I am your Culprit

"Honey, I'm home", I shouted as I entered my house and I usually does that just to fool myself that I'm not staying alone in that house.

"Finally, you are home baby", replied a voice.

"Oh wait, that's right, I live alone, then whose voice is that?", I said to myself.

That voice sounded familiar, sweet and shrill but never heard it in my house before.I ran towards the direction of the voice because I could figure out whose it is and guess what? I got it right.

It's Pihu, she was standing Infront of me with a smile on her lips, draped in my favourite green coloured ghagra choli and flaunting her naval that intoxicated my eyes and what to say about her earrings, those were simply mind-blowing . Seeing me, she lifted her ghagra reveling her anklet and made the mesmerising music, I think I'll die seeing all these in one day.

Who is Pihu? My wife or My girlfriend or anyone else ? What is she doing in my house ? 

Just a month before lockdown hit India due to Corona pandemic, I had been to Chandigarh for my friend's elder sister's marriage. My friend was busy in arrangements and even though I wanted to help they asked me to take rest because I had made a long journey, way from Kolkata to Chandigarh. 

While, strolling on the terrace and talking to my Mom regarding my arrival at my friend's house, I saw a girl in her mid twenties in green coloured ghagra choli, with big earrings coming towards me swaying her waist with her anklets making awesome music and with a cute smile on her face. While her long silky hairs running down straight till her hips.

 She was unknown to me so I was confused whether she was giving smile to me or to someone else. 

When she got near me, she startled me with her words, " Wow, you got an iphone.!!! You look quite sensible guy, I guess you won't have forgotten to bring it's charger, am l right?."

That question seemed weird to me, I replied, "Yeah, but why are you asking?"

She said, "Because I have forgotten to bring the charger, you know it's too rare to find an iPhone charger. Give me your charger for sometime so that I can charge my phone"

Before I can understand what is happening, she took it from my room and disappeared into the crowd of guest. I could not even ask her when was she going to return it .?

Till late afternoon when she didn't return and my mobile battery was almost about to die, I inquired about her from my friend and gave him, her description, he too looked clueless. I went on asking almost every household members whether they had seen a tall and beautiful girl with big earrings and wearing a green coloured ghagra choli with anklets making heartthrobing music but no one could help me to find her out.

In the evening when I was talking to one of my friend over phone and narrating her about the charger thief, that girl turned right Infront of me saying, " Do I look like a thief to you? What do you think of yourself? you got an iPhone that doesn't mean that you are only human. I have got a name. What is it that you were asking everyone the whole afternoon about me by addressing as one girl. What do you mean by one girl? What did u think, I ran away with your charger?. When I had told you that I'll return, don't you have patience. Here take your charger and yes, give me your number, so that next time when I need it I can ring you up. Do you know?how difficult it was for me to find you to return your charger ?" 

I stood there dumb, lost in her beauty . I could only see as if the moon has descended on this roof to meet me tonight and saying, " let's go on a ride."

Saying this she started to walk back. I stood silently watching her and hardly she had gone few steps when she turned towards me and said, " Oye hello, my name is Pihu, Dr Pihu Sharma and yes, I loved the way you said everyone that tall beautiful girl." Saying this she ran away but I can see her giggling all the way .

I was new to that place and unknown to the rituals and customs of a Punjabi marriage. My friend's Mom wanted me to be a part of their every rituals, so even though boys weren't allowed to watch the Sangeet function of bride, still Aunty wanted me, only me to be a part of it. In the evening though I was feeling shy still I had no other options than to sit among those girls but my eyes were only on Pihu, the way she dressed up, she was looking like as if an angel has descended from heaven. My eyes were enjoying her beauty and my heart was beating on every steps of her as she danced on the Bollywood songs. 

All throughout the Sangeet ceremony my eyes stayed fixed on Pihu, I loved the way she swirled her hair with her fingers, her appealing rose petaled lips seemed to inviting me to quench it's thirst, her deep eyes speaks volume about her never ending beauty . Somewhere in that marriage function, a love story was blooming in my heart still unaware about her feelings for me. Whenever my eyes used to contact her, she turned away making peculiar faces to me. I was afraid whether she dislikes me but she would turn up to me for my charger atleast twice a day for next three days.

On the day of marriage, everyone where elegantly dressed but my eyes were gazed only on Pihu. I was wandering if it would have been possible than I'm going to marry her right in that pandal meant for the bride and bridegroom. The place was decorated beautifully with flowers and lights. Drone camera flying capturing pictures and video clips and a giant projector screen installed that showed the clips captured by various cameras installed there and also video clips of various rituals organised at bride's place. when the bride and bridegroom were circling around the sacred fire, while everyone showering flowers on newly wedded couple, I was showering flowers on Pihu.

