Keeping the Promises

by Gajjar, Dhruv

  After hearing this short satire of his, they turned to the hostel and saw their three friends coming.

  “Dude, really you’re going to leave the hostel?” Shilpan asked.

  “Yup, but no need to worry! Poor warden has done us a favour. Now we can have more fun. At both the places,” Dhruv said and winked.

  “You can fuck yourself anywhere Gajju. Just give me the key. I saw you got a new ride,” Aakash demanded.

  “Ya great ride Gajju! I’m getting the same, but in blue colour,” Shilpan enthusiastically said to quote the line, ‘Boys and cars, a deadly combination.’

  “So, two places, two cars and five wolves. Seems like this town will go on fire,” Harsh simpered.

  But one thing is still and will remain a mystery forever.

  What the hell happened that night? And how did they end up waking up in those places?

  The three of us broke into laughter as I finished. This was the memory of a lifetime. Though I got rusticated from the hostel, I did not regret it. Well, I regret the trouble I gave to my father because of that, but keeping that apart, it was a hell lot of fun.

  “And you guys still don’t know what happened that night?” M asked.

  “No, everyone tried to remember what might have happened, but none of us do,” I answered.

  “Aakash does.” Ansh winked and we guffawed again.

  Ansh was feeling sleepy so he stood up and went out. M and I chattered about the event for a while until she had all her answers. Just before we went to sleep, she said, “Mithu, it’s promise time.”

  “Yes, ma’am!” I said with obeisance.

  “Promise me! You’ll be the string which will hold your family and friends together.”

  “Promise, my love!” I accepted without any reservation.

  Few days have passed and yet I feel like it happened an hour ago, the reunion where I met his…our friends. We laughed together, we ate together and somewhere down the line, without letting each other know, we cried together. They all couldn’t stop guffawing when Dhruv narrated the hangover part. Everyone had come with their own theory of what might’ve happened. Aakash, who knew more than anyone else, was surprisingly sitting quietly with a smile on his face. There was an awkward silence when Dhruv narrated the part where he tied him with that rope. I could see their hidden smirk behind the silence.

  He comes with a smile on his face, opens the door and sits inside his car.

  “Where to?” I ask without attempting to hide my cheer.

  “My secret place…” I snap at him, dumbstruck by the answer.

  “What? You are not kidding right?” I ask in skepticism.

  “No, let’s go.” I hug him in joy as soon as I hear it.

  He drives me to the riverfront. It is better now, only for people. He liked it more when it did not have any railings so that he could just sit for hours and let his feet relax and to get massaged naturally and obviously – to think about me. It is now more clean, beautiful and near perfect, but not for him. I can see it in his eyes.

  “Thank you for bringing me here,” I say and hold his hand. Although it is not his secret place anymore, but he still loves it here.

  “Let’s start then! You will love today’s part.” He chuckles.

  “Then what are you waiting for?” I coyly answer, knowing that today he might introduce me to you all.

  And he starts reading.

  My name is Nirali Shah. I’m his first love…even before M, but not anymore. He is the first and last person I fell in love with, and even with all his pain, anguish and frustration, he cannot take that away from me.

  4 February

  On that day, there were two different orchids, the usual purple ones and the second, having a stripe of white. Orchids are odourless but she used to smell it every day and when I asked her why she was doing this, she said that she could feel my presence in them. I then used to muzzle that she could feel me more by giving me a passionate kiss and she – as if waiting for me to say that – would lean towards me to give that passionate morning kiss. I then used to run my fingers across her waist, which could ignite her passion even higher. Although we’d been in a relationship for the past two years, we did not get intimate with each other completely, but we surely ascertained many hidden secrets about us. The fourth note along with the flowers said,

  Your waist, always a favourite for my fingers to run across,

  Your most sensitive navel and flat belly,

  A pinch on it provokes you to embrace me in your arms,

  You cannot take that away from me.

  She looked away, blushed and poked me to give her another kiss. She asked me to get my hands off her waist, but I knew what her heart was echoing – it was commanding me to make my grip even tighter, my love broke into moans with every kiss.

  I was making breakfast with Ansh while M was playing games on my iPhone in our room. There was an awkward silence between us, and we both knew why.

  “She is coming today Ansh!”

  “I don’t care Gajju!”

