A Half Love Story-(Part -I)

A Half Love Story-(Part I)

I

BM Daksh-Pune-Part I

"Team we are going to gather at IBM Daksh for your joining formalities", said a golden-haired HR executive of IBM Daksh.

…Chirping sound of sparrows made the climate cosy…

All started looking at each other with blank looks.

The commotion of the crowd made the atmosphere more perplexed….

Nevertheless to say, having completed education from Marathi medium I still could manage to make it out from her UK accent to understand what she wanted to say.

I was good at lip-reading which helped me a lot.

The sun was about to set for the day and the clock was ticking fast.

Everyone was settling down, looking out for seats by supporting others to give first preferences, unlike we used to do in school-days.

Few were carrying hefty luggage along, like soldiers, which looked like they had been summoned to be present at the LOC (line of control) since Pakistan had attacked on Indian troops.

Me and Jeetu, looked at each-other to proceed further.

Jeetu- A very shy in nature, reserved, good looking but still not been able to get any girlfriend, so far. Curly hair with a permanent French cut on a fair face, lazy but an intelligent one and my ex-colleague at the previous workplace.

Apart from the above 'self-proclaimed-soldiers' others were also making their ways into the hall ensuring their respective companion doesn't stay behind.

Being from a small town and then suddenly entering into a big city was pretty embarrassing for an innocent (?) guy like me!

I put my bag on an unoccupied bench which was next to my bench, to make it look like being occupied by someone else.

I did so to keep it reserved for a beautiful girl on first come first serve basis.

I settled down with my eyes still looking at the door to scan the new-aspirants.

"Please feel in the forms and attach the required documents with it", said the same golden-haired lass by adjusting her spectacle to ensure it doesn't fall off her eyes.

"Friends, I have got some urgent work so got to go!" she said while writing something on the board which was behind her.

She ended up writing her mobile number on the board in case we needed it.

"May I have any volunteer from you to collect the completed forms?" She asked, looking all around, while frowning.

Everybody looked behind to see if anyone raised finger to get that special crown of volunteer.

I too looked behind in order to look at the two hot girls siting few benches away from our place.

"I would like to do it", said a lass by raising her hand.

Everybody looked back to check who was that one!

I could see that raised hand which was full of colourful bangles till the elbow.

"Good", the HR said.

"What's your name, darling? She asked the girl.

"Neha", replied the girl who looked to be around 22, blue colour-frame specs, fair skin with a knee-length sky-blue colour skirt and a yellow colour t-shirt and may be around 5.2 ft. in height. She was hot enough to foment the surrounding with her sexy figure and erotic eyes.

It was Friday followed by Saturday and Sunday, which were holidays.

"You will all be required to join on Monday at IBM Daksh, Yerwada", the HR said it out loudly.

All nodded in one go, especially the boys without taking their eyes off Neha.

By the time the HR completed her last sentence Neha was already scanned in multi folds by the remaining girls who threw envied look at her for being a centre of attraction of that museum.

"Friends, kindly co-ordinate with Neha and submit your forms to her" the HR said to the perplexed-turned-relaxed crowd.

She left the room which was full of 70-80 new-aspirants. 

The crowd started chatting between themselves.

The girls were still not ready to get their envied sight off Neha, while she was going thru the aisle.

Interestingly, Neha was sitting all alone, which forced one of the guys to accompany her. 

The door was ajar.

With eyes down and a soft smile on a round and non-layered face, a beautiful girl cladded in a white colour trouser and a black colour t-shirt bearing a white colour picture of a cute puppy, tried to make her presence in the hall ensuring that no bug gets mowed down below her red coloured high-heeled sandals……

The figure was exactly plotted into 36-24-36.

The hair length was till her waste.

It seemed that the hall got more brightness post her arrival.

She was accompanied by one more girl who looked to be her best friend.

My eyes got glued to that girl, which I tried to avoid due to attitude problem. 

I'd not talked to anyone till I became 2 yrs. old.

Being a Capricornia, adamant, stubborn, practical but still prudent, responsible are my traits

Our eyes met…She made an eye-contact with me… I showed the shining edge of my sword to mesmerize her….a sweet smile on her pinkish lips looked like a rainbow on just-rained-clouds.

Undoubtedly, anyone would have fallen for her, so did I?

She signalled me that she too liked me by rotating her figures thru her thick west long hair.

"Jeetu, dude, you are lucky enough yaar", I said

"Why?" Jeetu asked

"Bro, we haven't joined the organization yet and you have got to know about your bhabhi" I said while blushing.

"What the hell are you talking dear?" He asked being unclear in his mind.

"Bro, look at that beauty…."I said signalling by eyes towards that girl.

"Jeetu, I really liked that girl", I said by nudging him, since he was not listening to me.

"And I have decided that she is going to be my life-partner", I declared it.

Jeetu tried to look at her by trying to remove some amount of his curly hair which were dangling over his black-coloured frame specs, since long time.

"Leave her, you would come across many girls like this…" Jeetu whispered into my ears.

I gave him disappointed look and proceeded further to keep looking at her.

Suddenly Jeetu showed me one more hot girl who was though of not my type but Jeetu liked her.

I became restless since the 'My-girl' got disappeared.

I cursed Jeetu for distracting my mind from her and showing me other girls unnecessarily…

I and Jeetu we started hunting for her.

After having scanned the entire hall I could locate her while coming from the washroom.

I relieved sign of relief.

Though that feeling was not new for me but it was something different or may be better than my previous feelings about my past girlfriends.

She and her friend were still struggling to get settled.

While she was making her way towards our bench, I instantly removed the bag from the place which I'd reserved for a beautiful girl.

But since she was accompanied by her friend, though, not as much beautiful as she was, so both preferred to sit behind us!

I thanked God for making her sit exactly behind me!

While sitting down she unknowingly happened to touch my shoes with her sandals,

I could feel the touch and chill went down my spine.

I deliberately didn't move my legs, to feel the same.

This time it was her friend who committed the same 'mistake' unknowingly.

'Sorry', her friend said.

'It's ok', I said.

I wished if it was the 'my-girl' again.

I tried to look at her every now and then, but Jeetu was not allowing me do so.

Since she was sitting exactly behind me so it was difficult for me to get her glimpses and adore her beauty!

Still I attempted it keeping my principles aside, several times.

Jeetu was again pinching me for doing so.

I literally pinched him very badly for being hurdle into it.

I suggested Jeetu to interchange our seating positions.

He deliberately denied despite knowing the aftermaths of disobeying my order.

I started fidgeting with my mobile.

Those days, I'd Nokia 6600. The screen was big enough.

Under the pretext of cleaning up the screen, I tilted the mobile in 20 degree Celsius to accommodate her face's reflection onto the screen.

While I was doing so the hall was getting more congested, progressively.

As rightly said by Jeetu many beautiful girls were making their presence in the hall with their 'stylish' looks which were mesmerising every male candidates and envying every female candidates.

Few girls were seemed to be invited to attend a fancy dress competition which was scheduled out there.

Thus, the hall steadily wore a look of a museum.

Someone had pushed the stopper of the main door upward which forced it to create more darkness in the hall by closing automatically with ear-shrieking sound.

It made me ecstatic, since I didn't want any other girls' presence to compete with the 'my girl' and distract my mind from her.

Still someone knocked on the door.

'Now who the hell has come? I muttered with myself.

"May I come in", said the guy who looked like he had just come after winning 15k.m. of marathon.

Since the golden-haired spook had already made her way out, so that guy felt comfortable for not getting scolded for being late.

Nevertheless to say, the odour of his stinking body made most of us hold on breathing till he passed thru the aisle, to settle down on the very last bench of the hall.

He looked all around by his chaotic eyes with thick eye brows.

Later on we came to know about his name as 'Vineet'

Post submission of the form to Neha, I and Jeetu went in search of an Auto to drop us no-where.

Bhollywood

We had no place nor did we have any prearrangement so far, to live in Pune

Somehow, I could manage to get the contact number of one of my friends Harshall, who lived at Narayan Peth, to help us out.

As I'd thought, he allowed me and Jeetu to be part of their already-six-members-gang in the 3 BHK flat, which was on rent.

Hardly had we entered the flat, Harshall's room-mates looked at us as if we were going to eat up there place by staying with them.

The flat was well furnished with a TV set, a refrigerator, a micro-wave oven etc.

The rooms were big enough to accommodate 2-3 more members, like me or Jeetu.

We noticed heap of empty beer bottles on the loft of one of the bedrooms.

Interestingly, the bottles were covered up with a smeared piece of white colour cloth to make it look like a heap of scraped household material.

Later on we learnt that it was arranged so, to keep the hawk's (owner's) eye out of it.

If all the bottles were to be sold out to a scrap merchant, the all 6 members would have enjoyed 2 beers each, out of that amount.

Walls of all the rooms were covered up with Bhollywood (Bollywood & Hollywood) models, celebrities.

Bikini wearing models' posters were seen hanging over the walls.

Moreover, the entire Bollywood presence was felt since all the famous celebrities were noticed with their different poses on walls, roofs, inside the frames.

Few Hollywood models were seen calling us inside with their fingers, few were seen suggesting us keep quiet putting their long fingers on their hot lips, and the remaining others were seen performing something unique which attracted our eyes immediately.

The themes were choreographed by everybody, though were limited to the walls only.

Used cigarettes few of them half used were lying scattered in the balcony area.

The white coloured roofs were turned into grey colour due to the 24X7 smoke, thanks to each one's great contribution towards it.

In a nutshell we could notice everything, which is expected to be found in bachelors' room.

The atmosphere of the flat figured out everything.

The owner of the flat had already warned all for doing this choreography and 'decorating' the walls.

Harshall was shy though not as much as Jeetu was, but his friends were always spotted with their girlfriends in the flat.

The owner had sensed it many a times.

Once upon a time the owner had visited the flat just to notice a girl sitting very relaxed in the hall.

Harshal had to confront the owner for the same reason, several times.

In lieu of that all the room mates were made brothers of each other's girlfriends in order to not to return to their native places, if expelled from the owner.

Thankfully the trick was working out.

May be this was not enough so to add to their agony we attached our problem to them by allowing ourselves to be part of that 'studio', although for few days only.

As was expected, I and Jeetu we both too got a chance to meet our never-seen 'sisters' since few brothers had replaced their other brothers' 'so-called-sisters'…

We spent almost a week in that 'studio'.

It was Sunday and Harshal had gone out for some work.

Making the most of that situation, we packed up our luggage and were about to leave the flat.

While we were getting down the stairs we confronted Harshal.

"Hello, where are you going?" He asked us while looking at our luggage.

"We are leaving Harshall", I said.

I'd already told Harshall that we would not be staying for more than 3-4 days, at his flat.

"Are you mad?" He yelled at us, since he was knowing that we were yet to find a place to live in.

"Stay here till you get proper place", Harshall scolded me and Jeetu.

Hence, I and Jeetu, climbed up the remaining stairs along with Harshal.

Since I was ahead of Harshall and Jeetu, while climbing the stairs, so I pressed the doorbell button.

"Yes? Anything left", said Atul, one of the room mates.

He asked us so as we had just left the room, around 3-5 minutes ago.

Harshall came to the front from behind to clarify that we were going to stay with them for few more days.

Not to our surprise, Atul welcomed us again with his sarcastic and chaotic look.

We re-entered the flat to put our half-zipped bags down without making noise, to ensure other gang-members don't get disturbed.

But despite of it, few of them woke up from their siesta to see our faces again.

I had to give an artificial smile to them, which I was not at all good at!

I and Jeetu ran pillar to post in search of a place to stay.

But everything went down the drain till we came across an agent who showed us one place at Dhankawadi area of Pune.

Mansion

Dhankawadi, a suburb in Pune with population of 5000+

We shifted to that new place with 800/- per head, as a rent.

The area was populated and vey congested one.

The shops were set up very close to each other making the area look like a small hamlet.

Our room was on calling distance from Pune Bhartiya Vidyapith.

The door was very old hence was quite heavy to push or pull

We succeeded to open it after seven minutes of circus.

The room had not been in use since past couple of months, hence was a safe place for pigeons, sparrows, cbos etc.

A pair of pigeon got disturbed while making love, when we abruptly opened the door.

That 10X15 sq. ft. room was already a nest of 18-20 cobs which got startled and hence started running to hide under the table, the bed, when we opened that 1956-model-like door.

After fumbling for another 3-4 minutes we could take hold of the electricity buttons to switch on the lights.

