39 -
"Not even one?", Neiva asked, annoying me as I drove.
"NO", I replied. "They're too old for me, let alone you", I added.
"You're too old already. You're like Klaus old", she said.
"I am taking that as a compliment", I told her, making a right turn.
She was asking me if I can set her up with one of Darshan's quote: hot friends.
"By the way, do you think I can finally do it?", she asked, cheerfully.
"Do what?", I made a left turn, entering into CP main block.
"Like, have sex", she said.
"No", I said, instantly.
"But you--", I cut her, "--but I didn't had sex at your age and when I'd it, I'll tell you to have it", I said.
"C'mon, we'll book an Oyo room", she said.
"I don't think you should be having sex with someone who ask nudes from you--", she intervened, "--I didn't give nudes. I asked him to fuck off, with the bottom of my heart, in hell", Neiva said and I chortled.
"Booking an Oyo room is precisely why you're not mature enough to have sex", I told her.
"Ugh", she grunted.
"When will we reach?", she asked me, annoyed.
"We're almost there. Why the fuck is DU so confusing?", I rolled my eyes.
"It isn't, it's just too much load on your one braincell", she said.
"Not funny", I said.
"It was meant to offend you, I think it did it's job right", she sarcastically exclaimed and I chose to ignore it.
We passed Kamla Nehru college, there, there's Gargi college.
I parked aside, and damn, the whole place was crowded with women. Like really hot women. South Delhi women, fuck they're hot and I'm in a Kurti. I'm having so much of complex right now. I hate Darshan.
"Woah, dude. Glad I decided not to wear a kurti", Nivi commented and I sighed in disappointment.
"I'll ring Vishal. I don't think we'll get an entry from there", I looked at the front gate, filled with people.
Taking out my phone I dialled Vishal and the phone rung until the speaker said he's not answering. Well, I can see that. Next, I called Darshan and he wasnt answering either.
Did I just get dumped or what?
"Solid KLPD", Nivi said yet another thing not needed to be said.
I dialled Hardik and he didn't answered either. Well, why would he answer of all people?
I only had Nitish's phone number and I dialled him. God, He picked in five rings.
"Nitish", I exclaimed.
"Tara", he said.
"Well, ask Vishal to get me in. He's not answering his phone", I said.
"Oh, well, we all keep our phones on silent while there's a show so", he explained.
"Just send Vishal Nitish yaar", I said.
"I will, give me a minute", he hung up.
We waited while observing people, taking their chances and going in with IDs and passes. While some of them stood and chatted. I'm always conscious in south delhi to be honest.
"Hey, how are you getting in?", this girl patted my shoulder.
"I have a friend in the um, the college committee", I cooked up a lie.
"Oh", she sighed. "Listen, please help us. Just me and my three friends. We'll pay you", she added.
"Uh, you know I barely got in. He'll get mad", I said.
I could imagine Vishal heating up. He already disliked me.
"Please, man. We'll pay you if you want. We've been trying to get to see Darshan since last three college fests but we're not DU students na. Amity students so...", she explained and I felt bad.
"We can help you if you tell me your perfume and the trick to have it last this long", Nieva spoke and I looked at her disgusted.
"Ignore her", I said.
Well, I can help them but um uh I can't also.
"Please dude", she begged.
"Okay, give me a second", I dialled Nitish again.
"Just call Darshan no? Don't irritate me", he said as soon as he answered.
"Give him the phone", I said.
"Listen, Darshan, yaar I've like three friends apart from Neiva and me. Let them come no? Please!", I hoped he'd say yes.
"I can sense you lying even if I'm backstage and you're outside", he said.
"Okay, fine, help, focus, please", I said. "And not like I'm at every concert you know and I'll do any one thing you want Raval. Say yes", I said.
"You're a manipulative bitch, aren't you?", he said and I chuckled. "If I do this every time Naushad Bhai will murder me", he said. "I'll tell Vishal, only five people Tara", he instructed.
"Promise, monsieur", I smiled.
"Okay, mademoiselle. I'm waiting", he disconnected.
"Done, you guys can come", I looked at them at smiled.
"You know him persnolly?", she asked.
"Who?", I asked back.
"Darshan, idiot, you said listen Darshan as soon as you answered", she told me.
Did I?
Shit.
"No, no, no, no, no actually this friend I've was named Darshan by his parents", I lied.
Please, believe it.
"Also, you said Raval once so this friend is coincidentally Gujarati, with Darshan as his name and Raval as his surname", her friend behind her suspected.
"Okay, first of all, you're in no position to suspect me. I'm literally getting you in and that also, in the fucking front row so please leave this attitude for someone else", I stated.
"Darshan is our cousin. Far family relations", Neiva said in.
"Yep, he's her cousin. I'm her sister's friend", I said.
"Yeah", Neiva looked at me. "What the fuck?", she whispered in my ear.
I leaned in, "I'm not playing Darshan's cosuin even if it's for the drama", I whispered back.
"Yep, he's totally my brother and well Tara here bonds with him well. You know actually he pities her as she's those people whom no one notices and all so", Neiva shrugged ridiculously and I glared her.
