Bombay Romance ♡ COMPLETED

[ 12 ] Is She Beautiful? ■

'Oh, it's you,' Gauri says. She doesn't look too happy to spot Murali in the courtyard of Gokula Chawl. She gets off her Vespa, pulls the satin scrunchie off her hair and adjusts it in the rearview mirror. 

Murali puts his cigarette into the ground and stubs it out. He doesn't look impressed to see her either. He has not forgotten her insolent reply about the new moon. 

'Really? Smoking early in the morning?' she asks.

'Saade aat baj raha hai,' Murali looks at this wristwatch.

'How many of these do you smoke per day?' 

'Five, six? Any problem?'

'None. Does your friend smoke too?' she asks, picking up her handbag.

'Which friend?'

Gauri doesn't answer. She strides ahead. Murali follows. 'Amar doesn't smoke. Why?'

She shrugs. 'What are you doing here?'

'I'll ask you the same thing.'

'I asked you first.'

Murali frowns. 'I live here.'

Gauri stops walking. 'You live here?'

'I shifted yesterday,' he looks around, not very happily. His old house at the police quarters was larger and airy. This place is crammed with people. 

Even Gauri reels at the sight. The building walls, originally pale blue, are now a dirty green because of the lichen growing profusely on the walls. She can see clothes put to dry on rusty metal railings along the entire stretch of corridors on the upper floors. A few cycles are parked in the concreted courtyard. Women in ground-floor homes sit outside, washing utensils. The kids run around, laughing.

Gauri isn't fond of this place. She's here only because her mother was busy and insisted she go instead.

'Aren't you in the IPS too ... ' she asks Murali doubtfully.

He shakes his head. 'Inspector. Amar and I are college friends'

'Which is your in-charge station?'

'Dharavi'

Gauri nods. 'I've seen it. It badly needs repainting' she says and walks ahead. Murali swears.

A group of men greet him as they pass by. People are slowly realizing that the latest member of their chawl is a policewala. Everyone would have known by now if his motorbike (which has POLICE written in large red letters embossed) had not gone for service. He catches up with Gauri again.

'Don't you get a decent house in the police quarters?' she wrinkles her nose.

Murali does not want to reveal he was respectably kicked out of the quarters. 'There was a shortage. Why are you here?'

'I'm visiting my friend.'

'The staircase is here' He points to the narrow, dingy staircase reeking of paan masala as Gauri passes by it.

'She lives on the ground floor.' 

Murali gives an expression of sheer surprise.

'What?' Gauri asks.

'I didn't know hi-fi people like you have friends here. That too on the ground floor.'