Kill You, Sure (8)
Nidhu
Bhusan Das
The next day Anik’s found loitering around the
English Department. What’s he looking for? Divya’s attending a class. As she
emerges from the class, Anik greets her,” How’re you!” She blushes, surprised.”
Am fine, you?” she enquires.” Alright.May
we go to the library canteen?” he suggests, and she obliges. As they settle on
the grass-carpet of the adjacent garden, he remarks,” You’re a mystery, my
girl.”
“You’re
naughty to say so, my boy,” she says, smiling.
“Maybe,
but mystery shrouds you. It’s true,” he asserts to bring home the message to
her that what he’s said is his considered view, not an uncertain statement.
“Why
do you think so?” she asks, visibly happy that he takes interest in her.
“Your
black eyes suggest. They say back eyes’re associated with night, mystery and
intuition.”
“May
I know who’re they?”
“The
psychologists, I mean.”
“My
boy, you’ve started browsing psychology, at last to understand a girl! What
more do they have to say about black eyes, Anik?”
“Well,
they say black eyes’re secretive.”
“I
am not secretive, am I?”
“Yes,
very much, and don’t betray your emotion.”
“You’re
attributing your trait on me, perhaps.”
“You’d
a sly look at me more than three years back but never let me know…”
“That
I love you, you mean to say. You see, my boy, I don’t love nobody.”
“Yet
you address me as ‘My boy’. Don’t you mean you love nobody else?”
“You’re
trying to outsmart me, aren’t you?” Divya complains, blushing.
“I’ve
no such feeling of being outsmarted by my girl,” Anik’s outright.
“I
see, you mean I’m your girl. Do you believe it, Anik?”
“I
don’t say what I don’t believe.”
“Okay!
What’s your reading of green eyes? Have you read that and any other eyes?”
Anik’s
puzzled. He’s read green eyes. But does Divya know it? If she does, it means
she follows him, perhaps, to the hilt. He’s unaware of it.
” I’m caught in the whirlwind of
love. The green eyes generated the whirlwind. True. But I cannot wait for the
green eyes to respond. I’m impassioned. I don’t know why I’ve turned so. I like
Divya, should confess I love her. My male pride’s prompted me to keep it a
secret. But what about her being secretive about her tenderness towards me?
Should I not say it’s the emerging female pride in Indian society? Yes, it is.
I like it, the emergence of female personality, breaking the shackles of
traditional society. It’s the new India
“Anik,
are you offended?” Divya enquires, sadly.
“Why,
dear? Nothing to be offended,”Anik’s candid and polite as usual.
“You’ve
stopped talking after I’ve mentioned green eyes. It’s a joke, dear.”
“What’s
wrong if I’ve pondered over other eye colours? I don’t think there’s any.So, it
isn’t a cause to be offended for. I’ve been thinking about my change.”
“Change!
What change? Is there any? I don’t understand,” Divya pretends innocence.
“How
do you feel about our being together?” Anik would like to know.
“Tell
me about your feeling,” Divya’s curious.
“I
feel good. I think I need your company.”
“Is
it? To be true, I cannot believe it.”
“But
I believe you love me, as I do.”
“Who
says I love you? No, it isn’t true. I love only green eyes and await her return
after vacation.”
“You
aren’t a lesbian, are you?”
“Do
you know her?” Divya asks with a naughty smile hovering over her face.
“I’ve
seen her, and you’ve come to love her,”Anik’s serious.
“Do
you really believe I’m a lesbian?”
“Who
knows? But I don’t. No harm if you choose to be. Love doesn’t go by reason.”
“But
I’m a reasonable girl. Only you don’t understand it.”
“And
I love you.”
“Though
you know black eyes are reluctant to fall in love?”
“Once
they fall, they’re passionate, as you’re,” Anik’s now straightforward.
Divya
can no longer hold on. She’s broken down. She understands she shouldn’t go
beyond the limit. She’s jealous of the green eyes, and wouldn’t yield ground to
her, anyway. It’s time to bind Anik in love. She knows she isn’t a feminist;
she loves being in love with a boy like Anik, and bind her life with his. He’s
honest, sincere and serious. But she isn’t sure how much infatuated he’s with
the green eyes. Is he refused? Are his advances, if any, rebuffed? Is it the
reason why he’s veered round to her? One thing’s certain – his heart overflows
with tenderness, right now. He needs her support. She should respond, even if
he leaves her eventually.
“Anik,
think we shouldn’t hide our love for each other.”
“Better
late than never.”
“You’re
late, not I.”
“That’s
what I mean. I know you’ve been tender to me since long.”
“Should
I believe you’ve been innocent all these years?”
“I
haven’t been aware of it, I confess. But I’ve had a feeling.”
“Well
dear, let’s go. We’re late for lunch. Would you like to have lunch with me, and
I being the host?”
“Have
you cooked?” he asked foolishly.
“No,
I haven’t the culinary skill. We’ll have it in the cafeteria.”
They
rise and head for the cafeteria. The tender feeling brightens their faces. Both
of them feel like hugging each other but resist the desire. After lunch they
would be in the remote nook where fauns leap and bound, squirrels play hide and
seek.(to be continued on 20 August 2015)
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