While the wedding was getting toward its end, suddenly my heart started to beat fast out of fear. I felt as if I am getting alone in this huge crowd of guests, a sense of nervousness filled my heart and mind. Then my eyes caught something.

I look out for Pihu and I found her busy with her friends. 

Going back to my room, I rang her up and as soon as she picked it , I started yelling, " You stupid, what did you do. You damaged my charger,  This is why I don't give charger to anyone. It was my fault that I gave you thinking that you are such an innocent girl but I was wrong. You don't care about other's belongings"

Pihu replied, " Rohit, believe me I didn't do it. Where are you now?"

I replied, " I'm in my room, now stop acting. You are such a liar."

Pihu hung up the call and in no moment she came to my room gasping heavily with eyes filled with tears.

Pihu said, " Sorry Rohit, I didn't damage your charger. Truly speaking I didn't charge my mobile today even though I had taken because I had charge in my mobile. I just had taken.."

Before Pihu could finish I asked her, " Say, Say why did you take it even though you had charge in your mobile. I know it was your plan to change your damaged charger with my good one."

Pihu, sobbingly, " No Rohit I didn't do it. Trust me I had forgot my charger and today I hadn't charge it although I had taken yours because I wanted to talk to you in pretext of taking your charger."

I said, " what???"

Pihu said, " Yes, I love you Rohit ."

I asked, " When and how?", My heart was dancing to what Pihu just confessed because I wanted to hear this thing from her. The problem was that tomorrow morning I was about to leave and if I don't tell my feelings and get to know about her by tonight, I feared I may loose her. So I had planned these things to know the truth.Still I continued to act as if I'm angry with her.

Pihu replied, " The first day when I asked you for the charger and the time I returned it to you, I know I was rude to you but your simplicity and kindness just won me over and I fell for you."

I asked her, " then why didn't you tell me that time .?"

Pihu replied, " Aren't you stupid. You have iPhone and don't you know its battery doesn't drain away so soon still I used to borrow your charger twice a day, can't you understand that I was doing that just to see you and talk to you . And believe me I didn't damage your charger."

I said, " I know you didn't damage my charger because it's absolutely okay and I was just kidding."

Hearing me, Pihu's eyes looked shocked and she asked me, "Than why you lied it to me?"

I said, " because I wanted to listen it from you what you feel for me?"

Pihu smilingly, " You knew everything monster but How?"

I replied, " Just saw you taking that water bottle that I had kept after drinking half of it and also saw you drinking from it on that big projector. So I made this plan just to make you confess your love for me."

Pihu shyly, " You are too evil, I hate you."

I replied, " But I love you Honey."

She came near me and began to thumb me on my chest saying, " you are a bad guy, Rohit, I hate you, I seriously hate you" And the next moment she hugged me and I kissed on her wet eyes and removed those black lines created by draining away of Kajal by the tears of her eyes with my fingers. After a long time, a sigh of comfort prevailed within my turbulent heart, all my fear of loosing Pihu, my first love vanished while holding Pihu close to my chest.

 Next day I left for my house and she for her. After a month the world had to suffer the pandemic situation and complete lockdown throughout India. We couldn't meet but thanks to technology that helped us to talk and see each other on video call. During this period we made promisees to each other on various things and one of them was that we gonna meet each other on my birthday whatever the situation be.

So Pihu is my Life, my Love, Just like the movie Hum Tum, without her I am simply incomplete.

After lock down got lifted and although flight services hasn't resumed, today Pihu arrived at my house without informing me just to surprise me.

I couldn't believe my eyes. Today morning I had talked to her before leaving for office but she choose to keep it secret and surprise me by her arrival. 

I said, " Honey, You didn't say you are coming ? How did you manage to come here when rail and flight services hasn't resumed and how did you get into the house?"

Pihu said, " Why? can't I come here? Isn't this my house too. About getting into the house, you only told me that there is a spare key that you use to keep under the flower pot at your door entrance, in case of emergency . So I got it form there. I picked some pizza, your favourite cheesy pan pizza on my way here, freshen up and then lets have it, I'm damn hungry."

Finding Pihu near me was like being on cloud nine. I got into bathroom to take a bath and in mid of my shower, I called out for Pihu to get me my towel. As soon as Pihu came near the bathroom door, I pulled her in and hold her close to me. I can feel her heart beating fast and her eyes closed out of shyness. The water from shower flowed from her head licking her eyes and nose and kissing her lips and I can see her smacking her lips. I moved and sucked those waters that tasted like elixir from her lips and licked those droplets rolling down her cheeks and chin. The next moment we were playing and feeling eachother and discovering our hidden secrets with great passion. Although cold water was running down from the shower but presence of Pihu made me sweat in that cold chilled winter night. 

