Chapter B
ORIGIN OF THE BROTHERHOOD
14) A TRIPLET DATE TO KHARDI
My valentine's eve was awesome as we could talk to each other for quite long, know about each other and share few common interests. I was so excited that day so couldn't go in to sleep too quickly. I checked if my roommate was asleep.
"Hei maddy, how did your date go today?"
"Roy, hope you aren't getting an easy sleep!!" he smiled taking his head out from the blanket.
"It is expected once you spend some valuable time with your crush. I am going through an ocean." he added.
"Yes, bro she is exactly like the girl in my dreams.I think will make a perfect couple, if things go well."
"Of course kilroy, but first you must understand her better; her likes and dislikes, her ambition in life, her perspective on her future partner etc.." He spoke elaborately.
"How would I get to know all these?"
"Just spend more time with her and ask out or do enough research about her from her friends and relatives.
You must be a good listener until you earn a place in her heart.
You know 'love' is like a thesis you prepare for your lifetime.It happen once and all you have to do is lots of research on it untill itsconfirm, she is the one for life." He smiled under the blanket mesmerizing something from his past.
"Tell me how much you did, before you fell for sana? May be that can give me some inspiration to move ahead." I asked for his experiences with love.
"Actually I didn't, it all went like a stream one fine morning meeting the ocean at an estuary.
She instead took almost an year to familiarize me,doing all sort of trials, searching errors and one fine day published her thesis.She was quite intelligent!"He smiled
"What did she do to you then?"
"They play with our mind, which we have to understand and behave appropriately. If you survive all their trials to check your personality,one fine day she will be yours."
"Wow! But it seems tough." I turned nervous
"It's difficult to win a heart. But once you earn the pride you shall attain heaven."He smiled as if it had a hidden message which I wouldn’t decipher then.
"So what should I be like?"
"You should make her aware,without her you're incomplete in life. You should be calm and composed, listen to all her madness and need not appreciate all, but never wane her.
You should be frank, genuine and shall show enthusiasm to earn her presence, but never be a adamant.
Spread with wings of tender,love, care and earn her trust. Never be in a hurry to propose her,but make her aware you miss her every now and then.
Run to her if she is in trouble and be a vent for her. Give your opinion but never compel her to do it. At the same time give high value for her opinions."
"Woman can never be wrong" Rule number three which our amateur seniors failed to teach us during the orientation. " He looked me like a sage with all his wisdom.
"I think patience would me key note to win her, rt?
"Yes,once you earn her trust, she will spend major portion of her time with you,that she fail to make any such bonds in our campus.
Girls rarely share deep bondages with each other, with few exceptions. Gradually she will begin to see a partner in you, start reciprocating the same feelings as you. That's the moment you realise you have won her heart and propose her." Maddy's wisdom flow in effortlessly as a jet stream soothening my mind forever.
"This would be interesting. " I exclaimed.
"Yes, at the same time they might give some cues also. Like they might straightaway tell you they have a boyfriend or they are engaged with someone or they are not at all interested for time being. Then please don't get dishearted if you are sure about her. You keep a healthy distance and wait for it to happen by rules of nature. Else give away and just friend zone her." He switched to his worst scenarios seeing my over confidence.
"How about asking her out for a movie tomorrow?"
"Yes, you should. If she said yes, she has befriended you. If she come out with her friend you need to be more a gentleman to earn her trust.
If she come out all alone, it means she has got trust in you. You just need to entertain her, praise her for the kind of person she is and make her bloom like a flower in those spring meadows."
"Ok bro! I promise, I am going to take her out for a movie tomorrow. You please choose the best one for me.."
"Of course, It would be my pleasure for you. Remember one thing you should have a patience up to mother earth.Women love to express more than us, so to impress them you have to be a patient listener for life."
Amidst those wisdom talks I don't remember when we both went in to dreams. But it was memorable as I got the best sleep after so long time, more over the expectations for the next morning flooded in gently as it was not as usual a 'non training day' after every big fest.
***********************************
It was easy to plan a date but to ask out I had to go through hours of war with in my head.Maddy chose me the best movie among the recent releases; 'Drishyam' that too was running in a theatre kilometres away from the campus.
"Maddy, do you really think she would come out so long to khardi with me?"
"You just ask her in your way. Don't text or message her on whatsappp. That would make her feel less pleasing, better if you would meet her in person and ask out."
Though after that busy festival for a week, dean had announced a non training weekend, most of the cadets got up late in hangovers with no plan to leave their bed easily.
At around 12 in the afternoon I rang her on phone jerking aside all my anticipation.
"Hello, Roy. You are up so early?" She was half asleep in her words and I knew it was my duty to wake her up from her dreams.
"Lachu, take those pillows away from your hugs and wash your face. I have got a plan for the afternoon."
"Oh! is it so. What is your plan so exciting? apart from those funny dance steps yesterday."
"I know yaar, I look funny when I dance. But we were planning to go out for a movie and have dinner outside. Would you like to join?"