"Yep, my whole life is like I'm a shadow", I fainted a smile.
"That's sad", this girl replied.
"What's your name?", I asked her.
"I'm Anushka, she's Isha and that's Juhi", she introduced.
"Um, Tara and that's Neiva", I said.
"Nice to meet you and thanks again despite all", Anushka warmly smiled at me and I nodded.
Well, the next thing she'll ask me will be can I make her meet Darshan, I so know.
We were all chatting now and Anushka was telling me about this really cool new cafe in CP and how its affordable. Well, CP and affordable are impossible to fit in one sentence. It's basically for people like Darshan.
"Oh, really?", I asked.
"Yep, Amity isn't worth it", Juhi said. "And the Mess is shit af", she added.
"Even my mess is ew", I told them. "Like so bad that I don't even eat there", I sighed thinking about it.
"But like how's living in Mumbai as a student?", Isha asked.
"Well, uh, you know mostly broke", I told her.
"You know, I just hate India that we can't do jobs like waiters or stuff like they show in American shows", Anushka concluded.
"Yeah", Isha, Juhi and I said in unison and chuckled.
"And having a boyfriend is so high maintenance", Anushka said.
"I know right? It's really expensive. Guys don't like hairy people, they need those shaved and all of that kind of girls. Normally you can't impress them", Isha declared.
"Right, and those girls who are in complete makeup at what 7 in the morning", I said.
"It's frustrating expecially for girls like me when we don't even know how do an eyeliner", Juhi rolled her eyes and I patted her shoulder.
"So, my boyfriend asked me if I used tampons, cups or pads and I was like glad that he's intrested in me", Anushka narrated. "Later, he tells me he was just curious how can we handle a cup down there. Guys are stupid", she said.
"Yo, they'd be looking like they're thinking something intense but when you ask it'll just be like baby I was thinking how much it'll take if I buy a second hand hayabusa", Isha mentioned and I nodded.
"And I don't understand what's with that straight look of theirs where they raise one eyebrow and don't look on their Instagram", I rolled my eyes.
"You can't even show their Instagram to your friends. It's too dumb", Juhi said and I nodded just when my phone rung.
Vishal.
I stepped aside and answered his call.
"Yo, Vishal bonjour", I said.
"Yeah whatever, so come to the last gate of the college. It's to your right hand side and it'll be deserted. I'm waiting", he hung up.
"C'mon girls", I sat on my scooty driving slowly to the last gate. Oh well, it was at least half kilometre far so it was deserted.
At last we were here and I could see Vishal.
"Hey", I said.
"Oh, you've a scooty?", he looked at me.
"What do you think, I'm from a slum? I even have a car", I rolled my eyes, twitching the accelerator and parking my scooty at a safe spot inside the college.
"Okay, come", he walked and we all followed him.
"So, he's the dick managing guy", Neiva commented and I hit her on her head. "Don't ruin my hairstyle", she protested.
"I'm a really nice person. Just don't trust her", Vishal said.
I knew he heard that.
"Yeah I believe you man", Neiva said.
He took us from the insides to the main front row where the college group sat, burn bitches.
"Thanks Vishal", I smiled at him.
"I did it for Darshan", he walked away. I wanted to hit him with a brick but nevermind.
So, we stood there in the best line possible and waited until my patience wore off thin and I walked towards Vishal who was having a conversation with some students.
"Vishal", I called out an she moved his head to look at me.
"Yes, Tara?", he asked.
"Uh, I want to see Darshan", I said.
"Um...okay, wait", he paused for a breif minute and turned towards one of the students, "Meenakshi take Tara to Darshan please", he asked Meenakshi and she gestured me to follow her, so I did.
We entered the college from a backside door, marching in the corridors as I differentiated between my campus and Gargi's campus. Definitely, ours is fancier and this is like super classic.
I took out the packet of malboros and lighter from my bag pack's front pocket while twitching it and lighting up the cigarette as it lit up and I shoved the packet and lighter back, taking a deep drag of it.
"I don't think smoking is allowed in the campus", Meenakshi remarked.
"I don't think that's allowed in the campus as well", I pointed at two people making out, considering that this is an all girls college and Meenakshi flipped the door open.
"Wow! Desi Taran", Hardik said and everyone turned their eyes at me.
"Fuck off Dick?", I sat, on one of the couches scanning the room, looking for Darshan but he wasn't there!
"Hey Tara", Nitish smiled at me.
"Hi Nitish", I smiled back, taking another drag of the cigarette in my hand.
"Does your dad knows you smoke?", Hardik asked.
"Why are you being so mean to her?", Sagar asked Dick.
"You won't get it Sagar, mutual beef", I said looking at Hardik who playfully smiled at me. "I guess, yes!", I added.
"You live around here Tara?", Nitish asked.
"Didn't I told you last night that I live in sector 6? Were you high or something?", I asked him.
"Oh, yeah yeah", he sightly nodded.
"Yaar Taran, didn't even ask for dinner haa? You do remember that you're almost over at our place...all the time", he said.
"Why are you irritating her yaar Hardik?", Darshan came in from the front door.
"I wasn't, she didn't ask for dinner--", I cut him off, "'--everybody dinner at my place tonight, cool?", I stated.
