The Note Girl

Weekend

Weekend passed peacefully...well almost. Kiaan spent it primarily studying and attending tuitions. He took his weekend FIITJEE classes, so he was busy throughout the day. Dhruv and few other students from his school were also in his class. Infact Nyasa, Palash were also doing FIITJEE with him. Vaibhav, Ritu, Amri and a few other guys from class went to Akash. Infact, their whole class almost went to Fiitjee or Akash or some other competitive exam tutorials. ( In India still competitive exams like ITT- JEE and NEET which give admissions for Engineering and Medical schools are very popular. Students start preparing for them from class eight and there are specialized tutorials for taking these exams. IIT- JEE and NEET are indian equivalents for say Gaokao or MCAT. Becoming Enginners and Doctors are still the most popular career goals of most students here. Though there is a very gradual change coming up and other careers are also catching up but still IIT- JEE and NEET have the most number of applicants).

They were returning home and had stopped for a snack and a little chat session over food. It happened everyday unless they had something urgent and had to go home in a hurry. Sometimes it would be chowmien or momo or a vada pao or a wrap or pizza or even a ubiquitous packet of chips. That day it was Sandwich. It was an Indiansed version of it with coriander chutney. If you are in Mumbai it would be called Kothambir chutney. If you are in Delhi it would surely be dhaniya- pudina ki chutney. If you are in Kolkata you would rather get a Roll- egg or chicken or both egg chicken- more easily than a sandwich...or may be phuchka or jhal muri. And if you are in Chennai you will go for the spicy chilli Porota. But if you are in Delhi you would rather eat the chole bature or the ram laddoo or the desi burger or chaat, nahi? (Tell me about you city's street food in the comments page. I would like to know what's your fav street food. Guess mine?- VSS)

Partha while taking a bite of his sandwich smirked at Kiaan and asked,"what is it between you and Amri. I heard you guys come to class early and do khusar phusar( Cootchie coo) in the empty classroom? It seems you compared her to Meena Kumari." Parthasarathi Ghosh was also part of their group. He was a Bengali like Palash...Palash Benerjee. Palash and Partha were best of friends and spoke in Bengali among themselves sometimes when they wanted to discuss something without letting anyone know.

" This is all rubbish. I saw her in class this morning and she came and sat before me and trying to act cute twurling her hair and all. But who us speading all this idiotic lies about me. Must be that Tanya Dixit. People like her who have no life of their own just try to get milage spreading gossip about others. She's a complete tillle tattling, a gossip monger."

" Mimi did not say anything. If she did I'd know," spoke Palash ptotectively.

" She was the only other person in class. Who else could have gossiped about this."

Dhruv nodded but then he thought for a while and said, "Tixie is not the gossipy type though."

"Tixie, is she a girl or a dog," laughed Kiaan bitterly.

"Come on now. You are hitting below the belt, Kiaan."

" Palash why are you supporting that tittle tattle. Tera kya hai uske sath? Bahut pyaar aa raha hai uske liye"(what is it you have with her. You are having so much love for her.)

" Shut up. Don't talk rubbish."

" main bolu toh rubbish aur woh bole toh kuch nahi."( if i say it's rubbish and if she says it's nothing.)

" Yes. Because you went on a coffee date with Amri. Everyone in school is talking about it. Don't deny you guys have nothing going."

" She had said you, Vaibhav and Ritu were also coming. I thought we were all hanging out."

" What! Main us churail ko nahi chorungi.( i will not leave that witch) . Let her come to school. I will beat her up?" Said Nyasa. Nyasa was the tomboy of the class.

" Tu ruk,( you stop)" said Dhruv," why did you compare her to Meena Kumari then?"

" She tried to compare herself to Deepika Padukone and me Rabeer Singh."

" Oye hoye hoyyyeee," all of them yelled.

" Stop it guys. I am not interested in her."

" Did you see Meena Kumari?" Asked Nyasa.

" Had seen one movie. Don't remember her face very well."

" She was very pretty. My daadi used to love watching her movies and also Madhubala's. Meena Kumari was a tragedy queen."

Kiaan looked at Nyasa. She knew about Meena Kumari! He did not want to imagine she was writing the notes.

" I'll get going," said Palash without looking at Kiaan. Then he began walking away.

" Hey Palash," called Nyasa.

He did not turn.

"He is angry. I don't understand why he should be so touchy about anything being said about Tanya," Nyasa said little sadly.

" Tera koi chance nahi hai Ny," said Dhruv.( You don't stand a chance, Ny)

" Tum log galat soch rahe ho," ( you are thinking it wrong) intervened Partha, "Tixie is his next door neighbour. Their moms are very close. They are more like one family. Since they were babies Tixie ties rakhi and gives bhai phota eerr Bhaiyya Duj to Palash and his elder bro Amaltas. Bhai phota us a very big festival in Bengal. That is why he is so touchy about her, may be. Bobby is nothing. You should see Buntyda..I mean Bobby's elder bro Amaltas. He is like pura bara bhai( total big brother) to her. "
( Rakhi and Bhai Phota are brother- sister festivals in India where the sister ties Rakhi or gives Sandalwood tika on the brother's forehead seeking his long life.)

" Phir toh theek hai.( then it's fine). Nyasa is okay with Tanya as her sister- in-law. Nahi Ny," teased Dhuv and again the gang erupted with a boisterous, " Oyee hoyeee."

Nyasa blushed, "No. No. I am not interested in him."

" Na na karke pyaar tumhi se kar baithi," sang Dhruv.( while saying no no , i ended up falling in love with you. Old Bollywood movie song)

" Dhruv, tu kitna filmy hain re," said Nyasa.

Kiaan looked at Nyaasa and Dhruv. Dear Gawd! Naaahhhhhiii.