RiMar OS ' Mere Jaana
*Just like the last one' this one too is dedicated to my buddy Rafi (geet_mann_magic), cos it was her constant nagging that she wants something on her favorite Amar ' Totla showing him in a different light and the fact that she even gave me a plot for it, made me sit down to write it.
But apart from her, it is for my FF readers too' who are gonna be angered with me par limit' since I'm discontinuing my FF. *
"Amar why are you limping?" Vishakha asked me as we exited the boys changing room. I hadn't realized it then, but the ankle sprain was bad, it hurt me to walk.
"It's a thplain." I replied to her. From the corner of my eyes I saw her head shoot up at my comment, yes she was there too. While Kria had gone missing right after we boys got to the lockers, Neha and Vishakha waited for us. And so were Rini and Simi, waiting for Nilesh and Vicky.
"Ah these losers! Sissy and weak." Vicky sniggered as the two irritating brats came out of the changing room too. Nilesh knowingly bumped into Swayam's shoulder who staggered since his knee had gone swollen by now.
"You!" Vishakha was about to launch herself on the two kindergarteners who had somehow found way to pass themselves as college students physically but still had a lot growing up to do when it came to their pea sized brains. I held her arm, and briefly closed my eyes. We didn't have enough energy left to waste on them. I tried to pass on the thought to her, which she seemed to understand.
"Let's go guys." Rini said, peeling her gaze away from me, which I knew even though I had my back towards her. I still had my eyes closed, a lot of things whirling in my mind ' our differences, the competition, the hatred between our friends' and then I heard something tinkle beautifully. It was one thing I had noticed at the party too ' her anklet. And the music of it made me loose all my worries as Bharat helped me towards the canteen.
You must be wondering how come I'm thinking like this ' without a lisp. Frankly, I'm not surprised even though it still amuses me, a lot of people have told me that they wonder the same about people with a lisp. My lisp is my physical handicap and I've learnt to keep it till that, it will never become a weakness or a mental barrier for me.
"What thinking you are?" Neha nudged me when I finally came to sit with everyone as my lunch-break shift ended, five minutes before the next lecture. Normally I gobbled up whatever I could in these five minutes but now I just sat massaging my sore foot thinking about the note I had found in the five hundred rupee note Rini had passed me when she bought pastries for everyone. When I had found it, I accept I gave a smirk yet I had blushed. She had so cleverly disguised it as 'her treat' since Vicky was coming to give the order and pay up. The note said ' 'I hope your ankle is fine.' I looked up, her group was still seated in their 'corner'. Yes she was looking at me form the corner of her eyes. I gave a little nod that went unnoticed by everyone but her and I saw the corners of her lips twitch into a smile as she got up to leave.
The whole time last night, I was wondering what I should be doing. It was evident that her worry about me and the care she showed, was genuine, and that would mean just one thing, she liked me. otherwise why would a dazzler who outright claimed that she was 'allergic' to weaklings show concern towards one who for sure was one of her biggest enemies by showing the guts to go against their rules? The answer was simple, and amusing. Another thing was that I didn't want my attraction towards her turning into a chronic irritation like Swayam's has. What did I have to loose?
I had been looking for her all around and it was as if fate was on my side too as I spotted her alone in a corridor. I took a deep breath as I approached her. "Lini?" I said and she back at me. I know there was no going back.
"Huh?" She said trying to sound irritated, but I could see the flush of her cheeks.
"I wanted to talk to you." She looked at me arms crossed, her eyes twinkling like dew drops. "Not now, meet me in the auditolium aftel clath. You'll come na?" I asked. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it soon enough. She was looking at something sideways, something out of focus. I saw a pair of heeled shoes, which most probably belonged to Simi.
"Rini what are you doing here?" And soon after Simi came there. She gave me a weird look which I proudly returned as she took Rini by her hand. If I didn't know better of it, I would've been doing a DDLJ's Raj style 'Palat Palat' in my head. But to my amazement she did turn her head back and gave me a brief look, and my heart did a Fred Flintstone style jump before I turned and went my way, whistling some tune.
