I woke up in the morning. While I was just sitting not knowing what to do my dad called me “Good morning Deepu, what are you doing?”
My parents me Deepu and my bro Booboo. The first word Deepak said when he started speaking was booboo and everyone loved it so much that they kept calling him booboo and it became his nickname. I smiled and said “I am doing fine pappa, I miss you all. When are you coming back?”
He said “Soon Deepu, Did you eat? Don’t forget to eat ok. Get something and eat now”
I said “I will sure, Promise. Say my Hi to mom and booboo too”and disconnected the call.
My parents and booboo have gone to my aunt’s daughter’s engagement. I had my last theory exam on the day of the engagement so I couldn’t go. As they have gone after a long time. My aunt had told them to stay for few days and they would come back after a week. I was relieved that they were not there when me and Ani broke up. I didn’t want them to see me like this, lonely and sad. I wanted to get over everything in a week before they came. I got up and brushed my teeth. While washing my face I saw a mole behind my ear. It was nothing special and I had it from my birth. But it was the memory I had with it that triggered me…
We completed our first semester of Engineering. By then me and Ani were very close. We used to hang out more than coffee! Aditi would accompany us too and it could be clearly visible that aniket wouldn’t like that I called her but he never had a problem.
It was our final day of exam and while we were very tensed, we were equally excited for the exams to get over. Aditi was going to a tour but before that we had organized a small trip from our class to Goa! It was always my favorite place to go with my friends.I absolutely loved it and me and Aditi had been planning it since ages and this was the time. Aniket was the one who had organized it. During one of our coffee conversations, I had mentioned that I like Goa but never had a chance to go, he was listening and said “Don’t worry, you will soon get a chance and don’t let it go” I never understood what he meant and only after a week I got to know that Ani was the one who organized all this. I expected him to tell me that he was the one who organized everything and show off. But he kept quiet most of the times and I once asked him “do you know who did organized all this? I need to thank him”. He shrugged and said “I don’t know!” with a sweet smile that told me he was lying.
After our exams were done. I and Aditi were discussing about how we did and Aditi got a call and she left hurriedly. There was a new guy in Aditi’s life. She wanted me to meet him without knowing anything about him and judge him to see if he is a right guy for her. So she never showed me his pics or spoke anything. I was also waiting for the exams to get over so that I would get a chance to meet him. I was left alone and I decided I will leave. Just then when I was about to leave, Ani called me loudly. I turned back and he came running “Are you leaving already?”I replied “Yes Ani, I need some sleep” His friends were calling him but he ignored all their calls and asked me “How are you going? “
I said him “I am planning to fly. Ssshhh, don’t tell anyone, I have a secret pair of wings behind me”
He was puzzled and asked “Huh???”
I said “Stupid, I am standing next to my vehicle with keys in my hand. So it is obvious I am going by my vehicle”
He became sad and said “Öhhhhhh”, I asked him Whats wrong? He replied “Nothing, if you don’t mind, shall I come with you? Can you drop me till the main road?. I didn’t get my vehicle today so I need to pick a bus”
I was shocked “You and bus?”
He continued “Yes Deepthi, by bus. What to do I have no one who goes my way so that they can drop me”
I asked him “Cant you ask your friends?”
He said “Yes, so only I am asking you”
I smiled and said “Fine, you can come along with me. I will drop you somewhere close”
His smile beamed and said “Thanks Deepthi and he sat behind me”
This was the first time we were this close, our body touched each other and while I was happy, I was scared somewhere within. It was just a kilometer away from college and I saw his bike standing there near a bakery. I asked him “Aniket, isn’t that your bike?” He saw and tried to divert my attention “No Deepthi, not mine and see in front and drive. I don’t want to fall”
I concentrated on the road again but I was confused. He asked me to stop at a food joint and he said “Deepthi, I am hungry. Do you want to give me company?”
I smiled and said “Okay” How could I say no to him. We went and order some sandwiches. He was a frequent visitor I guess, everyone at the joint knew him. I thought it could also be that his dad was a politician. Just then a gang of girls came in and one of them saw Aniket and said to another girl who looked like an actress. With the way she dressed and her attitude she was clearly spoilt.
She came towards us and said “Hi dear, how are you. Long time and what brings you here today”?
Aniket rolled his eyes like Not again and said “Hi Anusha! I am doing very good and you? Nothing brings me anywhere. I go wherever I want to” and started eating again.
I was a little confused seeing both of them. Aniket turned towards me and said “Eat soon Deepthi and you drop me till the adjacent mainroad”
Anusha frowned “Drop you?? Honey, why should she drop you is that the reason she is here? What happened to your vehicle? If you want, you can come with me in the car. I can drop you till the house”
Aniket clearly was ignoring her and she was getting mad and she turned to me and said “Hi, I am anusha, Me and Aniket are best friends, infact more” Aniket coughed and started laughing and he said “Only you consider that”. She was clearly pissed at the fact that she was being embarrassed and she said to her friends “Shall We girls? “and gave a curt look to me and occupied a table a little far from us.
I turned to Aniket confused and asked him “Who was she”
He told “She stays close by to my home and my mom’s friend’s daughter. She likes me and so she always keeps running into me. I do not like her at all. I like girls who are simple. She is like a equation and look at her attitude. It hits my brain when she calls me Honey!”
I laughed and thought to myself “ Anusha is so beautiful. Any guy would be lucky to have this girl. She has attitude but that is what most guys want but Aniket is different. Why does he like my company so much when there are so many girls behind him?”
Just then I came to my present life and the thought hurt me. I wished I never tried to know the answer. If I hadn’t tried to know the answer my life would be quite different now.