chapter 8 The Crush of My Life

#PRESENT

As per Ria’s request I went to meet her at Cafe Queen.

There was no one inside the cafeteria except her and the staff members. I entered the cafe. She waved her hand to say hello. She was wearing her favourite dress and a huge smile on her face. It seems like she was extremely happy about something.

I went close to the table and occupy the chair facing diagonally opposite to her.

We didn’t speak for few minutes before she broke the silence,

‘Thanks for coming.’

I didn’t reply to her gratitude.

She resumed.

‘Hitu guess what??’

Instead of answering her question I preferred to stay silent. I was lost in my own thoughts about the previous night meeting with Varun and my feelings for her.

She already ordered for us.

I was still lost in my thoughts as I didn’t remember when she brought the order.

She gently touched my hand in order to bring me back to the real world. When I didn’t respond to her touch she pinched me.

‘Ouch...!!! ’ I said as her gentle and soft hand hurt me.

She giggled.

‘Kahan khoya hua hai tu ?’ (Where were you lost?) She asked

‘Nowhere’

‘What’s the matter of our private meeting’ I hesitantly asked her though it was not our private meeting because Varun knew about it.

It was a different feeling for me. I never felt like this before. I always feel free to talk to her but that day I kind of fear was there inside me.

‘Actually there’s some sort of good news’

She then put her soft hand into her giant bag and started searching for something.

‘Uh.. what is it?’ I asked again.

‘Wait na’

She then brought a passport from her bag and put in front of me. It was her passport.

‘What’ I asked in frustrated tune.

‘Just open and see it’ she said with a smile on her face.

I opened the passport what I saw next was a shocked for me but somewhere I was happy about it.

There was a visa from United States of America under her name.

I gave her a confused look.

‘Yes!’ she nodded

‘I just wanted to share this first from you and then to any of my friends’

I felt so special that tears rolled down my cheeks.
"I'll be soon in Chicago" 

‘Are you crying’ she asked as she saw my tears.

I didn’t feel the need to answer her question. I just stood up and hugged her.

Then we together ate the food ordered by her. Meanwhile she got the call from her parents and she left the place informing me that she have only 20 days left for the flight. 23^rd October she mentioned.

I was still sitting inside the cafe and thinking about the memories of mine with her.

When I put a gaze over the watch it was already 7:00. Then I just got up and left the place with a heavy heart.

CHAPTER 8

OUR LAST MEETING

It was 21^st October 2016, I was tired due to the unplanned hectic schedule of college and some job stuff. I reached home late. I was just doing my regular studies when my phone beeped. It was a message from Ria.

“Hey hitu."

I replied after sometime.

‘Hey.’

‘Wassup. Long time no message’

‘Yaar see I am busy with my college now and then my job. I hardly find any time for anyone that’s why long time no message.’

‘Oh I see’ came the reply.

“Btw I messaged you just to tell you that tomorrow is my last day in India and I need to spend some time with my friends. I just want to live my whole life in one day with my friends. I just want to hold your hand and roam around the city. I want to hug every one of you. I want to.....

Don’t make any excuses. You are free tomorrow no college no meetings. And you are coming and that’s it.” She messaged.

‘Sure my foody. I would like to be with you. I too want to hold you and never let you go. The feeling of being alone without you kills me.’ I replied.

We (Sanjana,I,Ria,Vishal,and Varun) decided to go to Chandigarh. I decided to plan something special for her for the following day just to make it memorable for her. I had decided to tell her about my feelings too.

After a tiring day, I wake up to a fresh morning. I just wanted her to remember our school days where I used to pamper her a lot and give her surprises to her. I wanted her to free her mind from tensions and just enjoy the moment with us. I brought some gifts for her from a near by gift shop.

‘Where are we going?’ Ria asked me when I reached at her place to pick her.

She was holding my hands as we walked towards the car.

‘Rose Garden. And get ready for the surprises’ I smiled.