The lecture got over five minutes back and I had broken into a sprint as soon as we exited the classroom. I climbed on to the stage, catching my breath. The last one hour in the business studies lecture' all that had been in my head was he business of how will I propose. And then there was the jingle of her anklet as she climbed the staircase. There was no light but I could see her outline the 'exit' sign was casting on her, and it seemed like her beautiful red aura.
"Hi." I said, stupidly enough it was all I could muster.
'You wanted to tell me something? "Rini said coldly and consciously as if someone else was there too.
"I' I' I juth wanted to thay I like you." I said, all the pre-planned romantic speech saying goodbye a flying out of my head.
"Huh!?" She looked surprised, or it seemed so as the red light glinted on her widened eyes.
"I like youl dance, youl ithyle, and the way you cleathe youl folehead when you aale confuthed, the way you tly hating uth' I love evelithing about you. I know you aale juth like me." I said catching bits and pieces of all that I had thought of waiting for her reply. "Lini, what do you feel?" I nudged her.
"I'll tell you what Rini feels." I heard a strong voice from the aisle as the lights were switched on. There stood Sharon and all her kindergartners with her. "Even Rini feels she's just like you." Sharon walked towards the stage as she jerked her head sideways with a fake smile on her face. "Even though her father owns the biggest cement business in town' and yours' a small grocery store." She was climbing one stair at a time punctuating her every word with her tiny attitude punched baby steps towards us, but I didn't tear my gaze away from Rini who looked teary yet stayed silent. "She thinks you're just like her' even though she can buy a full restaurant with her pocket money' while you need to work in the canteen every month so that you can afford a decent lunch." She was on the stage now' a few feet behind Rini, and I wished I could punch her in the face but I didn't, firstly cause hitting a girl wasn't my type of a thing and secondly for the sake of my friendship with Swayam. "Even she is like you' Rini who can quote Shakespeare and Wordsworth without a moment's delay' and you' who can't even take her name properly." She came and stood next to Rini on the stage keeping her elbow on her shoulder and surprisingly the captains of her kindergarten army were next to her in a jiffy too. "So won't you guys make a perfect jodi' am I right Rini?" She nudged her with a roll of her eyes.
"Why not Sharon." Rini said composing herself trying to get some bitterness in her voice as she rolled her eyes. This was when I feel something crashing inside me, but the tears didn't come. My life had taught me tears don't work' they just make you looks sissy. I walked away crossing them to run down the stairs. I was almost next to the exit when I turned to look back at the gang on the stage, all looking at me. Sharon gave a mock wave at which Simi and Nilesh hi-fived. Rini looked at me, her face expressionless.
"You know' theale ith a diffelence between us' I'm fol leal' and you' you aale all fake." I said and treaded out. The corridor was kam packed' the news of my blooper proposal had traveled fast as everyone stared at me while I walked ahead. Suddenly someone's phone started ringing in the crowd'
Tune mere jaane, kabhi nahi jaana
Ishk mera, dard mere' haaye
Aashik tera' bheed me tanha rehta hai
Jaane jaana' pucho to itna kehta hai'
I feel so lonely'
Then the person showed some late decency and picked the call. I wanted to chuckle at the irony of the song but the laughter got stuck somewhere inside me among the broken pieces of the thing that shattered. I just didn't want to be lonely anymore' I needed someone. Soon enough I saw my friends running towards me as it turned away from the corridor trying to loose the crowd around me. They halted next to me, everyone's eyes both full of anger and concern, I just shrugged my shoulders as Swayam placed a hand on my shoulder and we left, my friends shielding me from the glares of the unwanted audience.
***
I won't write to be continued here.. though this OS is to be done in two parts... but right now I'm the living example of 'live in moment' since i really don't know where i would be tomorrow... in which town with a computer and internet at my mercy or not. So for now treat this OS as complete.
Luv,
Pree. ❤️
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