Is love a deal between two people? Or is it a feeling which helps you grow and makes you see the brighter side of life?
Love is nothing but a process of discovering the other side of your personality, which was never exposed, because the person who completed you was never around.
If love makes you powerful, if you feel lifted up, if you feel together, then that love stays forever, even if the person departs.
***
Raji couldn't wait to go over to Rafey's place that night. She messaged him saying that she won't be RJing the next day, so he could take her to the Gulmohar tree too.
Rafey read the message and replied, "Sure. But it'll be REAALLYY late. Is that fine?"
Raji messaged back, "Np. Mom's not in town :P"
Rafey smiled, as he read the message. He felt a sense of responsibility towards Raji. He looked forward to see her too.
After a hectic day at the work, Rafey called up Raji. "Raji, you're coming home right?", Rafey asked, as soon as she received the call, just to confirm whether the plan was still intact.
"Where were you? Your phone is unreachable since 2 hours!", Raji yelled.
"Ohh. I am sorry!", Rafey replied, now knowing what to say, "You coming, right?", Rafey asked again.
"Ofcourse, you dumbo. I don't know your house. You will have to pick me up. This is what I wanted to call and tell you", Raji said.
Rafey laughed.
"Where should I wait?", Raji asked.
"Downstairs. I am in the C-wing of MEGA. I will pick you up", Rafey said coolly.
"Yeah, ok", Raji replied, rushing towards the door.
Raji waited near the exit of the B-Wing and watched Rafey approach her.
"I hope you don't mind sitting on my bike", Rafey asked.
Raji kept her keys in her bag and hopped over the pillion seat, dropping the idea to take her car.
"This is nice", she said.
"What?", Rafey asked, as he kick started his bike.
"Your bike!", Raji replied.
"This is Chachu's bike", Rafey smiled, as he took off towards the exit gate of MEGA.
"Rafey", Raji called out.
"You want to listen to some music?", Raji offered the ear plug to Rafey.
"The distance is hardly 3 kms, Raji. We might as well talk", Rafey said.
"Ok, tell me then! How was your day?", Raji asked.
"Good. I will tell you more what happened, after I buy chicken. I hope that's ok", Rafey said.
"Yeah, from where do you buy chicken?", Raji asked.
"Javed Miyaa", Rafey replied, considering, Raji knew who Javed Miyaa was.
After riding a few meters, Rafey stopped by Javed's shop and went to buy the preparatory stuff for chicken.
Raji waited near the bike, as she noticed Rafey and Javed converse. After a few seconds, Javed waved at her. She waved back. Rafey ended the conversation with a satisfied smile which he maintained until he came to the bike and talked to Raji.
"What did you tell him?", Raji asked Rafey, wondering what was the conversation that went between the two men a while ago.
"Nothing. I told him who you were. So he waved at you", Rafey said.
"You told him that I was your girlfriend?", Raji interrogated curiously.
"No", Rafey said, "Then?", Raji probed.
"I told him that you were my Gulmohar buddy. And he just expressed his happiness", Rafey replied honestly
.
Raji smiled, blushing.
"So you told people about how we had a nice time at the tree in the park back when we were kids? Huh? ", Raji asked.
"Ofcourse. Those were the only days I talk about. Rest, all passed by in a flash", Rafey confessed.
"Really?", Raji asked, as they drove past the huge gate and entered the colony where Rafey's chawl was located.
"Here we are!", Rafey said, as he stopped his bike by a flag pole.
"Is chahchu home?", Raji asked, "I should have brought some sweets, Rafey. Let's go back. Why didn't it strike me then!", Raji said, all together, without pausing for breath.
"Yes, Chachu is home and he is DIABETIC!", Rafey emphasized on the word and convinced Raji that it was really ok, if she hadn't brought sweets.
Mansoor stood at the balcony, overhearing the entire conversation, especially the DIABETIC part.
"Yes Rascal. Devoid me of all good and sweet things!", he called out.
"Chachu!", Rafey looked up, startled, wondering whether he'd offended Mansoor.
Raji looked perplexed. Rafey clarified, "That's the way he is. It's his love for me. Don't be scared", Rafey said.
"Why should she be scared. Is she some sweet that I will hog her up?", Mansoor said in a louder tone.
Raji chuckled. "Come up beta. Leave him behind. Ya, get the chicked though!", Mansoor said.
Raji looked at Rafey, as Rafey signalled her to move ahead, as he followed her smiling all the way.
***
Raji chatted with Mansoor all the time, while Rafey prepared dinner. The aroma of the delacacies filled the room.
