Off Script Story | ✔

7 - Poles Apart

Maya 

I bet he is speaking ill about me. 

" Yes mom… Maya is fine. What can happen to her?... Lina? You should have been in college? What are you doing at home? …Holiday? Good, continue fooling around. Go and study now… Bye and take care." 

A smile crept on my face as I listened to the conversation. I know that eavesdropping is not a very pleasant thing to do but I was somehow glad I did. 

I miss them so much and I want to meet them badly. I don't care about Ajay but I do care for them. They were like my second family. I used to spend most of my time with Lina and often visited my auntie and uncle. I am suddenly reminded of those Kachoris and Samosa party.

I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't notice the footsteps nearing me. "Finish dreaming? " —I was startled to find Ajay standing near me—" But hey, were you trying to eavesdrop? " he asked, raising an eyebrow. His black orbs met my brown ones. 

" W...why would I?" 

" Then why are you here?" 

" Why, do you own this place? I can stand here without your consent," I started out confidently. He looked at me suspiciously as if finding clues and answers to his questions. 

He looks like he will eat me up. Maya, You have to get out of it. Think fast. 

Just then as if God listened to my prayers, my phone rang, breaking the tension in the atmosphere. I pulled out my phone from the bag and it was from Pranav; my part-time savior. 

" Monkey, where are you? "

" Pranav, how are you? Calling after a decade," I said, exaggerating my expressions trying to continue the talk. I was afraid that the call would end soon and I would be bombarded with thousands of unwanted questions. 

" What's wrong? Is there a problem?" 

" Surely, problems run after me. One ends with the other ready to welcome me,' Come in Maya. We were waiting for you.' This is my life, don't forget." 

" My monkey is being funny. Is there anyone troubling you?"

" It's nothing for you to be worried about. It is the interview with Ajay- " 

" Oh, that interview with actor Ajay Sharma. Quit it if you don't feel like doing it," he said, cutting me in between. His words were clearly quoting his only solution for mostly everything; 'Quit'.

" Pranav, he turned out to be the same Ajay Sharma," I said looking at Ajay, who was looking somewhere else, least interested in my conversation. I got no reply from the other end. Who could ever think that I would meet him in such a way? My clichéd dramatic life. 

After a while, I heard him saying, " Maya, don't get mad at him. It wasn't his fault to cross roads with you. Take it easy and quit getting violent. Okay?" 

" So you mean I am violent. Okay, this violent girl is hanging up the call." He should've consoled me and trashed this useless baggage in its right place, Trash Bin, but there he was lecturing me. 

Right when I was about to hang up, my phone was snatched from my hands. 

I was shocked by the sudden action and was unable to react for a second. Ajay took the phone to his ears and said, "Pranav Bhai, I am Ajay." 

I jumped to get my phone from his hands but he stood tall, holding the phone high up far away from my reach. However much I tried but I couldn't reach the phone. 

"… Little? You should say a lot. But she can't always be short-tempered like this. This will give her nothing. I will make sure she understands anger is not the solution to anything. I know how to bring this angry monkey on the track."