Chennai Terminal || WLW Novel || Indian Sapphic

6. Everybody loves Somebody

I started going to her house often. Before anything, we were great friends first.

There was a construction of a new house nearby that was halted midway due to some issues with the owner. That place was empty. So we went there often and talked about things.

I won't forget the song 'Everybody loves somebody' playing behind in the boombox we brought.

Once she looked at my sketches.
"Wow these are pretty" she said and flipped the pages one by one. And once she flipped into a sketch of herself, in a flash of second, I snatched it from her.

"I-Is that me?" She asked and looked up into my eyes.

"I- yes."

She smirked and took the sketch from me and saw it closely. It was a sketch of her I drew during one of our beach visits. I kept it as a secret from her because I somehow thought she would get the wrong idea.

The drawing was pretty but was more of a stick figure like sketch.

"You could've asked me to pose" she said and smiled.

"Madhu, draw me like one of your french girls" she said as she fixed her hair and chuckled like a child.

I don't know why but for a moment there, I wanted to cry. I've drawn for years but the only reaction I've ever received was disappointment that I wasted my time in something that'll not feed me in the future.

Never in my life before have my parents asked me to draw them. Looking back, I was awfully clingy to anything that gave me even little acknowledgement. But maybe, it was my duty to show my parents how much this meant for me. Maybe they would've supported me if I opened up sooner.

"What pose do I give?" She chuckled and said softly.

"You be comfortable... I like to draw candidly..." I said and took my book seriously.

"Ok then" she said and just lied down smirking. After a very long yawn, she said she was tired and I should draw her hands or something. Little does she know, hand is not my department. I drew her folded legs instead.

One would not believe but I swear, she looked like a sketch. Her legs were perfect like a drawing, her face had no blemishes or anything, she had no imperfection on her. She was just there asleep and I drew her peacefully. I remember thinking "how lucky must I be to have a model as a muse."

She made a small movement and woke up the next second. She tried to get up and then saw me.
"Oh you're drawing, shall I lie again" and laid back.

"No no do your thing" I said.

"Mkay." She said but didn't get up. She put her hands behind her head and stretched her legs and started at the ceiling.

"So.. you wish to become an artist?"

"Um.. yeah" I mumbled.

"What kind of artist?"

And I stared back at her. I knew I wanted to draw, but what kind? I like drawing realistic things as well as cartoons and of course scenaries  but what do I prefer?

"You don't know? It's fine we'll figure it out" she said calmly and gave me assurance.

"What do you want to be?" I asked.

"Me? I'm over that stage really." She took a breath "but honestly, nothing."

I was gonna question her but she continued. "I want to just be idle forever and not worry about things. I want someone to just take care of me and basically, do nothing." She said.

That sounded stupid. Still does. But when you grow up and meet new places and people, you feel envy for your childhood because everything that once gave you thrill, does only give fear when you're out there alone.

"But did you want to be something when you grew up?" I asked.

"Mm.... The... President of India" she said like it was nothing.

I chuckled. "You don't think I'd make a good leader?" She asked looking at me sideways.

"No no not that... I don't see you in politics or as a leader" I said.

"Agreed" she said and sighed.

"But I like that you care about India. Some of us just want to elope to a western country given an opportunity...."

"Some of who?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Just... People. Maybe it's the fact I've only seen US through TVs but it sounds like it could fit me."

"Nope. It's just the TV love. But... Hmm..." she paused.

"Maybe we'll both be in the US someday. Who knows...." She said and smiled. I smiled too... But differently, with red cheeks and butterflies in places of my body.
The cold breeze blowing up our hair and the happy songs made us feel calm and peaceful.

We went home a little later, and I could stop thinking about what she said. She wanted someone to just take care of her. "I'll take care of you." I thought to myself.

I took deep breaths and thought what would take care of her. Money? I should get a good job then. I woke up and ran to my mom immediately.

"Amma.. I want to be an HR." I said and she hugged me in pure joy.
The next day I was taken to this coaching centre who coach people for MBA entrances.

And in the midst of all this, I realised I had developed a massive crush on this woman. I couldn't stop thinking about her everytime I breathed.

From then, everytime we met, I could feel the tension. I felt meaningless joy with her. And she was extremely nice to me, maybe it was me who mistook for love.

For the first time really, I dressed myself up to even step out of the house. I tried to impress her in little things.

I showed her every sketch I made, I watched the then new show "yeh rishta kya kehlata hai" for her and we'd discuss about it and other soap operas.

She too reciprocated by listening to Britney Spears and Billy Joel. In months, it seemed as though there was nothing we both didn't know about one another. We shared the same braincell.

Of course, I encountered Suresh and that old woman once in a while. I could tell they hated me by their looks. I hated them too. As much sunshine as Nayan was, they were dull and dark people. I've never seen them both smile before.