We entered the room to notice two Beds opposite to each other, a table with 2 chairs, one of them lame with one leg etc.

It seemed that the 3-leg-table was dancing to thank us for being there.

All these stuffs were painted in reddish colour, may be to create confusion between the rust and the colour.

Shaky thick nets waived by cobs were calling us closer.

It stuck to our hands, while we tried to remove them off the chairs and tables.

Each and every stuff present in the room was full of dust.

A continuously burning dim bulb in the room made me feel disgusting.

Few 'dead-bulbs' were trying to make their presence felt.

One of the tube lights forced me to doubt on my eye-sight since it was totally in the cage of cobs' nicely waved net.

 "Yes?" around 45 yrs. old, mix-colour-haired person, in a white colour net-vest and brown colour apron with noise-making floaters and bunch of grey-black-colour hair in armpit, asked us.

The room didn't look less than a haunted place.

After having stayed at 2000/- sq. ft. bungalow for 20 years and then suddenly staying at a hut-like-place, made me literally cry.

Since it was predestined, so I had to bear it mutely.

Suddenly, noise of busting crackles reminded me of the ongoing Diwali festive.

Unfortunately, it was the first Diwali that I was away from my family.

"Son, I am feeling very bad that you are all alone there in Pune on this important occasion", mom called me up that night.

"Nothing like that I am enjoying here a lot with my friends (Cobs (?))" I said with wet eyes and hung up before I could taste the drop of water which was trying to pave its way thru my eye-lids by rolling down the cheeks.

I lied with my Mom because if I'd told her the truth that I was literally sitting alone in the room by staring at the 24X7 burning dim Bulb and the nicely designed webs, then she would have cried.

The surrounding of the building had a forest-like dense garden.

At night we could easily hear 'singing' of owls, quarrels of cats, barking of dogs, etc.

It gave us a feeling of staying around a zoo.

The things were not good at all.

But the appetite of career forced me be persistent, more confident and undeterred at the same time.

Each day taught me new lesson to live the life.

Though the area had many restaurants, eateries nearby, but they were not our cup of tea.

I and Jeetu started searching for an inn.

While searching, we came across few bizarre stuffs.

Somewhere an owner-like person was serving chapatis after dialling through his nostrils by his middle finger.

At one place we came across a person wearing yellow colour vest serving sweets while struggling to wipe sweat off his forehead to prevent it from mixing with the being-served-sweets…..

After witnessing all these incidents my stomach got full, automatically(

Finally, we enrolled at one of the inns which was around 1k.m. away from the room.

Since the days were passing by we were coming across new things every now and then, though weird.

IBM Daksh-Pune-Part II-(Joining Day)

It was the first day of my joining and I was so nervous that I felt to run away from that 'English-speaking' crowd.

But my ambition didn't allow me do so.

We were all sitting in a large hall, decorated with full of different colours, due to the ongoing Diwali festive.

I got to see many beautiful faces, may be more than we'd ever seen in my lifetime, so far.

All were settling down.

We could see few employees sitting while holding a tin of cold drink in one hand and pizza or burger or anything of that sort, in another hand.

Though it was strange for beginners like me and Jeetu but we enjoyed it to the fullest.

Few girls were spotted using brush and pencils to create drawings and paintings on their already makeup-applied-faces.

In a nutshell, it was a colourful scenario with colourful people having colourful faces and colourful decoration, around.

Suddenly a low-waist jeans cladded girl came in, to address us something important.

All looked at her, like Mr. Clinton had come in the Whitehouse.

We all busted into laughter when one of us farted loudly, may be above the decimal limit decided by the govt.

Thankfully, the sound-detector-siren, fixed on the roof, didn't get active due to the-above-decimal-limit explosion.

The HR was holding a piece of a paper in her left hand and seemed-to-be-recently-brought mobile in right hand.

Post interchanging the positions of the paper and the mobile, she did read out our shift timings, loudly.

At last, we were all given our shift timings.

All who got separated from their near and dear ones gave disgusting looks to each other.

"Please God! Let the 'my-girl' be in my shift only!" I prayed God

Luckily, the 'my-girl' was in my shift and Jeetu went in different one!

Being in a BPO industry we had cab services for pick up and drop, at the cost of the company.

While reading out the list, the HR started walking through the aisle.

She wrote our respective cab numbers along with the driver's number on the board.

Being in the same shift we came to know about each-others names.

1st Visit to Home

I'd never skipped the morning tea when I was at Ahmednagar.

But since situation teaches you everything, so I used to skip tea to save few peanuts

As far as breakfast is concerned I used to have it once in three days, again to increase the figure of my account balance.

I never disclosed it to my mom, in order to make her feel that her son was well in Pune.

"Look at your health, you have become weak, the company doesn't provide you good food or what?" Mom told me on my very first visit to Ahmednagar, post joining...

IBM Daksh-Pune- Part III

I came to know about the 'my-girl's' name as Samruddhi

A small bindi on forehead always matching with the attire ……

Slight talc over the already-fair and round face….. 

A black small mole at the bottom of the left chin….

Tiny but sometimes widely-opened eyes….

Strawberry-like lips…

Non coloured but very black and thick long, waist-touch hair…

Proper amount of hair touching the forehead….

1ft. shorter than me….

Aalways in a punjabi dress…

And not much-stylish but impressive sandals….

Always walking towards the nose-line….

That's how she looked like.

All used to call her "Sam"

Sam was from Solapur……Post demise of her father her family had to shift to Pune……….Her Mom was on a mission of getting her married off asap………

Though the family was small but it was sweet consisted only 3 members, Samruddhi, her mom and her younger brother, Amey.

Sam was ethos (sanskari) and may be that was the only thing which made me fell for her.

We had 6 people in our group including me, an innocent-Jeetu, 6ft. tall Mayur, my sweet heart, Samruddhi, her 24X7 escort ion, Supriya (the same one who accompanied her on the very first day) and a reserved-Vinit (the same one because of whom we all hold on our breathing for a while, on the very first day)

We were all from different parts of Maharashtra, carrying along our own culture and unique background.

We used to rock like anything.

Sam used to live hardly 1.5km away from my 'mansion'

The shift timing used to rotate weekly.

But fortunately we both used to be in the same shifts.

The cab used to go first at Sam's place and then to my place.

On the very first day, the cab arrived at my place and when I was about to open the door of the cab to sit in, I saw Sam inside the cab sitting on the right side. She was looking more stunning than she ever looked, wearing long purple colour frock with white colour embroidery on it and greenish colour lip stick and matching light purple colour sandals.

She was looking extremely hot.

The way she looked at me with a sexy smile on her recently-applied-lip-stick lips, I melted then and there.

I opened the door with a wider smile than hers, to sit in.

I felt as if I was given a royal treatment with beauty around, for joining the company.

We both used to be in the same cab so I used to get more time to impress her by different strategies.

As our Cab started nearing the company I started feeling very curious (though little nervous from inside) about the company and the people to work with.

It took us around 25 minutes to reach our much-talked-about-destination.

The cab driver stopped our cab at the parking lot as we'd already reached to our 'much-acclaimed-destination'.

Sam was sitting behind on the right hand side i.e. opposite of the driver's side and the cab was parked near the pillar which restricted her to open the door to come out.

I had to break the rule of 'ladies first'

Hence, I came out first and then opened the door for her.

Glasses had taken the place of the building's walls and the trees were wearing extreme dark but beautiful blanket of green colour to hypnotise new-comers like me!

Few trees were cut in human shapes shown as waving their hands at us, looking more handsome than our cab driver.

I and Sam were walking together towards the company premise and I was looking at her from the corner of my eyes….

My eyes were not enough to fit her entire stature.

As I left no stone unturned to impress Sam, God helped me out a lot and ultimately she seemed to be started falling for me, although steadily.

"Hi all", Sam said when we were all sitting at the company's cafeteria.

"I got my mobile ultimately…and this is my number", she alleged.

 "Sam, what's your number", the 6 ft. tall Mayur asked curiously.

"Note it down. It's 989019****", Sam said with smile as if she was the only one in the company to own a mobile phone.

But I still liked it, because it was 'my-girl'

She repeated it again may be to let me know that it was the final and she wouldn't going to repeat.

Though I pretended to be uninterested in her mobile number but I somehow recited it, to save it on my mobile's phonebook, later on!

The first day was almost over and we were all sitting in the cafeteria of the company.

We were about to disperse for the day since our cabs were waiting for us at the parking.

We all one-by-one left the cafeteria. 

Since Sam was yet to come so I was wandering at the parking area, waiting for her.

I saw her getting down the stairs. She saw me, maybe she understood that I was waiting for her only.

Our eyes met and we gave sweet smile to each other.

"Why late?" I asked her.

"Nothing as such, I was in the washroom", she clarified.

She didn't lie since her recently put on lipstick reported that she was indeed in the washroom.

"So, at last you got your mobile!" I said since I'd nothing to talk about….

"Yes", Sam smiled while putting her new mobile into her purse.

As we started heading towards the cab, few more employees escorted us to be in the same cab.

The cab was yet to move as few more employee were yet to come.

Meanwhile, Sam's mobile phone rang up……

She quickly unzipped her purse to get hold of the mobile to attend the call.

"Hmm…hmmm…. Ok…Yes!" She said with smile on her shining teeth.

It looked as if she was talking with her boy-friend, I became restless….

"Yes dear!" Sam said while trying to roll around her forehead-touching hair by her middle figure.

The colour of her nails suited her dress's colour, but I didn't pay heed to it becauseI was getting impatient.

(I walked up to her…took custody of her mobile phone…..ghastly threw it on the ground…..It broke into two pieces…

"Who the hell were you talking with?" I asked her…

"Dare you do it again", I reprimanded her in Arnold-Style …)

"Sagar, let's go, I am done with my call", She helped me to get to the real world from the above daydream by nudging me.

"Oh! Shit! Thank God, it was a dream", I said to myself while trying to mix up with the ongoing situation!

Thus, we all sat in the cab to direct towards our respective homes.

IBM Daksh-Pune- Part IV

The days were passing by…we were all getting more comfortable with each other….familiar with the organization and its culture, thereby.

I used to prefer night shift because of two reasons.

The primary reason was Sam used to prefer it and the secondary reason was we used to get paid extra amount for doing night shift.

Thought the work load used to be pretty low as compare to that of day shift, but it was very boring since very few employees would be accommodated in night shift.

But for me those used to be golden opportunities, for having been able to spend quality time with my sweet heart. 

Our shift used to get over by 12.30 p.m.

After having gone away from my family for the first time, my mom used to call me up as soon as my shift would get over.

Being in the same cab, Sam used to witness my mom's call every night, with different thoughts in mind.

After perceiving it for many days, without deterring, she dared to ask me!

"Sagar how come your girlfriend calls you up so late at night", Sam asked out of curiosity but with little bit jealousy…

"Hahaha" My mind giggled from inside very loudly…

To increase her jealousy against that non-visible girl, I blushed and kept quiet…

I deliberately kept the fact hidden from her just to check her feelings about me!

To increase her jealousy and curiosity I used to pretend as if I was talking with my girlfriend.

My programme of impressing her still continued for so many days.

But steadily and unknowingly that invisible-girl started becoming an obstacle in my 'setting'.

One day I and Sam were sitting at a cafeteria.

We ordered Sandwich with coffee and cold drink with potato finger chips

While sipping coffee Sam dared to asked me about those night calls.

She didn't look at me while asking.

I purposefully ignored her and acted as if I didn't listen what she said.

After a pause she again asked me, "Sagar, say who is that girl, who calls you up every night?"

"Who…that girl? Oh! She is my girlfriend" I lied while picking up one of the 10-12 finger chips lying in the dish, which the vendor had served at the cost of Rs.50/-

"You have girlfriend as well, but you never said", Sam said now this time with proper eye contact with me.

"You never asked me, hence did I never say it, simple!" I said while shrugging it off.

The moment I said it her make up seemed to be started fading away, her eyes started searching for something which was probably not available out there, she became restless, mistakenly took hold of my cold drink instead of her coffee cup, sat cross legged.

"Since how long have you both been together?" Sam asked

After pondering on what to say I said, "Since past 4 years"

"Oh! Means quite old relationship, does your parents know about it?" Sam being more impatient

"Yes, and her parents also know about it, we are planning to get married as well", I said while adding more init.

"Let's move out of here! The break time is going to over in next five min." Sam said in low voice while looking at her brown colour belt wrist watch.

"Still five minutes are there, wait", I said and forced her to be there to get more jealous.