She blushed and held my hand tighter and planted a kiss on her hand in which she held my hand as we walked towards the car. But that kiss brought an electric spark down through my spine.

Head down I held the door open, as she smiled and graced into the car. A red rose bouquet was on the seat, and there was a chocolate bar.

We both took our respective seats. Her one hand held mine and one hand held a rose. We changed the gears, with two palms in one motion. We then picked Sanjana, Vishal and Varun on our way.

I removed a rose from my pocket.

‘A rose for the lady’ I said.

‘You are the best.’ She said and kept her head on my shoulder. I felt my shoulder getting wet. I looked down and saw the tears in Ria’s eyes.

‘Don’t cry yaar. I will be always there for you. Don’t start this beautiful day with tears in your eyes. You know I hate it when girls cry. If you cry you eyeliner will get smudged.’ I teased. The trick worked and Ria was soon her jovial self again.

We reached Rose Garden after sometime. There were roses of all colors, beautiful trees flowing with colorful blossoms, numerous other flowing plants, several pathways wind in around the gardens. There were benched to sit in while many people sat on the grass. We roamed around for some time and saw a beautiful fountain which added to the beauty of the garden. We sat in one corner of the garden. Ria sat beside me and leaned into me.

‘Hitesh what’s the plan for the day?’ Vishal asked breaking the ice between us.

‘Rock garden from here. Then sukhana lake and lastly Elante.’ I said.

‘What Oh My God!’ Ria shrieked.

‘So have you decided what are you going to demand from us’ I asked raising my eyebrows at Ria.

Ria chuckled. She knew it was coming.

‘Not yet. What do you think |I should get. I have friends like you which is not less than Kohinoor.’

‘Go shopping. Make us pay!’ Varun said in excitement.

All of us looked at me anticipating that I would dismiss Varun bizarre idea. Interestingly, I didn’t mind.

Ria was still not sure about it. She looked at me and said, ‘Hmm... not a dinner treat?’

‘We will give you that as well.’ I said

This was more embarrassing for her.

After that we reached Rock garden. It was huge and very well layout. It was well maintained and odd shapes and waste materials were used in an amazing way to make various figures. There was a small waterfall in the garden and other beautiful things to see. There were some funny mirrors too. We went near the waterfall and settled down.

We started questioning Ria.

‘What you like about us?’ Vishal asked.

‘Umm... well you all are very different from the rest of the world.’ She said.

‘Seriously, not this way. Tell us something special you like in us.’ I said.

‘Ok. Starting from you Vishal, you are straight forward guy. You say things good or bad doesn’t matter on people’s face. However, you don’t do back biding which I like the most in you but I hope that you will stop boozing soon.’

‘Thank you’ Vishal said and we all clapped like kids.

‘Sanjana you are my cousin sister. I like the way you keep my secrets to yourself. The way you help me in studying while I’m on bunk especially. Love you sister.’

‘Awww... sweetheart. Love you too.’ Sanjana replied.

‘Varun, to tell you about my thoughts for you let me say that you are the luckiest guy in the world because you have someone like Hitesh in your life as a friend-cum-brother.

For you I must say that I like the way you show trust to anyone but I should warn you that this habit of yours may destroy you.’

‘I will take care of it and of course of him as well.’ Varun said.

She then turned her face towards me. Now it was her turn to say about me. I was getting nervous and excited as well at the same time.

‘Hitu, I like your simplicity, your loyalty and of course your punctuality. I like the way you pamper me. I like your smile and everything about you that make me blessed that I’ve a friend like you in my life. You are one of those friend with whom I can share anything. You are so special for me and I can say whom so ever will be your girlfriend she will be blessed to have you in her life.’

‘Hmm...’ everyone sighed with me.

‘But why are you asking me like this?’ She asked us.

‘To make you realize that you like us and you love us and can’t live without us.’ Vishal answered.

