Game of Blogs : Story Weavers (Part 29 of the story)

Read first part here and previous part here.

-O-

It had been half hour since they were travelling towards Ferozeshah Kotla stadium. All were silent except the one unmasked terrorist who kept holding his satellite phone and kept calling "Karachi 42 come in" whole through the journey, with no answer from the opposite side.

Tara wasn't as oblivious of the confused looks that passed between the two armed men. Something was not the way they anticipated and that means it was better for them.

"What's happening?" asked the masked man.

"No reply from 'karachi 42'. I wanted to have a green signal before we started with it."

"So does that mean we are not going to be blasted in air?" This came from Tara. Quite amused to be supposedly blasted in some time.

"Don't worry! You are no time getting out alive out of this. Excited?"

"Very!" came the sarcastic reply.

With that, man went back to "Karachi 42, come in" for the rest of the journey.

-o-

Shekhar with his team were surrounding Ferozeshah Kotla stadium, waiting for 'go' command from the bomb detection squad.

Yet again, he was amazed at how his family kept getting tangled in this all chaos and then kept helping in their own rescue. Camera in Tara's shoe may have been bad at giving visuals but the audio was clear enough.

Because of that camera they were now at stadium even before the van could reach. And he planned to use the surprise element of their attack to their advantage as much as he could.

"Sir! We found 5 bombs in the stadium. The information was correct. They planned to blow this whole up. Now if they don't have any more of explosives with them in van, I guess stadium is secure."

"Are all the 5 bombs have been taken care of? Can my team now go inside? "

"Yes sir! You may proceed. "

"Go team! Go go go. Take positions. Make use of camouflage and darkness. Be my ninjas. Invisible but potent. You know what has to be done. Mark your target, keep regard of the hostages and shoot right between the eyes. No more face disfigurement. We need to be able to run their faces on facial recognition. Dismissed. "

-O-

"Is it activated now? " Aryan asked.

"What? No! You asked me to program it. Not activate it. Also I can't activate it actually. "

"Then who can? And how?"

" Just a few seconds. It's done. " The guy with spectacles and a gum in his mouth, continues playing with his keyboard some more. "Here! Say your password in your as steady voice as you can."

"Jihad ki jeet"

"Thank you. Your password is saved."

Aryan smirked. "Now tell me who can activate and deactivate it? And how?"

"Why, of course you sir! Say that while pressing this button-" he said while pointing at one yellow button on the device "- and it'll tell you it's activated or deactivated. And of course me. No one can break-in my programming except me."

"Very well. Your work here is done" One instant the computer guy was grinning, happy about himself, other instant his eyes went cold with blood oozing out of his heart.

Aryan pressed the yellow button and said carefully "Jihad ki jeet".

"Your device is now active." 

-o-

Read the next part of the story here.

“Me and my team are participating in ‘Game Of Blogs’ at BlogAdda.com. #CelebrateBlogging with us.”

Game of Blogs : Story Weavers (Part 27 of the story)

Read the first part of the story here and the previous part  here.

-o-

 “How did it get so late so soon?” Kareem asked his school principal, sitting in the park. “How could I go so wrong, sir? When did I divert so far away from your teachings?”

“No matter how far you have gone on a wrong road, turn back.” Mr. Nair replied placing his hand on Kareem’s head. “There’s never a right time to do the wrong thing and never a wrong time to do the right thing. I have been proud of you all my life. It’s still not late, choose the right path now”

“Insha'Allah! I will sir. Now there’s nothing left to do but go back. Trace my wrong steps and make it right any way I can.”

Jennifer brushed off the solitary tear that escaped watching Kareem and Mr. Nair hug from the distance, securely hidden behind a dumpster. Her heart swelled with love for Kareem all over again. This is the one she fell for all those years ago.

-o-

“Where are you taking us?” Tara asked the masked man who stood there in van pointing his rifle at their, her and other 3 media personnel, heads.

That man just stood there glaring at them one by one.

“So, you’re not the one in lead? Or even you don’t know where that boss of yours’ is taking us to?” Tara taunted him, in spite of the fear that clutched her heart.

He still stood there silently, throwing murderous looks towards Tara particularly.

Tara would be lying if she said she wasn’t scared but not so much for her safety, she guessed there was a reason why they chose media members particularly from the crowd of hundreds of observers. She knew they needed her and her other 3 fellow members alive, for now at least.

Hell! She even day dreamed of being held hostage, if only to put her spy cam-recorder to use someday, the one tailored in her shoe. It was difficult given the situation with all their hands tied to the central pole in the centre of the van, with four of them sitting like lions in Emblem of India. She tried getting her shoe as angled towards the face of their captor as she could.

-o-

“Ustaad!” Aryan bowed in respect as he was called in to meet.

“As-salamu alaykum! Kaho kya khabar hai hindustaan ki?” The voice boomed in the closed room. Unable to see the source of the voice Aryan looked around hoping to find his godfather.

“Ustaad bas akhiri maukaam aa gya hai. Humare do log is waqt research centre par kabza karte hi honge. Insha'Allah mission kamyaab ho kar hi rahega.”

“Hmmm. Insha'Allah allah tumhara saath de. Khuda Hafiz.”

“Khuda Hafiz.” Aryan bowed again and left.