"So when are you going to get married?" Sam said while putting her mobile inside the purse.

"Very soon, don't worry I would invite you", I sarcastically said, which she didn't understand.

Finally we moved out of there since the break time was already over.

Since we were in the same cab, Sam didn't utter even a single word as if she was in some trauma and needed a psychiatrist to handle her.

But somehow I made her talk about office topic which she merely avoided under the pretext of not feeling well. 

Since I was very much aware of the cause of this entire situation, I enjoyed it knowing the outcome of it.

She was looking completely blank and continuously staring at the roof of the cab, due to which I could easily notice her eyes steadily getting misty.

I elbowed her to let her know that we'd already reached her premise and it's time for her to take the eyes off the roof to get off the cab.

She got down and didn't say 'bye', which she never avoided ever.

After dropping Sam, I cursed myself for lying with her and hurting her, but since it was the need of the hour and essence of this manuscript so I started chatting with the cab driver to divert my mind and change the mood.

After coming home I narrated this to Jeetu, who war already home.

He scolded me for being so mean!

"Sagar, how can you be so mean? I have been struggling to get a girlfriend and you are the one on this earth who is running away, purposefully from it" Jeetu tried to explain me.

"I think your stomach is full for having been going around with lots of girls till now and hence you are ending up doing such stuffs", He said further.

"Ask me bro, how it feels when you are still to be pampered by a girl", Jeetu said being more romantic.

He threatened me with calling Sam and disclosing the facts.

I somehow stopped him and explained him properly why I was doing so!

Next day in the cab, as expected, Sam didn't talk to me as such, apart from saying 'Good Morning', that too when I greeted her.

For the first time our journey passed keeping tight-lipped, ever since we had been in the same cab.

If I had stretched the rubber more it would have had broken.

Hence I decided to confront her with the fact.

After entering in the office I preferred to sit exactly next to her with intention of the above plan.

She didn't notice it, though she couldn't hide it from her facial expressions.

"Sam, since how long do you know me", I started the conversation.

Sam- "What?"

Me-"I asked, since how long do you know me?"

Sam-"Since past couple of days"

Sam-"But why?"

Me-"And how good do you know me?"

Sam-"What rubbish? Why are you asking such sarcastic statements?"

Me-"Answer dear"

Sam-"Not much but surely so-so"

Me-"You know Sam I normally keep on getting feedback from others that I can't hide my facial expressions or body language while lying or hiding any fact, so far"

Sam-"Means? I didn't get you?"

Me-"Nothing, leave it"

Sam-"Hello, please elaborate"

May be she understood that it had something to do with the things which I'd told her yesterday so she simply correlated it.

Me-"Nothing, you please carry on with your work"

Her body language threw me signals that she understood it and wanted to know it better, hence I deliberately half said it.

Sam-"Sagar, please, complete it, already I have not been feeling well since yesterday"

I felt to kiss her on her forehead in front of the entire team, the way she uttered my name from her dried lips which were still looking hot despite of being 'uncoloured'

Me-"Dear, whatever I told you yesterday was not true at all"

"WHAT?", She shouted loudly making all others who were busy in their respective 'tasks' look at us as if I'd proposed her.

"Yes, that's why I asked you that didn't you apprehend from my face, my body language or anything of that sort for that matter, that I was fooling you around?", I said with smile on my face and looking at her computer screen.

"SAGAR, how can you be so, so, so mean with me?" Sam asked in low voice since already the crowd was stalking us to know what was going on out there.

"Sorry dar….. dear" I apologized her.

I was about to say 'darling' but somehow I could replace it with 'dear'.

"But nicely portrayed it, hats off to your acting and all", Sam appreciated.

"By the way you were saying that you are not feeling well, what happened to you? You are looking fine, I guess" I asked her post disclosure of the above facts.

"Nothing as such….but am very fine now….See" Sam clarified while giving wide smile.

As her mood was off prior to knowing all these facts, hence she'd not carried along her tiffin that day.

"Let's go" I asked her since it was a lunch break.

"OMG! Today I forgot to carry the tiffin" she lied to hide the fact that she didn't carry it deliberately.

I was aware of it so I offered her treat from my side for having her back in my life.

We both preferred to go to 'Dominos' which was exactly beneath our company, to save the running-time as well.

Sam was non-vegetarian, which I was aware of, so I ordered veg burger with Coke and asked her what she would prefer in non-veg.

She was knowing that I was Jain and a pure vegetarian, so she too preferred to go for veg burger but with Fanta.

I liked her sacrifice.

We both discussed further on that above half-said topic.

And learnt that none of us was engaged.

I was happy but again doubtful to know that how can a beautiful girl like Sam, remain unengaged, till now?

But I made my fluctuating mind understand that she was yet to meet her Mr.Right, i.e. Me

As it was already quarter to Nine and we were still to go upstairs which would have had taken us at least three-five minutes to reach at.

We engrossed in the discussion and forgot to finish our food but still we left from there holding the burger in one hand and the cold drink in another hand.

Sam looked to be happier than she did ever.

The shift was over.

The cabs were already waiting for us.

The female employees used to be accompanied by a security-guard till they were dropped safely, at night, as per the company's policy.

Hence, Sam used to have two escort ions, unlike other female employee. (Including me)

Controlling sleep at night was one of the toughest tasks for me.

Sam used to attempt all possible tricks to keep me awaken, because being a talkative person she always wanted someone to chat with her or at least listen to her.

The second escort ion (the guard) told me, "Samruddhi madam was trying to wake you up while alighting, but you were in deep sleep and snoring"

I hated myself for snoring in front of Sam, and started thinking what would have Sam though about my snoring?

One Sunday she called me up!

Ringing….Ringing….Ringing…..

(Kaise mein kahu tuzse…Rehna hai tere dil me…!) -( One of my random dialler tones….

"Sam Calling" Popped up on my mobile screen……..

I picked up the call

"Wait I am busy I will call you back once I am free", I said her while I was getting fresh.

Two hours passed……………

Ringing….Ringing….Ringing…..

(Kya Karte the Sajna tum humse door rahke…)-( One of my random dialler tones….

"Sam Calling" Popped up on my mobile screen……..

"Stupid, couldn't you have called me up? I was waiting for your call!" Sam scolded me.

"Don't you understand when someone expects a return call from you then you are ought to do it? Stupid, how can you be so lethargic?" her anger busted out thru words.

I got shocked for a moment, but then got feeling of winning her!

"It seems that you don't want to attend my call, fine, I won't call you up again", she said helplessly.

Being an egoistic person I didn't attempt to call her up…

Few hours passed…..

Ringing…Ringing….Ringing….

(Tere bina jiya jayena…tere bina Jiya jayena!)……………

1 Missed call from Sam

My mobile screen got brightened up with the above message.

1 New Message in Inbox

"Sorry dear! Please pick up my call", Sam texted me

"Oye hero! Enough of it now…Do you want to lose her? Bloody, pick up the call", my inner voice spoke to me!

Putting my Capricorn nature completely aside, I called her up….

Me-"Bol (say) Sam"

Sam-"Got angry?"

Me-"No"

Sam-"Then why didn't you pick up my calls?"

Me-'I was getting fresh"

Sam-"Hmm…. So?"

Me-"…….So what?"

Sam-"Why don't you understand few untold things?"

Me-"What? Which things?"

Me-"Means? I didn't get you?"

Sam-"Shut up"! You understand and know everything, you just don't want to come forward"

Me-"….what everything? What are you talking about Sam?"

"It's ok"-Sam hung up and closed the discussion.

Next morning in the office premise…

"Why didn't you pick up my call and respond to my texts", Sam said heatedly.

"Nothing as such, I was busy as I'd told you!" I said looking at the new ongoing construction which was adjacent to our company's building.

"Lair", she murmured in very low voice which I heard, unfortunately.

I tried to change the subject but to no avail.

Sam seemed to be very firm to get the answer from me on why I did so with her.

"Don't want to come for lunch?" Sam asked me in the lunch break.

"You may go, I am not hungry" (I lied) I said looking at my computer's screen.

"Fine!" She shrugged off and turned back instantly to head towards the cafeteria.

Unable to bear the hunger, I walked up to the cafeteria to notice that Sam was sitting idle, eating nothing, with her lunch box lying open in front of her….

She was sitting on a black-coloured chair staring at her opened tiffin box.

She was wearing a white colour dress which had a pink colour peacock design on the front side.

It seemed that the peacock was calling me by spreading its colourful feathers across her dress.

I walked up to her while incessantly looking at her stunning beauty without even blinking my eye lids.

I stood beside her to let her feel my arrival.

The food kept in the lunch box started heating up due to the hot look of her adorable eyes.

I clapped in front her eyes to divert her attention towards me.

"Come on now, I am Hungry", I said by avoiding eye-contact with her.

"Why do you do so" Sam asked sitting cross-legged and fidgeting with her tiffin box's lid.

"Please! No more questions! I am very much hungry now and give me your tiffin if you don't want it", I said sarcastically.

We shared the same and I stood up after licking my all five figures, because it was Thalipith which she had prepared especially for me by her own hands…

I appraised her for the yummy 'Thalipiths', in order to change her mood, which fortunately worked out.

Janvi

There was one more girl by name Janvi, who was from Yavatmal.

The wheat-coloured girl was very cute and Jeetu used to like her a lot.

Jeetu tried to propose her many a times, but couldn't dare…though I trained him the tricks and strategies but everything went down the drain due to his over shyness.

Interestingly and strangely, Janvi had soft corner for me for some unknown reason.

Despite knowing that I was going around with Sam, she used to like me…

Ironically, Sam was also aware of it, but since I was not interested in Janvi, so she never paid heed to it with little bit insecurity from inside……

Janvi was an engineer in B.E. Electronics…

She used to stay along with few of her friends, at Kothrud…

Janvi- A Wheat-coloured beautiful girl….with appropriate amount of talc to win over her natural and a permanent skin colour.…suitable layers of make-up…a small bindi on 1.5 inch of forehead…..knee-length and extremely silky and sexy hair….short in height, may be less than Sam….an admirable figure….very health-conscious….always to-be-spotted in Punjabi dress….very soft-spoken….

Get together at Supriya's house

One day we all decided to gather at Supriya's house, since it was a weekly off for all of us.

Supriya's house was next to Sam's house and their families were also very close to each-other.

I was very happy with a feeling of meeting Sam more, than get together….

Everybody co-ordinated with each other to reach there but my number was not reachable hence I couldn't be communicated…

I didn't have any vehicle so had to take help of a 'sharing auto' to reach my sweet heart's place…

As I always liked to be in limelight, so I decided to go late….

I wanted Sam to wait for me!

The auto was already full with 9 passengers (forcefully tailored into) but still I thought what could be more romantic than going to meet my dream-girl by sitting next to the driver's seat

So I went ahead….

Due to sitting next to the driver's seat I could see every passing girl from very close, which I had been unable to enjoy due to being in cab and being with Sam.

I looked at the black vertical lines on my mobile screen to check the network availability but all had gone for party.

I was about to reach her place, I told the driver to drop me little ahead since I didn't want the already-waiting-for-me-public know that I had come by a 'sharing-auto'

I alighted at the corner of the destination and tried to hide myself from being seen by anyone.

Post handing over the money to the driver I started walking towards Sam's apartment.

Though I'd gone many times to Sam's place by cab but this time I was all alone and without her company.

The gate seemed to be very old as it was difficult to push or pull.

I tried hard in order to let Sam feel that I was strong enough take on any challenge!

The moment I entered into the premises by pushing that around 120k.g. gate, I looked up to make them feel my presence.

All were standing at Supriya's balcony.

They were standing in this order-> 6-ft. tall Mayur then Supriya then Vineet and then Sam was there.

I opened the gate to notice that all were waiving at me to show me the direction.

I could see only Sam, others were invisible for me!

Sam was in a grey colour track-suit, which seemed to be more beautiful for being worn by her.

The hair were kept free, may be to make me fall more for her.

Looking at the length of her hair I thought to take help of her hair in order to reach her instead of climbing the pot-decorated stairs.

"Oye, hello" where are you going? Mayur asked me, while I skipped the exact floor which belonged to Supriya and Sam…

"Dude, I was just going on terrace to have a look at it" I lied to Mayur in order to make him feel that I didn't forget the exact floor.

The moment Sam saw me she ran inside for some reason

"Why so late?" everybody asked me the same question.

I Said, "Actually I didn't get an auto and only 'sharing-autos' were there which I don't like"

"It feels good sometimes to experience that", Supriya suggested.

