Gone By (29 page)

“Why did they kidnapped you”.

“I don’t know”.

“Where were you heading” she asked.

“I was going back to Pune”.

“You know how many miles you’re away from Mumbai”.

“No idea about that”.

“We are in the mid way to Pune....it’s equal distance from here to both the station” she added.

I turned to look outside through the window.

“I believe you must be hungry”.

“Yeah! In extreme”.

She pulled a bag from her side, her hands still controlled over the steering.

“Here, you may find some loafs of bread and butter” she said handing the bag to me.

I could watch her both legs smoothly controlling the brakes and accelerator.

“Thanks” I politely said.

I opened the bag pulled out a bottle of juice. “So, where are you moving” I asked her with concern to know.

“I’m driving to the same place where you were heading....Pune” she said looking at me.

I had finished eating and handed her the bag. She threw it at the bag seat.

“Feeling good” she asked softly.

“Absolutely..feeling better”. She grinned peeking her eyes at me.

“What’s there in that diary” her voice sounded husky.

“Oh! I was writing a story here”.

“Story” her eyes enthused up.

I could project out her face, she was very keen to know about what I had been writing.

“Would you read me out a page, if you don’t mind” she hinted slowly.

“Yeah! For sure”.

I began to read the first page. She kept her ears sharp at every words I spoke out. Her hands handling the steering smoothly.

“Awww!!..So, is it about someone” she said smiling at my face.

“Yeah!..I wrote in someone’s memory”.

“Who’s that” she tends to inquire me.

“She was something that I can never forget”.

“Oh! C’mon stop playing suspense with me and tell me quick” she said flashing a smile.

“It’s about a girl I love” with my eye brow raised.

“Really”.

“Yeah! I actually love her a lot and now she’s no more in my life, a dream to me” I said with calm tone.

She changed the gear. And blew a horn, overtaking a car that was running before us.

“You seem to be a good driver” I said with casual tone.

She grinned at first “Do you think so..and thanks for the compliment”. I nodded my head slowly. “So, go ahead with your story” she said again.

“Who’s that lucky girl on whom you’re writing” her voice whispered softly.

“Her name was beautiful...she was known as Anannya” I said inhaling my breath.

She nodded again, pointing her eyes sharp at my diary.

“Do you have a pen” I asked her.

She gave me a pen and asked “So, you’re going to write the rest of the story”.

“Hoping to fill a page..although it may take time to fill up the whole diary”.

“I would look forward to read it”.

“Sure..I’ll make it a book as soon as it gets over”.

“That’s awesome idea” she said with the peak of enthusiastic tone.

“Really...I just want to do it”.

“I’m really very impressed by your idea. Who could think of that. It’s the expression of thousands words to your love”.

Before I began to write, I thought of making a call to Isha. Just wanted to let her know about my safety. I knew for sure she must have been trying for me since the day before. I had to borrow the cell from the lady. I dialled the number. Somehow, I could recall her number in my brain. From the other end “Hello...who’s this?”.

Since the number wasn’t mine, Isha toned in suspicious voice.

“Hey...Isha it’s me”.

“Jesus Christ..where have you been?”.

“Look..it’s a long story”.

“I tried many a times in your number but couldn’t reach up to you...you tell me are you fine”. “I’m absolutely fine...Just wanted to let you know”.

“Words and your voice doesn’t make me feel you’re fine until your whole body stands before me”.

“Isha just calm down...give me a week and I shall return back to you”.

“I miss your sweet flow of words in your diary”.

My breath hissed “Do take care”.

I cut the phone and handed to the lady. She smiled and gently accepted from me. I held the pen in my hand and opened one empty page. She over took another truck. She was quiet expert in driving. In fact, that was the first time I trusted on a lady driver. She was absolutely far beyond like a race driver on a track.

“You can complete a page of your story” she said and pressed the horn button.

“Yeah! I’ll do that”.

So, passionate was I about writing the story that anywhere I could make a chance to write I couldn’t let my pen stop. Moreover, it’s the story of my life that enthused me to go on with my story in my diary. For moment I was fiddling with my pen. My forefinger from the left hand run on my chin. My elbow slightly bent at some angle, was gently placed at the edge of the window. I thought back, nostalgically about the time that spent away. The days I had with Anannya. I began to make a move of my pen on my diary. The lady gave a short glanced and resumed in her control of the steering. I began to script down.

Seventeen

..................

October, 2008, it was the month of my birthday. I was now one year ahead in my age. Anannya just a year smaller than me. Not only that, we both had our aim to become an electronics and communication engineer. That year, like every other students we were too very busy preparing for IIT and as well as for the AIEEE entrance. Someday, as I was walking through the streets of super market area, the only super market in the town, suddenly a voice knocked my ears. It was very husky and sweet. I turned around to look out amongst the crowd. But in first attempt I failed to notice. It called my name once again. Than  there I could see Anannya waving her hand inside of a restaurant. She waved for me and called me to join her. She was alone in one table. Perhaps, she might have been waiting for her boyfriend. But I paid no stress on that par. I walked towards to her. Pushed the door and entered the restaurant.

“Hey” she smiled as I took the chair to sit.

“I stood like a fool in the middle of this crowd, searching who was calling me” I said.

She laughed “I saw you were very much puzzled”.

“Yeah! I thought who would me knowing me here, am I so popular”.

