Forbidden Desire, Ritesh Prasad [chrysanthemum read aloud .TXT] 📗

Kaushik and gave a brief about Asif and then had our usual talk. Half an hour later Sakshi called us and we had our dinner together on the dining table. Asif was there helping Sakshi in serving dinner for everyone. I felt like he was the family member and Aunty, Kaushik and me were his guest. I felt disgusted and left soon after diner and yes as obvious in his Pulsar bike in Dhoom style. He was riding bike like a rocket. I request him “Bro I’m in no hurry…please drive slow” he said not to worry and assured I would reach home in one piece. I just prayed his wordings would come true.

 

I thank him for dropping me home and entered my flat. I kept my bag and sat on the bed. Somewhere I knew I did not like this guy called “Asif”. May be it was my jealousy but his show-off attitude pissed me. I gave a damn care and lighted a cigarette and my mobile rang I knew it was Sakshi.

 

“Hey Honey!!!! Reached home safely.” She enquired.

 

“Yeah in one piece…thanks to your friend Asif, as said he dropped me home in less than 10 minutes. He should audition for next Dhoom movie.” I taunted

 

“See I told you na!!!! He rides superb. Everyone in College calls him John. He is popular not only for his looks but also for his stunts.” She added excitedly.

 

“Hey hey…one minute how come you know he rides superb? When did you experience that?” I said in irritated tone.

 

“Yeah I know because sometimes he drops me after college.” She added.

 

“What?? He drops you often to your home. But he stays in far opposite direction. Why he does that for you…Beside that you never told me that. That’s not fair Sakshi.” I added.

 

“Ohh Comon Rohit ….he is just a good friend of mine. I might have forgotten to tell you about him before, there is nothing to get so hyper.” She replied calmly.

 

“Ohhh really…. I am not getting hyper. But a guy drops you home often I don’t find this interesting as well.”

 

“Why are you so concerned regarding him dropping me home and by the way he knows everything about us… so no need to overreact he is just my good friend.”

 

“Great!!!!!! He is aware of our relation… So you have become so close that you have started sharing things about our relationship with him. Since how long do you know him?? May be since college days…right? And I am your boyfriend for the past 3 years and I don’t know anything about your friendship with him. Great it’s totally great.” I said in exasperation.

 

“Rohit now you are exaggerating the issue… he is not from my class and I was introduced to him by one of my college friend few weeks back. How often do we meet so that I could tell you about him?”

 

“Okay …so just in few weeks he has become so close that he drops you home and you discuss our relationship with him… See Sakshi trust me I am not being possessive and I have never acted like this ever in 3 years….you know that very well. But I think your closeness with this guy might put you in trouble… it’s just an advice. Rest all depends upon you.”

 

“U don’t trust me? You mean I will ditch you for this guy. Common say na ? .. You mean that…right?”

 

“No Sakshi I never mean that…nor I question your loyalty but I doubt your innocence. You don’t understand his mindset. Try to understand you have known him just for last few weeks. He stays far away from your house and that also it doesn’t falls to his regular route. Still he drops you home and today he was there for the first time in your house and we felt like we were his guest. This is not friendship neither he is interested in favoring you. He likes you …I guess and if you continue like this way then I doubt he will propose you one day.” I said with a long breath.

 

“What rubbish… he is just my friend. I think you over reacting; I told you before and I am repeating it again…God damn he clearly knows about our relationship. I think you had a bad day in office... calm down and go to sleep. We will talk later.”

 

 

“I just warned you about the consequences…rest choice is all yours. Good Night Honey.”

 

“Don’t worry…nothing will happen... Good night Babbyyy.” She said and disconnected the call.

 

I found her behavior really strange today and could have counter her diction but at the same time didn’t want to upset her. So I overlooked what happened today and went to sleep. I tried hard but could not sleep and was just tossing on bed. I started questioning myself. Was I really over reacting? Did I say anything wrong? Have I become over possessive these days? Then my heart assures, “You were just being concerned about her because you love her…there is nothing wrong it.” So I calmed myself that everything will be fine. I will talk to her regarding this some other day with a cool mind, with this self-assurance I turned on my left and put one hand on my cheeks and felt asleep.

 

Few weeks later:

 

But I was wrong I should have had stop her then and there. My ignorance in this matter cost me a lot. I came to know from her that Asif calls and texts her regularly. I could see this Asif’s cool dude effect clearly on her as one day she told me, “Rohit why don’t you buy a bike. How long will you continue to commute office in auto and bus. On Sundays we will go for long drives. How romantic that would be?”