While entering into Supriya's home I could classify Sam's home as her white trouser was kept for drying on the rope….Though the trouser didn't look as much good as it looked on the very first day when Sam had worn it, but still I smiled looking at it because due to that trouser only I was there….

Vineet signalled me by pointing out his figure at Sam's house….to let me know that it's the place where my darling stayed.

Finally, I entered into Supriya's home….

Sam had already left for some unknown reason, so I was little bit upset and my eyes were continuously looking at Sam's home, while Supriya was introducing me with her parents.

"Hello Uncle, Hello Aunty", I said, giving fake smile to her parents.

Finally the 'my-girl' came with some large tiffin-box in her hand.

"OMG! Thalipith", I said loudly as I could smell it.

I impounded on them before others could even realize it.

I tasted it and advanced my hand to have another one.

"Sagar, learn to compliment", Supriya said sarcastically.

"Sorry Supriya it's my weak point, that I can't compliment anyone", I confessed.

But I gave 1000% marks to Sam thru my eyes for the Thalipiths, thankfully she recognized it since her cheeks turned into red colour

After lot of chit-chat we all left to our respective homes.

Confession

It was the time to visit Ahmednagar….

I was in 'Pune-Aurangabad' bus…

The sun was already set for the day and it was around 9.00 p.m. 

The clock seemed to be moving slow, hence I cursed it as I wanted to reach early since I was going after a long time.

The bus was still stationery and hence yet to move from the stand.

Suddenly my mobile rang with a small message tune.

As it was already night hence the lights were off in the bus.

As soon as it rang and vibrated, I ghastly pulled it off from my pocket.

The text message was from Sam.

It was uncertain for me to even expect it at that point of time, since we had just met, in the evening.

"I Love You" it read.

I checked the message not less than 7 times to confirm whether she'd missed out something or she sent it by mistake or there was half message written at the very bottom post few paragraphs, etc. etc.

But not to my surprise it was that 3 letters word consisting of 7 characters.

I replied her with a question mark, '?' to get it reconfirmed from her end.

She again texted me the same but this time in capital letters, "I LOVE YOU"

I didn't revert anything after that since I was speechless and didn't understand what to revert on such message.

But post same 6-7 messages from her I disclosed her few things about my past.

I told her about my past girlfriends….my break ups and everything…

She was still undeterred…

But since I didn't want to win her on false assumptions or promises or anything of that sort so I gave her time to still rethink on her decision…

That night I couldn't sleep because Sam's texts were hovering around my eyes.

It was around 1 at night.

While looking at the spinning fan which was around 7 ft. above the mat I was sleeping on, I soaked myself into romantic thoughts of being together with Sam.

The next morning…

Since it was Sunday hence I preferred to wake up late.

It was around 9 in the morning.

Mom was in the kitchen to prepare something for her 'poor-son' who had come after a long time.

I was also already awaken but not off the bed.

Our landline phone rang.

Mom came running from the kitchen to pick up the call.

Mom said 'hello' in a very low voice…

"Sagar?" Asked a sweet voice from the other line

"Who's this?" Mom in her normal tone but with suspicion.

"His friend from his company", Sam being on the other line.

Mom came into my room to tell me there was a call for me!

"Hello" I said.

"Hi, good morning, Sam here", Sam said.

I looked here and there to ensure no one witnessed it. 

"That was your past, Sagar, it's your present now and you are my future!" Sam directly jumped on last night's topic.

Finally I nodded to her proposal, because I didn't want mom to get to know it by this way.

We both hung up after having talked for not more than 2 minutes.

After the call mom asked me who was she?

I told her that it was 'Samruddhi' and my office colleague on which mom added that her voice was very sweet and she was very soft-spoken.

I blushed while ensuring mom doesn't look at me from the kitchen.

I thanked mom for endorsing her 'to-be-daughter-in-law' in advance.

Steadily this news spread like anything in our office, where employees were already gossipmongers.

Progressively, we started meeting at the corner of my building where I was staying, since we didn't want to feed more to gossipmongers nor did we want to be in limelight.

Sam used to come on her scooty blue colour which looked to be 1987-like-model like Kareena Kapoor seen in '3 Idiots' movie with yellow helmet.

But! Sam never used any helmet!

She used to get me different self-made dishes every time whenever she would come to meet me.

Due to our frequent meetings Sam got very close to me!

Thrilling experience

On one Sunday I decided to go out with Sam, deferring my Ahmednagar Visit.

I'd no bike so I had to borrow it from Vineet….

I'd already asked Sam to come in Jeans and T-shirt, which she normally avoided.

Since Jeetu had already gone to Ahmednagar so I was all alone at the flat.

"Tringg… Tringg…" the doorbell rang…

"Whose there", I asked while peeping out from the small binocular, fixed on our grey-colour door.

Sam looked shorter than she did, due to the binocular.

She was wearing a blue jeans and white skin-fit T-shirt.

The moment I saw her I felt to kiss her before I let her in.

Keeping my naughty thoughts aside, I welcomed my sweet heart and started getting ready.

Finally, I got ready wearing black skin fit t-shirt to create black and white combination.

In the parking area Roma Aunty saw me with Sam.

Roma aunty was staying next to our flat.

She asked me about Sam.

I told her very conveniently that she was Jeetu's cousin.

Moreover; I didn't frighten to tell her that Sam had come to see Jeetu but since Jeetu had gone to Ahmednagar, so I should drop her.

The matter was handled very nicely by my words and by Sam's expressions.

We laughed a lot after moving off from there, for making a fool out of her.

It was the first time to get Sam along with me on a bike.

We both had not disclosed anyone about our outing plan.

Sam sat double-sided on the bike and I calculatingly leaved the clutch abruptly just to get her push on my skin fit t-shirt.

We'd not scheduled anything.

I told Sam to uniform a terrorist-like look by tying dupatta around the face to avoid 'face recognition'.

To our surprise a traffic police clogged us at Chandni Chowk.

I was not carrying my driving-license at that time, so instead of my bike's, my own indicators got activated.

Before the policeman could take the key off my bike I accelerated the bike's speed and fled away from there.

Sam hold me so tight out of the fear of falling down or flying up, that I thanked that policeman for performing his duties…

Finally, we landed at one of the romantic hotels at Chandni Chowk and decided to take truce.

There we could see many couples like us.

We preferred a corner table to have a proper privacy.

As usual we ordered from our typical menus.

This time I added it with Sizzlers with red wine.

It was our first time that we were about to taste wine.

We discussed about each other's family members.

I narrated her in detail about each of my past girlfriends assuring her no more apart from her, by holding her soft hand in my hand.

I felt like I was on 7th Cloud.

I felt to say loudly that I was with world's most beautiful girl.

I felt to say loudly that no one can separate us from each other.

I felt to say loudly that she's mine only.

I felt to say loudly that I was going to marry her.

I'd promised Vinit that I would return his bike within 2 hrs.

But somehow the Romantic surrounding made me forget about my promise and the time as well, until I saw a text message from Vinit, "Sagar where the hell are you? I need the bike immediately", along with his 12 missed calls…

Still I preferred to be there until I got abused from Vinit thru texts….

My Inbox started showing 'messages waiting' icon, hence I, finally, decided to leave from there.

IBM Daksh-Pune- Part V

(Doom's Day)

It was Friday and we were all planning for Mahabaleshwar trip.

Sam was the only one who didn't participate as such.

I had doubt since morning basis her over all behaviour and body language but I still didn't let her feel that I smelt it.

She was constantly looking at me and wanted to say me something which was very important at that point of time.

Looking at her facial expressions which she couldn't hide from me, I realized that she was not at all fine and very much disturbed.

Without much ado, I pushed my chair towards her while being sited and turned her chair towards me, as she was sitting facing the computer.

I asked her directly as what was wrong and why was she so much disturbed.

Before she could utter even a word, my sixth sense signalled me that she was going to resign.

Sam did say the same.

She was going to take that drastic step her mom wanted it, since long time.

The moment I heard it, my entire body became numb.

My computer screen started varying its colours as if it also understood about Sam's resignation.

I tried to make her calm down without losing my patience.

The moment she said it out, she started crying like a baby.

Her eyes were flooded with water and her handkerchief got wet completely within 4-5 minutes.

All started looking at us with wide eyes.

I stood up from there, took her hand in my hand and requested her to accompany me to cafeteria.

She was still sobbing while going thru aisle.

Few of her close friends tried to accompany her.

"If you don't mind, can you all please leave both of us alone for some time", I requested the extra escort ion.

All obeyed me by nodding their heads, with curiosity in mind as what was going on!

Everybody in our group got stuck and deafened

I felt of approaching her mother to scold her for spoiling her daughter's career (in fact for spoiling my love-life)

(It's like the train goes on with a speed of 220 k.m. per hr. and suddenly derails…)

All tried their lever best to pursue Sam to withdraw her resignation.

But she was undeterred as the manifesto was from the home minister.

Janvi and Mayur attempted to convince her mother but to no avail.

Since I had smelt of it long ago, so I didn't attempt anything of this sort and let the situation pass on its own.

Sam was sobbing a lot…it seemed that the day was going to be identified as a Black Day in our life.

Although I tried to hide my expressions from her to make her feel 'it's ok', but eventually drops of agony from my eyes couldn't stop from rolling over the cheeks and I wept on her lap like an infant.

Entire office along with few seniors witnessed that scene and finally learnt about our relationship.

To add our woes, 'To be relieved on the same day" was the condition in the manifesto, from the home minister.

So without serving any notice period Sam had to be relieved on the same day.

Putting company's policy and terms and conditions aside, Saif (the supervisor) gave nod since Sam was well-known for her dedication and work.

In the evening we all gathered for her farewell celebration, with misty eyes.

Saif was the first one to give his impromptu speech and one by one all group members followed the suit.

I kept aloof from being the speaker in order to avoid more drama.

It was the time for Sam to stand up and deliver what she wanted.

The situation was getting deteriorated…

The moment she stood up she lost her balance due to empty stomach since yester night.

She collapsed…

Before anyone could see what happened I ghastly ran towards her to pick her up on my both hands and put her on table without thinking what other would think.

Janvi, Supriya and few other girls encompassed her with a glass of water in their hands.

They sprinkled it on her face to help her regain her consciousness.

I started humming all the God's names whichever I could remember at that time.

Everybody became tense in the meantime.

I cursed a lot to her self-styled home minister for this bizarre condition my Sam was going through.

The farewell aroma was fading away….

Finally God listened to my prayer hence Sam regained her consciousness…

As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw me and again started crying since she didn't understand what was going on for being surrounded with tones of people.

I made her realize that everything was alright and she was absolutely fine!

Since I was standing very close to her therefore unknowingly she took my hand in her hand.

I too kissed on her forehead with wet eyes and gave her sign of relief.

All looked at us with wide eyes and gave us courage to move on.

It seemed that they signalled us we both should not worry and should go ahead with our relationship irrespective of the problems we may come across.

That time I and Sam felt to have won heart of every person standing out there.

Since it was the last day of Sam and all the remaining had come to know about our relationship so I decided to drop her home.

Keeping, whatever happened last time, aside, Vineet gave me his bike to drop Sam.

This time he admonished me with the same condition of coming within 2 hrs.

Without any hesitation we both conveniently moved off from there towards her home.

While being on the way we decided to stop at Relaxo restaurant, our favourite one.

There we spent around half hour and then proceeded further.

Her home was hardly 5 min. away from Relaxo, so she didn't tie scarf on the face.

Meantime, her brother, Amey saw us together, on the bike.

Sam became restless and tried to hide her face from him.

I never knew that God would introduce me with my brother-in-law like this.

So, I too drove the bike from traffic to avoid his confrontation and further skirmish.

Somehow we could reach and I fled from there after dropping her. 

Hardly had she got off the bike she ran towards the home, as if dogs were chasing her to bite her.

I took detour to avoid his confrontation and could succeed in it.

I mistook the route while being in thoughts of Sam and her brother.

I was constantly thinking of all the probabilities of the soon-to-arise situation at Sam's home.

Sam narrated me everything over the phone the next day.

Discontinued

Bury the Hatchet…

"Didi where had you been?" Amey asked Sam.

"Sorry! I didn't understand" Sam said as if nothing had happened.

"Di, you know that I have seen you with someone" -he being annoyed.

'So?" -Sam being bold

"So? So nothing, Madam who was that guy? What the hell were you both upto?"- He being over smart

"Amey, you please mind your own business" -Sam being casual in tone

"Okies, then I think mom is the right person to ask you about it"-He being sarcastic

"Oye! Hello! Threatening me or what? Go tell mom…she knows everything" –Sam being so confident in her lies.