  “Yes, you do, accept it.”

  “Will you stop her from coming if I say I do?”

  “No, you know buddy, I need her for the part I’m writing.”

  “No, you don’t! I have told you everything and there is nothing more she can spice you up with, even with her most amazing lies.”

  “I know you told me everything from your side but remember, there are always three sides of any story – their version, your version and the truth. And my job is to write the truth for my girl.”

  I winked and patted his back. He stood still without uttering a word. After all, it was about M.

  In the afternoon after lunch, my blue-eyed girl and I were sitting on the bed when Angie knocked the door.

  “Hello! Hope I’m not causing any disturbance.”

  “No ma’am, you are more than welcome. By the way Angie, someone is getting older,” I quipped with a wink.

  “And someone is getting fatter,” she retorted.

  “By the way, Ansh is outside, you met him?”

  Before my girl could speak anything, she replied, “I’m getting engaged Dhruv!” she mumbled.

  My eyebrows went up in shock. “What?” I knew they were hiding something, but I surely didn’t expect this.

  “What? How?” I arched my brows at her.

  “I told you Gajju, you missed many things here, you were lucky,” Ansh came inside and sat beside me. Angie was quietly looking down.

  “Stop it guys! This is not the time to speak about it and if you want to fight, do it outside. I’m having my last dates with my boyfriend and I won’t let you guys spoil it,” M admonished. Everyone had to obey her; we were quiet in no time. That afternoon when my girl went to sleep, I heard Angie’s version of the story and penned it down with all my heart and of course, some old faded memories.

  On that day, we had a quiet dinner, having Ansh and Angie with us. I was regretting why I left them when they needed me the most, but there was no way on earth I could say it. She was already blaming herself for that. We four were sitting in our room waiting for me to start.

  And so I started reading.

  After enjoying their dinner till late in the night, the boys were in a hurry to drop Angie at the girls’ hostel. On the way, they saw a girl sitting on the sideway bench. Her hands covered her eyes and it appeared as if she was crying. Angie told Dhruv to stop the car and he obeyed.

  “M? What’s she doing here?” Angie blurted.

  “Who’s she?” Ansh asked.

  “M*****. Our immediate junior, she is my friend, but what’s she doing here?”

  “Another blonde without a brain, crying on the road. How dumb!” Dhruv said casually, and Angie snapped at him with anger, stepping out and walking towards her.

  “Hey M, what’s the matter? Why are you sitting here alone? And why are you crying?” Angie asked tapping her back.

  “Hi Angel! Don’t you know our hostel gate closes at ten? It’s alread
y ten now! I’m trying to find an auto since an hour, but can’t find any, because of the strike,” she said in sobs.

  Ansh and Dhruv were standing as rocks, letting Angie handle her. This was the first time when Dhruv saw M. Appearing as another blonde without brain, but there was something different about her, which was persistent in catching Dhruv’s attention – her natural blue eyes. Dhruv could not keep himself away from looking at them.

  “I know dear, but we do not have any other choice, do we?” Angie stood beside her and they heard her sobs too.

  ‘Oh c’mon Angie, what’s this? You were having fun a few minutes back. Remember?’ The thoughts echoed inside of Ansh’s mind.

  For a minute or two, no one spoke. M was weeping on Angie’s arms and Angie too was trying hard to match her tears, like they were competing with each other for who can shed more tears?

  “There is one option. Why don’t you stay at my house?” Dhruv uttered.

  Ansh glanced at him with a big question mark. There was a deep silence. Both girls were looking at them with disarray.

  “Are you sure there won’t be any problem?” Angie asked. There was a bit of affirmation in her voice, which amused them, especially Ansh.

  “I think so, because tomorrow is Sunday so no one will notice your absence tonight as most Ahmedabadi students will be out too,” Dhruv said.

  ‘Great going dude!’ mumbled Ansh.

  They both looked at each other. M already had stopped crying and by taking a note of their body language, guys knew that they were almost ready.

  “M, if you don’t have any problem…” Angie didn’t finish her words and left the final call to M.

  “It’s okay if you are with me,” M said and gave her affirmation.

  “Okay, then let’s go!” Dhruv swiftly moved, by giving them no further chance to rethink.