-o-

Jennifer woke up dazed. Looking around she gathered she was in a hospital, but she didn’t remember coming here. She checked her wrist for time but stopped short, horrified to find blood on her hands. She didn’t remember how it got there.

A nurse came in the room, reaching for the monitors to check on Jennifer. “Excuse me. How did I come here? What happened to me?”

Nurse looked at her with sympathetic eyes. “Miss. It’s ok, you have mild concussion. You hit your head when you fainted on the road. Doctor gave you some flat Anaesthesia to keep you sedated till you recover.”

Fainted. Where did I… stunned she could now remember everything. She was waiting at the point where Kareem had asked her to meet after meeting up with the principal. She remembered waiting there for 15 minutes till someone Principal called on her phone.

“Hello! Sir?”

“Hello! Miss Ahana, is it?” Some unknown voice answered.

“Yes! Who is this?”

“Miss I am inspector Sharma, I am sorry to inform you that the person who this phone belonged to was just found dead here in an alley. I am trying to locate his relatives. Yours was the last number received on this phone. Do you know any of his relatives?”

Jennifer stood there scared-stiff. Dead. Sir? Dead. But I saw him half hour ago in the park with Kareem.

“Hello miss! Is anybody there?”

“Hello officer. Yes, yes I do know his daughter. I’ll convey the message right away.”

“Thank you miss.”

Kareem!! Dialling principal’s daughter’s number she started running back towards the park where she had last seen Kareem. But she didn’t have to run too far, not 20 feet away from where she was supposed to meet him 15 minutes ago, lay Kareem surrounded in his own blood, lifeless, limp. His face ashen, eyes closed, his hands open wide palm facing upwards.

“Kareeeeeeem! No no noooooooo!” Jennifer rushed upto where he lay. Pressing with bohe her hands over his heart, she tried giving him CPR. “Wake up! Kareem you can’t do this to me!” Pumping over and over again she kept up her tries. Wake up! Kareem we have so many wrong to be made right. Kareem! Kareem!...”

Her hands. This was Kareem’s blood. Her love, her life. Everything that now would remain incomplete… without him.

-o-

 The other terrorist who was till now engaged with the van’s driver, came into the back compartment. Tara cunningly but subtly crossed her legs in order to capture the new face in her hidden shoe cam-recorder. She’ll need it, if she survived this.

“How much more time will it take?” The masked man who stood with his rifle, asked the new entrant.

“About half an hour. This Delhi traffic! Even in the time of national crisis, these people still have got places to go!” He said in irritation and spat on the Van’s floor.

“So you knew where we are going.” Tara interjected smirking up at the masked man. Other hostages squirmed in fear, nudging Tara to stop provoking them.

Second terrorist, though not masked in fabric had a face as expressionless as a pumpkin, wearing a mask or another kind. “What is she talking about?”

“Nothing! I think she is overly excited about getting killed.” Masked man finally addressed her, almost.

“We are not killing them yet. Not until they have served their purpose. Not until we get our orders from Ustaad.”

“Where are you taking us? And why?” Tara interjected again. Pulling knees towards her shoulders.

Second man eyed her in contempt. Crouching in front of her, he regarded her with narrowed eyes. “If you really want to know, I’ll tell you.” Smiling wickedly he continued “From here we are going to reach the Ferozeshah Kotla stadium. Once there, we will make you media monkeys to jump through some hoops and then when we are done with you, we’ll blow you all up with the stadium. BOOM!”

Tara sat there gaping at him.

-o-o-

Read the next part of the story here.

“Me and my team are participating in ‘Game Of Blogs’ at BlogAdda.com. #CelebrateBlogging with us.”

Game of Blogs : Story Weavers (Part 20 of the story)

Team Name: Story Weavers

Read the first part of the story here.

Read the previous part of the story here.

-o-

“Do you think we’ll die today?” Cyrus asked the guy next to him, quite restless now that his battery had drained out and he had nothing else to do.

“Not me for sure!” Replied the guy next to him.

“Whoa! Very confident on our destinies, are we?” Cyrus was back to scared self, all the bravery gone with the phone battery.

“I don’t believe in destinies. I believe in my skills” Replied the same guy looking straight ahead at the body of the terrorists who was shot from the window. The guy seemed somewhat agitated.

“That’s good.” Cyrus drew back from the strange guy. “It’s good to know your weak points and strong points.”

“I don’t have any weakness!!” The strange guy cried. “I can’t afford any weakness! These excuses are for people like you who don’t have any aim in life!”

Finishing off the sentence with gritted teeth he stood up in haste. One look at the Cyrus’s wide eyes made him step up to get done was needed to be done now?

Pulling up Cyrus by clutching his upper arm, He drew out his mini 9mm pistol he had in his sock. Putting it up to Cyrus’s head he motioned him towards the door.

-o-

Shekhar had his men chase the man he had seen gone just a moment ago in a flash right when he entered the hotel. He himself headed towards the predicted location of the room where hostages were held. 2 men were already taken out. He had to just go in and make sure everything was stable before he sent all the hostages to the roof for rescue team to take them off.

