Kuch Itne Haseen

chapter 2

Once in the room, Ankit takes a seat at the front. Priyanka had let go of his hand but continued to guide him through the room, waving at people she knew. Instead of sitting in her usual spot, Priyanka sat beside Ankit. 

When she thought Ankit wasn't looking, she took a small peek at his side profile. At the same moment Ankit turns his head and she widens her eyes, being caught and looks down. Her heart beats fast and she fiddles with her fingers. It's rude to stare at a stranger after all. Who knows what he's thinking. 

But the next time she looks at him, Ankit is fully focused at the front where an instructor is starting introductions for the new members. She watches as Ankit's mouth opens to say something and his hands fumble to sign something that the instructor had said. Hello. 

As per instinct, she signs back and as soon as Ankit looks, she pins her hands down and gives him a smile. The Ankit who was standing outside seemed so lost but now he held a blank face. But the furrow in his eyebrows was clear evidence that he was paying attention to whatever the instructor was saying. 

She waits until the class is over to look over at Ankit again. Ankit was confused as to why the glances kept coming his way. The thought kept running through his head on whether she wanted something from him. Did she lose something by chance? He wasn't exactly an expert signer yet. 

Priyanka takes out a small snack from her bag and hands it to Ankit, shaking it his way to get his attention. Ankit takes one look at the wrapper and makes a face. It was a low calorie granola bar. It had less sugar and probably tasted different. 

She has the urge to frown but bites it back and then digs through her bag for the stack of candies that she keeps and gives Ankit a chocolate bar to which Ankit accepts. Then she waves her hand in front of his face as a means of getting his attention. 

The notepad is out again and Ankit looks at it attentively as it is slid to him with a marker. Priyanka takes a seat beside him again. Ankit starts to unwrap the chocolate and begins to devour it.

What is your name?

Ankit uncaps the marker, chocolate bar in one hand and messily writes 'Ankit'.

Nice name. 

 For a second the marker is tapped against the desk before another message is written. 

How old are you? I'm 26. 

28. His handwriting looks like chicken scratch as he writes quickly in order to get back to his chocolate bar. 

It's nice to meet you. A gentle smile is sent his way and for a minute Ankit is taken aback before he writes back. 

You too. 

Priyanka gets up, tapping at her watch and pointing her finger towards the door. She signs something that he doesn't understand and he tilts his head in question. A smile is spread across her face as she takes in Ankit's face. She points at her own face and wipes the corner of her lips. 

Ankit raises his brow. She takes out a napkin from her bag and gives it to Ankit, making the same movement of wiping her finger across her lip and pointing to him. She laughs at Ankit's bewildered face before leaving. 

That meeting was something Ankit couldn't forget. After all, it was someone who managed to talk to him and treated him like a normal person. 

--

Ankit started struggling a lot more. There were times when he couldn't hear at all. He tried listening to all the songs he could so that he could remember them but sometimes he couldn't even memorize all of them. He tried to enjoy the small things but the fact that he may never be able to hear again weighed down on him.