Barrister Babu OS

Chaandaniya

Ah, the bright sunny day, perfect for the first day of college. The perfect thing to wake up to is Bondita Boudi's morning aarti. The amount of love and care with which she sings it each day overwhelms my heart. Without her and her Aniruddh Dada, she wouldn't have a college to go to. She had been waiting for this for too long.

Ditching her bed, Shashwati made her way to the washroom.
'Shashu, uth ja college jaana hai na.' Bondita said entering her room only to find the bed empty. She shook her head at her silliness as she folded her sheet.

'Boudi, mere liye kapde nikal dogi?' Shashwati yelled from the inside. Bondita debated between a saree and suit. Considering the society was evolving, she took out a beautiful suit for her first baby ever. She still couldn't believe that her Shashu was old enough to go to college.

'Shashu, niche aa jaana nashta kiye bina nahi jaane dungi, samjhi.' Like an idiot she nodded from inside the bathroom, realizing Bondita couldn't see that, she quickly formed a yes.

With the little black bindi, Shashwati looked beautiful evermore. A little kohl and she was done.
'Boudi, bohot late ho gaya hai, chalti hun.' Shashwati says while having a chapati.

'Shashu, tu jayegi kaise? Batuk chhodh aayega.' Annirudh said keeping his newspaper down. These last years of revolution had evidently taken a toll on him. Big dark circles under his eyes and his hair turning white so soon. But to Bondita, he was still the same.

'Dada, meri dost aa rahi hai, Parvati. Ussi ke saath.' Annirudh nodded once and went back to his paper and then again said from behind the paper.

'Dhyaan laga kar padhna. Apna khyaal rakhna.'
'Ji Dada.'

Shashwati and Parvati were childhood best friends and with Parvati came his elder brother, Ajit. He was always present where she was. Apparently, he studied in the same college and happened to be a final-year student.

Shashwati politely greeted both of them and sat in the backseat of the car.
'Comfortable?' Ajit asked her.

Shashwati simply nodded. It would be lying, if Shashwati said that she didn't feel anything happen to her whenever he interacted with her. Even though it was just a second of her day.

As their eyes found each other, time after time. Shashwati tore herself away and just looked out of the window for the rest of the drive.
The college was here. Parvati had run off without waiting for her. Her and her silly antics. She tried to open her door but it wouldn't budge. She tried to be more aggressive when Ajit came over to her side and opened it. Her dupatta was in the way. He extended his hand for her to take and get off.

Shashwati smiled at him and took hold of his hand. She felt electricity run through her body.
'Thank you.'
Ajit nodded at her and they walked off into the campus. The college was huge and most of the population was male. Shashwati did feel a certain amount of safety and embarrassment. But she shouldn't be embarrassed, she won't. Every woman has the right to education as much as a man. Her first class- Is anatomy, but how will she find the lecture hall? She was sure, she will be lost if she attempted to find it herself.

'The lecture hall is this way. I will show you, it is on the way to the hospital.' Him being a final-year student, was expected to do an internship at the hospital.

'Thank you.' I feel like I have been saying thank you all morning. I followed him as he guided the way. Although the suit has got me covered, these eyes on me make me feel like I am not dressed at all. He had shown me the lecture hall and then in a blink went about his day. I turn my head to look inside the hall and there was Parvati. At least, she saved me a seat. I quickly made my toward her before the professor came. The hall was huge too. So many students out of which only ten percent were girls.

'What were you doing with Dada?' She nudged me with her shoulder.

'After you had run off, he showed me the way, paagol.' Shaking my head, she is really silly.

'What did you think?'

'I just wanted you to spend some time with Dada.' She answered innocently. She is cute, sometimes. Most of the time, she gives me a headache. But why would she want that for me?

'What? Why?'

'I am not blind, Shashu.' Before I could question her further, the lecture started and I was alone with my thoughts. I needed to shake them off. Focusing on the lecture, I concentrated straight ahead. It wasn't until the end of the lecture that I thought of it again. Next was the dean's lecture, scheduled to start after the next ten minutes.

'Do you know where to go?' Parvati nods when I ask her.

'Dada showed me, here it is straight and left.'

'What did you mean by the thing you said earlier.' She stopped in the way when I asked her.

'Shashu, everybody knows that there is something between you and Dada, even if it is only a spark. Even Bondita Boudi knows. When I say everybody sees it, then everybody sees it except the two of you.' Why has nobody ever told me or asked me? Is it really true? Maybe, I feel something but does he? I felt warmth in my cheeks. Was I blushing?

'So you know it?' She asked me. I was out of words.

'We are late for the lecture. We should go.' with two more lectures, it was a free lecture. We were so hungry by that point in time. Ajit was standing outside our lecture hall. As we saw each other, I gave him a smile. He was waiting to have lunch with us. That was sweet. The day didn't feel tiring at all. Maybe, it was because of all the adrenaline of it being the first day or because I could see him in between the lectures.

'Aajaoun?' Bondita Boudi asked. I was just revising today's lectures.

'Ji, Boudi.' Bondita entered with the coffee in her hand. Like her Annirudh dada, Shashwati also liked her boudi's handmade coffee. It was apparent that was curious about something and wanted to ask something from her Shashu.

'Shashu, tera din kaisa tha aaj.'

'Accha tha boudi. Parvati thi na mere saath.' She replied with a smile.

'Shashu, tujhe Ajit pasand hain na?' Why was she asking her this all of a sudden. Was Parvati right after all?

'Kya hua, Boudi?' By now, I was sure that I had frown lines all over my face.

'Rishta aaya hai tere liye, Ajit ke saath? Khush toh hain na?' I was supposed to be happy, I guess. I did feel something for him but I was just getting started. I am four years younger than him.

'Par unhone toh kuch nahi bola?'

'Boudi, vo acche lagte hain mujhe par maine kabhi baat nahi kari hain unse aur itni jaldi main vivah nahi kar sakti. Aap kahiye usne ki agar aur chaar saal ruk sakte hain toh rukjaiye warna mana kar dijiye. Aur kal main Dada ke saath chali jaungi.' She didn't know what to feel. Be overwhelmed, happy, or extremely angry. They barely exchanged a few words in the name of formality all of the years that she was friends with Parvati and know she was supposed to be his potential bride.

She sat with Parvati in her first lecture. She kept asking what was wrong but I didn't want to tell her. What would I tell her that I received a marriage proposal from your mother for your brother, even after that conversation yesterday? As I was walking to the next lecture, he called me from behind. It was him. I could feel it when he was just behind him. He called my name one more time and I turned towards him.

'Ji.' I said looking straight at him.,

'Mujhe nahi pata tha Maa rishta bhej dengi. Maine bas aise hi bataya tha Maa ko.'

'Humein nahi bataya apne. Sidha Maa toh bata diya. Humein nahi karni ho shaadi toh. Abhi hum sirf bees saal ke hain. Kuch dekha nahi hain. Chaar saal rukenge hamare liye?' Ajit said yes and all was well again in the world. He would wait for her forever.

Posting after so long. Somebody asked for this in April. I said I would post soon. So extremely sorry for the delay. Just trying to not get lost between my college admission process. Thank you for being so patient. I hope you like this. I liked writing it.