He stomped his foot on the door and barged is as soon the door hit the adjoining wall. “Everybody heads down and lie…” He cried out as instruction to the civilians. Coming face to face what he had least expected, he stopped mid-sentence looking at the cold eyes that looked back at him. Those known but cold eyes.

“Aryan”

“Shekhar!” Aryan smirked. “I was hoping to meet you here finally!” Aryan smiled his same wicked smile that he had seen on the vlog video. Aryan had a human shield. A tall, fair guy wearing spectacles with moppy curly hair. Aryan had his gun pointed at the guy’s temple, who was visibly shivering. “You have no idea how long I have anticipated this moment. This moment when I’ll witness the expression on your face, when you know who I am!” Aryan grinned. “Too bad! Now I’ll have to kill you.” He pointed his pistol towards Shekhar. A clicked was heard before everything went black..

-o-

Jennifer sat there in confusion as she saw the live video of what was going inside the hotel through the camera pinned in Shekhar's army cap. 
Is this the same Aryan whom Kareem mentioned? Oh my god...

-o-o-

Read the next part of the story here.

“Me and my team are participating in ‘Game Of Blogs’ at BlogAdda.com. #CelebrateBlogging with us.”

Game of Blogs : Story Weavers (Part 4 of the story)

Team Name: Story Weavers

Read the first part of the story here.

Read the previous part of the story here.

At Hotel Continental sitting in the corner of the penthouse, Cyrus Daruwala was hyperventilating. He wished he had a paper bag to breathe in. This wasn't happening. It couldn't. He was only here to do case study on the ongoing hearings of Abdullah-Al -Asiri. This was supposed to be an easy, quick and clean case. Abdullah was the one of the culprits in 26/11 attacks. Everything was settled. Abdullah was to be sentenced tomorrow morning in Supreme Court. 

This wasn't good.

-x-

"We need to break in!" Tara said as soon as Jennifer stepped out of the Auto rickshaw.

"Yeah right. And would you like fries with that?" Jennifer replied in almost bored tone. "By the way good to see you too!"

"I am serious Jenny! We need to get inside the hotel to get what other media people can't get." Tara said frantically, shuffling on her feet.

"But you can't be serious? It's dangerous what you are talking about!" Jennifer tried reasoning with Tara, but one look said how much difficult this was going to be. "OK!  How about you don't break in yourself but let a professional or a semi-professional, who isn't a mere journalist, to do the work?"

"Like who?" Tara asked skeptically. "Who are you implying here?”

"You're forgetting whom I engaged to." Jennifer winked.

"He can't act on our whims! He has to follow the official protocol!" Tara exasperated.

"But he taught me his tricks honey. A semi-trained adventurer is better than a whimsy journalist any day."

"You don't mean what I think you do?" horrified Tara stared at her friend, looking both ways hoping no one heard their wild discussion.

"I certainly do" Jennifer replied putting on her sunglasses with an air of the one in command.

-x-

Roohi wasn't scared for her life. She had read too many books to be unaware of what was going on. She remembered reading something like this in 'Over the edge', except it was a plane being hijacked and the girl didn't have a phone in her backpack.

She looked up towards the man who had his big gun pointed on her teacher. Miss Daisy was trembling, she could feel it in the finger she held in her hand. She wanted to hug Miss Daisy and tell her they were going to be fine. But she wasn't sure it was true.

-x-

Shekhar was still framing a plan of action in his mind while reaching New Delhi in helicopter, when his satellite phone beeped. He answered both in relief and fear, relief to finally know she was fine, fear because of what was to come now. "Roohi! Beta, can you hear me?" He said loudly over the noise of chopper but couldn't hear any reply. Pressing the phone closer to his ear he tried again "Roohi! Say something beta!"  He could only make out a low rustling sound. And then someone spoke.

"You kid! Stay put or this time my bullet won't miss its target!" This was a voice of a man. It didn’t take rocket science to figure out what kind of man.

Shekhar again tried listening to the phone he held in his hand. There were faint noises of footsteps and few clear noises of someone crying. He knew his baby kid wasn’t a crier. It was so like her to be clever even in situations like this, to use the phone he had given her to not only save herself but trying to save a lot many people along with her. He only hoped she would put herself in more danger than she already is and god knew how much danger she already was in.

-x-

Anti-Terrorist Squad had taken position around the Hotel Continental and the New Delhi station when Shekhar reached his destination. After doing a reconnaissance around the station he located the possible break in points to be used when the command to go ahead was issued by the authority. A negotiator was called from army who had done quite a number of negotiations in previous hostage situations, but so far he too wasn’t able to extract a demand or figure from the captivators inside the station.

Indian authority had given them a deadline till the 2300 hours of that day to get the terrorists to speak their demand, if not, they were to break-in while the night was dark. There were already too many causalities since the attack. He hoped against hope that didn’t got worse by the deadline.

Still keeping a close concentration on the phone in his left hand, he started training his team and laying out the course of action for the night, if it came to that. Every now and then he would try listening for any clues in the phone, trying to gauge the situation on the inside. His little devil might not even know how she was helping her father. God bless her!

-x-

“Ok keep your eyes open and concentrate on that TV. Write what you see while I go in there and sneak into the service entry of the hotel kitchen” Jennifer instructed Tara while she adjusted the button-hole camera on the denim shirt. Pulling her hair in a messy bun she jumped thrice warming up for the action ahead.

