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

a hostel in Mall Road and will be shifting tomorrow.” I replied

 

“You could have stayed for few more days.” He said in straight tone.

 

“No Uncle its fine, its better I move, it doesn’t feel nice troubling you more.” I replied.

 

“What trouble?? You are Kaushik’s childhood friend and you are welcome to our home every time.” He said.

 

“That’s really very nice of you, but now the time has come for me to leave.” I said looking at Uncle’s face and sideways at Sakshi’s eye for a moment though not long, she was still sitting there. I felt good that she was still there in front of my eyes. My heart sense even she was feeling bad about me leaving, though I may be wrong. It’s very hard to conclude anything about girls just by their gesture.

 

“Okay fine, if you have decided so, but don’t forget us once you leave. You can come anytime you wish.” He said and moved to his room to get freshen up.

 

We all dine together, and this was the last dinner we were having this way, from tomorrow onwards they will not join me for dinner, I said to myself. After dinner we moved to our respective room for sleep. I had a conversation with Kaushik for a while and finally went to sleep.

 

Next morning the day as usual, I got up little late, Kaushik waved me bye before leaving and said he will be back by 5 pm and will help me with my shifting to my new place.

 

Aunty was as usual busy with her household chores and soon it will be time for Raju to come back from school. After freshening I went to dining table for breakfast but was surprised to see Sakshi there having breakfast quietly, I sat opposite to her and smiled.

 

“Didn’t you have classes today?” I asked while Aunty served my plate.

 

“No we are closed this week on account for 10th standard pre-board exams.”

 

“Okay, so how’s your preparation going on?” I said taking bite from my plate

 

“Not yet started, still faraway.” She replied casually.

 

Thereafter we had breakfast quietly; I avoided eye contact with her. I still felt uneasy whenever she was near me.

 

After breakfast, I went straight to my room and started packing my bags. I was arranging my things when she entered. It was hard to believe that the girl who has always been shying away from me was now there in my room on the last day when I was about to leave. She looked beautiful in her those pink churidar.

 

“So leaving today?” She said looking at me.

 

“Yeah,” I replied smilingly.

 

“At what time?” She enquired.

 

“In the evening around 6:00 pm when Kaushik is back.” I said and notice something in her hand. “What’s that?” I said pointing to her hand.

 

“Ohh this, it’s our family photo album.” She said smilingly and came near me.

 

“Want to have a look?”

 

“Yeah sure!!!!”

 

This was the first time she was talking to me in this manner; otherwise it has always been a stranger conversation for the last 10 days. How come this sudden change of behavior, I was wondering to myself? She came and sat near me on the bed, I felt the sweet fragrance of her body. She started showing me all the snaps one after another equally explaining each of them. The activity which could have been finished in 10 minutes took more than an hour; I didn’t mind either and forgot I had things to pack. I knew she was beautiful and had pretty face but she was equally very photogenic as well, I complimented her, on which she smiled.

 

“Look at this one.” She said pointing to her one of the photographs where there were a bunch of girls; she looked classy in those black outfits, like a film actress surrounded by side artists.

 

“You look gorgeous,” I complimented her again.

 

“Thanks!” She said explaining me it was taken during her 10th standard farewell party.

 

After she was done with showing all this, she closed the album and became quiet for a while all those charm on her face vanished suddenly.

 

“What happened?” I said

 

“Nothing.” She replied promptly. She was damn good in giving those one word replies.

 

“So will you be coming every Sunday to our place, as you said to Mom?” She asked in a diffident tone.

 

“Yeah, I will, I have no family here apart from you guys.” I said and wonder how carefully she was listening to our yesterday conversation though she pretended she wasn’t. Girls are always unpredictable; don’t judge them by their gesture I said to myself.

 

“Promise me?”

 

“I did that yesterday.” I said.

 

“No promise me now.” She insisted offering her hand.

 

“Yeah, it’s a promise.” I said while putting my palm on hers. This was for the first time I was touching her hand which was soft and smooth like a feather; I realized and removed my hand immediately. After that she became quiet and started gazing outside the window.

 

“What happened?” I said interrupting her concentration.

 

“Nothing, I should leave.” She said and stood, went to the other room without uttering a single word. Girls are always strange… as said before don’t try to judge them by their act; I bet you won’t be able to succeed.

 

After she left my room, I started recalling those moments that we just shared, her beautiful face that look so vulnerable few moments back. I smiled and started packing things again. After that I went for lunch in the dining room. While eating I thought it’s just matter of few more hours and after that I would be in a new place, will miss everyone, especially the one, Sakshi and this made me feel low. I continued eating quietly. Around 5:00 pm in the evening, Kaushik was back from his office, my packing was all done. We were having tea & snacks in the drawing room. There was a complete silence, everyone was there including Sakshi, her eyes kept staring me from time to time, I noticed her behavior, and today she was different from what she used to be.

