The sun rays streamed down the window, bathing me in the warmth reminding me that I was still alive but the thing unknown was there was no life inside me. Anymore. It was all drained right the moment I agreed to do something that I knew was not my cup of tea. Anyway, sitting on the bench, trying desperately to concentrate on what the professors were teaching, I realized that a huge part of my heart was waiting for the absurd lectures to end. Finally 8 dreadful hours rolled. The classes came to end for that day. As soon as the clock struck 4 pm, I was the first to run out of the class. Once out, I felt myself like a pigeon set free out of the cage.
Heaving a huge sigh of relief, I began to drive back home. For that, like every day, I had to cross the junction. I did, but unlike everyday it felt something strange that day, like it did in the morning. I felt my heart racing while my eyes were busily searching for him. "I don't want to see him" I said to myself crossing my fingers. But my heart voted to see him, thus my eyes were searching for him incessantly, and it's as usual. My search turned futile when he was nowhere to be seen. And then the dominant and rude part of my mind spoke "who cares!" while my heart longed to see him unknowingly.
Soon after reaching house, I flung my bag against the bed. I was too jaded to get freshen up or to do anything. So I threw myself on the bed and within minutes I zonked off.
It was hardly minutes that I slipped into kip. I was woken up by Nandini.
"Wake up! Let's go out" Nandini, who just exited the loo, began to shake me hard to wake me up.
"Nandu...let me sleep. Five more minutes" I mumbled rolling aside.
"My stomach is growling. I ate nothing from morning" Nandini pouted.
"Why?"I asked waking up, sitting on the bed, still groggy.
"Am waiting for you...you too ate nothing right?" Nandini said sitting beside me. I felt my eyes damp again. After my grandmother no one ever had cared for me so much. Failing to articulate the over whelming feeling of experiencing the immense love, I just hugged Nandini and she hugged me back.
"Even I am feeling hungry..." I imitated her pout. We smiled through our tears. For some reason I just loved the bond I share with her. Needless to say, Nandini's love for me was way too more than what my mother had for me. I know, my mother never loved me, neither did my father. After all what could I do except for accepting what I was given to live with, I know this too, that I was helpless.
~~~~
Shoving the thoughts about my parents aside, we both left the house for restaurant. Even when we knew nothing in this city, we drove leisurely on the dusty roads of Mumbai till we found a local restaurant. Within moments we found ourselves sitting at a corner table of the restaurant waiting for our order to be served. There was silence occupied between both of us. I hated it. The silence.
"So!" I said to initiate the conversation.
"I got something for you" Nandini smiled fishing out a book set from her bag.
"Sidney Sheldon...!" I shrieked grabbing them from her hand in utmost bliss.... "awieeee...! Thank you Nandu........" I said with my eyes brimming with happiness. There was a wide smile on Nandini's face, as wide as the smile on my face.
"You are happy na?" Nandini asked caressing my cheeks.
"Bohot" I chuckled checking the book set which had three books of Sheldon's collection.
"But sorry baby managed only three." Nandini said staring at me.
"Koi baat nai....." I said "I'll read them all right now" my eyes twinkled as I held those books to my heart. Books were the only things that give peace to me.