“Are you sure you’ll be safe?” Tara inquired apprehensively. She didn’t want to put other’s life in danger and yet she was helping Jenny get ready to jump into the suicide well.

“Oh yeah! Never been better!” Jennifer grinned pulling out a small, palm sized gun from her sling bag and pushing it under her belt.

“Is that licensed?” Tara asked with wide eyes, pointing at the metal thing peeping out of her shorts.

“Yes of course. My fiancé got me this as our engagement present.”

“Gun as an engagement present. Mine wrote me a poem on our wedding.” Tara replied still in daze.

“That’s why I get to break in baby” Jennifer winked and moved past her towards the back entry of the hotel.

-x-

Read the next part of the story here.

“Me and my team are participating in ‘Game Of Blogs’ at BlogAdda.com. #CelebrateBlogging with us.”

The 'romantic' car

This one is sketched by my 10 years old Brother :)

“You know what you are a psycho... and crazy and idiot and... whatever. You understand what I mean?” Anamika stood there screaming her lungs out on me as I lay on bed unperturbed, ever so cool. Yeah I understand what she ‘means’. “I don’t understand you sometimes. One moment you are this sad like you will just run till the lake bare foot and jump! ... and sometimes- alike now, you behave so stupid, like those dreamy eyed, senseless people who know nothing except that mushy, cheesy fairytale romances!” she continued.

“Would you like to have hot chocolate?” I asked. “Wait let me first put on some music” since you’re going to continue lecture for quite sometime now.

“You think it’s a joke right? This all stupidity is normal for you.” Anamika was red- with anger, frustration, if only she knew how much I was enjoying right now, I would have been dead by now, to say the least.

“So rock or blues? I guess blues are better, since that’s what you always are- blue.” I winked and regretted doing that the very next moment as her forehead clouded with some more wrinkles and she gave me that trade-mark warning sign by narrowing her eyes on me. I guess play time is over. Sigh. “OK!” I stepped ahead and made her sit on bed with me. “Now just spit out whatever is irritating you”

“It’s you dim wit-dumb-thick-fool!” Another scream and I am sure my ears will give away.

“OK! And what else I did apart from ruining your sleep at 3 am half a dozen times or taking your name at home while I was away with him or… hey I never even curse your Arjun and I even convinced your mom for taking you out for hills ride. What did I do wrong then?” I refrained from telling her that I still love her no matter how ugly her hair had become after that intense chemical treatment… Rebonding? Whatever! I actually loved those wavy curls.

“Oh yeah? You took MY name while you were roaming with that MORON and don’t even remind me of the early morning or midnight calls you do when you have those Blue-attacks, you talk insane, you behave insane moreover you make me insane along with you!”  And I hereby declare that my ears will never work properly after so much of harassment by a highly insane creature. “And you do curse Arjun when I tell you that he hadn’t called me since a week!”

“See, I do care for you! How dare that guy even think of living without calling his girlfriend for a week! How can I not hate the person who hurts my best friend?”

“But he could be busy.”

“Duh! Being busy is nothing. It’s all about priorities”

“Maybe I am not needed anymore.” She sighed. So did I. I know we were behaving like 12 year oldies at 19, shame? Na, it’s only her with whom I can behave like that. “Ok, let's be serious now. How are you now?” I hate these ‘serious’ talks.

“Feeling tired after the verbal fight with you” did I say that to earn a smack on my arm, probably. “Ok! I am perfectly fine, actually the best I ever felt no actually I feel high without even any booze.” She narrowed her eyes on me- so that the last warning to my insanity or I might be awarded with something lethal than that smack. “You know what. I have thought a lot. And after all that I convinced myself that buying a car is better than walking in relationship.”

“And now I am convinced that you have finally lost the remaining wits that I thought were present.” she got up to leave, highly frustrated and… dangerous.

“Ok, hear me out and then you may leave. I am serious.” She showed her trade-mark frown and sat back again. “Great! Now you see, my car never denies taking me out when I fell like going somewhere, unless I am not showering enough love (fuel) on it. It sings my favorite music to me all the time to woo me. Wherever I be, it is always waiting outside ‘for me’ no matter if its hot summers or freezing winters, romantic isn’t it?” here came the another series of eye-daggers. I still went on ignoring her weird stares “It's faithful, romantic, comfortable to be with and most of all it won’t leave me at any point unless I want to let it go.”

“You are crazy! Take care, good bye” with that she moved towards door again.

“And by the way they do make me sigh with appealing looks too. Hotter than even Leonardo DiCaprio? Nah, maybe not but still...”

“CRAZY!”

“I know”

“Good bye”

I slumped back on bed yet again pulling out yet another chocolate from the chocolate box lying next to me. Chocolates are well known aphrodisiacs, ain’t it? 

From somewhere far I heard ‘verve’ screeching out what I wanted to scream aloud too.

I was blind - didn't see
What was here in me
I was lost - insecure
Felt like the road was way too long, yeah
Cause love is noise and love is pain
Love is these blues that we're feeling again
Love is noise and love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm singing again, again, again...

