High School Romance Revisited

Chapter 31 - The Acceptance [Durga Puja Special]

"Don't be silly!" I lightly gave a pat on his arm and sat down. "You do remember you are meeting my mother tonight," he asked sitting down beside me. Frankly speaking, I was hell nervous. Though Vasundhara aunty didn't seem to be a strict woman, still the thought of her becoming my future mother-in-law was a little bit scary.

"Hmm," I nodded.

"Why are you getting nervous? It's not that you are meeting her for the first time."

"I know but still..."

"Okay forget about this for the moment. I heard you are fasting for the sandhi puja?"

I looked at him and then turned back at the horizon.

"Deepa, you are not used to this fasting thing. Are you sure you can manage?"

"Of course I can," I said raising my chin. He chuckled, "fine then but if you faint I do have a great idea to wake you up!"

"What rubbish! Why would I faint?"

"You know, just in case," he shrugged.

"In case? And what would you do 'in case'?" I asked in an irritated tone.

He dragged himself a little more towards me and sat touching his shoulder with mine. "I would close my lips on yours and kiss you until you wake up!" he whispered. I pushed him off, "Shut up!" and got up to leave. He held the end of my saree and tugged. Not being able to keep the balance I landed directly in his arms.

Without even giving me a chance to understand he captured my lips and kissed me hard. His hands were on my waist holding me tightly against his torso. I don't know why it felt that I too was craving for this. Without any complain I returned his kiss, similarly, hard and long.

A soft wind blew tickling our skin. I heard the strong and echoing sound of a conch shell coming from downstairs. We slowly broke the kiss and stared into each other's eyes. "That's our cue. The puja will begin any moment now," I said.

He nodded helping me to get up. "I heard this particular large conch shell is in Debdyut's family for more than two fifty years."

"Yes and it is decorated with gold, emerald and ruby," I said climbing down the stairs. He too followed, "You have seen it?"

"Hhmm," I nodded, "I saw it with Rai."

"What? But I have heard it's huge, how did Rai manage?"

"Why don't you ask her?" I giggled.

"No thanks!" he said with a straight face and went to join the boys as we reached the main altar.

Chitra was hugging a little girl and Rai too was smiling at her. However, I couldn't recognize her as I saw the girl from behind. As soon as she turned she spotted me and so did I. Phagun Banerjee sprinted towards me and I embraced her in a tight hug. "When did you arrive?" I asked with a broad smile.

"Just now. Can you imagine my brother didn't even tell me!"

"But Koushik said you didn't want to come!"

"Didn't my brother confess that he forgot to mention it to me that every one of you were invited?"

"Oh god! Typical Koushik!" I shook my head. This boy will never change. 

"Anyways, now that I am here the fun will be double!" she was already jumping in excitement. I laughed and gave her another tight hug. "Hey, by the way, Deepa di, I heard you and Mahen dada are going official from this year? I mean I could totally imagine the look on Chitra di's face when dada introduced her to maa. Are you nervous too?"