"That would be exciting! Don't mind bro, it was just an awkward joke from my side. You managed well on dance floor. By the way, who all are coming?"
"Till now it was just a plan in my head, now I just roped you in, further I will have to ask out others."
"Just bring maddy with you, he is such a movie maniac. I owe him a treat for all for his efforts backstage, lets make it tonight."
"Ok done. Get ready by two, we shall book a cab and wait for you at hostel gate."
Though I was planning to take her out all alone she roped in my buddy and it turned in to a triplet date to khardi.
Half an hour to two, I walked myself to pink house and waited for the arrival of my queen. Surprisingly she was before time and quite excited to see me at the gates. I further escorted her to masjid gate were Maddy was waiting with the cab.
"Lachu, you look dashing in these pink churidars." I appreciated her while I opened the doors of the cab for her.
"So sweet of you Roy." She was blushing with joy while my buddy patted on my back for that achievement.
"Maddy, why are you so silent today. Started missing Sana so early?" She asked maddy who was sitting dumb expecting me to talk with her.
" Hei, not like that. I have got a bad throat." He replied.
"Roy, you know this chap was literally crying at the airport when she left. Just that I was with him that he didn't spill those tears all over."
"Lachu, I know him well and how much they love each other. Let's not make him more sad, mesmerizing about her."
"Hei guys, I am not that depressed. She had skyped me early today morning, so it is always a bond so strong moving around." Maddy replied pretending he was clearing his bad throat.
"So sweet of you both maddy. Even I want a boy who would love me the same way you love her. You both make such a lovely couple together, may god bless you both with a happier life for centuries."
"So you are already in search for a soulmate? Tell me how he should be, so that I can search an appropriate groom for my sister?" Maddy took over the grip on our chat and soon I turned to be a patient spectator.
"If you have read the opening lines of 'Pride and prejudice' you would realise that every man or woman in possession of fortune in life is in search of soulmate. So I am.
A handsome boy who would love all my maddnesses would be sufficient." She smiled with shyness glowing around her cheeks.
"Very risky business, I know." Maddy cracked a joke and it was now my turn to defend her.
"Hei Mad, she is not as crazy as you're. Lachu, you will fetch your destiny soon, my heart felt blessings."
I don't know if I intervened the wrong way. She looked in to my eyes for a while and shooted the next arrow.
"So Mr Kilroy,what're your ambitions about a partner?"
"I haven't thought so deep." I tried to clear my throat gasp some air and think what should I tell her. I wanted to open up, all I wanted is her for the rest of the century. But my mind said it is not the appropriate time and place.
"But still you might have some vague ideas!!Share only if you like to."
"A charming homely girl who would love my family and will remain my pillar for life." I gathered few words here and there and completed my ambitions intending not to displease her.
"I too wish you find a girl suiting your dreams soon." She passed her wishes while maddy started laughing loud.
"What happened maddy? Did I say something wrong?" She exclaimed in surprise.
"You both are in search of soulmates, why don't you try dating each other? I think that would be a great idea." He replied.
"Not a bad idea though, but he is an intelligent guy, batch topper , talented sculptor and artist. How can I even think of matching to his elegance?" Lachu put forth her views about me and my mind was dancing with joy but I decided to remain silent.
"I assure you, you both are gonna make a charming couple in this campus." Maddy wasn't ready to give up.
"Let's complete this talk some other time. Else I would be blushing over and over althrough the way."
"I second that." Finally I raised in support for my sweet heart and maddy's matchmaking business came to halt.
We had another surprise waiting at 'Bollywood multiplex' at khardi. Most of our college seniors were around there for the same movie and Lachu started feeling awkward.
"Maddy, that boy over there our college senior is a distant family friend. I feel awkward walking in to the hall with you both in front of him" She opened up her mind to her sweet brother.
"What is so awkward in that? You're a grown up woman and you are here for a movie with your friends, which is none of his business."
"My parents are not that forward. They might get offended if they come to know I was roaming around with boys." She was little bit down and depressed and I caught it straight away.
"You need not worry, Maddy will take care of them. You just relax." I consoled her, clicking my left eyelids; a sign for my roomie to further take necessary actions.
"Yes, of course. You guys stay at the cafe with the tickets and have some snacks meanwhile I shall engage them till they enter the theatre." He left us alone and approached venom and his colleagues.
We both sat at the destined place ordered caffecino and sipped slowly observing how tactically maddy was dealing with seniors. It was a time when most of the city malls were out of bounds for first year cadets.
"Roy, you know one thing. Maddy has once gave up his medical dreams and joined NIT to be around Sana forever."
"Yes , I have heard that story from him. She later realised he had better chances in medicine and forced him to join AFMC."
"What an awesome couple they are!! How amazingly they stood up for each other in their ups and down."
"Yes, do you think we can make up to them? "I tried to give a hint to her but she was blushing again and stayed silent.
'Whatsoever may happen, you're mine lachu.' My conscience whispered then which she might not even have heard.