It has been already 5:00 p.m. in the evening and we were left with two places to visit plus a shopping for Ria and a dinner treat to her. So we decided to shorten our trip. We drop the idea of going to sukhana lake.

We decided to go to Elante after grabbing a quick bite nearby. At our table, I handed her a Ganesha idol packed in a gift wrapper and told her to unwrap it. She loved the idol and made a sweet face looking at it. She hugged me and said, ‘ so sweet of you.’

There we click some pics and uploaded it on the social sites.

We reached mall at 6:00 p.m.. On the ground floor of the mall, we walked straight into the store of ZARA, which was right opposite of the entry.

Sanjana turned left to check out the dresses for herself.

‘We are here for me, not for you!’ Ria said with fake anger.

‘All right madam!’ Sanjana replied and passed the some dresses she had choosen for herself.

Ria turned right and moved ahead. Varun and Vishal following her while I waited to check some dreeses for Ria.

Sanjana made a mad face behind Ria’s back. I laughed seeing Sanjana react liked that. I guess she really wanted to look for things of her own interest.

‘What happened?’ The three asked in unison when they heared me laughing.

‘Nothing’ I said smiling and dissing it.

“WOW! Look at that.” Ria yelled the next moment.

She was pointing at a mannequin that was wearing a gaon of her favourite color, blood red color it was.

‘What’ Varun asked as I and Sanjana walked towards the mannequin.

‘Isn’t it great?’ Ria asked without looking back at us.

‘But you already bought so many gaons’ Sanjana said patting on her forehead.

‘So what’

She then immediately called one of staff members and asked her to provide the same.

But unfortunately they were out of the stock for that gaon.

Ria left with no choice to choose other dress for herself.

We then collectively choose 8-10 dresses for her at first and then asked her to try all those.

She went to the trial room. We gave the pile of clothes to Sanjana and ordered her to accompany Ria.

While Ria was trying all of the dresses one by one. We choose some more dresses but suddenly I saw a red stain tube dress on the other mannequin located at the other side of the showroom.

I asked the staff member to provide me the same for her.

Fortunately, this time they have.

I took the dress and handle it to Sanjana

‘Sanju, make her try this dress next.’ I said.

I saw her face, her mouth was half opened as she saw the dress.

‘Nice choice yaar.’ She exclaimed.

‘Will you?’ I asked.

‘I will’

Meanwhile Ria came out of the trial room for the next dress. Sanjana handle the dress to her. Ria went inside without noticing that I was standing there.

‘I need a favor.’ Sanjana said to me.

‘Tell’

‘Could you just hold these dresses for a while I want to try some of these dresses.’

‘OK’

She gave a bunch of clothes to me and went to the other trial room.

Sanjan put a knock on Ria’s room when she went to try her 2^nd dress.

‘What’s taking you so long’ she said.

She is quick I thought.

‘Just a second’

‘all right make it fast I will come back in a minute.’ Sanjana said and went to try her dress.

Prepared to show herself in that red stain tube dress to Sanjana

Ria shouted, ‘Hang On!’ and unlocked the door.

Just then the door of the trail room opposite mine unlatched and opened. Shock rocketed inside me and I instantly froze. All the clothes from my hand fell down. My face was half opened just like Sanjana. My eyes broadened. Exhibiting her entire body in that dress, I stood there in front of her in all my glory! I wanted to hug her at that moment but I was unable to move my legs. They seemed glued to the ground. I wanted to click the pictures of her but my hands seemed stuck.

‘O...oops’ Ria was first to respond. With in a second she shut her door.

When I realized that I was still standing there,probably looking like a fool, I quickly picked all the dresses and went back to the counter where Vishal and Varun was standing.

Sanjana came and joined us within a minute.

What followed in the next few moments was something I'd never experienced before. The very embarrassment that had overwhelmed me some tine ago, made way for a hidden longing. It was a strange experience and I may not ever be able to explain it fully for I myself didn't understand what I was going through.

