14th February 2011:It was my 3rd year in college. After two years of bunks, fights, teases, birthday treats, no reason treats, boring labs, and undecipherable class lectures for guys and girls who dream to be engineers, everything was turning into nightmares. It took us two years to realise that we are in a normal engineering college where most of the things are bound to happen abnormally! Well, time flies and for us it was always on Mach during semesters. The fifth semester papers were over and nobody, (from my branch at least) had a single clue of what the question papers were about and what they had written!! Did they care? Nopes! I was in the herd too…
But now at this time of the year particularly, every one forgets the past and the only thing that hover their minds is-love… Love??? Count me out of all this crap! Particularly this day you will find girls with additional add-ons on make-up, jewellery and blah-blah. They are extra softer and EXTRA extra-graceful. For guys, it’s different. They stare at every single girl who walks past them with God knows what going on their minds. Perhaps they feel like proposing every single one of them with an immense hope that at least one of them would be “the valentine”. For some studs it’s a day of being eye-candy. Overall it’s a college festival. People wish each other, shake hands, hug or some might kiss! Don’t know, just a hunch! Canteen is drowned in red and white balloons with couples scattered around them with cold drinks in their hands and looking and talking to each other. The other kind, which feels miserable at itself keeps staring them with emotions mixed of jealousy and despair.
“ Hey! I dated that girl!”
“ She was supposed to have a coffee with me!! “She is a bitch!!” “Yeeeaaahhh!!!” some more voices rhyme too.
For me, that was a normal day or until then, when I was called from somebody who wished to show me his sketches he had made a year back or two. Just like any other day I got down from the bus and marched straight towards my classroom. On the way, a friend of mine called me from behind. She asked if I might go to canteen. Balloons, couples, I didn’t like the idea. I denied and when I was about to turn back, I saw him and he gave me a look too…
That glance asked him “Did you find your copy?” and perhaps my instincts heard “Just wait!”
I turned and continued my walk. Few moments passed and I heard him call my name.
OH! SO NOW WHAT? WE ARE TALKING!?!?
I slowed down and he came to me. We both exchanged smiles. Then he was picking out something from his bag and I was dying to see his work. While he was drawing out his notebook he kept on murmuring “Err… Don’t laugh when you see them, its amateur”. I smiled and said “Show me”. He pulled out a notebook and I had no idea where he had kept it because it looked like just being dug up! (Must have hated the subjects written in it!) I asked him “Is this a year old or ten years old?” to which he giggled. I flipped the pages and to my surprise he is an excellent sketcher too! My lips uttered “You did this? Gosh! They are real nice. I need to work up on my sketching skills.” He is a gamer; I knew it but sketcher of game characters? That was new!!
He had made a sketch which I thought that I had seen somewhere.
“I have seen this somewhere!”
“Are you sure?”
“300 maybe!”
We were walking and he kept telling me that he used to sketch in his sixth grade, seventh grade, etc etc… By this time I was numb! We were now in the middle of the basketball court and I had absolutely no idea what to say him.
“Can I keep your copy for some time?”
He was perhaps surprised… “What will you do with it?”
“Nothing… Just want to keep it for some time.”
“Okay! Keep it”.
The place where we were now had two different ways to our respective departments. Just when we were about to leave; he called again and asked me to jot down the names of students interested to teach the labourers and their children in our college campus and handover him the list after the college was over. I said okay, we both bid a goodbye and left.
I JUST COULDN’T BELIEVE WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN THE PAST FEW MINUTES. WAS I DREAMING? DEFINITELY NOT!! IT ALL HAPPENED FOR REAL…
Entire day, I did nothing. Absolutely nothing! I didn’t hear lectures, neither talked much with anyone. All I did was thinking about him and our conversation. Then finally I was reminded that I need to jot down names and hence I made the announcement regarding the same.The same day we were supposed to meet the labourers, talk to them about this matter, but I wasn’t sure of it.
WHAT TO DO NOW? SHOULD I CALL? HOW COULD I? I DON’T HAVE HIS NUMBER.
A friend of mine urged me to go library with her. I went and I had left my cell phone in my bag. When I came back, there were many missed calls from another friend of mine. I called her and she picked up and said “S******* is calling you to the canteen” I said “Whhhaaaaaaaaatttttttttttt?” I was completely dumbfounded!
OHHH MY GOD!!! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? GO? NAH… OR SHOULD I?!
“Give me his number”. After some teasing I finally got his number and called him…
“Hello” “Aaa… S*******… Sangita here…”
“Yeah! Sangita… Say!” “Are we supposed to stay back after 12?”
“No!Not today” “When will I give you the list?” “Am in bus right now, come down.” “Okay.”
We hung up. With all the remaining courage I had and grabbing some more, I headed towards the bus. When I got into it, I saw him first; sitting at the last window seat. This time we again glanced at each other. I found a seat, kept my bag there, drew out my list and walked straight to him. I handed him the list. He saw it and with his animated expressions and asked “Seven?” I smiled… It was the only reaction I found appropriate. I was leaning against the seat in-front of him and talking. He said “Why are you standing? Please sit.”
OOOOKHHHHHAYY!!!
I sat by his side and we talked more about this job yet to be done. Just before leaving I asked,
“Can I keep your copy for some more days?” He smiled and asked,
“What will you do of that?”
“Just keep”
“Okay”
“Okay then. Bye”
We again exchanged smiles and I came back to my seat. Just then I received a text from my friend, M***** (S**** must have told him) and he had written “S******* gonna call you today. Very happy for you Sangita”. I replied back “Yes! I talked to him sitting by his side…”
I came back to hostel, happy as never before and narrated the entire story to everyone I could. I was teased to heaven!
It was 10 pm. I was online on Facebook and I realised that I had not wished him yet. I decided to send him a message.
“Happy Valentine’s Day! Perhaps the last one to wish you.”
“Actually, you are the first!”
“Happy Valentine’s Day to you too…”
Best Valentine’s day of my life…
14th February 2012:
Over the year, I went up on a fantastic journey; not because everything went the way I expected but because everything happened exactly the way that made me see the beauty behind it. Things were tough but they brought out a warrior within me. I’ve turned out stronger and only until now I’ve realised where my heart actually belongs…
True love as no definition. It’s like an infant dream that slowly grows with you till your perfect fantasy comes alive to picture. It’s something for which you can sacrifice ANYTHING! So finally after 1 year of ups and downs, of innumerable heart breaks and for one stubborn dream I know my definition of TRUE LOVE and it’s definitely NOT HIM.
Originally posted on Blogger on Feb 14, 2012