It happened... and I am glad it did

A/N- This one fiction is pretty long to be called short story. I would recommend if you get a coffee mug and then sit to read, so that when you feel sleepy you can sip it along. Caffeine doesn’t lets you sleep no matter how boring the read be. ^_*
And further I would suggest readers to abide by the age discretion of 16+.

Glancing one last time in the mirror of my scooter, I headed upstairs to his apartment. Actually his apartment became 'his' this morning only. To be precise, he has just shifted to city again this morning only, that too after spending 3 years miles away in Bangalore.

Wait! Did I even tell you whom am I rambling about since the whole time? Oh! Introducing Mayank, my best friend, my worst friend and secret holder and blah blah blah! We had been together since the class 7th but then his father got transferred to Bangalore after our 12th grade. Until 12th we were just good friends like we all have some, its after 12th when he moved away and we started talking regularly on phones, through facebook or mails.


We became best of friends. By the way, it's scientifically proved that women are more extroverts in virtual world, maybe that's the reason I was able to open up more on this long distance relationship.

Ok, now I stand on the threshold of his apartment after knocking for the third time, waiting for him to open the door. Man! He is so lazy, no doubts. But I guess it wasn't his mistake when I decided to drop at his doorstep when I know he'll be busy unpacking and setting up his place. Just when I was about to knock again he opened the door, with his one and only trade-mark frown on 22-year-old-grumpy face of his.

"Wonder when I'll be invited with a smile instead of this" I said easing the frown lines on his forehead. 

He chuckled and pulled me into the world's warmest hug. "That's because I wasn't expecting anyone yet, but then you always have all the rights to be the exception."

"I missed you"

"Really? Sorry but feelings aren't mutual then because I had the best of my time in Bangalore without you hanging around my neck all the time" I hit him on his shoulder and pulled back from hug.

"When do I keep hanging on your neck?" I pushed him aside and walked past him into his 1 bedroom apartment, where all his stuff was still lay packed in brown boxes except few clothes that lie down here and there and some furniture like bed, couch, study and dressing. "Not bad. It's quite spacious. But just like you- very dull and lifeless type" I said checking out his place while he stood there near the door smiling at me.

"I still don't believe you are actually here in front of me after 3 years." he said somehow dreamily and I liked it too. "I had given up on hopes to ever see you again in near future... But then this is destiny"

I ran up to him and hugged him again, this time tighter than earlier. "I missed you too" he said in same dreamy voice I wonder if he has habit of talking in sleeps because he isn't this sweet always.

I broke the hug and started pacing the room helping him unpack and make the room look like actual room from a mess, as it was when I came. While emptying the box with his clothes I noticed most his clothes to be blue. I knew it was his favorite color but I didn't know he was so fond of it. After about 2-3 hours of cleaning, unpacking, setting, fighting, annoying and leg pulling we were done. The next glance around was a room with a bed in center, dressing and 

study at left and a small balcony at right. It was a tough task but then every nice thing takes something to happen at first!

I prepared coffee for us and he did the other setting in the small kitchen along with talking and remembering the older times together.

We went to balcony to have coffee in some peace standing by the railing, watching the kids play in the opposite park.

"So how did you manage to sneak out from your home for this long?" he asked as he went inside to place his cup after finishing off his coffee.

I giggled remembering what I did to reach here "I asked Ruchi to call me at my home and ask my mom for permission to come to her house for 5-6 hours. She told my mom she has to discuss some concepts regarding 'the induction motor' working." I chuckled "Like I know how it actually works."

"Oh so you fooled aunty again! You won't ever give up your tactics, will you?" he said while he stood next to me in balcony fixing the branches of his favorite touch-me-not plant.

"Well, I can't until they themselves allow me to go wherever I want. They have no problems with the fact that you are my best friend but they still don't allow me to go and meet you. That's called double standards. Or maybe they don't trust me enough" I said while placing my cup aside on the table in balcony.

"Or maybe they don't trust me with you" he winked.

"You pathetic jerk" with this he received a blow on the back of his head, while we had the laugh of our life times.

The next half hour was passed in absolute silence while both the souls were busy watching the hustle-bustle in the opposite park where a pair of lovers was busy arguing, maybe on some good for nothing issue, but still that scene was quite intriguing. It was when I actually realized that beauty of love relationship is in these small fights when we can openly accuse our partner even if there's no fault of them. This is such an interesting fact. 

Smiling wholeheartedly after a brief conversation with my heart I glanced sideways at my companion for the moment. He too was smiling maybe thinking about the same thing. After all we are best friends, frequency of our thinking matches too. 

"Cute! Isn't it?"

He turned his gaze towards me still smiling the same way. "It surely is. Very cute." He pinched my cheek and added "just like you"

"Am I a teddy... teddies are cute?" I pouted while he grinned.

"Yes you are. My sweet little cutie pie teddy, with cuppy cake cheeks" he bent down and pecked my cheek. 

I forced a smile until he disappeared in room to fix some work. I once again turned my attention towards the arguing couple; but this time I wasn't aware of what they were doing as all my brain machinery was coagulated with thoughts of my own apprehensions, my apprehensions towards a man's touch. 

I would never mind hugging or even cuddling with my bestie but it was the first time he ever kissed me and somehow, unknowingly I did felt some tingling sensation with that temperate touch.

