Once upon a time in a bus...

“Let’s take the last seat”, Rakesh suggested.

“Last seat bumps more, I will take two seat ahead of the last seat”, Sahil replied and took the seat. Entire bus was empty till they boarded the bus.

Rakesh, Sahil and Sanjay were all first semester students of LCB College. They all boarded the same bus since the day they joined college, though they were not from the same locality.

“If any lady comes, you have to leave the seat.” Rakesh teased Sanjay as Sanjay took the ladies seat.

“You won’t understand the pleasure of sitting on ladies seat.” Sanjay replied, “And anyways entire bus is empty so if any lady boards the bus they can seat anywhere. No one would be interested in bothering me to evacuate the seat.”

“I understand everything. 20 year old virgin Sanjay is enjoying the warmth of ladies seat, as he could not get any girl to date yet.” Rakesh started a playful war.

Sanjay turned back adjusting his specs and opened his mouth to swear on Rakesh but he did not reply anything and continued to look at the crowded street of the city.

Sahil was all alone, enjoying their conversation. He was not an introvert but he speaks less.

Looking outside he recalled his days in Bangalore. He did his schooling in Bangalore. His father, who works on a HCL, got transferred last month as the senior manager for North-Eastern region. Though he was born in Guwahati but his upbringing was in Bangalore. He thought this city is lot different from Bangalore. It has been just two months that he took his first breath in the city after 18 years, yet he has heard so much from his mom and dad that the city seemed known to him.

Just then his thought was disturbed by a beautiful voice. He turned his eyes from the street to see in the direction where Sanjay was sitting. Two girls in their college uniform were talking to Sanjay. It was more than a talking and less than arguing.

“Can you just leave the seat, we want to sit here”, one of the girls said.

“But the whole bus is empty, you can seat anywhere you want.” Rakesh said in a loud voice from back seat.  Sanjay was looking blankly at the girls with no clue what to do next.

“We want this seat. And this is ladies seat you should leave the seat.” The other girl said this time.

Sanjay vacant the seat as if his landlord has asked to evacuate his room with immediate effect and joined Rakesh at the last seat. .  

The girls took the seat. Sahil was still looking at them not sure why he could not move his eyes from one of the girl who was busy brushing her messed hair.

Rakesh put his hand on Sanjay’s shoulder and said, “This was not fair. You should not have left the seat like this Sanjay. You brought disgrace to our boys’ community Sanjay.” Rakesh was on top of his voice which easily could reach the driver’s ear. His intention was clear and was reciprocate immediately.

“If anyone wants to sit can sit by our side.” Said one of the girls and shifted a little in the two sitter seat which was already occupied by them.

Rakesh moved from his seat towards them with a smiling face which displayed all his red stained teeth as a result of having Pan masala.

Sahil instantly pulled him to his seat and put his hand on his shoulder trying to stop him to ruin his idea.

“Sorry girls, my friend is little excited as it’s his birthday.” Sahil lied.

Rakesh did not react and kept on smiling.

“Happy birthday” The girls echoed together.

“Thank you”, said Rakesh and forwarded his hand. Sahil spat Rakesh’s hand and pulled it back. Both of them giggled. Sahil was still looking at the girl who took the window seat. The bus was on its speed and blowing her hair all over her face. She tied a bun over her head as she could not struggle with the blowing wind. He was not sure whether she applied make up or she looked natural. Her earrings were swinging in the flow of bus speed. She tied her hair with her black hair band which was on her wrist as a bracelet till then.

She looked more beautiful on open hair he thought.

“Hi, my name is Sahil. And yours?” Sahil introduced himself.

“My name is Geetanjali and she is Deepa.”

Deepa!! Nice name. Sahil unheard Geetanjali’s name as he wanted to know the girl who was struggling with her hair.

“You are from which college?” He asked again.

“Can’t you recognize our uniform?” Geetanjali replied though he wanted Deepa to respond.

