Forsaken - Chapter 20

Chapter 20
Ajit scanned the crowd at Trivandrum Central railway station. During the journey, he told Prof. Sathyapalan regarding his intentions about staying at Raju Uncle’s home. Initially the Professor did not agree, but after a lot of pleading and a promise that he would be present at the ground before 6:30 AM everyday for practice, he conceded. Now since they were there, his heart started to beat furiously. He was thinking about this reunion with her, for long now.

“Ok boys. Let’s move.” Professor called out to the group.

Ajit’s heart began to sink. Maybe she wouldn’t come after all. May be she was ill. Or Raju must have had second thoughts and prevented her from coming over here to pick him up.

He thought about calling her up from a near by telephone booth, but decided otherwise. She must have left the house already. I can’t hold up the group anymore, he thought with a heavy heart. He heaved up his cricket kit on to the shoulder and started walking with the group.

That’s when he saw her. As usual she was wearing a long frilled skirt and a matching blouse. His heart jumped.

“Nisha,” he called out with all his excitement. She was coming in from the main exit and was searching the crowd. She was panting like as though she had been running.

They came face to face. It took a lot of effort not to embrace her. He touched her hand.

“Sir, this is Raju Uncle’s daughter Nisha. Nisha this is our coach Prof. Sathyapalan.” He made introductions.

He was aware of the group ogling at her. He felt like punching them. He wanted to get away from here.

“Okay, Sir. I’ll go with her now,” he stated to Professor.

“Okay, but remember, six thirty in the morning, college ground,” the Professor reminded him.

“Sure Sir.” He left the group, Nisha in tow.

They got an auto rickshaw from outside the station. He put his heavy kit into the seat and let Nisha get in.

“How are you?” finally he asked.

Nisha was sitting very close to him since most of the space was taken up by the cricket kit. He could smell her perfume. Her shampooed hair flapped around her face and some strands hit his face.

“I am okay? You?” she asked in that soft, nasal tone.

He took her hand in his, gave it a squeeze. She withdrew her hand immediately and pointed towards the rickshaw driver with her face.

Both sat there, looking at each other.

“You look thinner” Nisha broke the silence.

“You are not fatter either,” he retorted.

“You don’t know how much I wanted to see you,” she said in a hushed tone.

“You are telling me? I could not sleep or concentrate in anything. I was thinking about you all the while” His voice was filled with love.

She tossed off her inhibitions out of the window and sat little closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Automatically his hands enveloped her. They did not talk much. It was like telepathy. Both knew what the other was thinking. They were letting their hearts feel the proximity of each other.

As they were approaching her house, she moved away and gave the driver instructions at junctions. She asked him to stop the vehicle in front of a black painted gate. They got out and paid the driver. She opened the door with a key.

“Where is Susan Aunty?” he asked her.

“She is at the shop. Since Acha is not in town, she looks after the shop,” she answered as she opened the door.

The house was a small one, consisting of two bed rooms, and a living room and a kitchen. A small compound was adorned by a plethora of plants and Raju’s Ambassador and his beloved bike, the Yamaha RX100 were resting in the porch.

“Not coming in?” she teased him.

He walked in. The next moment they were locked in a fierce embrace. All the pent-up emotion had burst.

They stood like that way for some time. Then freeing one arm, he raised her face and kissed her for what was like an eternity.

Some moments passed and they became aware about the surrounding. She withdrew from him. Her face was flushed deep. She did not dare look him in the eye.

“Amma will come any moment,” she cautioned him as she moved away from him.

She showed him her room, which was readied for him. She said she would sleep in Amma’s room since Raju was away.

As they were sitting in the sit-out and chatting Susan came. She was genuinely happy to see the boy and inquired about the health of Ammachi and about his tournament.

“Do well Monay.” she wished him sincerely.

After dinner, he went in to the room. Lying there on Nisha’s bed, he felt a faint waft of her perfume in the room.

For the life of me, I want you Nisha. I will never leave you. He promised himself as he closed his eyes.