"Oh! But Still I want to convey her!"-He said despite knowing that Sam was lying to him

"Go go….By the way I have seen few greetings and love letters in your bag, last week, which you were supposed to be for some girl" Sam caught him there.

"Anyways! Let's call mom and expose each other" Sam said with lots of guts.

"Di, she is just my friend, nothing else" Amey tried to justify.

"Did I say anything? Why are you worrying so much then?" Sam pinched him

Ultimately with this small fight between brother-sister things got settled down with consensus.

'Whatever happens, happens for good cause' proverb proved to be right.

It was good that Amey saw us that day. 

Continued

I laughed holding my stomach like anything, when Sam told me about this all.

After that I went many a times at her home, in absence of her mom and in presence of his brother.

The neighbours seemed to be more interested in me than her mom because whenever I used to go there all would look at me as if I had come from Mars or as if I had horns on my head.

Gradually, I started avoiding going her home, since I didn't want Sam to get into any problem due to my frequent visits.

One of the neighbours tried to pin up her mother about me, but thank God Sam changed the subject being there.

It's said that distance increases love…hence it was not an exception in our case as well.

We started meeting outside very rarely but we used to have conversation over the phone to greater extend.

WNS-Global Services-Part-I

Since few liabilities were acquiring their room into my account hence I had to look out for an option to my current salary….

One day, I appeared for an interview at WNS, a BPO.

After going there for an interview, to my surprise, my colleagues had already made their presence.

One-by-one we all got selected after going thru around 3 rounds of interview.

The package offered was the highest amongst the all, who came for the interview.

After serving notice period of IBM Daksh I joined WNS Global Services….

As usual Jeetu also joined post me!

Janvi also got selected and joined WNS.

Now it was line-clear for Janvi, since the org. was new and Sam was also not there, to compete with

IBM Daksh-Pune- Part VI

Here everything was fine for me at IBM Daksh.

Since I had completed a year in the organization and had been topper in performance so there were growth opportunities for me!

Few IJP (Internal job Posting) were raised for different posts.

On insistence from Saif and due to peer pressure I happened to apply for one of the posts through IJPs.

I cracked the interview and got selected.

I was promoted to the next level.

I was given escalation desk, to look after.

Escalation calls means customer who are irate and want to speak with the Manager…..

I was enjoying the new role very much…

My Birthday

It was 26th Dec, my birthday and all had pre-decided to celebrate it at Mayur's flat.

It was 11.59 a.m. of 25th Dec. and I was in deep sleep.

Suddenly my cell rang up.

Yes you are thinking right.

It was Sam who called me up to wish.

Basking under the glory of her voice I could sleep without tossing over as I did normally.

After the cell's turn it was the doorbell to ring.

I tried to open the door while rubbing my misty eyes.

To my surprise, I could see a person holding a mix-coloured box of around 1.5X2 in size.

The box smelt something sweet.

Before I could ask him anything, he confirmed my name and handed the box over to me, post me signing on the dotted lines.

I closed the door post thanking him.

While opening the box, my mind filled up with several questions.

Before I could attach more names with more feasibilities, I zeroed in on Sam.

Finally, I opened the box to see a rectangular fruit cake bearing my name on it.

I happened to see the 'From' before I could see it neatly.

Since I'd guessed right, it was from Sam, so the moment I saw it I called her to thank.

Thus, Sam refreshed my mid-night and morning in all ways.

One by one I received calls and messages from my near and dear ones.

Here the pre-planned celebration was already on its way since all had exchanged good amount of text messages and calls with regards to my Birthday preparation.

Sam had already wished me.

So we all gathered at Mayu'r place to make my birthday a memorable one.

Sam had come with a very nice cake and dark chocolate which I liked a lot.

A bottle of Snow-spray was already there in the room.

I was wearing a Sherwani and Sam was wearing a sexy Punjabi suit.

We both looked as if we'd just married!

We cut the cake and proceeded further to have food and all.

Sam was standing next to me, thought out the party……………………….

Mayur's room was partitioned in two, one was hall and another was a small room….

While others were busy in celebrating their best friend's (my) birthday I and Sam opportunely moved off from there into another room…. There Sam gave me my birthday 'gift' which I loved a lot since it was after a very long time………..Before we could indeed celebrate our so-called 'looked-like-just-married' celebration, Vinit came knocking on the door….maybe he wanted to take revenge of not returning his bike on time….I shouted loudly,"WHO THE HELL IS THERE", and Vinit ran away like anything….

After having been disturbed we avoided to go on the same page but started waiving our future plans…

 

WNS-Global Service-Part-II

Due to rise in the salary, I and Jeetu shifted to a new place (a flat) which was exactly in front of our present room.

Sam used to come there every day!

I used to do night shift because we used to be paid extra for being a night watchman…

So I did night shift for more than a year.

I used to go for a dinner at mess somewhere between 8-8.30.

Sam would never had her dinner before I had it.

I used to give her a missed call, it was nothing but a single that I had finished with the dinner.

As it is said that there is dawn after every dark night….but in my case there were dark nights after beautiful days…..

This love story couldn't continue as it was, for a very long time….

Being a typical girl, marriage was also on Sam's mind, which she would always come up with that topic and I used to push off….

Once I told her that my family would never like to have their daughter-in-law from other caste.

That statement made a nest in her mind which unfortunately started affecting our relationship, somewhere somehow, though indirectly and unknowingly.

An Accident

As usual I was going for a dinner and, while walking on the road I met with an accident….I happened to stumble upon a big rock just to fall down profoundly…

When I got up from there I directly went to the flat…..Jeetu was already present….He looked at me and asked what happened…I narrated him the entire story….When I was about to take my shirt off I noticed that my upper shoulder had a deep wound and the innermost fat was dangling outside….

It was looking as if a killed-sheep was kept dangling outside a mutton shop….

Jeetu helped me in getting the shirt off my body….then somehow I tried to cut that fat with a scissor

Without wasting a minute I called up Sam since it was unbearable pain for me.

As soon as she heard it, she started crying but with good presence of mind she got me to one of their family doctors, which was just opposite of her home, on the other side of the road….

I had to take 12 stitches from the doctor.

Later on it was learnt that the doctor had soft corner for Sam.

Sam never used to go to his clinic since she was very much aware that the doctor was falling for her.

But this time since it was because of me, she had to….

My left shoulder was bandaged …

Sam used to come home every day to change the bandage and do the needful.

For a while I thought that she'd forgotten everything and we had patched up.

It was because of Sam only that my wounds healed up very quickly…….

Later on, she steadily started avoiding me due that 'nest' which had made a shell in her brain.

We didn't talk with each-other for at least a week or two….

WNS-Global Service-Part-III

Meanwhile, at my newly-joined company, WNS, it seemed that butterflies were running in Janvi's stomach, due to my break-up with Sam.

Normally a 'dull-looking' face (for me) suddenly started getting layers of make-up sent me enough signals to understand what was cooking in her mind.

She tried to come closer than she ever tried….

It seemed she was conveying me a message that I was not alone after the break-up and Janvi was there to look after me!

Here Jeetu was getting more restless due to Janvi's strange activities towards me.

But I and Jeetu never fought over a girl, like guys normally do.

Then, once upon a time, I fell ill, may be due to the break-up matter….

Janvi, being in the same organization came to know about it and she started taking good care of me.

She used to bring me 'khichadi' made by her own hands, at her room….I used to eat it though I never liked its taste which always lacked important ingredients….

But I never hurt Janvi by saying this since she was doing it by heart.

Somewhere I got moral support from her, in my break-up days…

Patch Up

Then it was my Ahmednagar visit and suddenly

"I can't live without you", a low-voice along with very silent background came from other line….

It was none other than Sam… 

I could clearly hear her crying though she was trying to hide it from me….but her constant inhaling of air while breathing was enough to make anyone understand the situation….

After hearing her voice I took a long breathe not to be on the same page with her but I felt happy to have received Sam's call, that too after a long time…

Sam-"How can you be so mean?"

Me-"Nothing like that"

Sam-"Then?"

Sam-"Couldn't you have called me up?"

Me-"I tried to call you up, but your number was not reachable".

I lied…

Sam-"Please don't lie"

Me-"Any ways! Say, how come you suddenly called me up?"

Sam-"Nothing, I thought you must have got your 9th Girlfriend, so called you up to ask about your new-lover" (being a sarcastic with little bit angry voice)

Me-"Please Shut up! I'd told you, either you or no one after you"

Sam-"Hmm….."(This time no sarcasm)

Me-"So, Madam, how's life without me?"

Sam-"Like a river without water, like Laila without her Majnu" (being romantic)

Me-"Hmm…"

My mom was busy on her work but looking at my expressions she could smell something….but before she could make it out from my non hid able expressions, I told Sam that I would call her up later and hung up!

"Who was there", Mom asked….

"Your 'Soon-going-to-be-daughter-in-law'", I whispered, ensuing mom didn't hear it…..

"It was Jeetu", I said

"Ok", Mom said by closing the subject with still little doubt in mind about 'that' other person.

A Valentine's Day

Suddenly a person with very-low-waist-jeans came on the floor

(A floor is nothings but a sitting place at a call centre) 

He clapped twice to draw our attention since few were busy in work and rest were busy in their 'other program'

"Hey, you all….. Listen carefully…." Said Salvister (Obviously a male) another HR executive, by adjusting his about-to-fall low-waist-jeans….

"We have got sponsorship from Shoppers Stop of Rs.1000/- each for Mr and Mrs Valentines of the day", said the same black lad by unknowingly showing his newly-root-canalled-teeth…

While he was uttering words, that silver teeth was extremely shining over his dark face…

Since my chair was very close to where he was standing to address us, I observed that my keyboard was getting few drops of some transparent liquid frequently…

I looked here and there to ensure that I was not sitting in an open area nor was it rainy season though….

After those drops turned their direction towards my hands then I realized that it was Sylvester's newly-root canalled teeth which was allowing the inner excess-water of his stomach get out helplessly…

Later on the drops were enjoyed by other employees helplessly because the competition was for Mr and Mrs Valentine…….hence it was a matter of pride……

I and one of my friends, Vaishali, we both were forced by our team to participate in the contest as only two persons were allowed from each team.

That evening I dressed up in blazer and looking very awesome (as told by all colleagues)

Vaishali was also looking stunning….

Next day we all gathered to get to know about the result of yesterday's competition…..

This time a very hot and sexy HR executive made her way towards our team to announce the result.

She was holding a pink piece of a paper which was bearing the winners names.

A black colour one piece dress being worn by that HR executive with a pink colour slip in one hand and the mobile phone with white colour back-cover in another hand made few of my male colleagues forget about the slip and the mobile, to concentrate on 'the' other things.

"May I have an opportunity to announce the names of Mr & Mrs Valentine's Day Competition!" she said, with a soft voice and a small dimple on her right cheek.

"Mr. Sagar Gandhi and Miss. Vaishali Wanjarara", she continued to end her sentence with our names.

I literally got shocked with the above unexpected thing and was pushed by others to receive the prize.

The HR executive looked sexier from closer, may be because I'd won the prize.

She handed over the prize and every one clapped for me and Vaishali.

Had Sam been there she would have been happier than anyone else.

But for a fraction of second it seemed that Janvi filled up that gap by continuously clapping, especially for me.

Janvi asked me for those vouchers and I merely gave it to her thinking that anyways if Sam had asked me then I would have given it to her too.

IBM Daksh-Pune- Part VII

Mahabaleshwar

Once upon time our team decided to go to Mahabaleshwar for outing.

Since Sam was no more part of our team, hence I was hesitant to accompany the rest.

But Sam called me and forced me to be part of the crowd.

I obeyed her order and decided to proceed further...

"Team, are all ready?" our team leader Mr. Saif asked us while boarding the bus.

"Yes Saif," all shouted in one go.

(In BPO industry there is no culture of calling 'sir' to the seniors)

"Guys, I hope we have enough of beer cartons with ample of snacks with us to beat Mahabaleshwar's cold climate." Saif asked by scratching his head by his newly-brought mobile phone.

Jeetu was sitting next to me….

Rest all were sitting with their respective 'partners'.

"Jeetu, wish Sam could be there on your place then definitely Mahabaleshwar's cold waves would have got converted into hot waves", I said while shivering as the bus had already started off with a speed of 65 kmph.

As soon as we left Pune, the regular drinkers went back, where the eating and drinking material were kept to do the needful.

