DivineGodX

Anacardium

October 13th, remember that. It is Radhika's birthday and it is today. But you won't, I know, because you don't care about her, right?

Arjun cares about her, from as long as he knew her. He didn't stay awake and, send her a text message filled with cheerful emoticons or call her to sing an amateur rendition of  Happy Birthday to You. Nor was she awake. Both of them slept, and kissed each other in their dreamy castle, french version, because no one would be there and one couldn't taste things in dreams.

Arjun then kissed her again, his eyes singing a ballad on hers, of her beauty and her preciousness to him, of how even in anger she looks divine, lovely and all synonyms of cute, of how she will forever be the guide in his aimless life.

When Radhika wakes up, she doesn't check her phone and long for infinite wishy-washy birthday greetings nor does she see the names of the missed calls and get excited.

She goes to her parents, and hugs them and lets them know that she loves them the most in this world, for giving her birth, raising her decent, teaching her knowledge, allowing her mistakes and forgiving them.

Then she freshens up and goes out to the nearby garden on the pretext of a morning walk, a spontaneous birthday resolution, it seems. Arjun is there, waiting to wish his sweetheart tart on yet another merry anniversary of the occasion of landing on Earth, just for him. His house is a little far. Got off this early on the excuse of cycling.

With nobody nearby, they hug, the collective warmth thawing the mist and the fog, both around them and inside, formed everyday by long days of rough weather and tough scenes.

She had started developing feelings for him during the start of the coaching at React. It was book distribution day and students were standing in a long line to get the books from the counter, which itself opened a little late after the specified time.

It was a mango crushing midsummer day. Arjun being early there, had collected his books and, standing under a cashew tree, was checking them for faults.

A little while later, Radhika comes out, while on the way to the stairs, she realized that few middle pages of her chemistry textbook had been left off blank.

She gets up to the front of the counter immediately, but the enthusiastic crowd doesn't let her on. She shouts across to the counter guy. He doesn't give a fuck.

Arjun comes up behind her.

"Hi Rads."

She turns around, and manages to greet inspite of her anger, "Hi, hello."

"What happened?"

"The chemistry textbook, few pages are gone, blank"-

"Wait. Here"-he takes his chemistry ones and gives it to her.

"Give me those."

"No, what, for you?"

"It's okay. I will change them later."

"Well, thanks, thanks a lot, I had to go home quick, going out and just at this time, that guy messes up, really thanks."

"It's okay. Where you going?"

"Temple. Its very far, takes two hours."

"Hmm, pray for me too."

"What?"

"I am your friend only, right? Won't you?"

"Yes, definitely. What shall I pray for you then?"

"Anything you wish Rads. Pray for me to get a nice girlfriend."

"Oh, hmm, not that, don't joke with this, okay." Both of them broke into a chuckle.

"Okay."

"Well, see you later."

"See ya."

She leaves then, smiling to herself till reaching the front gate.

Just as she left, Nethran comes to Arjun, with his books in his hand.

"Dude, why bother for these? I won't refer them at all. For me only Arihant."

"Then give me that", he said and grabbed all the books from him.

"Here, this you keep.", throwing back the books he didn't need.

"Why dude?"

"You are all great. For you, only Arihant. Do one thing, you go fuck that Arihant."

"Why should I? You go fuck him."

"I ain't gay."

"Me neither."

"Okay, tit for tat, leave it."

"Fine. Hey listen, what are those, is that a fruit?", he asks, pointing to the tree above.

"Yes."

"What's the name?"

"Anacardium."

"Is that even a name?"

"Yes, it is.", Arjun aimed with his leg, to hit Nethran's nuts.

"What could it be?", Nethran went into deep thought.

"It's cashew, idiot", Arjun kicked the bull's eyes.

"Anacardium"- he staggered to his knees,"oh my."