This was the only interaction with her. She always seemed to shy away from him. The academics of his final year then had kept him occupied and he had got busier with other sporting activity and the social activities.
He noticed that somewhere, about a couple of months down the year, a lean boy, longish hair with misconception of being a modern teenager always kept her company. She also seemed to enjoy his company. He was clownish and didn’t bother about what others thought of him. Her smile was all that mattered to him.
Guru was aware of Chaits’ rising feelings for Anjali and discreetly investigated this clownish person who always kept her company.
His name was Sunny. Anjali always introduced him as her best friend to everyone. Everyone in the campus knew that Sunny was deeply in love or heavily infatuated about her and every time he had tried saying his feelings to her – she had laughed it off as one of his clownish act.
Chaits’ heart sank as he started feeling that Sunny had won over her prestigious hand. He started to concentrate harder on his academics, sporting and social activities. He wanted the college to remember his name after he graduated as a person who had set an example to his juniors.
‘She deserves him…’ that’s what he said to comfort himself and tried to forget her.
The intercollegiate cricket tournament was held in their campus that year and Chaits had excelled in every field of that sport that year. The entire college had watched and cheered their hero and his team lift the trophy making him all the more popular.
Finally … His graduation was done and it was time for him, Guru and his friends to leave the college life for good. He and Guru were supposed to return to his home town – Mumbai where they were supposed to attend the next round of interviews. They already had been shortlisted in the campus interview round.
They bade goodbye to all the juniors who had gathered to see them off. Unwittingly, he glanced at the widow of Anjali’s classroom… She stood there watching him go. Suddenly, Sunny had appeared behind her. They spoke for a moment and he pulled her away from the window…
That was his last glimpse of Anjali. Within months, a new professional life engulfed him erasing most of his memories and filling his life with more and more workload.
Everything was going smooth for him as he led a successful professional life and that smooth life had taken a U-turn with return of Guru and his fiancée – Tanvi.
The more he interacted with them – more his feelings about Anjali surged. He knew he had learnt the hard way – controlling his infatuation about Anjali.
The date of engagement ceremony of Guru and Tanvi got fixed. They went ahead and started their shopping spree. Chaits was now an integral part of their life. The trio used to spend much of their free time together. Tanvi bought and gifted Chaits – a classy traditional dress that he could wear at their engagement ceremony.
“This fits you perfect and will definitely attract your – to be wife.” she had said and he had dreamed of Anjali.
Tanvi’s uncle owned a palatial bungalow at Pune and the huge lawn of that bungalow was decided as the venue for the ceremony.
Chaits drove Guru and his parents to Pune for this ceremony. Tanvi on their arrival gave him a rose and insisted he clips it in the top button hole for luck … she was sure he would attract many eligible girls and perhaps – he may find his life partner.
The ceremony was a grand function and Chaits was amazed at the number of guests invited to attend this ceremony. He had tough time avoiding parents of eligible girls. He was and looked – The Most Eligible Bachelor in that function.
Many times, he looked around and found pretty girls, either looking at him, hopefully to draw his attention or blushing and looking away to hide away from his direct look and then discreetly following him, batting their eyelids with fleeting glances.
He smiled at all the attention he was gathering, secretly hoping Anjali could be there at that moment.
Tanvi and Guru exchanged their rings to a huge applause and cheering. Chaits looked at the happy crowd. His glance suddenly fell on someone. She looked at him looking at her as their eyes met. She quickly disappeared in the crowd.
Chaits blinked and stood still – unable to believe what he had seen. He was sure – She was Anjali. He made his way toward the spot – she was nowhere to be seen. He laughed and shook his head. Perhaps, his mind was playing tricks on him. He had been too obsessed with her thoughts.
He brushed away that feeling and started to indulge in small talk with the eligible girls who were being introduced to him in random fashion. His instincts naturally compared them with Anjali and he mentally started rejecting them.
The crowd was enthralled when he stood on the stage and delivered a short speech congratulating Guru and Tanvi on their engagement and wishing them ‘All The Best’ for their future life together…
He climbed down the stage steps even as the announcement was made for the guests to proceed to the dining area for a buffet meal. Once again, he thought he saw Anjali in the crowd. He managed to brush this feeling away too…
After a hearty meal, he strolled to the main entrance in a bid to digest the extra sweet he had consumed…
“It’s a ritual that the couple visits the main temple located in the heart of this city after the ceremony. I’ll get my car and drive you for the blessings.” He overheard Tanvi’s father instructing Guru. He quickly made his way to them. Tanvi’s father was about to start walking toward his car. He looked at Guru looking at Tanvi and then at Chaits to salvage the situation so that they could get few moments together – alone. He wanted this secluded time with Tanvi on the eve of this special occasion.
“Allow me, Uncle, to do this honour.” Chaits said smiling wide at Tanvi’s parents, “I heard that when a bachelor gets this honour – he soon finds a girl to wed. After they get married – it’s my turn.”
Guru sighed in relief when he saw Tanvi’s parents laugh and agree to Chaits’ plan. He quickly grabbed Tanvi’s hand and took her to Chaits’ car before anyone could say anything else.
“Good and quick thinking.” Guru said with emotions even as he and Tanvi settled in the back seat and burst out laughing as the car started and they waived to her parents and the gathered guests.
“Now you understand Tanvi,” he said looking at her, “why he is my brother and my best friend?”
“Correction” she said happily, “our best friend …” and giggled.
The lights in the room on the first floor of that bungalow were dimly lit and the curtains pulled up. Safely hidden out of sight, Anjali watched the proceedings near the main entrance of the bungalow. She watched Guru, Tanvi and Chaits sit in his car and drive off.
“You love him… You’re still are in love with him.” a voice behind her said, “Why don’t you meet up and express your feelings to him?”
She just nodded negative blushing over and over again…
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- Prasad Deshpandehttps://storiesandme.com/author/prasad/
- Prasad Deshpandehttps://storiesandme.com/author/prasad/
- Prasad Deshpandehttps://storiesandme.com/author/prasad/
- Prasad Deshpandehttps://storiesandme.com/author/prasad/