We started playing antakshari, and it was my turn and I had been given an alphabet 'P'

Since I was already missing Sam a lot so naturally I happened to sing a song.

"Pal pal pal..har pal…kaise katega ye pal…har pal…" from Munnabhai MBBS.

All started enjoying the climate with their respective bottles in hand, I also impounded on my favourite 'Red-Bull', an energy drink to accompany them.

Till the time we cut half of our destination point, 70% were already out of their senses.

Interestingly, few were dancing without remembering that they were in the bus and with a group of colleagues.

Few were sitting quiet, may be, the alcohol impact was yet to get down in their brains.

Few were crying by remembering their Exes, break-ups, crushes, etc.

Few were continuously drinking as if they were allotted targets of finishing the quota before we hit the destination place.

And the rest were witnessing the abnormal and astonishing moments to use it later on for blackmailing.

I was enjoying it.

I captured few of the embarrassing moments in my mobile to 'make the most of it' later on.

As we were nearing Mahabaleshwar all the above characters started second part of their respective stories.

Finally, we reached there.

The temperature was below 15 which was an awesome….

"If you can't walk properly, then why the hell do you take it this much?" Shraddha said to Amit after getting a small push from him, who was drunk heavily.

"Who? Me?" Amit asked Shraddha, thinking it wasn't for him.

I was behind Amit, so he looked at me and scolded me for pushing him on her…..

I said, "Sorry bro, my mistake (by folding my hands)….This was my first time so it happened…but sorry"…..

Then I went ahead by indeed pushing him hard, this time….

Amit was laughing………

After the above exercise, I, at last, could get down, leaving my luggage on the seat only.

The surrounding and the climate of Mahabaleshwar reminded me of Sam, every now and then.

By controlling on my feelings I tried to get mixed up with others.

At 'echo-point' I shouted loudly by Sam's name to hear it back with echo-sound.

Jeetu smiled looking at me, thinking to shout by Janvi's name, but he couldn't dare to do so……

I signalled him to shout by Janvi's name and let the world know that you love her.

But he shrugged off by not doing it.

At 'Monkey-point' one of the monkeys was trying to snatch away Vaishali's handbag from her shoulder, thinking he could get something to eat from that handbag.

"Oouch", Vaishali shouted…..

She had to give away her hand bag to that monkey out of fear as the monkey overpowered her.

Meanwhile; we were pelting stones at him to scare him.

Shraddha was standing exactly behind Amit.

Since Amit was fully drunk but he too tried to pelt few stones at the monkey.

Unfortunately, one of the stones hit Shraddha, due to unbalancing of Amit.

"Why don't you kill me at once", Shraddha shouted at Amit

Again Amit started looking around to run away from that embarrassing situation.

We all busted out in laughter, forgetting about the monkey.

The monkey went around 50 meters away from us to search in the handbag for any eateries by making it upside down.

When he couldn't find anything of his use, he ran away by leaving the handbag there on the ground.

The streets were full of Strawberries, Sweet Corns, Juices and all.

Small cart pullers were running behind the customers to sell their products.

Abruptly, it started raining, since it was already drizzling…

Few of our delicate colleagues started taking shelters wherever they could, to keep themselves dry from the rain.

J and Jeetu got fully drenched in the rain.

I wished if Sam was there to wipe off water from my head by her soft hands and to scold me every now and then to do this, do that……

Since I was already warned by Sam for not getting into rain so I also had to be part those delicate characters.

Suddenly I got a call from Sam and I sneezed.

"Stupid, had told you don't go into rain, then why did you?" Sam scolded me with full of love and care from her voice.

"Why should I always be there to take care of you? Can't you take care of yourself on your own?" She continued with low volume.

"That's why I was insisting you to accompany me! Since you know that I can't take care of myself and why should I worry when Sam is there?" I said by wiping out rain-water from my mouth which was trying to mix up with my words….

"Anyways", I said….

"Sam, you should have been here with me at present, since the climate is so romantic that you would have kissed me!" I told her by looking back and forth to ensure no one listened to me.

By the time I finish up my talk with Sam, few of our colleagues had already left for shopping especially the female ones….

Shraddha, Vaishali, Grishma, Neha all were seen along with the bags in their hand, may be full of girly stuffs only.

I had bought few strawberries, Fruits etc. few for my home and few for Sam…….

"OMG! Shit", Grishma whispered while one of her 4 bags was about to fall down but she could manage to balance it somehow.

"Why did you purchase so much if you can't handle or carry it?" Neha asked sarcastically to Grishma while putting down 2 of her 5 bags to unburden the weight which may be around 13 k.g. altogether.

Both smiled looking at each other!

Here boys were quite busy in handling different colours of bottles as the boozing-programme was not yet finished nor was it going-to-be till we could reach to Pune.

It was raining cats and dogs hence their drink was getting mixed up with rain water.

While I and Jeetu preferred cold drnik.

Jeetu's mobile rang up and he got up to attend the call, leaving his drink unattended.

Few mischievous characters made the most of the situation by mixing up little beer into Jeetu's drink, even without my knowledge.

But I came to know about it later one, before Jeetu could.

After finishing up with the call Jeetu re-joined us.

Me-"Whose call was it?"

Jeetu-"Mom's"

I was provoking Jeetu to talk about Janvi since he used to love her very much, but he didn't speak even a single word about her till the time he could get hold of his 'mixed-drink'

"Am I not a good-looking guy?" Jeetu asked all, after gulping down 3-4 sips from his unattended glass

"I tried to say her that I like her, but I couldn't dare it", he continued while putting down the glass of cocktail drink.

"What the hell does she think of herself?

Why are girls like this?

It is said that girls have sixth sense then why doesn't she understand my love?" Jeetu's eyes were watered while saying this.

Still he didn't utter Janvi's name, though he gulped down the last sip of his never-drunk cocktail.

There were many like me who were enjoying live show by capturing few moments in mobile to do the needful later on.

Suddenly I got a call from Sam.

But unlike Jeetu I went away to attend the call by holding my glass of cold drink in other hand.

How can once expect me to become a victim of the same situation which I witnessed closely?

Sam-"Had lunch?"

Me-"Not yet"

Sam-"Why?"

Me-'Still boozing…………………."

Sam-"What? You too? Sagar?"

Me-"I thought to taste it"

Sam-"What is this? I'd clearly told you don't get influenced by surrounding, still you ended up doing it"

Me-"Can't help it out……."

Me-"I was missing you badly so had it"

Sam-"Does it mean that whenever I wouldn't be with you, would do the same?"

Sam-"Not fare! You shouldn't have done this"

Before she could give me more knowledge about pros & cons of alcohol…..I interrupted her…..

Me-"Sam, Sam….Sam…..Listen……How can you expect me do this?"

Me-"This is the trust you have in me?" 

Sam-"No jaan, not like that….I trust you more than I trust myself.

I knew it that you were joking, but I don't trust the situation, I don't trust others.

I don't trust your colleagues, and you too know that it is easy to get influenced by all this"

Sam-"Jaan, I really admire your will power, only you can do it, seriously. Love you"

Before we could get more romantic the line got disconnected due the heavy rainfall.

I cursed a lot to the rainfall at that time for being a hurdle.

I came and re-joined the already-out-of-sense public, while looking at my mobile's network signals.

Here Jeetu was still busy in his own dream, and was continuously talking about Janvi, but without uttering her name!

"Hey, Sagar, Sagar, you tell me! Why doesn't she like me?" Jeetu said with slip of tounge

"Leave it dude, its ok", I said while trying to calm him down.

All were listening to what he and I was talking about.

"Why does she like YOU then?" at last Jeetu said it after losing control which he has been holding since very long time.

As soon as Jeetu said it out, then everybody started looking at me as if I was the culprit in his love.

Thank God! No girl was present at that time in our so-called party.

Since everyone was aware of my affair with Sam, so all mistook Sam for Janvi.

Before anyone could come up with some different plan, I stood up and said it loudly to clarify that Jeetu was not talking about Sam but some another girl

After hearing this, all got relaxed and continued to glue their ears towards what Jeetu had to say more.

Everybody was taking in interest in Jeetu's conversation, because this was the first time that a very shy and reserved guy was bursting out through words, though unknowingly….

"Bloody, I gifted her flowers she re-gifted it to you (pointing out at me!), I gifted her heart shaped balloon on Valentine's Day, and She again re-gifted it to you (again pointing out at me with increase in voice)" Jeetu spoke up with cigarette in one hand and the so-called cocktail drink in another hand.

By pointing out the burning side of cigarette at me, which Jeetu was holding in his right hand, he also seemed to be burning from inside due to the agony he was going thru…

May be it was not enough so he stood up to say "I love you", I Love you" while balancing his 69 k.g. body along with his half-finished cocktail drink from falling on my head.

"Jeetu sit down, dear, try to understand, if she doesn't like you, let's go for another girl yaar" I said by trying to control the situation which would have slipped out of hand, had I not intervened on time.

To my surprise Jeetu sat down and kept quiet then I could manage to change his mood by changing the ongoing subject.

Now was the time for lunch and the 'still-not-tired-from-shopping' girls were already present at the venue.

We started getting up to proceed towards the hotel… few were not able to stand even.

Vishal tried to stand up while balancing his 80 k.g. stature.

Anurag was already boozing by standing, but sat down thinking we were going to be served with the food, there only.

Jeetu still being in the same trauma with his left hand on my shoulder started walking.

Amit, pushed down Mehul and Kashyap while trying to stand up by putting his 20k.g. left hand and 20 k.g. right hand on Mehul's and Kashyap's shoulders respectively.

Thank God Mehul and Kashyap were not drunk otherwise we would have had to play standing and siting game more for the next 2 hrs.

Before we all could reach the venue I went ahead of everyone.

Jeetu was still with me

I announced something, since Saif was with girls to escort them at the market

"Hey, guys, listen…..Hello….." I shouted by clapping at least 7-8 times to drag everyone's roaming attention

"Not we are going to reach the hotel to have lunch….the girls are already reached out there along with Saif.

Please no more boozing over there, n bullshits, no nonsense at all…."I admonished in a different tone looking into everyone's eyes to make them understand the gravity of the situation.

"Please don't create any untoward scene in front of the girls.

Avoid getting or putting yourself into any embarrassing situation.

Let's not spoil our image….."I continued trying to make them aware of the repercussions, if they didn't behave properly

To obey my so-called orders all said 'yes sir' by nodding their unbalancing heads…few saluted me with their shivering hands

I took a snap of a heap of……..around 35-40 empty beer bottles of Knock-out, Khajurao, Tuborge, sleeping and rolling bottles of brands like Bagpiper, Red Wine, White Wine, Smirn-off, Jack-Daniels, Balleys, Ricards, Jinro, Ciroc, Jamerson, Jim Beam, McDowell's No.1, Bacardi, Shark-tooth, Vodka, scattered 150-200 used-cigarette few 15-20 unused some 5-6 still-waiting-to-be-smoked and rest 2-3 half-finished……

We around 40-45 heads gathered at the decided-venue for the lunch.

After finishing with the lunch we all left the restaurant by rotating our hands from our just-filled-stomach.

As was already told by Sam, I called her up to convey her that we were leaving now from Mahabaleshwar.

WNS-Global Service-Part-IV

Kothrud

Slowly Janvi started trying to take Sam's place in my life.

In BPO industry Saturdays and Sundays are non-working days, generally. But we used to work on Saturdays to earn OT (Overtime)

I never skipped even a single Saturday in my entire tenure with WNS.

Once upon a time on one Saturday, after our shift got over we all headed towards our cabs which were awaiting us in the parking area.

Normally on Saturdays I used to come on bike of any of my colleagues, who never liked to spoil their sleep for the sake of OT.

Hence that day I had come on black colour Pulsar of one of my colleagues.

Unfortunately (?) Janvi had seen me while parking it in the morning.

So, when I was about to get on my bike, to my surprise, a girl in a yellow colour sleevless dress with white colour alwar and a black colour dupatta, with some unusual hair-style and beautiful ear-ring may be made of gold but in rectangular shape with brown colour of lipstick on those tiny thin lips approached me having a wide smile on face!

That was none other than Janvi who requested me to drop her till Kothrud, where she lived, as she had missed her cab.

Though Janvi was looking sexier than she ever looked, I still was about to deny her thinking it must be her deliberate act to succeed in her plan.

But thinking of the khichadi which she used to get me when I was ill, was making me go against of my mind.