  They reached Dhruv’s house. Dhruv signalled Ansh about the mess they had to clean before they could take the girls inside.

  “You two just wait here in the car, Ansh and I are going inside to sweep up a little,” Dhruv said.

  “Stop! It’s okay dear. I know how you guys are and I actually want to see boys’ room. How bad can you guys make it!” Angie smirked.

  “But…” Ansh was saying when Dhruv interrupted.

  “It’s okay Ansh, she wants to see guys’ room, so let’s show it to her,” Dhruv smiled back.

  They went inside, and the boys led them to their room. Their dirty boxers and undergarments were flooded on the floor, smelling like rotten fruits.

  “Anything more you want to see my dear?” Dhruv simpered.

  “Very funny, want any help in cleaning this mess?” Angie offered.

  “That’s really sweet of you, but not needed. You girls go downstairs and sit in the dining room. We will join you in a while.” They went downstairs and the boys joined them after mopping the floor and making their room less terrible.

  “What will we do now?” Angie asked.

  “Let’s play a game. Spin the bottle.”

  Girls agreed in an instant; they always reserve a soft corner for these types of games.

  “M, if you don’t have any problem,” Dhruv asked for assurance.

  “No, it’s okay. You guys have done so much for me that I can’t find enough words to thank you. So I’m fine with whatever you decide,” she meekly replied.

  “No need to be formal dear. You know we would never let you sit there alone,” Angie consoled her.

  “If you want to play this, then only participate. Otherwise, it’s fine. No one is pushing you,” Dhruv firmly said.

  ‘Why is this fucker being so polite today?’ Ansh wondered.

  “No, I’m fine with it. Let’s play,” M said, giving her assurance with a smile. Boys wondered, who would say that these girls were weeping just an hour ago?

  Gajju went upstairs and brought an empty bottle of vodka. Angie snapped at Ansh with anger.

  “This doesn’t belong to me, take a troll at him,” Ansh gave his rational explanation.

  “I found this one only, hope you two are fine with it,” Dhruv said.

  “It’s okay. We don’t have any problem,” Girls said unanimously.

  “But you guys better stay away from these. I don’t need to remind you how good you are with them,” Angie chuckled.

  “Objection sustained,” Dhruv retorted with a wink.

  ‘That’s my girl you motherfucker!’ Ansh echoed in his mind.

  Then M spun the bottle, and the cap pointed towards Dhruv.

  “Who was the first girl in your life?” She asked.

  “Nirali…” Dhruv said and paused, “Nirali Shah.”

  “Tell us more about her,” Angie demanded.

  “Sorry, one question at a time,” Dhruv muzzled and spun the bottle, and the cap then pointed at M.

  “What is your checklist when you find a guy to date?” Dhruv asked.

  “Ahmm, none actually; who will touch the chords of my heart, will be my special one,” she answered politely.

  “And how many special ones have touched those strings till now?” Dhruv asked without reservation.

  “Sorry…one question at a time,” she retorted with a smirk and spun the bottle. Cap pointed at Angie and bottom at Dhruv.

  “Tell us the biggest lie of your life which you don’t regret,” he asked.

  She clenched her teeth and showed him a punch. Dhruv responded with a wink and threw a kiss. Ansh realised it had to do something with him.

  She turned to Ansh, “Remember, I asked you about the way to examination hall?” He nodded. “I lied, I knew the way.”

  “Why?” Ansh blurted.

  “Rules are rules, my friend! One question at a time,” Dhruv came to her rescue. Ansh saw Angie giving Gajju a shot of gratitude and spun the bottle. It pointed at M again with the bottom towards Ansh.

  “Tell me how many guys have touched those strings?” Dhruv desperately asked before Ansh could say something, she too noticed it and smiled generously.

  “None, really none! They are fully untouched, reserved for someone special,” she answered with a certain pride in her voice.

  “There is nothing in that to be proud of,” Dhruv chortled.

  “I know. Don’t worry, I’m not one of those stereotypes. It’s just that I never found someone who could really touch them. To be honest, I really wanted to, but I never got one,” she explained and spun the bottle. Cap pointed at Dhruv again. Ansh was enjoying everyone’s confessions and was completely fine by not getting that cap pointed towards him.

  “Tell us more about her,” M demanded. Her extra attention towards Dhruv got Ansh and Angie’s eyes suspicious.

