Thursday, May 8, 2008

LOVE LIFE AND THE GOOD TIMES...... ( A short story)



First of all my name is Arun. You know like Arun Shourie........ well I really can't think of any other famous persons named Arun. But its quite common. Anyways, I am Arun, I study in this so and so college. I like to think that I am handsome in my own way, (whatever that means) and yes most importantly I am a teenager in love. Well we'll get to that when I am good and ready. First things first.....

I guess every body now has a cell phone.. So you must be knowing what a missed call is... You know when somebody calls you, you are just about to pick the phone when they cut it. Or they just ring once and cut to annoy you. Or you call somebody and they are just about to pick it up and you cut the call.... and it goes on.. Well my life till today has been one big missed call. I am the king of missed calls.. Not just the phone, life too.... Missed call in all its forms......

Like the other day I was supposed to go to this God awesome movie with my friend and he suddenly calls me up and says, “ De they only had two tickets and You know......” The drawl.. God how I hated the drawl.. Not that I felt left out.. only that why dint it happen to me. To be honest my friend was an ass. As a friend well he was ok.. But you know otherwise.. How did he get to be so... Popular?? Well that about sums up my life.
Then why am I still talking?? I know you'd feel that way.. Just listen.. You are welcome to put your stinky nose somewhere else of course.. But while you are at it what difference doest it make where you put it?? Get me??

So anyways coming back, I am in love. Her name is Shanti. Oh!! peace!! Gave me an all new meaning.
Now I could say that I am a peace loving guy and I wouldn't even be lying... She was so beautiful.. And the way she smiled at me.. God...Is there heaven on earth?? Oh! Yes there is.. I don't know why she smiled at me but I know that she had a soft spot for me.. You see I read body language amazingly well.. Like the other day I knew I had crossed the limit with the teacher and chose the exact right moment to duck and the duster hit my friend ( the same theater fellow, Ha ha..) And then there was the time when I knew that it was the right time to ask for a grant of absence from baldy (our princi) Or the time I ran away from Anup and Karan ( A fight was brewing, no prizes for guessing who was responsible).. Well the point is I can read people.. Or so I thought. I found out that these girls are almost like alien creatures and can never be read.. the HARD way... Read on..

Well there was Shanti and things went on so well according to my calculations that I thought that “Arun” was ready to take this to the next level.. So I called her up.. ring ring... no answer.. sweat.. palms wet.. eyes glaring.. anxiety attack.. panic.. panic button.. call cut!!! Twenty minutes later.., after I had stopped shaking..., being bathed in sweat I decided to take a bath. Suddenly the phone rings.. ring ring.. towel.. run... slip.. get up.. run.. ring ring.. stops. ONE MISSED CALL. Shanti. God... This happened a lot of times. She sometimes would just hang up after one ring. God.. I felt so happy.. Finally something happening between us... And then there were times when I would be waiting with “a rose, a tied tongue and a dumb look” and she would just smile and walk past me and I would miss the chance. Or I would leave a note and she would take the other seat, Or she would not take the bus she usually takes only that day... All this seemed like a message to me... ONE DAY SHE IS GONNA BE YOURS....


And finally that one day came. I was sure. My shirt was for once wrinkle-free. Her favourite colour-violet. (She smiled most often when I wore violet). A rose in my hand. My hair brushed. And my face shining with passionate love. A song on my lips and a shake to my hips.. Hey I was rhyming. What else could a guy ask for. A spring in my walk I was literally jumping my way to the park near the toy shop that she frequented. Lover's Dale.. How apt... I was smiling and God knows I must have looked like an ass, smirking without reason. I didn't even notice. A beggar was upon me. I gave him a fiver. I really was an ass. His lucky day I guess.... I was nearing the X. The spot. To be recorded in the annals of history. One of the greatest success stories.. This is where it all happened. Shanti was there. God how lovely she looked. Green suited her. I was floating. Was I in heaven??? Yes!!! said a voice. I neared her. She turned back. She was looking at me. THE SMILE. It was quizzical now. Like she was asking me “What took you so long??” I stood next to her...

“ Hello Shanti.”
“Smile”
“ I am Arun.”
“Smile”
“ I study in your class...”
“ Smile” It was starting to bug me for the first time.....
“ You know I sit behind you”
“Smirk”
“ Ahem.. You smile at me all the time.. You called me last night.. Around 6...”
She hit herself on the forehead..
“ Now I get it. You are that missed call Arun. Prajoy here had some real fun with you. Sorry about it eh..”
Prajoy??”.. voice constricted..
“ Sorry forgot to introduce you. Prajoy. Say hello to anna.”
A small boy. Some of the breath coming back.
“ By the way Arun why are you wearing that violet shirt. Looks really funny.”
Funny???
“ Oh!! Look at the time Vijay must be waiting. Got to go Arun. By the way that orange shirt is really funny too. And the time you fell off your bike.. Couldn't stop laughing for a week.”

“ Smile" , "Shanti I think..”
" Ya???"
" I think I love you..."
" What?"
Who was this new voice??
"What?" -This was Shanti. Tinkling laughter..
"You are a laugh riot Arun."
“Hey go to go. Come Praj.. Bye Arun. Or should I say missed call Arun...????” Tinkling laughter..

Vijay glaring ..... and my body language skills kicked in.. finally.. I got out in a hurry..

Tinkling laughter... Somebody should put a danger sign on it.. Or maybe an alarm signal...So painful to the ear... Hell is on earth too.. MISSED CALL ARUN.... So I was the provider of comic relief eh..?? So much for thinking orange is her second fav. Color... Hmmm.. Girls!!! God!!! And I thought she saw the wheelie... not the FALL after that!!!. Hmmm... But I have to say I had enjoyed the past few months.. The eternal high, The smiles so promising, The laughter so appealing, The butterfly effect,( I mean those in the stomach)... Life itself looked fresh and new and beautiful. I thanked her for that. The good times while they were were wonderful... Hmmmmm....

Sudden brilliance.. I look up.. "SMILE!!!!!"... Its Priya....... Can Cupid strike true this time?? Or is it gonna be another great big MISSED CALL??? One can only hope.....

Here's to LOVE, LIFE AND THE GOOD TIMES.....

No comments:

Post a Comment