Kill
You, Sure (12)
Nidhu Bhusan Das
Fresh from the celebration of the Language Martyr Day in Dhaka Bithi's back.It's spring.The deep red Polash well synces with the blood of the martyrs.Spring is short-lived in Delhi.It isn't as in Ireland either,ruminates Bithi,leaning against the wall of the desolate library as the JNU campus seethes.Students are restless,teachers grieve.A centre of excellence and cradle of free thinking,the university has seen a popular student leader picked up by the police on charge of sedition.This is unusual,Bithi has heard the refrain in the campus.
"Hi!green eyes,"Divya greets Bithi, in earnestness,tinged with a subtle sarcasm.
Bithi's taken aback at the suddenness of it from one she never interacted with,rather saw her to browbeat when came face to face in the library once in a while. Well,she doesn't take time to get away from the initial shock and smiles back:"How are you?"
Divya hasn't expect it but smartly says with Hariyanvi pride,"Fine and you?"
"Cheerful,chum," replies Bithi with Irish-Bangla grace,smile in the eyes.
Anik looks on,a mischievous smile hovering over his face.He enjoys that Divya's outsmarted.The smile irks Divya who wants to keep him away from Bithi.Her frown force-stops the smile.
"Let's go sit on the green bed,"Bithi suggests and moves towards the lawn,taking the hand of Divya.Bithi feels Divya dislikes her because she doesn't have green eyes.
"Chum,had I brown eyes!"Bithi feigns a sigh.
"Then!Yes,I'm right.She's tender to Ankit. Brown eyes!She means it,really.Ankit,I'll show you..."she thinks,dazed. Beads of sweat have appeared on her forehead as her brown eyes have redened and shells out sparks of anger.
"Chum,you're sweating...it isn't sweat-hot,feel sick?" Bithi's serious.
"No, am alright.Ankit's a fool," Divya pours out her frustration with a long sigh.
"Let me take you to the hostel," Bithi offers and asks,"Where's your friend,who's Ankit,dear?"
Divya can no longer hold out and with a sad smile retorts,"Who's Ankit ! As if you don't know!"
"Jealousy,you're gf,maybe Ankit's her bf.She doesn't believe him,only wants to possess him,"Bithi tries to understand and
exclaims,"Strange!"and keeping her usual cool drawls,"I am not aware of any Ankit in the campus,dear."
"Ain't a fool,you know.He often tells of green eyes,there's none other than you,he means,in the whole campus,"Divya says in a breath.
"Is it? I don't have any relation with anyone,won't like to have one," she snarls and repeats the offer to help her to the hostel.
"Green Eyes,please be away.Let me be alone and have peace of loneliness.I know my place,I can go it alone.Thanks this is a lot for offer to help.I understand it's better for you to help yourself.Perhaps,you need it most now.Decide on An...okay let I be alone,"says Divya,as if in a reverie.
"The girl's a fool,extreme possessiveness is the cause,"Bithi says to herself,a sweet smile shines on her pomegranate lips.She withdraws,goes her way,sad that the girl suffers from unfounded suspicion,not because she suspects her."The boy's meek,being effeminate, amenable to emotional pressure," Bithi tries to understand.
On her way to the library,Bithi sees the boy lurking behind a neem tree.Maybe,he has been waiting for her to leave Divya to avoid embarrassment."Is it,he has a secret tender feeling to her,and,therefore,has been unable to face the gf in her presence,"thinks Bithi as she moves on.She decides she would leave for the US sooner than planned earlier if the situation in the campus deteriorates.She remembers her grandparents are preparing for the grand celebration of their conjugal life.She's going to play a role in the event.The thought has rejuvenated her.(continued on 2 March 2016)
