The keepsake...

#1

Ha maa mai thik se rahugi, aap or baba dhyaan rakhna, mai call karungi..."Maera replied to her mother as she settle down the seat. Soon after, she asked her father "Dhyaan se baba, maa ka bhi dhyaan rakhna". As she completed her sentences tears rolled down her chubby cheeks. The decision of moving to another city was getting difficult for Maera,  bidding adieu to her family  for sake of education was indeed a tough move.

Maera was also experiencing mixed emotions. Fear, anxiety, responsibility, and excitement altogether. It was her first ever alone journey. But more than bidding them, convincing them for traveling alone was another difficult part.

"May I have your attention please? 12860 up Gitanjali Express is ready to depart from platform no. 3, we wish you a happy journey by this train, Thank you." As the announcement got over Maera felt a rush in all her nerves. It was not blood but a flow of both sadness for leaving her place and excitement for begining another journey.

Train journeys in India are always incomplete without three things. Song list, homemade snacks, and "chai wala chai...chai". As soon as the journey started, the coach got plenty of people selling chai, coffee, and thanda. Madam chai?" asked the seller.
"Ha bhaiya ek dedo," Maera replied.
No matter what, Maera always found tea to be a calming beverage. If nothing much, atleast she takes out time for her thoughts while having the beverage.
Feeling a little relaxed afterwards, she started reading a novel based on a love story by an Indian author. Reading works as an addiction for another world, but only if the story is intresting.
The train hit another station. And there entered a boy. An average but a charming boy having curly hair. His rugsack was too big to be easily enter the lobby. His seat was found to be on the opposite side of Maera's. So, he asked her to rearrange her stuffs. However, with all due respect to her concentration in reading, the boy rearranged all the luggage by himself. Maera thanked him for his cooperation.  

"where are you going?" Asked Maera.
"Mumbai..!" he replied. "And you?"
"Same..!", Replied Maera.

Maera dived back into her novel with a formal smile. And Rish dozed off. Within an hour or so the train stopped at an outer layout. The crinky voice of its break led to wake Rish up.

"What station is it? Asked Rish.
"Outer....something", she replied.
"I hate this combination of outer stops and month of June you know.  Its a pure torture.

Maera glanced at him with a forced smile, and continued reading.
"No really, see the hot sun above and a jungle-ish view out of the window accompanied by a seatmate too much into her book. Isn't it what you call a torture of bored-ness.?"
Maera smirked this time and went back again.
As the time passed she stole a glance of him  and then asked "Hey, what about your lunch?". Meanwhile opening her home-brought lunch.
"I was in rush so I forgot my lunch at home, I will buy something."
"Oh, I wont mind sharing you know." Replied Maera.
"Oh well thankyou, but I am good" Rish said convincingly, having no idea that he will end up saying yes. Maera got skills to convince.

The new friendship seemed to grow with every passing station. Rish was a good looking fellow with a good height and nice and gentle personality and with an awesome sense of humor. And by awesome, it was just his confidence that offered him a potential to fool the other one if he dismisses to laugh on his jokes. But who cares, as Maera seemed to enjoy his company.

She never wondered about having such company that feels like a journey booster. Being a bookworm, she never had a chance to really enjoy someone's company. Two reasons for this, A she thought people are replaceable by books and B curiosity to finish stories.

"Reading is you hobby, I guess?"
Rish asked, trying to kill the silence between both of them. "What genre are you following? He continued.

"I dont really follow any genre, its all in the discription.
They say never judge a book by its cover,  I wonder for you it is judge the book by its back cover, nahi? Rish smiled.
Sorry but please mind my word "Lame" replied Maera after an absolute unresolved feel.