 

“Time for me to leave,” I said breaking the silence……. Everyone stood up to give farewell to a stranger who was now a part of their lives. I collected my baggage and started moving, everyone accompanied me to towards the main door. Raju eyes was moisten so were Auntie’s but Sakshi just avoided any eye contact with me and gazed her eyes steadily on the floor.

 

“We will miss you.” Aunty said with moisten eye at the exit of the main gate, I could see Sakshi by the side of her Mom and Raju at the front.

 

“Me too” I reverted, while waving hand to sign off. Kaushik and I put all those baggage in the taxi and I looked once for the last time to say final goodbye while getting into the taxi.

 

We reached hostel around 7:00 pm and met the caretaker, he accompanied us to the room, we got in and kept baggage at one side. Though small, it was a nice room with the interior painted in blue and there was scenery wallpaper right above the bed.

 

“How do you like the room?” Caretaker enquired.

 

“Good.” I said.

 

“Are you a student or working professional?”

 

“Don’t know, let’s see what is there in my destiny, I have come for both.” I replied.

 

He then explained me regarding the timings and discipline; the meal was served twice with morning snacks and tea in the morning. Lunch timing is from 12-2 pm & Dinner 8-10 pm and morning tea till 8:00 am, “If you miss it’s your bad luck.” He emphasize

 

“Okay.” I said.

 

“The hostel gate remains open till 11:00 pm in the night, if you are late for any reason, please inform me in advance. No alcohol & cigarettes inside hostel” he dictated his rules.

 

“Okay”. I responded.

 

“Rent should be paid in advance by 7th of every month.” He said putting stress on the date.

 

Okay, anything else”. I enquired being irate by his diction.

 

“No, make sure you follow all these.” He said and left.

 

I and Kaushik started unpacking my bags and within few minutes everything was arranged, my bed was ready, I always like my room to be organized with each things in its respective place. I kept Lord Krishna idol on the study table. We both lied on the bed for a while.

 

“Hope you will be comfortable here.” He said looking at me.

 

“Yeah, it’s really good.”

 

“I will visit you regularly whenever I have time; don’t forget to come home on Sundays.” He said reminding me of my promise to everyone.

 

“Yeah sure, I will. Thanks Yaar, without you it would have been painful” I said.

 

“I should leave.” He said getting from the bed.

 

I accompanied him downstairs, we went to the nearby tea stall to have tea and snacks, after that he waved goodbye and sat in the auto.

 

This was my first day all alone in this city, I felt homesick, missed my Mom, my family very badly for the first time in these days. I guess the feeling came because I had no one at this point of time, because for the last ten days I was with Auntie’s family and they always made me feel home. I thank them by closing my eyes and prayed for their well-being.

3. New Year Party 2006

I came back to my room and sat quietly on bed, it was around 8:00 pm, I was feeling very lonely, I thought of the days I had spent in auntie’s place. After a while I went for dinner on the first floor. The guy in the kitchen brought my plate containing plain rice, dal, two sabji and salad. The quality of the food was better than what I had expected. Within minutes I completed my dinner and came back to my room and soon fell asleep. The next morning I woke up around 7:00 am had my breakfast and came back to my room. I hardly had anything to do, so most of the day I spend in roaming around the hostel and watching TV. Kaushik had asked me to wait for a few days until he finds a suitable job for me. I made two new friends here, Nikhil and Ujjwal. They were pursuing their graduation and belong from Assam too. I used to spend most of the time with them. The days started passing by in a similar manner and finally it was Sunday morning, I was in my room reading newspaper when there was a knock at my door. I opened and was happy to see Kaushik.

 

“Hello Bro, so how’s life in your new place.” He enquired.

 

“Good,” I smiled.

 

“So what’s the plan for the day?” He asked.

 

“Not sure.” I replied.

 

“Get ready quickly, we are going home, Auntie’s family is waiting for you. We all will have lunch together and then we are going for evening movie show and finally we will have our dinner in a good restaurant. That’s the plan for the day.” He said smilingly.

 

“Okay, sure, thank God! It’s Sunday, this boredom was killing me.” I said and enquired him regarding my job update.

 

“Ohh yes, I have spoken to my boss regarding your job, will let you know in a few days, chances are they might hire you.” He said.

 

“Thanks Yaar.” I said.

 

We stayed in the room for around one hour