Once the long bell rang and the seniors left, he walked to us and finally we entered in the theatre to watch ' Drishyam'. It was quite an engaging movie that kept us tip toed till the interval. Once the lights were on for the recess we noticed our seniors were sitting just behind us and they soon kidnapped maddy from us.
"I think we gave unnecessary trouble to Maddy bringing him here." Lachu whispered in my ears during recess.
"No way, he is always in good terms with senior batches as he have got a school senior in srinagesh. He has gone to fetch treats from them. I hope he will remember us as well."
As I had anticipated he came in with popcorns and cokes for all three of us.
"Look what venom has provided us with. This is what I like about AFMC. While orientation they torture us to the worst, but once it is over they consider us their little brothers and feed our bellies." He smiled hiding something from me.
"Yes, even in girl's hostel things are the same way. The only day we get to torture them back is on their birthday. We have lisence to do anything, may throw tar over their hair, pluck few of them unknowingly and steal their purses for treat at midway or outside.
You know we made a bill of fifty thousand for srinagesh at 'barbeque nation' during 'All girls party' last month." Lachu was quite excited at our new traditions.
"We just wear high ankle DMS boots on their birthdays and give them birthday bumps so that they remember us well next time they sit for the loo." The crowd went in to a brief laughter while second half of the movie began.
As we had anticipated we had a pleasant experience at the movie and further we moved to 'Burger king' for dinner at MG road. It was one of our favourite places to dine as they made us huge 'Jumbo chicken burgers' for such cheap prices.
Only the middle class guys of the campus used to meet up there while rest of them booze up at Jhashan or night pubs.
The biggest excitement was the long walk back in to the campus after filling the tummies at MG road. Meanwhile we exchanged our stories, ambitions and came to know each other well. The long lap along the eastern front of 'artificial limb centre' gave us nightsacape of army life especially of our own senior delegates.
"What would you choose if you get an opportunity to join army after classes?" She asked maddy while we were on our long way to the campus.
"I would prefer to take a permanent conmission, If I ever got a choice though I am not so passionate about armed forces." He replied.
"But why?"
"Because I am going to marry a girl who is half muslim. It would be difficult for us to survive well in civil set up especially in our hometown."
"Is religion still such a big taboo in society?"
"Yes, the civilization may have grown up to a century but not the mindset of the people here. Still there is huge pressure for Sana from her father's family to marry some muslim chap with in the family. Religion, caste, creed and even colour matters at times, though science has advanced us so much."
"Roy, what would you choose if you get the same opportunity?" She suddenly turned to me with the same question.
"I was always in to armed forces, even attempted an NDA trial after higher secondary. Nothing less than PC is still inside my dream. How about you?"
"I have been brooding over it for sometime. It actually depends on my family, both my parents as well as my future family.We woman have to sacrifice a lot in life to build a better family." She gave a dissatisfying smile in return.
"Sorry that I would like to object you this time. It is all about what you want in your life. In a family its not the women who sacrifice everything, both the partners have equal responsibilities in running the organisation." I wanted to express my heart and it went well.
"I second that Roy. We are grown ups and intelligent, if we kept thinking like the traditional families we won't be able to refresh our civilization. We almost forget we are living in a society where women work shoulder to shoulder with men. 'Equality is the new anthem not social responsibility or religion."
"I wish every men thought the same way you guys are." Lachu sighed deeply as we shook hands at her hostel gate.
"I wish we should have such outings frequently so that I can cherish our friendship for long. You both are such a great company for lifetime." Lachu suggested before we parted that night.
"Of course lax, you were such a sweet friend of us both. Let's take this to higher bondages in near future." I agreed to her notion while maddy was still trying to get us closer.
"Lachu, don't give up the idea I gave before. You both will be excellent together." This time we both blushed a little and waved good byes to our bedrooms.
"Bro,why do you always emphasis on the same thing? Its so embarassing for both of us to hear that." I spoke clenching my hands over his shoulders as we were walking back to our hostel across the parade ground.
"To know if she really likes you."
"And what is your final assumption?"
"She have huge admiration over your personality, which is now an infactuation.It is your duty to make it bloom." He smiled kicking my belly with his free hand.
I suddenly sprinted away from him turned around under the lone banyan tree and spread my hands around and fell in the ground in excitement. My heart was pounding in joy and elation while he made that vague statement.
"Remember one thing, you are in a race now and you have to impress her quickly. Everything is fair in war and love,no more rules, regulations."
"I didn't get you bro! " I pulled him down beside me and while counting the stars that lit the night sky he completed his words.
"That guy, friend of venom we met at the theatre is not just her family friend. He is in to her and I think their families have even spoken something about each other. So now you will have to speak up to lachu openly and decide your fortune."
"Yes, I am excited for that moment." I turned around to him in little surprise.
"It is not that easy bro, but I am sure you will definitely get through"
We both got up from the grit and walked back to our room, meanwhile I was reading between his lines
'Everything is fair in war and love.No preset rules nor regulations. Its all about survival of the fittest.'.
********To be continued ********