The Reality Check

Books. They have always held a magical world for me. I believed that the fantasy world a book created was so much better than boring reality. I mean who needs mundane routine life and mind numbing reality when you can just lose yourself in a book with colourful plots, witty conversations and a wonderful ending? It's just better this way. For now. I'm sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Shikha and I'm 16 years old. You can probably gather that from what I said in the beginning. I know it sounds a bit young and starry eyed.

This happened about a month back. I was walking back from college in the evening on a rainy day. I had a huge project due in a couple of weeks and I was hauling a bag full of reference books back home from the library. I reached the bus stop and stood waiting for the bus for 15 minutes. I'll be honest. I was very cranky and the only thing that kept me going was the book. I had been reading this book every time I got a spare minute in the last one week. It was by one of my favourite authors. I loved her unusual stories and quirky style of writing.

Anyway, the bus finally arrived. I tried to rush into the bus to get a seat but only managed to slip and cling on to the purse of the lady in front of me. My foot of course had to slip into the puddle of nice muddy water. I looked up to apologize to her and realized that she thought I was a bag snatcher. Yeah lady! I would choose a slippery rainy day and haul a 5 kilo bag full of books to snatch your bag in front of a bus full of witnesses who could easily outrun and beat the pulp out of me. It is definitely my goal for the day.

I somehow clambered into the bus and saw that there was no place to sit. Freaky Purse Lady got the last seat. I found a vacant pole handle though. I wrapped my arm around it and pulled out my book. I was nearing the end of it and was extra excited about that. I started where I had left off.

"Jake took her to the place it had all started. He walked beside her slowly as she spoke about her the topic of her senior project. He walked her all the way till the middle and stopped. She finally realized where she was. The football field."

I gasped! Oh this book is just getting better by the page. I was about to turn to the next page when,

"Oye kid!"

I looked up and from the book to see who was being called. I saw this guy sitting at the corner seat a few seats away from the pole that I was clutching onto for dear life. He looked like he was in his late twenties. Did I also mention really cute? He was tall, lean and strong looking. He looked really smart in his formal shirt and trousers. He had a neon blue backpack which somehow added to his charm. Sadly, he was not in my age bracket. He vacated his seat and said, "I suggest you sit down and read the book before we have to prise you off the windshield the next time the driver hits the brakes."

I was surprised at his new age chivalry. No guy had ever given up his seat for me. Heck no guy had even bothered to lift a feather for me. Although that is weird. I don't need a feather. I thought about saying no but the bag was really heavy and the book had just reached new levels of awesomeness. I happily marched up to his newly vacated seat, plonked myself and thanked him. I open the book again.

"Jake why are we standing in the middle of the football field?" He levels his shoulders and faces her. "Sandy...

"Jake why are we standing in the middle of the field? Let's go stand by the goal posts or something." Sandy said. But Jake looked nervous. He kept looking at the stands and scratching his nose. Sandy poked him and went, "Um, are you alright? You don't seem to be paying any attention to what I've said all evening."

I clutched the book tighter and had a big grin on my face. I was glad I had a place to sit while I read this part. I turned the page with great relish and read on...

"Sandra turned around to where Jake was looking and suddenly she felt a drop of water fall on her cheek. She raised her hand to wipe it off and felt several more fall slowly and steadily. She turned around to ask Jake if it was raining when she saw him grinning tentatively at her. She frowned slightly, feeling confused and looked down. That's when she realized the sprinklers were on all throughout the field. She had a strange feeling Jake had something to do with it judging by the expression on his face. Before she could figure out further, he reached out for her hand and smiled looking deep into her eyes. He said, "Sandy, I'm not sorry I asked you to pretend to be my girlfriend. Because of this whole charade, I realized what an idiot I have been. I couldn't see what was right in front of me. I..."

I shifted a bit in my seat to get more comfortable when I heard the guy who gave up his seat, talking.

"Is that a new book?"

I looked up to see if he was talking to me. After all, this was a new book. But he was talking to the girl sitting next to me. She was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt and had a beanie clamped on to her head over her ears. She also had a book in her hands. I instantly took a liking to her.

She smiled and nodded at the guy. He asked, "What's it about?"

I blinked. A guy taking interest in a romance novel that some girl was reading. He sure was different. And so cute!

The girl next to me replied, "It's this new writer that everyone has been talking about. I meant to read it anyway but then I saw that the hero of the book shared your name."

The guy's face lit up with a smile as he extended his hand for the book. He asked, "Does he get the girl in the end?"

She doesn't give him the book. I give up trying to read Jake and Sandy's story. Real life suddenly looked a lot more interesting. I chanced a peak at the girl. She just tossed the book from one hand to the other lightly and said, "I've just started it. We've got a long way to go to find out."

He bent slightly and pulled the book from her hands. I lowered my book slowly and peered up at him to see what he would do next. He flipped open the book, went over to end and started reading the last page. The girl cried out, "Hey, you can't skip to the end. The chase is the best part."

He ignored her and kept on reading. His smile grew bigger as he neared the end. He shut the book with a flourish and handed it back to her a few moments later and said, "All's fair in love."

My jaw dropped open and I pretended it was because my book was so interesting. She snatched the book from his grasp and asked, "So are you going to ruin the ending for me?"

He shook his head, laughing and said, "Buy me a cup of coffee. A wise woman once mentioned to me that the chase is the best part."

She laughed and asked, "Are you asking me out?"

He shrugged and said, "Well technically, you're asking me out. An important story hangs in the balance after all."

She sighed mockingly and said, "Fine! Will you have coffee with me, Abhi?"

He hoisted his bag up and brightened as he said, "I wouldn't have it any other way, Sara."

I kept my book aside and pulled out a notebook from my bag. Thoughts ran feverishly in my head. This guy...he gave up his seat next to a girl he really liked just so I could have a place to sit and read. He was bothered about what the girl was reading. My young mind pictured this as the epitome of romance. I found a blank page and scribbled hurriedly.

"Please marry him someday J"

I tore out the page, folded it and tossed it in her lap. I grabbed my bag and rushed out of the bus as it was my stop. As I waited at the stop for a few minutes, I heard the girl call out, "Hey!"

I looked up and saw her tossing a note at me. I saw her smile just before the bus started moving. I opened the note and saw that it was my own. I frowned and turned it around. It said,

"I did...3 years back. He got the girl. :)"