Beyond the Boundaries

Maahi and Shreya

6 Months Back

Meeting and knowing Shreya was very coincidental. That day, a hot summer afternoon was getting hotter with the temperature of the city rising like never before. It normally stayed maritime in Bangalore, but that day was different. The temperature was almost 41 degrees and, like Shreya, Maahi entered the store to collect her order.

There was no power in the store, everyone was sweating and complaining about the power cut. Just then, two ladies at the reception started asking for their deliveries and the man sitting there didn't seem to be in the mood to deliver anything. Heat and sweat was making him agitated but clients were important so he had that forceful smile plastered on his face while they asked for their packets.

'Here you go, guys,' he said, handing Maahi a packet while handing Shreya the other green one. Both of them passed a smile at each other like any other normal strangers would and then left the store in a hurry to save themselves from heat and sweat.

Entering her apartment, Maahi ran straight for the couch and plopped her feet up on the table putting the bags aside. She had a lot of deadlines to deal with and now that the material was already here she had to start working soon. After getting herself a glass of water she opened her little green diary of orders to start with the first one.

She carefully opened the bags.

'Wait...what is this?'

Putting one hand on her forehead she frantically searched the number of the store and immediately placed a call.

'Hello, Vaibhav Materials?'

'Yes, Maam.'

'This is Maahi Malhotra on the line and I was there about half an hour ago and I think I got the wrong bag delivered to me.'

'Please, hold on...'

'...Maam we are so sorry for inconvenience but your bags have been exchanged with Shreya Patil, and she lives nearby your place. We just received a call from her too and have given her your number. She will call you soon and, in case she doesn't, please note her number.'

'Gosh! Okay, go on'

'It's 9834-981-1263.'

'Thank you so much, Bhaiya, but please, take care next time.'

She groaned inwardly, making a face. Turning around and pushing a lock of her blackish brown hair behind her ear she faced the television set.

The next day she was staring at the ticking clock again. It was 9:10 a.m. She had to brush, get ready, have coffee as Shreya was expected at 11 a.m. She soon completed all her tasks and went to the kitchen to open her fridge and treated herself with some chocolate yogurt.

Just then the doorbell rang, it was Shreya. She was like a girl next door out of those Hollywood TV shows. Dressed in elegant white kurti and blue jeans, she had a very beautiful smile with dimpled cheeks. Her jet black hairs tied up in a loose pony.

'Please come inside'

They had already met once at the shop but this was their first formal conversation. They discussed their work and Maahi asked her about her boutique. Shreya had a well established boutique set up at the hub of the city and it was doing really well. Maahi had heard a lot about it. Shreya invited her to the place. She also glanced around at Maahi's stitched outfits.

'I love your designs,' Shreya was going back and forth with everything hanging on a metal wire frame

'Thanks you, so much!'

'I do more traditional pieces and I like your ethnic designs.'

'Yeah, I am not much into traditional stuff. I do more of indo-western types.'

'Maybe, someday, we can have a collection together.' She smiled

'Sure, what will you have Shreya, tea, coffee or a cold drink?'

'I am fine, thank you.'

' I insist.'

'Mmmm, okay a cold drink would do just fine.'

And that was the start of a budding friendship between Maahi and Shreya. She found a friend in the city of loneliness. Shreya was divorced, independent and full of life and Maahi felt confident around her.

Shreya had a terrific sense of humor and looking at her, no one could make out the rough past she had. She was very outspoken and walked with confidence dripping from her.

Once, they went out clubbing and while sitting on the high rise bar stools, gulping down their drink, a woman in her mid-thirties sat next to them, precisely next to Maahi, as she pulled a  cigarette from her bag.

The lady next to her was very much interested in Maahi's business, 'do you smoke?'\

'Well, if I have it in my hand it means I do,' and Shreya giggled.

'How many packs a day?'

'Depends on my mood.'

'Still, any approximation?'

'Maybe one pack a day.'

'Oh my gosh, that's like 220 Rupees a day and that's like 6600 Rupees a month!'

Both Maahi and Shreya gave her a bitchy look that translated to, 'Are you for real' but she still had words in her mouth.

'And 80,000 approximately a year, well dear you can buy a good car on instalment with that money.

Maahi was about to open her mouth but Shreya signalled her to keep quiet. The lady continued to piss them off..

'Do you know if you hadn't smoked, that money could have been put in a step-up interest savings account, and after accounting for compound interest for the past 15 years, you could have by now bought a Ferrari?'

'Well aunty, how did you get here?' Shreya questioned her.

'Well, I had cab booked for me.'

'Then where's your fucking Ferrari?' And they both erupted into fits of laughter and left the place leaving the lady dumbfounded by the response.

There were girls that guys wanted hastily, hard against the wall, the ones who were irresistible and Shreya was one of them. On the contrary, Maahi was very different, dusky but attractive, the kind who are shy and way too messed up to even begin with.