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

need to worry.” I said and gave her assurance.

 

“Okay, now it’s already late, I am going to sleep, bye & take care and you also sleep quickly, see you tomorrow.”

 

“Bye Bye! Good Night.” I said and the call was disconnected from her end.

 

I kept my cell phone aside and lay down on bed, thinking about our conversation. In these few months she had changed a lot, I first notice change on her when I was leaving her home and packing my bags for the hostel, that was the first time we talked. We used to exchange few words thereafter, while I went to their place during Sundays, but not in this manner the way we had today. “Ohhh, I am so lucky to find a new beautiful friend like Sakshi.” I said to myself while turning myself to the other side of the bed and resting my cheeks on my palm, I was smiling , I was feeling very happy, her face was shining in my eyes. I had always kept a safe distance with girls all during my college days, though I had a few crushes but never had the guts to express my feelings. This was for the first time I was having a girl so close to me. She called me friend, that’s so nice of her. This New Year is really going to bring happiness in my life, her presence in my life is going to change my life entirely, and I felt it that way, but the next moment I resisted my happiness and questioned myself, “Am I digging too much out of this???, there is nothing to be so excited She just called casually I reprimanded. But again, my heart says, “No Dude…. I think she is really interested in you. She wants you to call her again, that’s why she asked you to save her number.” I was completely lost in her thought and I was looking at her SMS again and again and the words there “Save my number”. I kept on smiling like a fool and don’t know when I fell asleep.

 

Next day in the morning I got a call from Kaushik and as expected, he invited me for the New Year Party in their home. I pretended as if I was not aware of it as instructed by Sakshi. I confirmed him that I will there around 4:00 pm to help them with the party arrangements. Around 5:00 pm I reached their home, though intentionally I reached late and wanted Sakshi to notice the same, that why I was late. The door was opened by Aunty and she was happy to see me. As I entered I saw Sakshi and Kaushik busy in the party decoration, the hall was beautifully decorated with balloons, ribbons and colourful lights. She saw me and smiled but didn’t utter a word. I too joined them in the decoration work. The party was scheduled to start in the evening. They were discussing about who is going to the market to bring the New Year’s cake, Sakshi told Kaushik that she is going to bring the cake and asked me to accompany her, as some groceries were also needed to be purchased, I happily obliged. After a while we two went to the market. She was looking damn good in those red Salwar Kameez.

 

“Are you going to wear the same outfit for the party tonight?” I enquired while we were shopping.

 

“No baba, if I wear this dress I won’t be able to dance freely, I will wear something more casual.” She said.

 

“Great! But you look good in any outfit.” I said praising her.

 

“Ohh really, do you think so.” She replied

 

“Yeah, it’s not just me, I am sure every guy on this earth would agree with my opinion.” I said.

 

“Ohh, stop flattering,” she said and smiled.

 

Then we went to the confectionery to buy cake and with this our shopping was complete. I was carrying two bags of groceries and she was holding just the cake bag. While returning, she gave a brief about her few friends that were coming in the evening.

 

“We are a bunch of four girls, Me, Neha , Riya and Sonam. I and Neha are best pals since school days.” She said.

 

“Great to know that. Are they equally beautiful like you?” I enquired being flirty.

 

“Whether they are beautiful or not, how does that matter to you?” She said staring at me.

 

“Of course it will matter to every boy; I mean, who doesn’t love to be surrounded by pretty faces in the party.” I said smiling.

 

“Ohhhhhh……………… Mr loveable, keep a safe distance from my friends. Otherwise, I will kill you, especially from Riya.” She said stressing on her name.

 

“Why especially Riya?? Is she that damn good looking, even better than you.” I said to tease her.

 

“No Mr Romeo, I am warning you because she keeps flirting with good looking boys and has already had 5 affairs. She is very fast forward and keeps eyeing on new guys. Got it!!!!! So stay away from her.” She warned me this time in a much louder tone.

 

“Okay okay...chill, I was just joking, why are you jealous.” I said smiling at her.

 

“Who me? And jealous…ohhh forget it. I don’t give a damn to anyone, “Samjhe Bacchu!” I am saying this for your benefit.” She said, with attitude.

 

While talking we entered a by lane and stopped near a 4 storey yellow building, she dialed someone’s number and asked her to come down to the gate. After some time I could see and a girl of her same age wearing black Salwar Kameez standing near the building gate, she asked me to wait where I was and went to have a chat with her, the two of them were talking and laughing and I was watching them silently from a distance.

 

After a few minutes she waved her bye and headed towards me, “Don’t be late and inform everyone to be on time” she shouted while coming towards me. “This was Neha, she is my best pal,” she said, coming towards me and we headed towards home.

 

Around 7:00 pm we all gather in the hall, finally everything was ready, Aunty was busy in the kitchen cooking some delicious menu for the party, the music system was loud at its best enjoying the party itself and playing peppy hindi song “ Dhoom Machale Dhoom Machale…….Dhoom” .