Raji commented, "Rafey, it smells awesome. Why don't you hurry up! I am hungry already"
"Gimme 10 more minutes", Rafey called out from the kitchen.
Mansoor looked at Raji intently. Raji looked back at him and asked, "What are you looking at chachu?"
"At you, beta. You look like your father. Same eyes with same compassion", Mansoor complimented.
Raji smiled and said, "Chachu, you should come home to meet papa. He will be very happy to see you!"
Mansoor smiled, "Yes.. Yes..", he slipped into a thought stream.
Meanwhile, Rafey started setting up dinner. Raji helped him with it. While she took a look at the preparations,she said, "You can be a great cook!"
"You've not even tasted it, Raji. Comment, once you taste, Alright?", Rafey said with all humility.
Raji smiled back and wondered what keeps some people so grounded. Is it hardships that they face or is it a humble bringing up.
She thought, she needed to get a lot of things in place for herself too. Raji realised, she was never able to compliment openly, be true about her feelings to the other person, and here, she was saying all that she ever wanted to say.
She wondered whether it was because the other person was Rafey, with whom she had suddenly found a lost comfort, or was it the time, the kind of people she was with, that she felt she won't be judged.She discovered somethings which she never knew about herself.
After relishing a delicious dinner she said, "Rafey, today I had the best chicken ever".
Rafey simply smiled.
Raji added, "Chachu, you are one lucky dude"
Mansoor broke into a laughter, "Yes. Rafey is a great great cook"
Rafey kept staring at Mansoor and exclaimed, "Thank you Chachu. I've heard this for the first time in my entire life! Raji, you better keep visiting us!"
Raji and Mansoor laughed together.
It felt like the old times, when Shareeq fed Rafey and Raji under the Gulmohar tree, when Mr and Mrs Ahuja went out for work.
Raji became emotional and said, "I miss Shareeq miyaa".
Rafey sat there silent, smiling. Mansoor looked at Rafey and nodded. Raji looked at Rafey, noting a change in his expression.
"You want to come for a walk? Or you like Chachu's company better?", Rafey asked.
Raji got up, and said, "Chachu, Can I go?"
Mansoor nodded, as they both got down, and moved towards Rafey's solace place - The Gulmohar tree.
to be contd..
Onto Chapter 13: RJ Speaks
Back to Chapter 11: Knowing Each Other
Back to the Index
Back to Prologue
Love is nothing but a process of discovering the other side of your personality, which was never exposed, because the person who completed you was never around.
If love makes you powerful, if you feel lifted up, if you feel together, then that love stays forever, even if the person departs.
***
Raji couldn't wait to go over to Rafey's place that night. She messaged him saying that she won't be RJing the next day, so he could take her to the Gulmohar tree too.
Rafey read the message and replied, "Sure. But it'll be REAALLYY late. Is that fine?"
Raji messaged back, "Np. Mom's not in town :P"
Rafey smiled, as he read the message. He felt a sense of responsibility towards Raji. He looked forward to see her too.
After a hectic day at the work, Rafey called up Raji. "Raji, you're coming home right?", Rafey asked, as soon as she received the call, just to confirm whether the plan was still intact.
"Where were you? Your phone is unreachable since 2 hours!", Raji yelled.
"Ohh. I am sorry!", Rafey replied, now knowing what to say, "You coming, right?", Rafey asked again.
"Ofcourse, you dumbo. I don't know your house. You will have to pick me up. This is what I wanted to call and tell you", Raji said.
Rafey laughed.
"Where should I wait?", Raji asked.
"Downstairs. I am in the C-wing of MEGA. I will pick you up", Rafey said coolly.
"Yeah, ok", Raji replied, rushing towards the door.
Raji waited near the exit of the B-Wing and watched Rafey approach her.
"I hope you don't mind sitting on my bike", Rafey asked.
Raji kept her keys in her bag and hopped over the pillion seat, dropping the idea to take her car.
"This is nice", she said.
"What?", Rafey asked, as he kick started his bike.
"Your bike!", Raji replied.
"This is Chachu's bike", Rafey smiled, as he took off towards the exit gate of MEGA.
"Rafey", Raji called out.
"You want to listen to some music?", Raji offered the ear plug to Rafey.
"The distance is hardly 3 kms, Raji. We might as well talk", Rafey said.
"Ok, tell me then! How was your day?", Raji asked.
"Good. I will tell you more what happened, after I buy chicken. I hope that's ok", Rafey said.
"Yeah, from where do you buy chicken?", Raji asked.
"Javed Miyaa", Rafey replied, considering, Raji knew who Javed Miyaa was.
After riding a few meters, Rafey stopped by Javed's shop and went to buy the preparatory stuff for chicken.
