jogging , little kids being Sachin Tendulkars, Ronaldos and the like on the road.

"Well this is my street. Will catch you tomorrow, take care. Have a nice evening ahead!", I flipped around to leave after shaking his hand.

"Nammmm wait! Give me your number, I shall call you in case I run late again. If I make it early, I'll come here and we can go to the stop together. My place is like 6 minute walk from here"

Because a five-minute-or-multiples-of-five-minute walks are too mainstream.

"Haha sure! Here". I gave him my number. He sent me an instant ping.

WhatsApp : One New Notification: *random numbers I was too lazy to read* Hey! Dhruv here 


"Got it", I smiled. 

"Thanks so much for today, Nam. I hope I wasn't too much of a botheration. You too take care. Have a nice evening. I will go meet her now, its been two days and already feels like an eternity! Gosh I love her! Well bye!"

"Aaw yea. Bye"

I went home and retired for the day. I didn't want to break my head over this guy I had met less than 24 hours ago. He is hot BUT has a girlfriend. Plus he is a little weird. I mean over enthu. Umm. But he is just so ridiculously hot.

I thought while I stared at his smiling face in his WhatsApp profile. And his status.

When I am sad, I stop being sad and start being awesome.

Hello, Barney.


 It was time to phone the best friends. And by analyzing the huge data collection I got in the form of opinions by close to half a dozen people, he was eternally friend zoned.

And when I finally hit bed that night, it was all so sorted. He was a friend, one that seemed like will make into the good friends list.

From the next morning, it was all regular.

Life became black and white. Most days he would come by and wait for me, making sure I never really missed the bus again. My mom was so grateful to him. So so grateful, his morning coffees were spent at my place, both of them ganging up against me. And then we would reach college, split up to meet the respective friends and the like, throw in occasional waves if found in each other's vicinity.

Evening bus rides were nice. We would discuss a hundred things - from how the day went, to me listening to his relationship troubles to him listening to my stupid stories and theories. The usual tiny, teeny problems. Like him forgetting to wish her on the monthly anniversary, or her not calling him when she was supposed to.

Within a span of six months, he had become one of my very good friends.

And over an year, he was my best friend. The crush was gone and I was absolutely myself with him. I was one of the people he depended on, too. The age gap of four years was the reason behind our friendship. He won over my friends and I was okay with his brand new ones. He even got me introduced to his Goli circle. I had met a few amazing people over the months. We all hung out now and then. He understood my emotions and thoughts like nobody did, listened to all of my stupidity and sometimes- profound thoughts, told me the right things to do, and sounded like he was always agreeing with me. But at the end of the day, he always made sure I was doing the right thing - making peace with the past, planning a future, not hit people in the nose, be more regular at the gym, not run over drivers that innocently zoomed past me while I drove. I could call him at 3 AM and sob on phone, or tell him the just-thought-about-it thoughts, and he would patiently listen to me. And still not be late for the bus the next morning. He was the perfect best friend material.

I took care of him too. Sometimes I would write him his records, prepare my very wonderful Maggie on sluggish Saturday afternoons just before his big dates with Priya. Oh yes, I had made peace with that fact too. I had met her on his birthday, when she came to the college to surprise him. They made a nice couple.

Overall, all was well in the world and I was glad for not having messed up.

Two years passed by and I graduated, and got a decent job. Dhruv too graduated, landed a fantastic position and was working. The frequency of meetings came down to once a week, and then to a month. Life got hectic. Not missing the morning bus wasn't my only concern of the day anymore. I had dated a couple more of wrong guys by then and he was there, right beside me, right when I needed him, like always.

One very horrible Monday noon, when I was neck deep in work, trying hard to hit the deadline than plot my boss's murder, my phone rang.

Uttering some very un-ladylike words, I looked at the screen.

Dhruv Calling

I was seeing his name on my screen after like twenty days, that was when he had called last. I was instantly guilted into not having made an effort to call him. Still, it was very unlike him, to give me a call like that in the middle of the day when we were both so busy in office.

"Sup yo mister?"

"Nam! Listen up, emergency. Lily called like five minutes ago, and was wondering if we can go to Goa this weekend? Friday is already a holiday. Let's take a leave on Thursday. That gives us close to three complete days in Goa. You, me, Lily, Akki, Shrav, Pinto. What say?"

"I don't think I can take a leave, Dhruv. I mean its.."

"Will you ask your moronic boss or shall I? You do remember he is my very old senior?"

"Crap no! I will."

"Awesome. "

"Dhruv listen up Priya is joining in too, know?"

"Not really, she has too many commitments this weekend. Listen up, this evening I'll pick you up from office. I need to go shopping. Be my fashion guide. Please. I'll buy you shoes."

"Aaww that poor thing! Well, done. Be here by 6. Bye"

"Bye Nam"

The expectations from a fun vacation with the Goli circle got me going and I hit my productivity level : extreme. By 5 45, everything was done. My usually annoying, snooty boss was surprisingly okay with me not being present in the office that Thursday.

Sharp 6, while I was re-applying my lipstick and making my annoyingly long hair slightly human and presentable, my phone rang.

"I am here already, where are you?"

"Give me five minutes"

"Shoes or five minutes?"

"I am there!"

I practically ran out the wash room and to the elevator, ready for a fun evening with my favorite person in the whole wide world. I ran like if I didn't run, I would miss the bus.

The sky was pink and purple. Illuminated.



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PS: Hi! I am back. Nope, not dead.
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2 comments:

  1. Hey!! This is a ridiculouslyy sweet fiction. Loved it soo much. Namitha and Dhruv <3
    Please continue soon (:

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey! Thank you so much, Kangan :) Haha yea, the next chapter will be out soon :)
      PS: I like your name :)

      Delete

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