 

“Sakshi it sounds good…but you know my financial conditions I have a family to support plus my own expenses and now I have also taken a bank loan to finance my Executive MBA course. I am doing this to upgrade my qualification so that I could apply for better jobs. It’s hard to sustain in this salary, you are asking me to buy a motorbike??” I said in exhaustion.

 

“I know everything but you need to change this. How long will you keep on struggling? When will the day come when we will have our own house, we will have branded clothes if not a car than at least a bike. Why don’t you change your job?”

 

“Again bike!!! Please stop it now….it’s beyond my reach.” I said being irked.

 

“Okay okay I understood… no more bike demand.” She said raising her hands.

 

“I am just a plain graduate…what I am earning is not going to change in leaps and bounds even If I change my job. That’s why I am doing this Executive MBA course with a hope that I will find someday a high paying job and that could change our life. I also had dream like yours but unfortunately my dreams remained dream only could not turn into reality……you know my past and my upbringings, I never had a family support.” I said in heavy voice.

 

“Okay Okay… I understood by baccha no more sentimental talks. Who said you don’t have a family support. We are a family and I will support you once I complete my studies. Together we will achieve everything. Also I will pray that soon you find a good package job.” She said and hugged me.

 

“You are very far from reality…it never happens overnight. For better package job you need better qualifications, this is where I am lacking. Anyways let’s hope for the best. Besides that, if I have you by my side I can achieve anything. Your support means a lot to me. My Honey!!! I said and patted a quick kiss on her lips and she responded back with crossing her hand over my neck and slowly my eyes started closing so were hers and my hands moved around her waist she was melting on me slowly and slowly like a hot knife touches the butter; then suddenly her mobile rings flashing Asif’s name. I just took the mobile from her hand disconnected the call. I did so to show my authority and to prove that no one has the right to interfere in our personal moments not even Asif.

 

After our intimate moments I was there relaxing in bed while she was there preparing tea in the kitchen. There was a SMS beep on her cellphone. I opened to read it.

 

“I am sorry if that hurts you.

Please forgive me.

Hope we will always remain friends!!!!!”

 

I got curious what this apology was all about. Though I have never done this before nor I liked infiltrating her space. But this time I was tempted to do so. I started thoroughly going through her SMS and call lists. Though I didn’t find much but I understood this guy was regularly texting and calling her for past few weeks.

 

In the meantime Sakshi entered room with tea in her hand. I have always been a straight forward person throughout my entire life. So instead of hitting around the bush I directly target the bull’s eye. I showed her the SMS and needed explanation what was his apology all about. Sakshi took the cellphone from my hand and switched it off and kept it aside.

 

“You didn’t answer my question?” I asked her.

 

“Just ignore Rohit its nothing like that is brewing in your head.” She replied trying to avoid the topic.

 

 

“So make me understand what is there…. I have every right to know. Are you having an affair with him?”

 

“Rohit!!!!! How can you say that to me?” She screamed.

“After three years of our courtship, do you think I can do something like that? I have told you thousand times you are the first and final Man in my life.”

 

“When you talk with Nisha over phone. Have I ever pointed at you? Even till date she keeps you calling. She yelled at me again”

 

“Sakshi please don’t divert the topic. Nisha and me are good friends since long even before you entered my life and you are fully aware of that. Okay I admit I had a crush on her but that was during College days. It was way before I came to Kolkata and beside that I have I told you everything about me and Nisha even before we got into relationship. So no question of raising finger at me.” I countered her

 

(Nishaka her full name I used to call her Nisha. The first girl in my life whom I still admire and respect a lot. We became friends during College days but unfortunately our relationship could not extend beyond that. I was planning to profess my feelings to her but before it could happen, one day she broke the news that her marriage was fixed and after few months she got married in 2005, the same year I came to Kolkata. Though it has been more than 3 years I haven’t met her but yes we are still in contact and sometimes do casually interact with each other over phone. Till date we are very good friends and promised to remain so forever.)

 

 

 

 

“Yes I know and so do I never question your equation with her., because I trust you. So you should be doing the same.”

 

“Before blaming me with such allegations…you need understand there can be other reasons too. And you know what because of your hyper attitude I don’t tell you many things.”

 

She was right this time…I think I was over reacting so I calmed myself and sat quietly on the bed.

 

“Now if you want to listen what the SMS is all about… you got to trust me and promise me you will not get hyper… promise me.” She said looking into my eyes.

 

“Okay… I promise.” I said in a straight tone

 

“Good… then listen Asif used to call me often and used to text me those flirty SMSes. But I had no idea he would do this to