After bath, I got to the living room while Pihu went to the kitchen to get the pizza . I watched her sitting from the couch as She came back with pizza in one hand and two glasses of red wine in her other hand. She wore my full sleeve white shirt while her naked legs tapered down revealing her sweet and sexy beauty. She came and sat on my lap with her front facing me, she hold my cheeks with her palm and kissed me on my forehead and said, "I Love you Rohit, please don't forget me ever."

I looked into her eyes and said, " Are you stupid, why will I ever forget you, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Than Pihu took a slice of pizza and holding it inbetween her teeths she offered me to have it from the other end. We began eating it moving towards eachother and finally our lips touched and we got lost in eachother with our fingers flickering and hitting each other's treasures. Next moment we both were lying naked, exploring the sweetest destination on each others body. My joy has got no bound, I was so so happy that day because I was spellbound by Pihu's surprise.

At the stroke of 12 mid night, Pihu kissed me on my eyes and wished me, " Happy Birthday Baby". 

At that point of time I realized that it's my birthday and Pihu said, " Baby, it's your birthday and how did you forget that I have promised you that I'll be with you on the night of your birthday and make it special for you, this is why I didn't inform you. I wanted to surprise you but....." 

" But? What? Tell me Honey, But, what, " I asked her.

Pihu replied, " Nothing baby, just want to live with you forever.".

" We shall honey, next month I gonna tell my parents about you." I said to her.

Pihu went to the kitchen to get the birthday cake . I wanted to capture this moment in my camera because it's going to be the most special birthday celebration in my life. I turned on the video mode and kept it on the shelf. As Pihu arrived with the cake and a card in her hands, she dimmed the lights. Then lighted the room with candles and heart shaped balloons that she had hidden it in another room to make the ambiance full of romance. She than asked me to blow the candles on the cake, I took Pihu in my arms and said, " let's cut it together. "

Then holding her from behind, my fingers caressed through her elbow reaching out to her fingers and then holding the knife together we cut the cake. As we were cutting the cake, I felt few water droplets falling on to my hands, I looked into Pihu's face and saw tears in her eyes. I asked her, " what happened honey ? Aren't you happy being with me?"

Pihu replied, " it's not like that baby, I'm really very very happy to be with you on your special day. But I'm afraid what will happen if we get separated some day."

I said, " what has happened to you? Why are you speaking such stupid things today?. I think you had a long journey and has gone tired. Now sleep, I had a hectic day in office too, so even I'm feeling tired.Tomorrow is sunday, We will talk in the morning."

But Pihu didn't want to sleep. She said, " No, Roh I want to talk, who has seen tomorrow. I want to live my life with you today, I got to say something important to you baby."

I said, " Honey, I'm really very tired . I'm feeling sleepy, I promise I'll listen to everything that you will say tomorrow but for now I'm sorry, I can't ."

Saying this, as my eyes were closing I could see Pihu resting her head on my chest looked into my eyes with her eyes filled with tears as if she has got many things to tell it to me. I wanted to talk but my eyes gave away and I dozed off soon. 

My sleep broke with the door bell ringing. I shouted, " Honey, see who is there? may be the newspaper and the milk boy."

Then I remember what that boy will think finding Pihu in my house while everyone knows that I'm a bachelor. I ran out of my bed and opened the door and taking the newspaper and milk bottle I hurridly closed the door before Pihu would come out. Then said, " Honey, here is milk, please make a cup of tea, I want to have it from your hand today."

Saying this I sat down to read the newspaper. As soon as I opened the front page of the newspaper, I felt as if the earth slipped below my feet. The newspaper fell off from my hand. I ran towards my bed room shouting, Pihu, Pihu but didn't get any reply. I searched for her everywhere but she was nowhere. I took out my mobile phone and went to my phone gallery to find no one with me in that video where I was cutting the cake.I called on her number but it said the mobile is switched off.

I ran out of house and to my surprise the key was still under that pot. Lots of Questions hovered over my head but there was no answer to any of those.

I ran back to living area with tears rolling down heavily from my eyes and I turned on the news channel where a video footage showed a car completely crashed with a packet containing a cake completely damaged, similar to the one we had cut last night and a birthday card, similar to the one she gave me around midnight lying near the site where a girl lying fully drenched in pool of blood and breaking news scrolled reading

"Dr Pihu Sharma, a Paediatrician from AIIMS, Delhi died in a fatal road accident on Delhi to Kolkata highway, NH19 last afternoon. "

I kept crying, blaming myself, "Pihu, You wanted to tell me something but I didn't listen to you.you are right I'm evil, I'm your Culprit."