  “We used to sit together in class and were best of friends. I had interacted with many girls in my life but no one got my attention as much as she did,” Dhruv said.

  “Really? No one?” Angie chuckled, with her eyes arched at M.

  “And? You guys were dating?” M asked, paying no attention to Angie.

  “No no, never! But I liked her – as a friend, and as a great companion. Apart from Ansh, she was the only one with whom I could share anything…and I mean anything!”

  “And there was a time when she was even more important than me,” Ansh shrugged.

  “She was your friend too?” Angie asked.

  “No, she wasn’t. Ansh didn’t like her. He was very possessive about me then.” He chuckled.

  “Ya right, but that was childhood. You know how much effort I put for your patch up when she was gone,” Ansh retorted with a grin.

  “Where did she go?” Asked M.

  “She went into designing and I was sent here. So after that, I never heard from her,” Dhruv answered and everyone saw a smile on M’s face.

  They kept spinning the bottle for about an hour till they started getting bored.

  “What do we do now? Should we go to sleep?” Angie asked.

  “Sure, if you want to. You are the owner of your time,” Dhruv said, who was at hi
s most polite mood.

  “You got any better idea?” M’s eye lit up.

  “Let me advise you one thing M, never ever ask or consider Gajju’s ideas,” Ansh chuckled. Angie too nodded her head, how could she forget that he almost got them rusticated?

  “He is right M, because I have an idea in my mind, which may seem crazy to you all,” Dhruv exploited.

  “We are all ears,” quipped Angie.

  “Why don’t we go out for a coffee or something?”

  “For the first time, I’m not finding your suggestion crazy,” Angie smirked.

  “Because I’m not finished yet,” Dhruv paused.

  “Then?”

  “At my favourite restaurant – Cafe piano!” Dhruv unveiled his yet another crazy desire.

  “What? Dude, are you mad? You want to travel 120 km for just a coffee and that too with girls at night?” Ansh grumbled.

  “I told you that you will find it crazy, but tell me guys, do you want to?” Dhruv tossed his coin again. Both the girls looked at each other, waiting for the other person to say something.

  “Of course, I don’t want to,” Ansh growled, hoping that girls would join him soon, but to his surprise, they didn’t respond.

  “I want to,” blasted Angie.

  She then looked at M, who was still pale.

  “I don’t mind!” To Ansh’s surprise, she responded positively too. Then Dhruv – along with both girls – snapped at Ansh.

  “Whyyyyyy…would I mind then?” A sudden change in his opinion made everyone laugh.

  “Okay then, let’s ride.” Dhruv said enthusiastically. Within the next five minutes they were in the car and on their way to Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad-Baroda expressway never seemed better for them – less traffic, smoother roads and their favourite music. Hardly anyone spoke a word throughout the journey and yet, it was blissful. Dhruv – always a faithful lover of road trips – had his own collection of old and new songs prepared. Most of them were soft, enchanting and romantic songs which Dhruv considered best for the road trips. He – from all the experiences of both night drives and long drives – believed that loud music bores you within one hour and will turn your blissful ride into a lousy and exhausting one. Knowing that there were girls on their backseats, Dhruv had taken care that no matter how much the smooth roads of the expressway would seduce him to over speed, he never would. As soon as they reached Ahmedabad, they recognised that it was Saturday night and patrolling on Saturday nights is always high. But Dhruv, less concerned about the police, knew another way where there would be no patrolling even if they impose curfew. To everyone’s surprise, he was true to his words. He led them to TGB-Cafe Piano in no time, without any interruptions. As they both were loyal customers there and since for the first time they had girls with them, everyone from the gatekeepers to the waiters was treating them with more enthusiasm. More so, they were expecting less trouble. Three hours passed like a couple of minutes, with espresso shots, Pasta arrabiata and Devils on horseback. It was already five in the morning when they left TGB. This was Ansh’s longest night-out and that too with the girl he loved. M, whom they had met just hours ago, was now a significant part of them, more secured, more expressive, moreover happy. Ansh thanked his God for gifting him with a night like that, with Angie and that too with an amazing lie which successfully occupied a part of his mind throughout. Everyone was quiet as they sat in the car, Dhruv was yet to clutch the key and ignite the engine.