She peeked her eyes and passed a brief smile.

“Won’t you take something” she said.

“Sure a cup of red tea..as suggested by Mom”.

“ Red tea....why....what happen to you”.

“She advised me to stay away from cold stuff”.

“Are you suffering from some diseases”.

“Cough and cold but mild”.

She pressed her lips and nodded. I ordered for a cup of red tea.

“So, you’re alone here”.

“I have been waiting for my boyfriend since fifteen minutes..then just saw you by the streets and thought of calling you” she said whirling a spoon of sugar in her cup.

“That’s so nice of you” I admitted.

“Where were you heading” she asked.

“I was heading back to home”.

I could see her eyes waited eagerly for her boyfriend. But, inside we both knew there’s something that connected both of us. But, it was very much unspeakable and unattainable. It just resided within both of our hearts. My eyes grew deeper and began to gaze at her keenly. She glimpsed at me with vibes of confusion.

“What happen why you looking at me like that”.

“I don’t know”.

She turned her face down to look at the cup of tea.

“Anannya I just can’t...it floods out with deep pain in my heart seeing you with someone” I sighed.

She stayed silent, her face gradually filled with some slow emotions and fear that flashed before me.

“I understand that you love me very much, it’s not that I don’t love you.....I do, but....” she stopped to speak out the rest.

“But...what...?” I demanded.

“Look I’ve got a boyfriend” she said.

“I’m here to wait for you”.

She turned her face away and looked outside.

“You can’t do that....just forget about me” said Anannya.

“What about that kiss then” I said sharply.

Her face moulded into mixed expression.

“Look...I understand. Trust me, I’ll wait for you. You tell me what I need to do...I’ll do anything that makes you happy”.

“It’s not about that. I know you’ll do for me and I know you can but something holds me back” she added.

“Don’t let your heart cheat on you” I took a sip of tea.

“I know you love me more than anything else in this world..but I don’t know what our destiny says”.

“We can change our destiny...if you just put a little trust on me” I said breathing deeply.

She looked her at me deeply with anguish cry on her face. She began to feel my real need of her. She raised her left hand slowly and rubbed on my left cheek. My eyes filled with unfolded tears that floated, touched by those hairy lashes of my eyes. I could see her eyes grew red like she was suffering from conjunctivitis. I clipped off from my chair. Shifted little away from me. I held her with my right hand and knelt before her. She was like surprised and the moment of embarrassment sculpted around.

“What are you doing...you don’t need to do that” she said softly.

I least bothered about her words. People around the restaurant were watching us very close. “Don’t make me feel embarrass in front of these people at least” she demanded.

  “I understand the prophecy of love. But I beg you not to let go waste the love we have between us. I’m here to wait for you until you start loving me in your own terms. Just give me chance to
show myself that I could  be the one. And I swear I’d do anything that takes to keep you happy all through my life. Don’t say no.. if that’s the answer then just walk away..I’ll never turn to call you again in my life. Anannya will you be mine forever” kneeling on my knees.

People around looked at us with their eyes raised. Some said from the back “C’mon he’s the man for you..don’t let him down”. They began to cheer like it was a game show. Anannya stood in silence. She was stuck in her mind, what to burst out from her mouth. Her face startled out in
surprise. For minutes she
kept herself silence, while the rest of the people stood with their whispers in their mouth. Many insisted to say the word yes, some began to give a sharp look at us. Some gestured with their eyes on me. I was still on my knees holding her hand. Lastly, she grasped me up by my shoulder. I stood stable before her. My gaze at her never tended to diverge away. She finally embraced me, everyone around began to clap. A man shouted “cheers to them”, and all shouted with joy.

After loosening from the tightly embraced position, she walked off outside the restaurant. I smiled briefly at all those people who accompanied the moment with great enthused. I managed to pay the bill and walked out to catch her up. Anannya was waiting outside.

As I reached her “That was really awkward” she said.

“I know..I’m sorry” I said with an apologetic tone.

“It’s fine. You’re such a daring insane” she smiled out peeking her eyes at me as we walked along the footpath.

My face gave a brief expression of being jolly. I blinked my eye at her.

“So, Can I leave now?” I said.

“Want to leave”.

“There your boyfriend..he’s coming”.

She raised her head slightly and looked at him.

“Alright...will see you soon” she said.

I left the place and walked off. That day I realized something about her. Though she said, she loved me, but her heart still in bridge to make the concrete decision and act final to it. I knew the fact she was in love with her boyfriend, yet then it was me who was so obsessed about her. And for the record, I had no idea will she ever love me like I do to her. I caught a taxi and headed back to home.

Life never seemed very smooth but somehow surviving the day today activities that came by. But, most of all it was my Parents who constantly involved me with my academic career. I had to get into some professional college at any cause. But, foremost it was my Father’s wish to get me into Medical. But biology never tackled me well instead I began to dream about Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT). Finally, I could choose from my heart the art of engineering was my main motive to pursue in my life. Though I couldn’t make up to MIT, but I managed to get a technical institute in the country. I always dreamt big in my life. Till now I dream big and thinking of going abroad. I always thought the way I wanted things to be done. That year was really a busy year. All of my friends engaged themselves deeply into their studies. Everyone thought of getting into professional colleges so was I among them. Months have passed on, all rushing into tuition classes. All needed to create a seat into any of the entrance exam.