It sometimes happens that you so moved by an unexpected incident that you react differently than you should. It leads you to an unknown emotional territory where you feel good about the fact that it happened-even though it was only by chance. I guess it was beginning for me to experience one such moment.

I recalled how she'd reacted at that time. She got so embarrassed that she'd shut her door quickly.

As I was overcoming from my thoughts, my cell phone beeped. For a moment my fantasy was broken. I looked at the message.

'I know you choose that dress. How's am I looking?' It was Ria. It took me a while to move away from the world of my imagination to the reality of the moment. I didn't kill my joy. I was only happy to read that message. The SMS game had begun! This secret chat was again a different high. I took a bit of the time to decide what to write back. And then I did.

'You look like an angel on earth. You saw my expressions too.'

'I didn't see anything.' come reply from her side still inside the trail room.

'If you didn't, then why you shut the door on my face?'

'Okay, just a little. Not even half a second'

'You loss' I typed quickly and then deleted it slowly. And then on an impulse, I retyped it and send it before I could think too much about it.

'Wish me better luck next time.' came the reply.

Next time? Would there be a next time.

The accident of a few minutes before led to our bantering and flirting. I wondered what to write back. But then I also didn't want to go overboard. It was as if Ria and I had found a different language. A language of our own- free and seductive.

I heard the unlatching of the door of trial room. Ria walked out of it. She was then in her dress. The dress was in her hand.

She wanted our opinion on the outfit's she'd chosen for herself.

Yes! that dress she choose for herself.

All this while my mind was occupied with the thought of facing Ria.

We placed the dress we wanted to buy on the counter. She too seemed reluctant to talk to me.

I began to talk to Sanjana, 'For you' looking at the second dress we had brought.

'One for me. One for her.' She replied.

That's when i looked at her. I couldn't help my smile even though my best to restrain it. She smiled too.

All of them stared at both of us and wondered why we were behaving that way.

'What's wrong' Varun asked.

'Just like that' i said.

'Nothing' Ria said the moment Varun looked at her.

Ria turned her attention to me, 'Just because she too bought something doesn't mean you will cancel the treat. It's still on. Right?'

I nodded and tapped her shoulder, 'As much as you can eat. My foody'

Ria was happy. She loved her friends.

I swiped my card and she thanked us with a group hug.

We walked out of the store with gifts and of course a little secret between Ria and me.

OUR LITTLE SECRET!

It was 8:00 p.m. when we left the store. We then entered the restaurant on the top floor of the mall. We took the table. Waiter served us water and handle us the menu card. We let Ria to order whatever she wants for the dinner. She ordered shahi paneer, paneer chilli, dal with butter naan.

She loves paneer more than anything else. She can eat paneer in all her meals in a day for a whole month.

Minutes more the waiter came with our order. We started eating. We called for some soft drinks as well.

We were collecting and bringing back the memories we shared so far.

She then ordered dessert for everyone. GULAB JAMUN, her favorite.

We were lavishing our dessert when my phone suddenly beeped. It was Ria.

I looked at her but she was already looking at me.

'Meet me outside.'

'In the parking lawn after the dessert.' I replied.

'Ok.'

We then finish our last meal together and paid the bill before we left the restaurant.

All of us seem to be lazy at that time. We were tired too.

'Hitesh would you drive the car please.' Vishal said.

'For sure.'

I signaled Ria to come after me and left the place after informing them that I will see them at the entrance.

I was waiting for her near the car. She came from the back side and hugged me from the back.

I turned to her to hug her back.

'Thank you for the day.' She whispered into my ear.

'Thank you for the gifts and surprises.

'Your welcome but still there is a big surprise waiting for you' I said

'Still a surprise. Oh My God'

'You want to tell me something'

'Are you happy?'

'Yeah of course. see' I lied to her. I made her to see a fake smile on my face.

