Broken Strings...

Chapter 5.

       "....and they are Adheer and Radhika", Mrs Ahuja said, after which everybody started clapping. Radhika waved behind to look at me. From the look of her eyes , i could definitely say that she was thinking - ''Oh shitt ! Why he ?''

       "Ram milaayi Jodi Haha (god made bond)" , "Wait for the competion. Ye udhar bhi gaana hi gaayega dekhna." - I could listen to whispers whirling around the whole class. I couldn't take a stand on whether I should be happy or sad about the fact that Radhika was my partner.

       "I cant understand why you're so damn lucky everytime." Karan said , looking at me.

        Mrs Ahuja allowed us to spend some after-college hours in the library everyday for preparing our declamation. As the last bell rang, I went to the library to find Radhika there waiting for me already. I sat on a chair far away from the one Radhika was sitting on . Clearly , the atmosphere was a little awkward and clumsy for both of us. A lot awkward perhaps! I pretended to read a book as I tried to look at her from the corner of my eye. Suddenly, I saw her standing up and coming towards me. I was still sitting there with an aghast feeling. It's the feeling you get when you're infatuated with someone. You almost want to avoid the person for a moment because when you first make eye contact, you get scared even though you are excited. You need to clear your throat to speak so that your voice sounds normal. You almost feel dizzy, like you're going to pass out. She came closer and closer to the point I screamed, "Sorry re, I haven't done anything intentionally, pleaseeeeee-"

       "Listen , calm down okey ? It is allright. Mai ab gussa nhi hun tumse ( I am no more furious at you). Now please, can we start working on our declamation? We both are supposed to do it , we're a team." She said with her candy coated voice.I nodded my head on a large amplitude. "So , Friends ?" she asked moving her right hand towards me .

       "Yeah ofcourse , and thank you for burying the hatchet, its such a relief." I said shaking her soft hand.

       The declamation was to be delivered on 'The assets and liabilities of mass media' . We sat in front of each other with the library table in between. The regular ticking of the clock and occasional sound of the wind chimes was what breaking the eerie silence.

       "So where should we start ?" I asked her.

       "Let's think ! we should think of some strong points both on liabilities and assets first and note them down." She suggested.

       Both of us held a piece of paper and started darting our minds. Yes , I was able to concentrate , until I looked at her again , she was writing something on the paper. She was having a hard time fighting with the fringes of her hair , which were kissing her soft cheek again. I scribbled down my pen on the paper and wrote - 'I am here sitting in front of her and she is so beautiful'. After a few minutes, she looked up with a face which showed she wasn't able to write anything.

       "Did you write something ?" She asked as she saw something scribbled on my paper

       "No , its junk."

       "Let me see it ?" She asked forwarding her hand.

       "No , i said na , its nothing of use." I told her and crumpled the paper.

       "I think we should leave now. Bye, i will see you tomorrow." She said with a smirk.

       "Sure" I smiled back and shook hands with her. The touch of her hand was mesmerizing , felt like rosebuds furled. People fall in love in mysterious ways , maybe just the touch of a hand.

      The next day , we were at the library again and we needed a little help since we were short of ideas.

       "Hey , we can look out a few articles on the internet ?" , Radhika said.

       "Good idea! But the computer lab is closed."

       "I was thinking that we should work on our declamation at my home after the school hours. I have a computer in my room. The date for the competition is close and two after-college hours are not enough." She said , " So, can you come over ?"

       At first , I was like - "Baah Gawd ! She has a personal computer at her home ?"  as it was the year 2001 and having personal computers wasn't mainstream. But then I recalled that she was the daughter of the Deputy CM , so it was a not a big deal.

      "Sure , if thats not a problem to you." I told her. I realised that i was now at ease talking with her , I wasn't getting nervous."If Karan comes to know that i am going to Radhika's house , he would tease me to death" I thought. Soon we left for her house. I called on my home's landline from a P.C.O. I lied to Ammi that i was going to stay at Karan's place for some hours.

        "We reached Radhika's place drenched up in the rain. Radhika rang the door bell and a servant of the house opened the door. She was looking with utter confusion at us. The house was very big and yet elegant , like those in the yash chopra films. It was quite evident as it was a minister's house. Her room was beautiful too but all I could see were the posters of Shahrukh khan and Kajol from DDLJ. We sat in front of the computer and found some helpful articles for our declamation.

       After a couple of hours it was getting dark so , I had to leave for my home.
"What about your family ? Where are they ?" I asked her while we were stepping down the stairs

       "Its just Me and My Dad. My mom is no more." She said without any heavy heart.

       I was dejected after hearing this. I was grief-stricken for her but i chose to say nothing.

       We came out in the lobby as she was accompanying me to the main door and I saw a man sitting on the king-sized couch wearing a black coat. He looked quite elegant with his moustache , sipping his tea from the cup until he saw us. He looked at me with eyes that i didnt find welcoming me. He was Radhika's dad , Sanjay R. Aggarwal.

       "Papa , He's my new classmate , Adheer" Radhika told him with a low voice.

       "Oh I see. But as your classmate, he should have been in your class. Any purpose for him coming here, in your home ?" He said with a smile , a forced one.

       Radhika told him that we were preparing for the Declamation competition. He asked me to come closer to him and then he shook my hand.

       "I hope you liked being here , beta" He said to which i nodded my head. But I was getting an intuition that he didnt like me being there...

A/N:

Hii!!! Sorry for the so so so late update. Do read and comment.

#Sam&Satyadeep