"I missed my cab" said Janvi without hiding her expressions of lying

"How come?" I asked despite knowing the truth but just for the sake of asking

"I came late at the parking place" Janvi continued with her lies

"Oh! This is the things" I said sarcastically, though she didn't understand it

"So, could you please drop me till my home?" Janvi asked with pretty smile on her recently put on makeup face.

"Oh shit! Actually I had to go to Mayur's place for some work" I lied trying to avoid her

"OMG! It's ok then I'll go by an auto" Janvi said looking at my bike with nervous face

For few minutes it looked like that layer of make up on her face faded away with my statement.

But again that Khichadi thing struck my mind and then.

"Why would you go by an auto when I am there?" I said thinking that I used some heavy statement to get her closer instead of otherwise.

"So sweet of you, Sagar!" Janvi said while raising her hands up to tie her hair properly with a yellow colour bow which suited perfectly on her yellow dress.

While doing so she looked sexier than she was looked just now.

Had Jeetu been there then he would have for sure grabbed her then and there without thinking for a minute, by keeping his innocence aside.

So as decided I got my bike out of the parking lot and told her to wait outside.

Initially, I was trying to start the engine without inserting the key, purposefully.

I was doing so because I was waiting others to depart from the parking place hence I didn't want anyone to witness Janvi and me together on bike and expose it to Sam.

15 minutes later.

For a while I thought Janvi must have gone by now thinking I was not capable of starting up the engine then how the hell would I drive the bike?

Yes but to your surprise she was very much waiting outside talking with one of her friends, may be was telling her that she was going to propose me that day.

Ensuring all have left I inserted the key and the engine got started.

The moment I came outside Janvi looked at me and endorsed my driving style by raising her right hand's thump up, while still being over the phone.

"Okies, bye and hey listen! I am going to be busy now so I may not pick up your call" Janvi said loudly over the phone may be to make me understand that 'busy' word's meaning at large.

"Come dear" I said by signalling her to sit on the bike.

Janvi sat one sided by pushing down my shoulders hard to get on.

With a speed of 65 kmph. I zoomed out from the premises again to avoid from being caught with Janvi.

"You are superb Sagar. You drive me crazy, I mean you drive the bike crazily" Janvi said while adjusting her wordings thinking that I drove so to impress her.

I cursed myself for indulging into this activity.

After cutting a distance of around two km. suddenly……..

"Stop, Stop…"Said Janvi….

I thought, hush! At last, she was getting down there only.

I didn't need to go with her all the way till Kothrud and that too in such a cumbersome position.

But to again your surprise, I came to know that I had made an ass of me and the situation by assuming something else…

I stopped the bike at a corner of 'Pushkar Sweet Mart', from where the destination was still 5 km. away, again by ensuring very few pedestrian witness our on-going scene.

"What happened?" I asked trying to look back at her….

"Let me sit two-sided', She said in low voice while getting down from the bike.

"Oh Shit! Not again", I murmured with myself

Janvi tried to sit by rotating her right leg in 180 degree over the back seat and sat two-sided.

She touched my shoulder again by pushing me little bit ahead.

She sat with some extra comfort by clinging her both soft-thighs to my thighs.

The scene looked like a couple was going on a long drive.

"Hmm! Now I am more comfortable", Janvi clarified.

"You are making me uncomfortable unnecessarily, you'd better get down here only before your other body parts start touching my body and force me cheat on Sam which I don't want", I said her in my mind.

"Did you say anything?" She asked.

For a while I thought that she indeed heard it.

"Shall I ask you something", she asked me 

"Sure!", I said

"Don't mind but Sam never suited you. You are so handsome and well-polished and well-mannered in everything that you deserved someone more beautiful", She was steadily revealing her own thoughts to complete her pre-planned 'task'.

"Bloody, why don't you say that you want to go around with me? By the way there is sky-ground difference between you and my Sam. No need to delight me by complimenting unnecessarily. Mind your own business and keep your mouth shut until you are thrown at your place", I again said in my mind

"You know many girls in our company like you", She said being on the same topic

"OMG! Is it so?" I said sarcastically

"Swear!" Janvi swore in by pinching on her neck, which I saw from rear mirror.

Had it been my hand I would have strangulated her.

She seemed to be enjoying the best moments of her life by putting her hands on my shoulders, pushing me ahead to adjust herself whenever there were speed-breakers.

She left not even an inch's distance between us.

For a while I felt as if the bike had only one seat and the other one was removed.

It was so cumbersome that I was losing my patience and the control as well.

I told her…..

"Can you please sit properly? As I have not been able to drive"

To obey my order she went back little bit until the bike could hit the next speed breaker.

I was hating those big bumps (of the roads)

Unfortunately, Supriya's mother saw us on bike!

I somehow tried to pretend to be another guy, who she didn't know, but I was quite visible.

The moment she saw us, the speedo-meter of my bike touched 70 from 40.

Janvi thought her tricks worked out and I was going to take her for a long drive.

After cutting two km's distance the speed again came down to 40, which Janvi probably didn't like.

I was wearing a thin skin fit t-shirt so I was feeling every single deliberate-touch of Janvi.

My back started feeling the touch of big bumps (not of the roads, this time)

Before any other part of my body got feel or touch of any other thing or body part I excused myself and sat on petrol tank of the bike.

Janvi was still undeterred as it seemed that she had decided to make me sit on the handle but she wouldn't budge from her activities.

Janvi was saying something but my heart beats were increasing as Supriya's mom had seen me along with a girl.

My mind was totally diverted….

Meanwhile, I happened to ignore the speed-breaker which gave janvi one more chance but this time she hold me so tightly from the back that my heart beats increased double the speed of my bike.

"You are too naughty" Janvi said while blushing but still holding me tight.

"Janvi what are doing?" I asked her loudly to make her understand that it can't happen.

"I was about to fall down due the prevoius speed-breaker, so embraced you" she clarified.

"It's ok, be comfortable", I said

I again cursed myself for saying her 'be comfortable'.

At last the place came where I was supposed to drop her at.

"Come in, Sagar, there is no one on the flat right now" Janvi said while checking into her red colour 1.2X2 size purse, for the flat's keys

"No one in the flat? Sagar run as early as possible from this place" I said to myself.

"I told you, I have to hand over the bike to Mayur", I reminded her.

So at last I drove off from that place and she was still looking at me which I could easily see from the right side mirror of the bike

I was driving with a speed of not less than 60 km. but with thoughts of aftermath of today's disclosure from Supriya's mom to Sam.

WNS-Global Service-Part-V

An Outburst

As expected, Supriya's mom narrated the self-made story to Supriya which later on got transferred to Sam, with some more filters.

The very next day Sam called me up……..

"Hello" Sam said in a very different tone

"Hi Darling" I said without having any knowledge that my darling is going to kill me

"Eventually you got your 9th girlfriend, right?" Sam in rude tone

"So, Sir, yesterday where were you?" She asked like she was frisking me thoroughly

"Office", I said without thinking for a second.

"No, apart from that? She asked as soon as I finished.

"Nowhere! Why?" I said her by smelling something wrong in her question.

"Sagar, do not lie, tell me where had you been after leaving from the office?" Sam emphasizing on the bolded words

After thinking much but instantly recognizing where my titanic was sinking…………………….

"Janvi had missed her cab so dropped her till kothrud, as I'd Mayur's bike with me" I tried to make her calm down being very soft in voice.

"Oh! So you have started dropping girls at their homes", She said mockingly

"Why don't you become a driver on any cab and to do it professionally means you could enjoy it more?" Sam said being more sarcastic and angry at the same time.

"Oh! Good thought, but I never thought of it yaar.

Nice idea, double income", I tried to change the subject.

"Shut up and don't try to be over smart", Sam being annoyed.

"But what happened? What did I do? I just dropped her, Sam" I clarified her.

"But why? Were there not other people whom she could have requested?"

"Sam, Sam, Listen dear!" I tried to calm her down with little smile on my face.

"Laughing…Good keep laughing more….you enjoyed it! So laugh…Bye" Sam said being more aggressive.

"Oye! Hello! Enough of it.

I have been listening to you without saying anything doesn't mean you can say anything', I said with little increase in my voice, purposefully.

"What the hell do you think of yourself Sagar? You will do anything and Sam will forgive you!" Sam said as if I had committed a non-pardonable crime.

"You now continue with Janvi only. 

She must have told you that you don't suit Sam you are far better than Sam…blah…blah…blah…

So Sagar sir, you please continue with that girl, sorry I meant to say you please continue with your new girlfriend", Sam with different tone….

For a while I thought that Janvi must have called her up because Sam was uttering same words which Janvi did.

Now it's going to be non-bail able warrant and before I could go behind the bars I had to stop it anyhow.

"Darling, nothing like that at all…..She just requested me….I said her yes….because she had already missed up her cab and hence she didn't have any other mode to travel by, till her place….out of humanity I did it….in between the person who narrated you this all, saw me….that time only I thought that this is going to happen….I was supposed to tell you all this…because I have never hidden anything from you irrespective of anything….but meantime you called me up…..That's it!" I clarified it in as much nicely and strategically as I could have ever.

"Sagar, you know that she is already after you. Then why the hell do you provoke her by doing these things?

Don't influence her, directly or indirectly, Sam Said, now this time decrease in her volume and somewhere I felt that she got agreed on whatever (?) I justified.

"Don't do it again please, Jaan, I feel very jealous" She said being in getting pampered mood.

"Sorry! I won't do it with Janvi again. Fine?" I told being more romantic.

"Oye Hello…not only with Janvi but not with any other girl as well!" She again clarified with smile on her face which I could see despite being away from her.

"Okay! Now….Now…now…..give me that…."I said being more romantic.

"What?" Sam asked despite knowing what I was asking for.

"What else? That only!" I said while blushing.

"Puppi", I said loudly by ensuring no one overheard it.

"No! Not now. My mom is there around me!" She excused herself.

"I won't disconnect the line until and unless you….." I said being stubborn.

"Sweetu, please understand, Mom is there around me, apart from that what if someone sees?" Sam said in very low but romantic voice.

"No, No, No, I want it…I want it… I want it…."I said pretending to have been hurt.

"Okey…………………………………………………………."Sam ultimately did it though I couldn't hear it properly but I was ecstatic that she did it for me.

The things were going on very nicely, everything seemed to be on track, until….

Sam' mom was after Sam to get her married off…She was continuously looking for a perfect partner for Sam, turning a blind eye towards the person who has already been into her daughter's life having though not very charming but good personality and enough smart to attract enough girls like her daughter (me)

Sam was continuously after me holding this topic….I was not that much serious about it until……….

"Sagar, what are you doing?" mom suddenly called me up on one Sunday, which she usually did never...

"I am fine!" I could smell something out of it.

Mom asked, "Are you around with any girl?"

I didn't understand was it a normal question or a confirmation…

I said, "No….not at all….but why are you asking this suddenly?"

"Actually your papa is in hurry to get you married off. And hence has started searching a girl as well….." Mom said and there my recently smelled nostrils suddenly sneezed out.

"Oh! But Mom I am not ok as of now. I have to make my career." I was giving bullshits to mom to prevent her from talking on that boring subject.

Still mom didn't deter and kept on making me understand about marriage and career with the help of marriage etc. which I had to listen to, being a first-time listener.

"Okay then, think on whatever I have said you." Mom said to hang up.

That night I couldn't sleep properly, as my mom's words were flying around my mind.

I was looking at the fan and thinking what if I disclose mom about Sam…what if I don't do it and mom comes to know about Sam…what if mom doesn't accept Sam….what if mom accepts Sam but Sam can't fit in family expectations…………….these and likewise these questions helped me to remain awake till 4 in the morning…… The sleepless nights continued for few more days.

Next Sunday I reached to Ahmednagar.

Mom touched that subject which made me restless because I'd not thought of it yet.

Somehow I avoided it by saying that I would discuss about it later on.

Meanwhile I spoke with Sam regarding the same topic, but this time she seemed to be reluctant to discuss on, may be, because every time I used to avoid it whenever she would discuss, so this time it was her turn.

One day Sam came to my flat.

"Mom is very much after me for my marriage", I told her

"So?" She asked while playing with the threads of her white colour dupatta which she was wearing on her black colour outfit.

"So? Am I telling some story or what here? I said being angry unnecessarily

"Sagar, it's purely your call only, I have had always been ready for whatever you say", Sam simplified.

"Sam, don't mind jaanu, but you know though it's true that my mom and dad are ok if I have a girlfriend and to marry with her, but still I am not ok for some unknown reason" I said looking into her eyes.

