Hoping for Love

Chapter 2

Anu was transfixed.

The entire train was ooh-ing and aah-ing as the Old Monk-scented man slapped the peanuts out of the creep's hand. And then he slapped him some more. A whole lot more, actually.

But Anu didn't cover her nose. In fact, she breathed such a huge sigh of relief, that the smell of alcohol permeated her nerves enough to detect a whiff of the vanilla flavouring in the heart of the rum.

When before she was refusing to look in the blue-shirt guy's direction, now she was taking the whole scene in, relishing every moment his fist connected with the other guy's jaw.

Baa, Baapuji, and everyone else witnessing the assault were oohing and aahing as they flinched. But no words formed at Anu's lips. Just a very, very tiny smile.

The drunk guy beat the man until the next station arrived, and then threw him out on the platform.

By now, Anupama had taken in every inch of his features to memory. He was a handsome young man; maybe a little older than Toshu. His floppy black hair and rakish smile. His carelessly cool gait, and his meticulously manicured beard. His soft blue shirt that seemed to be holding nothing but pure muscle, every inch of which seemed to be chiseled out of granite.

Before Anu realised what was happening, Bapuji was on his feet.

"Get out," Baapuji told the guy. "Or I will complain to the TC about your hooliganism!"

"OK, do it. Do whatever you want," came the man's pat reply. "And please allow me to do whatever I want, OK? I am not bothering you."

He casually rolled up his sleeves as he excused himself, walking right into Anupama's compartment. All the others snatched their knees out of his way with disgust, but Anupama was too shocked to move.

Because the man strolled over and sat right opposite her, in the seat which the creep had left empty.

"Excuse me," Baa interjected. "You don't have any shame? Sitting drunk among three ladies!" she pointed at Anu and the other woman as she spoke.

The man didn't even bother looking at Baa. He simply looked at Bapuji and said, "Uncle I already gave you the PSA, please pass it along to aunty."

With those words, he coolly unfolded a gent's handkerchief and laid his head back, placing it over his face to block out the light as he supposedly caught some winks.

"Let me know when you want to put the bunks down," he mumbled through the kerchief. "Till then, good night."

The oldies protested some more, but the man ignored them, pretending to be asleep.

But Anupama knew he was awake.

Because every time anyone — especially male — passed by their compartment and even so much as glanced in Anu's direction, the man's eyes would open just a tiny, tiny bit, and follow them until they went away.

Not once did he even glance in Anupama's direction.

As the older people continued to tch-tch and wrinkle their noses at him, Anu wanted to say something in his defense, but she was so gobsmacked by what just happened, that she couldn't even begin to explain it. Besides, he didn't seem to want her defending. Or even need it.

"What's wrong?" Bapuji asked Anu. "Are you uncomfortable with this fellow?"

Anupama shook her head. "Not at all Bapuji. He seems like a decent person from a good family. He's not bothering anyone now. So I am fine."

Bapuji seemed mollified, but Baa scoffed. "Sure, good family... and reeking of alcohol..."

Anu ignored her. Soon, they all moved past the fight, and Baa and Bapuji got pulled into a game of Mehendi Court with the other couple. Anupama just watched — it was a game for four, and frankly she wasn't feeling up to it.

Soon, she started smiling and laughing along with the oldies, forgetting about the panic that had gripped only a few moments ago. Baa and Bapuji assumed that it was the games that cheered her up.

Only Anu knew the real reason. It was presently sitting in the opposite seat, narrowing its eyes at anyone who so much as breathed in her direction.