“Actually he is new to the city.” Rakesh replied to Geetanjali’s question and turned his face towards Sahil, “They are from Pragjyotish College.”

“And to which course you are enrolled?” Sahil looked at Deepa and asked.

“We are doing B.Com. 1st year.” Deepa replied this time. Her voice already played in his mind several time till her question was fired at him, “What about you?”

“Huh?” Sahil was blank.

“We are doing BCA 1^st semester.” Rakesh replied. Rakesh gave a smile to Sahil understanding what was going in his mind.

Deepa tried closing the window as it was difficult for Deepa to manage her hair but Geetanjali stopped her, “I feel suffocated with closed window.”

“Then exchange the seat with me. I can’t manage my hair, it’s so messing my hair.”

Though she tied her hair but few hairs were still messing with her face which stopped Sahil admire her beauty.

“You can come to this seat and I can go there.” Rakesh suggested and he already stood from his seat.

Before Sahil could understand what was happening Deepa was seating next to him. Rakesh looked at Sanjay who was by now plugged in his head phone listening to his playlist.

Sahil smiled at Deepa and she replied back with a smile.

“So you are new in this city? THE. NEW. BOY. IN. THE. TOWN..”, Deepa enforced on the last words.

“Yes. Actually my father got transferred here two months ago. Earlier his posting was in Bangalore.” Sahil looked into her eyes trying to explore her beauty. She looked prettier from a close distance with a stable hair.

“What is you surname?” Deepa kept the eye contact.

“Das, Sahil Das.” Sahil loved the eye contact.

Deepa squinted her eyes, “No!! Really? Even my surname is Das too.”

Sahil smiled as if he was blushing. He could not utter a word.

“You know that famous Assamese actress Barsha, she met her husband for the first time on a bus.” Deepa was confident with her words.  She looked away from his face and watched the passing buildings of the city.

Sahil could not reply again, he simply smiled and said Ohh. He was unsure what to reply. He felt he might blush if she says anything related to love. He looked at Rakesh who was now talking with Geetanjali. Deepa turned her eyes to check her friend.

“She is my friend and neighbor too.”

“You guys could have taken any other seat why only that seat?” Sahil queried.

“Actually Geetanjali intentionally wanted to sit there so that, you know, maybe we get to know the BOYS. And her idea worked too and we are talking. ” She gave a sly smile pressed both her lips.

Either Deepa was flirtatious with everyone or she was over friendly. But it was perfectly working on Sahil. Sahil tried not to smile as it might exposed what he was feeling.

“Have you ever been to Bangalore?” Sahil asked.

“Why? You wanted to meet me in Bangalore? ” she laughed and put her hands to cover her both her nose and mouth.

“Not a bad idea actually, could have met you earlier and maybe we would have taken admission in the same college.” Sahil looked at her amorously.

She laughed again.

“I went Bangalore when I don’t even remember anything about the trip. I was around three years old. We were on our family vacation.” There was sudden change in her voice. Her voice became heavy. She was rotating her ring which was on her index finger

“It was our last family trip. My elder brother, me, Mom and Dad all were really excited for the trip as it was sponsored by the company  where he worked since he won the best employee of the year. ”

Sahil was shocked by the statement last family trip. He did not know what to react.  He kept listening.

“After we returned from Bangalore my father went to his office. It was his first day after our trip. And on the way he met with an accident. I could not even remember his face now. All I know about him from whatever I have heard from my mother. I have seen his pictures though. He was quite handsome you know.” She looked into Sahil’s eye.

There was a moist in her eyes and swirl smile in her lips. Sahil once thought of holding her hand and comfort her. But he dropped the idea. If it was Bangalore it would have been a normal scenario for everyone. But he dropped the idea, as it would attract lots of eyes as few of the seats were occupied by other passengers.