'Hitu don't pretend to be happy.' she said

'Ok. Yes I'm happy but scared too. I don't know what would I do without you besides me. To whom I'll share my words.'

I sensed something fishy. She was behaving different. She wants to say something but saying something.

'Ria say what you want to say. we're getting late' I said

'Hitu you know you are very special to me. I shared all the things with you from the day we become friends.

I nodded

'But there is something that I didn't share with you'

'What' I asked

'I don't know how to tell'

'Go for it. I'm there for you.'

'Just promise me that you won't spoil our friendship after listening to it.'

I nodded.

She then turned her face opposite to me. I noticed she closed her eyes too.

'I had a huge crush on you from the first day I saw you.' She said in once

I hold her from shoulder and turned her towards me.

' Wh..What y..you j.. just s..said' I fumbled with my words.

'You got it what I said or Didn't you' She said.

I couldn't believe on what my ears had heard just a few moments ago.

'Just say you are kidding.' I said to her.

'No yaar I'm serious.'

I couldn't believe it was happening to me. She had said it all so simply and with such ease! A deep sense of satisfaction came over my face. I was yet to speak and all this while I had been admiring the guts of the girl who stood in front of him and said that she have a crush on me. It was going to take some time for the unimaginable amount of happiness to settle in. A few seconds or a couple of minutes were not going to be enough for me. For that matter, even a day’s time was too less.

In the initial moments, the mere realization that it was all for real was hard to believe. Yes, it was for real and I wasn’t drunk!

And so it was for Ria. She wasn’t dreaming again. Behind her calm and composed face there were hopes, there were fears and there were happy butterflies! It was a whole new world of experience for her. A moment she had never lived before. A moment she had never imagined would unfold this way.

I wanted to say a hundred things, yet I struggled to say a single word. I searched for the right

words that could describe what I was feeling at that very instant. When I found none, I simply

nodded, grinning from ear to ear. My eyes could not hold back the immense happiness and had turned

wet. I swallowed the lump in the back of my throat and when I felt I could talk I said, ‘You are The Crush of My Life!’

The two hearts erupted in joy. There was happiness in the air.

‘I’d written some lines for you. Would you like to hear that.’ Ria asked.

‘Yes for sure.’ I said

.

“If someone asked me

Why I like you so

I would have to think

For I don’t really know

I can’t put a finger on why

I’m crushing on you madly

All I know is that

I like you like crazy”

She looked at me for the response.

‘Awesome. Even I can’t write this.’

She blushed after hearing it.

‘Aww..’ she said and pulled my cheeks.

And the very next moment her lips were on mine. Her right hand on my right cheek and left on my waist holding me from back. And all of sudden she pulled me close to her. My hands still in the air and ours lips were locked. For the next thirty seconds she kept kissing me. I said ‘she kept kissing’ reason whether I didn’t support that kiss but the truth was I couldn’t oppose for a moment. I was lost.

Perhaps it happened in the fraction of seconds or it took me some time to realize that I was being kissed. Any way the moment I regained my consciousness I pushed her back.

For the next four minutes, I couldn’t move for an inch. Even we both were stoned there as if someone suddenly shouted ‘STATUE’ and ran away.

The first minute I spent glaring at her. Second minute I kept myself believe that yes it happened, it’s not a dream. Third minute I spent asking myself ‘Ria did this?’ and in the fourth minute I pulled her close to myself. We were just breath apart. And suddenly we started kissing again. This time we kissed with equal passion from both sides.

And then we drove off to our house happily. 

THE END.

VARUN’S DESK

Hey! I hope you like my friend-cum-brother’s first ever novel.

But the story doesn’t end here. There are some more story to share, Some more surprises, some guilt and climax for you and for him as well.

What happened after the kiss?

What happened after she went Chicago?

What happened in their respective life?

To know what happened after this you’ll have to wait for his another novel.

Till then share the link

‘www.officialhiteshkumar.blogspot.in’

and enjoy your life.