It doesn't mean I haven't ever been touched by anyone ever. I did have a boyfriend, back in 9th class, Nisheet. Initially he was a good friend of Mayank as well as me but after a small courtship of 4 months and 27 days we moved apart because his family decided to shift to another state and he possibly didn't believe in long-distance relationship, unlike me.

In whole of this almost 5 months of relation all we shared that could be categorized as physical touch was occasionally holding hands, twice a kiss on hand and once a kiss on cheek-that too when we met for the last time. I know I m not supposed to memorize things like that but I can't help, I always had issues regarding a man's touch. I just go numb whenever it's something like an intimate touch but with Mayank, somehow it WASN'T the numbness but something else, something new. Okay, I know I shouldn't feel like this about my best friend, I shouldn't mutilate the beauty of this exquisite relation with my confused feelings and damned 'tingling sensation'.

"I guess they have sorted out their differences by now" his voice snapped me out my reverie of deep thoughts. I traced the direction of his sight and caught the initially 'arguing couple' kissing shamelessly sitting in a seclude corner of the park. "And you were probably enjoying the free show. Eh?" he nudged me teasingly.

While I was floating deep inside my inner issues, I had been caught shamelessly gawking at an equally shameless kissing couple.

I turned around hastily, finding excuses to justify my mistake. "I-I wasn't looking at them. I was just’ just'" I stammered while my cheeks felt hot due to blood rushing in them. God! This is so embarrassing.

"Ahh' you want me to believe that you were busy doing something else when you had censured scenes playing LIVE in front of you?" he raised his eye brows mischievously making me blush even harder. "Don't be embarrassed sweetheart, if we can watch them fight then we deserve all the rights to see them patching up too" his giggles sounded so teasing.

"Shut up you' I wasn't looking at them" I said all irritated by his continuous teasing eyes.

"And you think I'll believe?" he can be so annoying at times.

"Argh' I hate you! I hate you so much" I raised my fist to punch his chest but to my hard luck he caught my wrist in time.

"Awww' feeling is mutual sweetheart" he grinned and placed a quick kiss on my other cheek.

All my anger vanished at once as my apprehensions and insecurities came rushing again. This time yet again instead of numbness I felt different. Somewhat like butterflies in stomach, that fluttered every time he did this, twice so far. I felt color creeping over my neck towards my cheeks' yet again.

I looked up in his eyes but I couldn't see any of what I was feeling right now. He was still looking at me unperturbed by the turmoil I was feeling right now. Is it possible he felt nothing different about this gesture?

Watching him flash his genuine smile, I was reassured that there wasn't any need to worry. Suddenly everything seemed to fall in place, like a magic, it felt so natural and certain, like it was bound to happen at some point of time. It didn't felt as odd or inappropriate, just a bliss.

"Come on lets eat something, I am starving after moving so much of stuff. I don't know how mom manages all this!" he dragged me along with him towards the couch. There lay 2 bowls with steaming maggi in them.

"Wow! When did you cook this?" I rambled taking one bowl in my hands and sitting comfortably on couch with my legs pulled up.

"Well, when you were busy peeping into someone's private moments!" didn't I said he is super annoying at times.

"I. Was. Not" I said from clenched teeth.

"Don't tell me you missed out on such a golden opportunity!"

"Shut up! Will you? Let me enjoy my maggi in peace" and finally someone actually kept his mouth shut while I had my gala time with my mouth watering MAGGI! Yummy!

I was done polishing my bowl in 2 minutes. I don't care if maggi can be cooked in 2 minutes, as they claim in advertisement, or not; but I can always finish it off in 2 minutes or even less!

I placed my bowl back and looked at him who was unusually staring at me with lost expression. I hope he isn't sleeping with open eyes. I know my friend was a weirdo but if it's true it's going to be the limit! "What?" no response. I bet he is sleeping. I clicked my fingers in front of his eyes. God! He is smiling now. Crazy! "What are you looking at so intently?"

He took a deep breath, as if deciding something and then nodded. "Come here, I have to tell you something" I obediently obliged and sat next to him waiting for him to tell me 'something'. He placed his arm around me and leaned back on couch. The way he was taking time was frustrating and getting me more curious about that 'something'. "Okay, listen. First you have to promise that you won't ask any questions until I complete, I know it's quite difficult for a chatter box like you to stay quiet, but you can always try." He winked at me just to get a slap on his arm. "Ok sorry, serious now." I nodded in affirmation telling him to start.

"You remember the day back in 9th when you had told me that you and Nisheet were together now?" I nodded again, although I just remembered the bits of that day. "That day was a big milestone in my life and that all because of you." I raised my eye brows in confusion but he hushed me even before I could open my mouth to question. "No questions please. I am explaining. Since a long a time before that day I was going through a great confusion, a confusion regarding my feelings for you. Firstly I discarded it as attraction but then over the time instead of vanishing they grew; I started feeling strongly for you. It was definitely not just attraction, something else, something strong. After long discussions with my inner self I reached the conclusion of confessing it you, whatever it was. I was ready to face with honesty but then again I was worried about our friendship. What if you don't approve of my feeling? What if you walk away forever? Keeping all the doubts aside I finally gathered courage to tell u that I was falling for you, I was clueless of what was going on between you and Nisheet. That day, when you told me about you both being together, I had decided to confess it all to you the same day. It's fate. Even before I could approach you to tell you about all this I ran in into Nisheet and blurted out all of it in nervousness. If I had a bit clue about you both I would have never done that blunder, again my hard luck." He paused to take a deep breath while I gaped in space trying my best to let the huge amount of information sink in. It was damn difficult.