"Cool", Hardik smiled widely.
What am I going to tell papa? Augh!
"Are you sure?", Darshan looked at me.
"Um, Hm yep", I nodded and he smiled at me. Big, wide smile.
"Okay, all the best boys. Rock it!", I cheerfully averted as they were already prepping to walkout.
"Thanks!!!", they said in unison.
Everybody walked out, Nitish and Hardik and the whole band. I stood up as Darshan walked out, I pulled him back in.
"You look...beautiful", he said, as he leaned on, smiling at me.
I wore a yellow kurti with white embroidery on it, along with a white legging and the usual open hair, with nice jhumkas and a tiny black bindi.
"And you're concussed", I said and he chuckled.
"Hey, Tara", he asked.
"Yep", I licked my lips.
"What are we doing?", Darshan asked.
"Wasting our lives", I winked at him, as I pulled him from the collar giving him a kiss, gentle as and overlapping for a while. Then I moved back and he smiled even wider.
"God, you taste like cigarette", Darshan complaint.
"Because I smoked a cigarette", I shrugged.
"Go, hear me sing", he pushed me out, gently.
"Adios Raval", I waved, walking out before him.
As I reached back I could see Hardik on the stage with the rest of the band and Nitish waved at me, smilingly.
Whatever, he's sweet. I smiled back.
After that Nitish left the stage as his work his in between the crowd.
Then after a while Darshan came on the stage, his voice echoing. I wasn't even looking at him like I knew him. This was the first time I saw him live singing in front of thousands of people and he owned the bloody moment.
And, I looked behind me, just glancing at people chanting with him, crying and smiling their hearts out. A smile slipped my lips.
I was shouting with everyone else. He was really my Rudoplh Valentino. With every high note he'd take I'd little goosebumps and I didn't matter to him because he rarely looked at me, or his friends, or anyone in this world.
It was him and the moment he owned with people whom he loved and who loved him.
I didn't aknowlege how much time had been in there when Vishal came in and asked me to quote: 'follow him or stay here'.
"But he's going to throw the t shirts", I said.
"Can't you just ask him for a t-shirt?", he asked back.
"Yeah but that's like, here it's like winning it", I said.
"She's mad, you come", he looked at Neiva.
"Bye, I'll chill in the green room", she said.
Vishal gave me his badge.
"Just walk in, they'll let you", he said and I nodded while Neiva walked with him away.
Darshan began singing Pehli Mohabbat and gosh he looked magnificent there. That was the most cheerful I've seen him. I yelled with him because what I did didn't qualified as singing.
In the middle as the music increased, he went back and bought those t-shirts and threw them in all directions. East, West, South except North obviously.
"If you or I catch one, just remember to pull it with us. These people will scratch it from us", Anuska told me.
"Okay ma'am", I told her and she smiled.
Anushka and held one and the guy behind us in the line just started pulling it so I did what she said along with Juhi and Isha. We started pulling it on our side, one group snatching it from another and I felt a tight sharp pinch on my foot. As I moved my sight downwards, there was a heel digging in my foot and I'd normal Jutis on.
Ouch, you ass.
I pulled with all my strength and we took it, viola!
I looked at the girl whose heel just pierced my foot, smirking at her.
"Yo, take it", I gave it to Anushka. "I'll be back", I said, as I took my phone seeing the text messages from papa.
Papa: be home maximum by 11 or you won't be allowed in
Papa: and I'm serious
Papa: call me when you get out of the concert
Papa: take care
Papa: drive safely
I composed a text message quickly as I walked back to the way Meenakshi took me into: 'I'll be home quick. I actually invited a few friends over dinner. Is that okay?'.
He replied in nanoseconds, just like he was waiting for me.
Papa: why are you asking now when you've already invited, you fool?
Papa: make dinner by yourself!
Kinda saw that coming?
Me: okay, don't worry, I'll do it! Thanks
I checked Chintan's chat which read, ouch, I bumped into someone.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?", this girl asked me sharply.
"Uhm...inside", I looked at her.
"Fans aren't allowed. Only persnol people", she declared.
"And you're persnol people? You? Persnol? I haven't seen you like ever", I asked her.
"I haven't seen you either", she got back at me.
South Delhi, I tell you. I despise it.
"Listen, love, you're not that pretty to be this stupid", I shoved my phone back in my pocket. It took her a minute to get my sarcasm. "So, can you just go in and ask him?", I raised my brow.
She quiteky walked in and walked out in a few seconds gesturing me that I can pass. Phew!
I walked in and sat there for a few minutes as Darshan was busy attending a few fans aka the college president and the group.
"Dick", I nudged him.
"What?", he asked me.
"I'm going back home, cool? Come for dinner, Darshan knows the address", I told him.
"But do you've to go so soon?", he asked me. Was this that one time Hardik was being considerate?
"No, no I can't! So, I'll go", I stood up, dragging Neiva out as she declared she wants to hang out with the more 'cooler people'.
Honestly I was having trouble accepting that he was my boyfriend, like mine, like he loved me. Did he...love me?
It's almsot impossible to understand or observe why would someone who is loved by so many, loves you.