[a desi bus romance] Vijay and Nila have only one thing in common - they take the same bus at the same time everyday. What if this mere commonality steers their life into a whirlpool of uninvited feelings, wholesome conversations and unexpected conn...
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The feeling when the bus entered the school campus after a fun school trip --- that was how Vijay felt for a week since Farah's wedding. Life that had once looked bright and colourful seemed to have faded a shade or two now that he'd seen how vibrant it could be. Did Nila have so much power in his life? Was that healthy?
"You're distracted. You've been this way since your week off," Coach grunted, folding his arms over his chest and looking down at him. Vijay caught his knees and panted. "What's up, boy? Family issues again?"
"No, everything's alright," he said, straightening and wiping the sweat off his forehead.
"Whatever it is, figure it out. If you carry your emotional baggage here, you can't fly. And to fly should be your goal when you step into this field."
"Yes, coach. Sorry, coach," he said.
Coach slapped his head gently and told him to stretch before leaving. Since he had absented himself for four days, Coach had gone pretty hard on him once he'd come back. Running track needed power and speed which affected time. While he had mastered these to an extent, stamina was where he lacked. Running long-distance track was where he fell short. To ace it, he needed to allot more time for his practice. He needed to get more serious.
Vijay poured water over his head and pushed his hair back, leaving the strands dripping. He plopped down on the ground and took his phone out. There was a message from Nila.
I'm free this evening. Wbu?
He typed his response without a second thought. We'll meet at Pondy Bazaar at 5? Or 4:30?
The message was delivered but the little checkmark didn't turn blue.
Nila had two months of summer break but like him, she had to do her summer internship for a month. Instead of taking a break after her exams and going home, she had chosen to finish her internship and then go home the latter month. But her internship wasn't flexible like her college. She complained that there was too much work every day and because she wasn't used to a full day shift, she was exhausted by the time she returned. Since Priya had gone home, the household chores were divided between Anamika and her, making the load burdening. Vijay had offered to swing by and help her with the chores but like he expected of her, she flat out refused. That's not why I have a boyfriend, she said. Your job is to take care of me. Not my house.
Isn't it like the same thing? Helping you with your work also helps you, right? he'd asked.
No. That's my issue. Let me deal with it, she'd said stubbornly.
Vijay didn't argue more. Sometimes, he didn't want to battle it with Nila's stubbornness. It was unyielding and impossible to go around. So, all Vijay could do was listen to her rant and complain about her life in vivid detail, comforting her and distracting her as much as he could. But during this time, all he would think about was how easy it would be to comfort her if he was close to her. The distance and Nila's busy schedule made their relationship feel like a long-distance relationship. He had been so used to seeing her every day that now he found it hard to cope with.
