My Destination, My Bondita

23 - Pati Babu Gone Mad

After school that day, Bondita was standing with Batuk outside, waiting for her Pati Babu to come and pick her up. She just couldn't contain the excitement of this new thing that she discovered! 

"Batuk," Bondita said, "Did you know when your heartbeats stop and your cheeks turn red, it means something special?"

"What does it mean Boudi?" Batuk asked, touching his cheek curiously. 

"It means it's a special kind of love!" Bondita exclaimed. 

"Love?" Batuk asked. "How many kinds of love are there?"

"I don't know," Bondita said with a shrug. "It seems like there's lots! There's this kind of love that makes your cheeks red and heart stop. Then there's the love of husband and wife that makes babies! Then there's the love for your family members!" 

Batuk nodded slowly, as if he was understanding everything. 

"So for the first type of love, is it for someone who is not your husband or wife?" Batuk asked. 

"No, I think it can happen with a husband and wife too! That's what the ladies at the village told me. They told me I must love my Pati Babu like that! But when I tried, I couldn't!" she explained. 

"Why couldn't you love Dada like that?" Batuk asked, somewhere feeling bad that his Boudi didn't love his Dada like that. 

"Because my cheeks didn't turn red and my heartbeats didn't stop! But it stopped when I was almost in trouble today," Bondita was explaining. 

"So who do you love Boudi?" Batuk asked. 

That was the moment that Vikram came running towards them, interrupting their conversation. 

"Bondita! Batuk!" he yelled. 

"You didn't go home yet Vikram?" Bondita asked. 

"No, not yet," Vikram said, "I wanted to give you something." 

He reached in his bag and took out a chocolate bar that he had packed. This was the moment that Anirudh had reached the school. 

He watched as Vikram took out the bar of chocolate and handed it to Bondita. 

"My cousin bought this from one of the British stores," Vikram explained. "I know you like sweets, so I wanted you to have it." 

Batuk stared at the chocolate, licking his lips. 

"I have it for you too Batuk," Vikram said with a laugh, "But I only have one right now. I'll bring yours tomorrow. I thought since Bondita is living in a small village now, she won't get to eat nice things." 

Bondita took the chocolate bar from Vikram excitedly. Anirudh was only a few feet away now, watching as this school boy gave Bondita a chocolate. 

A frown reached his lips. 

Did the kids here gift each other chocolates, or did they come to school to study? 

"Thank you Vikram!" Bondita said happily. "You're so nice!" 

Anirudh walked closer to them, listening to the conversation. Nobody even noticed Anirudh approach. 

"Bondita, no need to mention it! I was just thinking about you and how you must miss these luxuries," Vikram said, grinning. 

"Yes, and this is why I love you!" Bondita exclaimed, causing Anirudh's mouth to fall open, and his eyebrows to rise so high they almost reached his hairline. 

Love? Why was Bondita openly telling her classmate that she loved him? All for a chocolate? 

Even Batuk looked at his Boudi and mouthed, "Love?"