"After that when I reached unto you, before I could place my heart out you shot the news of you being with Nisheet. I felt nothing, not even pain, not even happiness for you. I was shattered; my first love had gone unreciprocated. That's it. After that I preferred being far from you, tried to indulge myself in studies and move on. I was successful in that too. But when in 10th I got to know that Nisheet has left the school I again felt all the feelings rushing back but yet again I suppressed it knowing you two must be together still, since distances don't affect love, that's what I believed and still do. Maybe it was my insecurities that kept me from coming to you and talk like earlier times." He sighed and continued. "After that I had to move to Bangalore; I used to have an urge to contact you once, that's when I searched you on face-book and luckily had a way out. All that followed is known to you. That's it"

I was too stunned to even react. It felt like whole world came crashing down on me. I continued gaping in space until he broke the silence again. "Are you going to run away or what?"

"I want to' but I am unable to move" I whispered back, that was all I could manage at the moment. How come I never questioned his sudden disappearance from my life? How come I never got to know he felt so strongly about me, maybe strongly then what I ever felt for Nisheet? He slid his arm on my waist and pulled me back towards him. I rested my head on his shoulder and lay back on couch still deep in my thoughts world. "Why did you decide tell me now?" 

"I always wanted to tell you all this because deep in my heart I knew it was unfair on your part to not know about how someone feels for you. I felt like a thief to keep it to me but then I wanted to tell you all this face to face not through an electronic media."

Again maintaining my silence for about 2-3 minutes I asked what had been bothering me since I got to know the whole thing. "You said 'loved', 'felt'' is it all about the past or is there' anything yet?"

He took few seconds to answer "I don't know. After getting you back after so long time I was happy the way it was. I didn't give it thought. I was scared to lose the existing friendship we had. I was again insecure' I don't know." He shrugged and concluded the answer to the question that mattered most to me in confusion. I nodded to acknowledge his answer but turmoil inside only increased. "Forget it now. Let's talk about something else." He rubbed my arm but it wasn't able to soothe my confusion.

"Things could have been so different only if that day I would have let you talk first. Today I really repent on my excessive speaking habit."

"I don't think so. It's not like you would have accepted me the way you accepted Nisheet at that time."

"It is. It wasn't like I had some deep secret crush on him. It all just happened in the sequences of occurrences' a coincidence. All I wanted then was to feel loved cared' desired. I trusted you, why wouldn't I approve of it. I would have, surely and happily"

"I would just say, what ever happens, happens for the good. Maybe it was meant to be this way only"

"Hmmm' maybe" now things seemed much in place and right form. It somehow felt relaxed.

After a long stretched silence he spoke "What would be your answer if I tell you that I still feel the same way about you?" I raised my gaze and met his. Looking deep into his eyes I could feel the depths of honesty, purity and deep seated love. How could I have failed to see all that earlier? I have been such a loser, a big fool. "My feelings for you never changed, I was just afraid to tell you earlier but now I want to know. Will you accept me now the way I am'. And my feelings?" he whispered. All his words felt no less than a caress. 'Yes, I would' I wanted to say but my throat went dry leaving me helpless. I gulped the lump of final confusion and nodded meekly, answering the most important question of my life without any words.

His lips twitched into a small smile that was enough to fill my heart with warmth. For a few seconds we kept gazing into each other's eyes until his face started descending on me. I knew it was the moment; all of a sudden panic struck me. My breathing became uneven knowing what might follow now. I had my eyes shut holding his collar tightly in my fist. My apprehensions were still coming in the way but I knew it was the time to get over them. I felt his lingering breath on my face micro seconds before his lips brushed on mine. Giving me enough time to calm down, he ultimately covered my mouth with his, filling me with warm sensations in my stomach.

His kiss wasn't rushed or passionate or demanding but calm and promising; A promise to be there forever, a perfect way to seal the blissful moment. Freeing his collar from my hand he entwined his fingers with mine. The kiss lasted for about 15-20 seconds, which was enough to get me in daze. I hid my face in the curve of his neck, breathing heavily; then I realized I involuntarily have held my breath all along the beautiful moment. I couldn't look up at him, one, because I was suddenly too shy too face him, two, I knew my face was red by now because of the lack of breathe and shyness; and I certainly not wanted him to see me like this. I just had had the most beautiful moment of my life, my FIRST KISS; I almost felt flying in high raised sky. I parted from him but kept my eyes lowered. How was I supposed to face him after sharing an intimate moment with him just moments ago?

"Do I still need to say the words?" he asked in a mere whisper. To which I could only reply by shaking my head, while my heart was beating with the speed of a jet. "But I want to hear something from you" his grip on my waist tightened some more.

"I' I need to leave"

"Wow! How romantic! 'I need to leave' huh!" I smiled at his annoyed face and pinched his cheek affectionately. He looked so cute pouting.