"That's why I said, that it's purely your call, your decision", Sam said while looking at the dim tube light of the room which was unchanged for quite a long time.

Meantime, my mom's health started deteriorating due to which she started forcing me to come back to Ahmednagar.

My mom's had already sacrificed a lot for the sake of my career but this time she herself told me to make a move, which means things indeed were not smooth as usual.

I discussed it with Sam.

She too stuck to mom's decision and forced me to go back as early as possible.

Here I was getting excellent growth at WNS.

I had already applied for few IJPs (Inter Job Postings) and had undergone few initial rounds as well.

I'd applied for HR profile and the final round was remaining….

Hence I was finding it difficult to leave all these golden opportunities and make a move.

…..5 days later…..

"I have reached safely", I said to Sam by calling her on her mobile at 9.35 p.m.

"Fine! Take care", Sam told me out of care.

I had an excellent feeling of being back-to-pavilion but simultaneously Sam's separation pinched me.

Here the things were as I had left when I moved away.

Mom was very much happy for my return and nevertheless to say Dad was also enjoying my company after a long time.

It was still difficult for me to believe that I had returned and that decision was not taken overnight, though was an impromptu one.

Lot of sacrifices had to be dealt with lot of pain and agony to pursue my childish but at the same time a responsible mind to be firm on this decision.

Since I'd come after a long time so to-be-met-relatives-and-friends list was already somewhere in my roaming mind.

I felt to have returned from some much-acclaimed foreign project.

While coming back I'd carried entire luggage by leaving behind sweet memories and moments spent with the near and dear ones.

Since I'd not resigned properly from the organization hence I was getting calls from the company for remaining absent or going absconding without serving the stipulated notice period.

But need of the hour forced me go against the company's policy by not serving the stipulated notice period.

Post my arrival to my home town it was my prime and utmost work to get myself a decent job as early as possible, in order to make my resume look better one without having any non-employment gap in it.

I appeared at so many places for interviews but packages being offered were the biggest hurdles in going ahead.

For having been associated with BPO sector, lavish working environment had become a prerequisite for me to join any organization.

May be it could also be one of the reasons which dissuaded my mind from accepting the offers.

As the days were passing by I suddenly got a call from one of the recruiters where I'd appeared for an interview recently, for banking sector.

The interview was scheduled in Pune.

So accordingly I got ready to go to Pune.

Here I was happy that I'd got an interview call and there Sam was happy since we were about to meet after a long time.

The interview was scheduled at 2 p.m.

Hence I left from Ahmednagar early morning the same day.

I reached Pune at 11 a.m. to see Sam was already waiting for me at the Bus Stand.

I didn't have breakfast in the morning in hurry, which Sam was very much knowing, so she was carrying my favourite Thalipiths with her.

We decided to visit a nearby hotel and zeroed in at 'maharani' restaurant, which was just opposite of the bus stand.

So, I and my maharani went to 'maharani' restaurant.

Only two hrs. were left for the interview and my heartbeats were increasing like anything.

Though I'd cracked many interview prior to this, but these were all pertaining to the BPO industry.

This was my first time that I was about to face a banking sector interview.

"How are you doing jaan?" Sam said in a very empathetic voice.

I shrugged it off without looking into her eye.

"I am feeling to have spent few births without you in these days." Sam spoke.

"I can't put this ordeal into words and hence I have decided that I am not going back and will stay with you here only" I said with wet eyes by holding her recently waxed hand in my hand.

"Don't behave like a child!" Sam tried to make me understand significance of the situation and importance of career in my life.

"Sagar, you know, I want see you grow in your life like anything, I want you get such a grown in career that I should beg or rather quarrel with you to meet you, I want people to be around you to get your time, your appointment", Sam clarified this all while opening a tin of Thalipiths she had bought for me.

My mind listened to and my heart felt all this and sent a wave of water into my eyes to make it more vaporous.

I tried to look down to sponge my eyes with the tissue paper, which were decorated in a pyramid shape in a silver colour glass on the table.

Sam instantly recognised it and hold my hand tightly.

The scene was being witnessed by 4-5 couples sitting around us, but we didn't care at all.

Between all this, the time was running.

Sam looked at her wrist watch and signalled me about the adamant time.

In order to avoid more mood-spoiling we finished up the Thalipiths as fast as we could and directed towards the interview venue.

Sam dropped me till the gate and went away just to come back to pick me up again.

Thus, I reached there around twenty minutes prior to the appointment, thanks to Sam.

'First Impression-Last Impression' so the HR got impressed with my punctuality.

After going thru all the rounds…..

"I am done, waiting at the gate", I texted Sam

"Coming in ten minutes", Sam reverted.

After waiting there for twelve minutes, Sam came and we both headed towards 'Relaxo', our favourite restaurant, for lunch.

Post lunch Sam dropped me at Bus Stand to get separated till the next meeting.

Two days later, I received a call from the HR about my selection.

The location was my native place Ahmednagar, which I'd asked for.

The grade was as an Assistant Manager into sales department.

I informed Mom and Sam about the news.

Sam was so happy that she wanted to come down to Ahmednagar to meet me for this good news.

I (?) somehow stopped her from doing so and promised her that I'd meet her prior to the joining.

Though there was no increment in salary, but I was still happy for having done it.

The things were going as expected and then one day…

'Sam and I was sitting at shores of khadakwasla by holding each other's hands…We were waiving dream of our future life from marriage to children to retirement…We had almost completed our planning till children and were about to head towards our retirement…..'

"Sagar, Sagar, SAGAR'

Mom woke me up by shaking my entire body to stop me and Sam from heading towards our retirement and broke my above 'couldn't-last-long' dream, within a fraction of second.

I was still in half-sleep with the broken dream, until mom could give me second shock of the morning.

Mom told me that few people were visiting our home for my marriage related discussion, today.

I literally got shocked and stood up from the bed.

Mom headed towards the kitchen after the 2nd shock.

I too followed her rigorously till the kitchen, to question her for these morning tremors.

I'd already cleared mom that I was not going around with any girl. So that time I felt to have committed a big crime for being dishonest with her.

Had I confessed my feelings to her then we could have reached till our retirement without receiving the second jolt.

But still the things were not slipped completely out of the hand hence I decided to handle the situation by my way.

The guests were scheduled to visit by 12 and hence everybody was after me to get ready.

Sam was frequently calling me and the calls were going unanswered and unacknowledged due to this commotion.

Since I was getting ready (helplessly) in my room, Sam again tried her luck out by calling me on my mobile which was in my niece's hand while she was playing a game.

"Sagar mama, 9 missed calls of 'Sam'" she shouted loudly, thanks to the morning's heavy breakfast she forcefully had.

"Saloni, give me my mobile, I have told you many a times do not play games as the battery goes dry and then at important time it doesn't work", I snatched my mobile from her little hands just to recheck on her previous loud statement.

There indeed were 9 missed calls of Sam.

I immediately called her up to give the jest of the overall situation I was going thru.

She understood and gave me 'best of luck' for appearing for another 'interview'.

Then the much-acclaimed time came with the much-awaited guests.

Around 5 ft. tall, cladded in a black suit with a small stubble, first entered thru the main door followed by a lady wearing approx. 1kg sari of light-red colour with handful of same colour bangles and a sweet box of the red colour wrapper, in one hand.

My God she was looking 440 volts danger due to that red colour theme.

And at last the much-talked-about girl, for whom I'd not attended even a single call of my Sam since morning made her presence.

The girl was in red-blue colour combination sari with proper amount of lipstick on her 1.1 cm thick lips, may be, attract me.

May be this much was not enough so she had also put red colour high heeled sandals with again red colour nail polish on her 0.2 cm nails. 

Having experience of eight girlfriends I was very keen observer in all these stuffs and hence had Ph.d in girly stuffs.

Her younger sister was accompanied her to help her in the battle.

Her sister looked to be more beautiful than hers.

Looking at that Red family I looked at my mom with red eyes, to match up with the ongoing red colour theme and cursed her for pushing me into that 'Red Zone'.

Before I scan the girl (sorry the girls), both the girls scanned me from hair to nail of my leg, without any hiccup.

Though both the girls were looking gorgeous but Sam was elbowing me, indirectly, without being out there.

I was confused with the exact 'girl' since both were looking splendid and were scanning me thoroughly which put me into dilemma of selection.

I was giving fake smile to both of them, one by one, which made them fall more for me.

I confess, I liked both of them, although neither my parents nor their parents would have allowed their daughters to be my choice 1 and choice 2.

Sam was nudging me again and again since I was not ready to take my eyes off the beauty queens.

Their parents caught me red handed (again red) while looking at their 'parcels' and blushed with a feeling that I might be ready to be part of their Red Zone.

After 20 minutes of chitchat in that stadium and exchange of sights between us, I and the 'girl' were sent in a separate room to discuss in person.

'What if Sam comes to know that I was in a room with a girl (irrespective of choice 1 or choice 2)', thought stopped me from flirting with her for which I was a degree-holder

After exchanging smiles and knowing our names we shared few things about each other.

I had already decided to tell the 'girl' everything about Sam in order to dissuade her from taking a step ahead.

The plan was perfectly working and I shared my feeling of Sam with her.

She complimented me for having Sam in my life and felt envy to Sam for having such a handsome and decent person like me in her life.

We both decided on few things which we decided not to be shared with anyone.

It'd been more than 15 minutes that we both were discussing in a closed room and her younger sister was cracking knuckles for spending so much of time with her sister and not with her (maybe)

Thus, the elders' and ours meeting came to an end.

Both the parties exchanged smiles (this time a real one from my side) while seeing each other off.

Post the guests departure my mom started discussing about the sari and ornaments worn by the girl's mother.

Papa spoke about the mannerism of their family.

My sister spoke about the girl's younger sister.

Nobody asked me…… else I had a lot to speak about the 1st and 2nd runner up of Miss India.

Right from their dresses to their inner feelings about me and what not and what not!

As per our plan the girl refused me and the decision was conveyed to my parents by our neighbourhood uncle who was the producer and handling things from behind the curtains.

One thing I understood that people are lot more interested in peeping into lives of other instead of minding their own business. And that's how that uncle was all about.

His own daughter was still remained to get married off but this gentleman was busy in making other girls' hands yellow.

I conveyed the same to Sam and she busted out in laughter.

"Why are you giggling madam", I asked Sam

"Now you should understand that no one can bear you apart from me" Sam clarified.

"It was me who fell for you else no girl would ever and by the way what's there in you to fall for", She started teasing me.

"Okey! Let's do it professionally then. Let me be a part of one more exhibition and the truth will come out", I started teasing her.

"Anyways! I forgot to tell you that this Sunday, one more party is coming for the same reason", I said being more sarcastic than her.

"Oye! Hello, I'll come down to Ahmednagar to snatch away you from your beloved parents and elope", Sam whispered with very low voice.

My mom was witnessing every expression I was putting on my face while chatting with Sam, and unfortunately I was totally unaware of it.

Mom didn't say me anything at that time, although she smelt something was going on.

And the next morning…

"Sagar, that girl was not beautiful as such, right?" mom asked me deliberately.

I didn't utter a single word, because I knew that mom was asking me something off the track and that too early morning.

"Son, I asked you something", mom with second attempt.

"Yah! Yah! I heard it", I said to mom without looking at her but looking down in the recently downloaded wallpaper of my mobile.

"I heard that you are in love!" Mom gave me another shock due to which the mobile slipped out of my hand.

It seemed that the earth shook due to an earthquake which recorded at Richter scale of 9 and the centre point was my mom.

"What?" I looked at her by raising my eyebrows as much as I could, while recollecting my mobile without looking at it.

"No mom, who told you?" I asked mom.

"Son, I am your mother and your heart says me whatever it doesn't say you", she clarified with complete attention to me.

It seemed that I was standing in a courtroom for attempting a burglary and now going to be punished for a non-bailable crime under sec. 390 of IPC.

Chill went down my spine, the mobile started trembling due to poor grip of my shivering hands and my legs became numb.

"You didn't answer my question, are you going around with any girl, yes or no?" mom with increase in her voice.

"Mom, I…..that…..no….but…..Sam…..good….." I couldn't utter words.

"Sagar, I didn't understand even a single word apart from that her name is 'Sam'", mom simplified being more intelligent by concentrating on each of my half said words.

I didn't recognize that I'd pronounced Sam's name.

I forgot that, the person I was trying to be smart with, was none other than my own mom, from whom I could never hide anything.

The genie (Sam) was already out of the bottle.....and then……