Raji waited near the bike, as she noticed Rafey and Javed converse. After a few seconds, Javed waved at her. She waved back. Rafey ended the conversation with a satisfied smile which he maintained until he came to the bike and talked to Raji.
"What did you tell him?", Raji asked Rafey, wondering what was the conversation that went between the two men a while ago.
"Nothing. I told him who you were. So he waved at you", Rafey said.
"You told him that I was your girlfriend?", Raji interrogated curiously.
"No", Rafey said, "Then?", Raji probed.
"I told him that you were my Gulmohar buddy. And he just expressed his happiness", Rafey replied honestly
.
Raji smiled, blushing.
"So you told people about how we had a nice time at the tree in the park back when we were kids? Huh? ", Raji asked.
"Ofcourse. Those were the only days I talk about. Rest, all passed by in a flash", Rafey confessed.
"Really?", Raji asked, as they drove past the huge gate and entered the colony where Rafey's chawl was located.
"Here we are!", Rafey said, as he stopped his bike by a flag pole.
"Is chahchu home?", Raji asked, "I should have brought some sweets, Rafey. Let's go back. Why didn't it strike me then!", Raji said, all together, without pausing for breath.
"Yes, Chachu is home and he is DIABETIC!", Rafey emphasized on the word and convinced Raji that it was really ok, if she hadn't brought sweets.
Mansoor stood at the balcony, overhearing the entire conversation, especially the DIABETIC part.
"Yes Rascal. Devoid me of all good and sweet things!", he called out.
"Chachu!", Rafey looked up, startled, wondering whether he'd offended Mansoor.
Raji looked perplexed. Rafey clarified, "That's the way he is. It's his love for me. Don't be scared", Rafey said.
"Why should she be scared. Is she some sweet that I will hog her up?", Mansoor said in a louder tone.
Raji chuckled. "Come up beta. Leave him behind. Ya, get the chicked though!", Mansoor said.
Raji looked at Rafey, as Rafey signalled her to move ahead, as he followed her smiling all the way.
***
Raji chatted with Mansoor all the time, while Rafey prepared dinner. The aroma of the delacacies filled the room.
Raji commented, "Rafey, it smells awesome. Why don't you hurry up! I am hungry already"
"Gimme 10 more minutes", Rafey called out from the kitchen.
Mansoor looked at Raji intently. Raji looked back at him and asked, "What are you looking at chachu?"
"At you, beta. You look like your father. Same eyes with same compassion", Mansoor complimented.
Raji smiled and said, "Chachu, you should come home to meet papa. He will be very happy to see you!"
Mansoor smiled, "Yes.. Yes..", he slipped into a thought stream.
Meanwhile, Rafey started setting up dinner. Raji helped him with it. While she took a look at the preparations,she said, "You can be a great cook!"
"You've not even tasted it, Raji. Comment, once you taste, Alright?", Rafey said with all humility.
Raji smiled back and wondered what keeps some people so grounded. Is it hardships that they face or is it a humble bringing up.
She thought, she needed to get a lot of things in place for herself too. Raji realised, she was never able to compliment openly, be true about her feelings to the other person, and here, she was saying all that she ever wanted to say.
She wondered whether it was because the other person was Rafey, with whom she had suddenly found a lost comfort, or was it the time, the kind of people she was with, that she felt she won't be judged.She discovered somethings which she never knew about herself.
After relishing a delicious dinner she said, "Rafey, today I had the best chicken ever".
Rafey simply smiled.
Raji added, "Chachu, you are one lucky dude"
Mansoor broke into a laughter, "Yes. Rafey is a great great cook"
Rafey kept staring at Mansoor and exclaimed, "Thank you Chachu. I've heard this for the first time in my entire life! Raji, you better keep visiting us!"
Raji and Mansoor laughed together.
It felt like the old times, when Shareeq fed Rafey and Raji under the Gulmohar tree, when Mr and Mrs Ahuja went out for work.
Raji became emotional and said, "I miss Shareeq miyaa".
Rafey sat there silent, smiling. Mansoor looked at Rafey and nodded. Raji looked at Rafey, noting a change in his expression.
"You want to come for a walk? Or you like Chachu's company better?", Rafey asked.
Raji got up, and said, "Chachu, Can I go?"
Mansoor nodded, as they both got down, and moved towards Rafey's solace place - The Gulmohar tree.
to be contd..
Onto Chapter 13: RJ Speaks
Back to Chapter 11: Knowing Each Other
Back to the Index
Back to Prologue
aage???
ReplyDeleteKal daalungi! :D
ReplyDelete