ENDEARMENT (ON HOLD)

Converge

Any occurrences in the village spread like a wild forest fire, pro or con. She had thought many times but now concluded it to be half in ratio.

The news of her Sakha babu's arrival had made villagers react differently and it reaching hers her ears were no less than a good news or God's offering to her.

She could feel her insides dancing, her excitement rising as it was always the famous Bengal newspaper cutting she used to see, share everything and now it would be the real him.

Sprinted to the place, seeing her hands a mischief caught her mind and the thought of doing it made her thrilled.

Without glancing, wore it above her regular flower printed saree, putting the cloth over her face covering herself full head to toe, her eyes the only visible of all her and that too through the net which blocked the view to see.

Hiding herself behind the long rooted fence, her eyes in between each of them trying to find him. Scrutinising every where all over the study area atlast found a rigid chisseled outlook in the extreme front of the chairs placed, a man in his casuals turning his back to her.

The eager elevating with time, made her bite nails in high. Picking a pebble, with her toe raised, framing him threw it on him, but failed as it did not even hit him. Next repeated the same with the help of stone, though hit, failed at him not turning.

Fed up with all the try, hushed and uttered his name "sakha babu" audible only to her. Surprisingly she saw him lifting his head up from the papers holding in his hands, turned and began to look here and there alike a lost child in the carnival.

His anxiety quiet visible, her hands covering her mouth, her eyes twinkled blistering at his sight, her wanting to embrace and hide herself into him, it was then she observed her sakha babu keenly - hair perfectly gelled, clad with spectacles, charming in his waist coat and matching trousers, the gold watch dangling and his shoes gently polished. He appeared appealing, pleasing and more manly with stubble.

On contrary, he felt her this time real, he felt her calling him, uttering 'sakha babu' No not a dream or illusion, he said to himself and thats when his eyes ventured for her desperately as she hid herself more, enjoying his tense.

With head down, giggled and thats when received a pat on her shoulder. Froze at it, her eyes saw his absence at front and thus prayed to God for it should not be him, no never.

And when turned, sighed seeing her only friend Aisha with her brows up in suspicious look at her, pulling her close whispered into her ears to which Aisha firmly nodded and showed her thumps up.

As the class started with girls bustling over the chairs, the two young girls too ran and sat themselves at last, on the last row with all enthusiasm. In contrary, Batuk brought his dada out from his rigorous search for his sakhi.

Though dissatisfied, gained up his pace and started addressing the girls "Good evening yah kahoon susandhya. Mein Anirudh Roy Choudary hoon," her eyes sparkled joy "ek sadha Barrister. Aapka aaj ka shikshak hoon toh pehle muje aap sab pe bahut garv mehsoos ho rahe hai ki aap sab apne shyam ka sahi upyog kar rahe hai. Khoob bhalo." to which in return there were claps, though all paused heard a single clapping for long which ended soon for his spunky words.

It was her with eyes glued to him, his sakhi, her praise and claps for him which ended with her friend Aisha's smack on her, though paused continued to feel his words, the words she missed, each letter made sense to her, more than prior. She felt them all deep and it proved him remaining all unchanged over the years. His fitoor, also might be her.

With Batuk at back, exhileratedly facing all young girls he questioned them " Muje patha hai ki aap sab naye ho abi abi aye ho tho aap hi bathayiye muje ki kya padna chahthe hai matlab kis vishay ke bare mein pehle jaana chahthe hai?" Seeing all petrified faces, spoke again "gabrahiye math, aap kuch bhi keh sakthe darne ki avashyak hi nahi."