"I really need to leave now. Mom must have been waiting, it's already 9." I tried to get out of his hold but in vain. He was no where near to be ready to leave me.

"No, you are staying here"

"What? No, I am not"

"Oh yes! You are. Don't you trust me enough or are you having doubts on my intentions?" he asked mischievously. I smacked him on his arm feeling embarrassed on his playful remarks. I knew him well enough to know his intentions; I couldn't ever imagine him disgracing me in any way ever, not even in my worst nightmare.

"I trust you, but how can I stay here? No, I can't"

"You can. Don't you go on sleepovers at your friend's places?"

"I did only once, at Ruchi's place. I am not allowed much"

"Okay. Call up your mom and tell her that you are staying at Ruchi's place tonight. You told her that you are there right now. So just tell her you going to stay."

"No. I won't lie again. And besides I don't have my night wear here. No, no way." I tried again only to try my luck.

"Come on. Please." He pleaded with cutest ever puppy face "please with a cheery on top. I swear I won't do anything and you can wear my t-shirt and pajamas for the night, I won't mind it"

I thought for a while before answering "okay, but what if my mom doesn't even allow me to stay at Ruchi's as per her information." I still tried for the last time.

"Tell Ruchi to ask for permission from your mom too, I am sure she'll agree" I called up Ruchi to do what he suggested and to his wish my mom agreed to let me stay at Ruchi, only if she knew where I was going to stay. Even Ruchi told me to think twice before staying with him, no matter she trusted him too but still she had her doubts, after all she too cared for me, pretty too much. But I cleared her doubts with my reassurance, or at least I tried to. Finally after half and a quarter hour we were done with convincing my mom and Ruchi.

"Finally!" he let out a long sigh slumping on the bed after putting the phone aside.

"Now, what I am supposed to do after all this?"

"What do you want to do?" he winked mischievously. God! He knows well how to embarrass me to peaks.

"Just shut up! Will you? Now give me some t-shirt of yours I want to change" nodding he got up and pulled out a t-shirt and a pajama from his cupboard. I took them from him and went into the bathroom.

After freshening up, when I re-entered the room I found him lying on the edge of bed reading a book, with his head resting on the head board. He looked up from the book, his eyes scanning me from toe to head; his eyes held the same mischief that I knew were used to make me self-conscious. "I must say, you look great in borrowed clothes!" I gave him a deathly stare, which he ignored and continued "come here, I have to show you something" shaking my head I obliged and went up to him.

"What?"

"How rude? Give me your hand. I won't show it until you behave fine with me" sighing I gave in into his childish tactics, but I loved it too, to say honestly. Once holding my hand his simple smile turned into a mysterious smirk and with a one pull by him I was lying flat on him. In another second he rolled on his side pulling me beneath him. I was so shocked on the sudden turn of events and' scared too. 

"What are you doing?"

"What does it looks like?" still smirking he raised his eye brows teasingly. I knew him too well to fall for his tricks. I decided to play along, one, because I trusted him, two, even I wanted to know how it felt to be loved by the person I am used to fight with almost everyday. "I am trying to take advantage of a alone girl whom I have captured in my room for the whole night"

"Really! What if the poor girl shouts?"

"I can take care of that too" 

"Okay and how will you 'take care' of it?"

"Just like this" saying so he pressed his lips on mine not even giving me time to breathe once. My hands gripped his shoulders tightly before moving towards his back, while his hands were busy caressing my waist giving me tickling sensations. He was pulling me in him with all his might. His one hand reached the back of my head pushing it into him, deepening the kiss even more. Unlike our first kiss this one was much much passionate and demanding. I pushed him a little to let him know that I was breathless! Even the most passionate kissers need air and it was my second experience only!

He parted his lips from mine breathing equally heavily as me. "Like'. This'" he said in between his gasps. I pushed on his chest trying to get him off me but he was quite heavy for me to move and besides I wasn't trying much. Finally, he voluntarily rolled off to other side still his breathe coming in loud gasps.

"I guess you were going to take advantage of some opportunity!" this time I thought of getting naughty, because I was well aware of his so-called 'evil intentions'.

"I bless you with my mercy for the night" he said in a boastful voice and then started laughing and I joined him too. We laughed hard on the romantic cum humorous moment we shared. "You sleep on right side and I'll sleep on left" he smiled before spreading the covers on me. "And don't worry, I won't cross my limits" he placed a kiss on my forehead and shifted to his side. I respect him for respecting the beauty for this new found relation. We kept a distance of 2 and half feet between us when we slept, but it wasn't same in the morning when I was awakened by the piercing sun rays through the balcony side.

Waking up with his arms wrapped around my stomach, his chest pressed on my back and his breathe fanning my neck and shoulder was the most eternal thing I ever felt; A perfect start of a perfect day. Just the way it should have been.

He is the most wonderful thing ever happened to me and I am so glad that it happened. For me love couldn't have happened more perfectly. And the best thing is it's just the start to the wonderful phase of life, full of love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOTE- I know many of you will think it’s inappropriate to lie to our mothers for any reasons. Believe me, I am too in the same category, I oppose the idea of lying to parents but its a fiction and I am taking some liberties being the author. Hope you understand. I owed this explanation to all of you.

Image courtesy: Google