Part 1: https://anibhoot.wordpress.com/2015/11/29/homework/
Part 2: https://anibhoot.wordpress.com/2015/12/15/punishment/
Part 3: https://anibhoot.com/2015/12/24/merry-christmas/
Part 4: https://anibhoot.com/2016/02/11/fair-unfair/
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“Bittu what are you doing here?”
Bittu looked back as he was sitting alone near the pond. It was getting dark, the dusk had fallen. The glowworms were flying around and the continuous sound of crickets, making the evening a little different than others.
“Why are sitting here with all these mosquitoes?” Firoz asked again as he walked down the steps on the pond side, Bittu was sitting on the step last but one.
“Meditation sir, need to concentrate my thoughts, 12th exams are there in another 2 months.” Bittu was looking at the black water of the pond in front of him.
“Meditation?! Hmm, yeah you should do it sometime. I see your meditation working. For whom you’re meditating is already in the railway station.” Firoz said those words as he was sitting next to Bittu.
“Yesterday Christie came and asked me to preponed the class test. Strange right? After all her whole family is going on vacation to Darjeeling.” Firoz continued.
“Amm, ohh, really! So did you?” Firoz smiled silently as Bittu was stammering.
“Looks like D’Souza family already board their train, Christie must have seen them off an hour ago. I just came from there, she’s sitting on the bench.” Firoz’s tone was pretty normal.
“Amm Sir, I just remembered now, I have a very important work to complete, I will see you tomorrow, bye sir.” Bittu jumped off his feet.
“Here, take the keys of my bike, and no rash driving, station is almost 10 km away.” Firoz threw his bike key at Bittu.
“No… err.. I mean I am not going to station, I have to go home, kind of urgent. I will park your bike at your place by tomorrow early morning. Thank you sir, thank you…” Bittu was running as he threw those words at Firoz.
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Christie could see Bittu is out of breath, he was breathing heavily. Christie was waiting for almost 1 an ½ hours now.
“What you want?” Christie asked in a bitter tone.
“You!!” Bittu answered.
Christie made up her mind, “Let’s stop being kids Bittu. Another two months and we are done with school. Then college. We don’t know where we will end up. Today you like me. Tomorrow when we will be miles apart who knows whom we might like, fall in love with. Let’s say we stay in touch, but how long? Long distance never works. And we don’t even know if we ever end up together at the same place.
Less we will meet, more we will drift apart, and one day we may found someone better. Then what?”
Tears were rolling from Christie’s eyes and her pink and puffy cheeks were letting them flow over.
“Will you be mine?” Bittu extended his right hand, a red rose, a withered one….
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(After 20 years)
Bittu woke up at 9 PM, he was so tried, after coming back from office. He turned to his right, he’s all alone in this king size bed. He pushed himself off the bed, he sure is hungry.
The house is looking so messy, things are scattered around here and there, the smell from the bin is making the place unbreathable. Bittu took out the cold food from the refrigerator which was made yesterday and put it in the microwave oven. The maid is absent as usual.
All of a sudden the realization hit him, he is all alone in this big house. Bittu glanced at the almost empty bottle of whisky on the table. The house is looking like perfect bachelor’s pod.
He took out the food and kept it on the table, the dim light of the dining room was making the place gloomy and sad. He looked at the calendar, it’s 14th February.
Twenty years back in the railway station he proposed to Christie with a withered rose he found on his way to meet her. She made Firoz sir preponed the test so she could stay back though she would love to go for that vacation with her family. As Bittu’s plan to follow her till Darjeeling was miserably failed.
With the first bite Bittu felt the stale smell of the food, he got up threw it in the dustbin, called the pizza store for a door delivery. All of a sudden he felt the emptiness in his heart, a strange loneliness.
“I miss you Christie.” He muttered.
He picked up his phone and dialed Neeraj’s number.
“Hey Bittu. What’s up?” Neeraj answered.
“Come over. Let’s watch Arsenal vs Bayern Munich, I have ordered pizza so you gotta get the beers.” Bittu answered.
“But….?” Neeraj confused tone was heard from the other side.
“Christie and our daughter Shristi has gone to her mother’s place for 3 days. I am all alone at home. Come over, grab Vishal on the way if you can.” As he finished the call Bittu threw his mobile on the couch.
‘This Valentine, it’s the old mates’ reunion on a football match.’ Bittu smiled again.
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Firoz was sitting on the steps near the pond still, Bittu was gone for nearly 20 minutes now. He sighed.
“Not all the stories deserve a tragic ending. A few need happy endings too…..”
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