TAHERA

Chapter 2

I walked off to the nearby market. The lady sitting at the counter had become used to my apathy.

"30 bucks that will be," she said, not even looking at me.

I paid her and went off to the beach. Weekends for me were spent mostly on beaches. The thing about this city is that even the saddest soul will find a reason to live here. That is what makes Kozhikode so special. The sea was calm comparatively. I set up a silent place and sat there munching my chocolate. Other than books and beaches chocolates have a spot in my spirit.

Even when mom was around I used to spend weekends as such. She would run about with her acquaintances. After Ayesha eloped with her Karan, things shifted. My mom changed, she forgot to hold out and ended up sacrificing her life to alcohol. The scent of alcohol would fill in by the time I came back home. She would curse me then. She was really funny though. She would get me my lunch and still curse me. She would pay me weekly pocket money, but still not love me. She performed her duties as a mother, but never became my mom.

"Hey, my place!" I was brought back from my dream world by a male voice. I fronted upwards to discover a young man stand beside smiling at me.

I just continued looking at him clueless. He didn't trouble to say anything but simply sat beside me. I faced at him, shocked, what is a random guy getting along by sitting beside a stranger?

"Excuse me, I am sorry, but I guess there is a mistake. You were supposed to meet someone here, but it is not me for sure, and then I will leave" I forced those words out of me and came ready to go up.

"I am not to see anyone as per any plan, this is where I sit every day, only today you happened to share this space, if anyone I am to meet now it is you probably and that is certainly the game of god."

I was completely confused. First this guy looked well enough to not seem a crack, second he doesn't look like the creepy kind of. Only what he speaks make no sense. I resisted and ran away in hunt of a new place to sit and made certain I would not have to confront such an incident.

Before noon I left off to my workplace, well let us a small child care center. Maybe babies could inspire me, I continued remembering. I opened the door to see Ramya playing with her child.

Hapless girl, I constantly felt bad for her. She started up the baby care center. Her husband was serving in the army. He has not even seen the child. Anurag, her three-year-old is the naughtiest child, I have ever watched. Her husband is somewhere is the Indochina borders. Luckily thanks to technology they do have contact on a everyday base. There are days when she doesn't get a call. I wonder how she sleeps those nights.

I thanked god for letting me not throw anyone in my life so close that am afraid to miss him/her. God, why should I thank god? It was my inner thought again playing its game!

The babies came in and I engaged with them for the next five hours. It is a different world. They allow me hold out for those five hours. I am somebody different, someone unknown to myself for that time being. After piling up the toys and fixing up the crayons and coloring books, I headed off back home, only to have stopped by Ramya in the center.

"Tahera, this is Ahmed. He will be joining us from tomorrow."

I turned back to look who she was pointing to and saw the same man standing there, the one whose place I accidently occupied in the beach today morning!

"Hey, myself Ahmed". He stood there smiling expecting a reply.

"This is Tahera; she is not used to mixing with people. It is a great deal she talks to me!" Ramya helped me out.

"I have heard her talk earlier today". I could see a tiny smirk on his face. What was he, spying on me? Does he know me anyhow?

Oh! Well, Tahera it will be easy for you to adjust to him I hope. Come tomorrow a little bit early, I want you to explain him things around here.

"Why can't Jyothi do that? I have some work to do; I was going to tell you I need an hour of tomorrow." I whispered to Ramya.

Well, nothing works in my way when I need it to, so I ended up having to miss TVD and show around Ahmed the center now. After what was a really silent awkward tour we reached the main door and it was finally time for me to go, but then god planned to put a twist and..

"Tahera, do you want to have dinner with me, I know this really awesome place."

Now, this might sound like a date, but this is Kozhikode and people here are rich for their hospitalities.

"No, " I left the center and walked off to the nearby bus stop.

"Well, then you will buy me dinner since you were rude to me five minutes before." I saw a smiling Ahmed standing next to me.

I was feeling uneasy and so badly wanted to lock myself in my room. Last time someone tried to be this friendly to me was my mother's nurse back a year. I still remember how I walked of not paying attention to her words. She seems to be in a shock, but the next day she had an understanding look. I was sure my mother had told her about her weird daughter.

"Listen, I don't do this dinner thing with anyone, I don't even walk with anyone, so if you could excuse me I would be happy about it. I was starting to sweat by now.

He was in no mood to respect my words and boarded my bus and sat beside me. He was way exceeding my limit.

"Listen, I am just trying to be a good friend, nothing else. I am not here to terrify you," he looked, god that was one deep look.

I sat silent. My mind had already pondered somewhere else. FRIEND, did he say that right? Who would want to be my friend? My mom hated me, my sister tried to kill me. Even dad....

And there was some Ahmed, who wanted to be my friend. It made no sense. A complete stranger wanting to be my friend. What is he, some god sent the angel who will change my life and make feel want to not just pass the days, but live.

At some point he had got down and I had not noticed. My inner thought was blaming me for missing some great opportunity. Whatever, I had to see him the next day, anyhow. I thought to myself.