“After that we had to leave the place which was allotted to us by the company. My mother was not educated that she would get my father’s job. My brother was in class 9 then and he was accompanied by bad companies. He spent his time drinking and gambling. Later he left home and was no were to be found. My mother searched for him for first few days. But she had to work as she was then the only one to run our house. We went to rent house. Somehow she managed to take care of me and my study. She worked day and night at people’s home so that I don’t sleep empty stomach and carry on with my education. Later I got to know during my fater’s death she was pregnant. Due to stress she had a miscarriage. ”

The Bus came to a sudden halt. Deepa wiped her tears which were flowing till her cheeks. Sahil became emotional too. He did not say a single word while she was narrating her story. Deepa looked outside. Next stoppage was her. There was a lump on her throat.

“Next it is our stoppage.” Deepa said and looked into Sahil’s eyes. Sahil did not break his eye contact.

“Hey…” He paused. Not sure should he ask what was running on his mind.

“Yeah?”

“Can I have your number?” He took out his phone which by now was dead as he played games during his off classes.

“Shit! My phone battery is dead. Do one thing, save my number.” Sahil said in a flow not realizing she might mind exchanging number. “…If you don’t mind?” He continued.

“Actually affording a phone is out of my league. My mother have a phone, I can call you from there.” She searched something in her bag and took out a small diary. Her voice was normal. But that excitement in her voice has gone.

Sahil could say it was a phone diary. In a digital era having a phone diary was like unimaginable. She browsed through the pages which were perfectly arranged alphabetically. She reached to the page where all the names started with S and wrote his name.

He replayed her words in his mind and in an absent mind he said his number. She noted it down. She sniffed her watery nose while keeping the diary in her bag and looked at Sahil. It felt like they knew each other very well. They were comfortable with each other. You know people for years yet they are like strangers. And you meet people for few minutes and it feels like you know each other for life long. Same thing happened to both of them. They met few minutes ago on a bus yet they became comfortable with each other.

The bus halt and she was about to leave.

“Hey you are really a nice girl.” Sahil said and forwarded his hand. She smiled responded with a firm hand shake. The bus was not overcrowded and he could see Deepa and Geetanjali getting down and taking a narrow street. Deepa turned back once to see if she could see Sahil once. But the bus already caught its acceleration.

“So how was your bus date?” Rakesh Sat next to him and put his hand on his shoulder.

“She is a nice girl yaar.  Totally different from others” She said as Deepa’s words were constantly running on his mind.

“Look bro. Girls are all the same. Don’t fall for her sweet chikni-chupri talks.” Rakesh replied.

Sahil was in no mood to debate on that.

“Achaa, did you take her number?” Rakesh asked.

“No actually she is not using any mobile. So I gave her my number.”

“No mobile in 21^st century. Not possible. The girl is really cunning”

“Shut up, will you?” Sahil was on nerve now. He was in no mood to hear a word against Deepa.

“Ok Ok. Chill. By the way which number did you give? The number that you gave me, when we met first on college?”

Shit!!!

Sahil new number came few weeks ago. He does not remember his new number. A number of time he gave his Bangalore number to his college friends as that number was on tip of his tongue. He gave his Bangalore number to Deepa which no longer was activated. He was totally out of his mind. How could he do such a silly mistake? He stood up and looked through the back glass of the bus. But they were far from the place where Deepa got down.

“Did you take Geetanjali’s number?” Sahil asked Rakesh.

“No man why should I? I know how girls are. And I suggest you to forget them. Tomorrow you might meet someone else, again, in the bus. Just leave the story in the bus itself. What happens in the bus remains in the bus. Girls are just like bus. When one bus is missed you get second bus. Second bus leaves, third bus arrives. And the cycle goes on.” Rakesh was preaching like a Babaji.

None of the words entered Sahil’s ear. He was thinking how would he meet her next? What if he never gets to see her? What will happen when she dials her number and gets a voice message that the number does not exist? Would she thing Sahil was a cunning person?

Sahil reached home and that nigh he was disturbed by her thoughts. He could sleep that night. He started missing her. He hoped that he meets her very soon and instead of a bus journey he starts a friendship journey with her.

*****