 

Sakshi and Kaushik were there in the hall, while I was playing with Raju in the other room. After some time I heard the doorbell ringing, Sakshi opened the door and I could hear a bunch of girls shouting and laughing, they must be her friends, I said to myself and thought of confronting all these girls made by blood cold. So I tried to confine myself in the same room. After some time the doorbell again rang and I went near the hall to see, by this time Sakshi and her friends had moved to her room, so I felt bit easy and went to the hall. The door was opened by Kaushik and I could see a young guy around my age, smiling and entering the room, he was of medium height around 5 feet and a little dark in complexion.

 

“Hey bro, meet my childhood friend Rohit,” Kaushik said, while introducing him to me.

 

“Hi, I am Rohit,” I greeted him with a smile.

 

“I am Sanjeev, nice to meet you Dude”, he smiled too while shaking hands with me.

 

Then we three sat there on the sofa. I was in much relief now that I won’t be feeling uneasy with them around. Sanjeev was a localite, stayed just 15 minutes distance from Kaushik’s home. He worked in the same office with Kaushik, he was a fan of Salman Khan and had watched all his movies, and body building was his hobby. His hobby was clearly indicated with his bulging biceps in his red T-shirt.

 

In the meantime Aunty bought coffee for us, while were busy on our own gossip. I must say Sanjeev was a very friendly guy, but was a chatter box too, anyways within half an hour we both gel together very well and I found a new friend in him. Suddenly Sakshi entered the room, she had changed her outfit and now was wearing a blue jeans and a black top, she was looking stunning.

 

“Sanjeev Da, this is not fair! Please get up now,” she said, putting both her hands on her hips.

 

“What happened?” He replied smiling.

 

“And Kaushik Da you too, don’t hide and it applies to you as well Mr. Rohit,” she said looking at all three of us. We all stood up and smiled.

 

“We are not here for any conference meeting okay, so stop your gossips and make the music louder, we want to dance”. She instructed Sanjeev.

 

“Girls come here,” she shouted and within seconds she was surrounded by her friends.

Friends you all know my Dada and Sanjeev Da very well. Now let me introduce you to his childhood friend Rohit, he is from Silchar and just few months back he came to Kolkata.” She said introducing me to her gang.

 

“Hi girls,” I greeted everyone and smiled, feeling a bit nervous.

 

The girls smiled and said “Hello” and gave their individual introduction. They were all studying in the 12th standard and in the same school.

 

“Okay….okay now the formalities are over, now let the party begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” She shouted and made the music system volume louder. I quietly took few little steps backward and went in the corner of the room, watching Kaushik, Sakshi and her friends dancing to the Bollywood songs.

 

Sanjeev was there standing and clapping. The mood was all set to party. I tried to hide myself, but Sakshi was there noticing me, suddenly she came and pulled me there, now I was dancing with Kaushik and all the girls were clapping and shouting and watching both of us dancing. Kaushik then pulled Sanjeev as well, soon Raju also joined us, now all we guys were dancing and all the girls were enjoying our dance. Aunty by this time had finished her cooking and was there smiling and watching us dancing. Now Kaushik pulled Sakshi this time and she happily joined.

 

I just moved out slowly and was enjoying both of them dancing on the Bollywood song “It’s the time to Disco… kaun mile dekho kisko… it’s the time to disco”. The girls found it hard to resist themselves from shaking their hips and joined the wagon as well. Now everyone was dancing in full swing except for me and Aunty who were the only silent spectators.

 

Suddenly one girl among them wearing red sweater and black jeans came towards me and started pulling my hand, I was feeling very shy but she was in no mood to let me go.

 

“Come-on don’t feel shy, join us,” she said.

 

“You carry on, I am enjoying from here.”

 

“No!!!! This is not done, you will have to dance.” Suddenly she went ahead and pause the music. Everyone just stopped and started staring at her.

 

“What happened, why you stopped the music?” Sakshi enquired.

 

“Wait………………. Wait,” she shouted and gestured her hand.

 

“Mr new comer is acting very smart and was hiding in the corner. So there’s going to be a punishment for him, what say girls???” She shouted again.

 

“Yessssssss……………” all shouted and chorus her voice. Now I was getting very nervous.

 

“So his punishment is that he needs to dance in a full song along with anyone of us and rest of us will watch him. He has been a spectator for a good amount of time and it’s time for him to show his moves.” She shouted

 

“Yesssssss……………..” and there was a roar again.

 

I interrupted and tried to convince her that I am not at all good in dancing. But she was not at all in the mood to listen to me.

 

“Come-on Mr. Cool………come-on show your moves,” the roar became louder and louder I was helpless looking at Kaushik, but he gesture with his shoulder indicating that he can’t do anything.

 

The music was on again