We Are Not 'Just Friends'

2.Her

As the time to meet your beloved comes near, it feels as if everything suddenly becomes different, you feel the hands of the clock are moving slow. I couldn't sleep the whole night just thinking about her. How she will look? Amma said she is cute and chubby as she is short. I am just not able to stop imagining her. Oh!!!!! I can't wait to see her. I sat in room and started rehearsing how to talk to her when I see her. Yah we almost talk every week but it's different, now we will be seeing each other after a long time.

I only remember the old days when she used to come home to play with me. Her long hair always used as her weapon to beat me whenever she becomes angry. On her right hand there used to be an old wrist watch of her grandma, tiny anklets on her feet was a signal to say she is coming. Those deep black eyes had a different magic in them. Those chubby cheeks which used become red whenever she gets irritated. And whenever she smiles those chubby cheeks used to block her eyes making them so tiny. I don't know what will happen in the morning.

It was morning the call on landline woke me up. Amma answered the call. It was Srivalli aunty she had called to inform that they are still in Mysore and are not yet done with her Admission Process. So they will be reaching here by evening. Yes, she is getting admission for her B.com. Ah!!!! Now I have to wait till I return back from office.

It was 3p.m in the afternoon when they reached my home. As they finished their lunch on the way they had coffee in home. When I reached home at 6.30p.m, Amma and aunty were busy with chatting about each other's life. Uncle and Appa had gone to take a walk around the building. I touched aunt's feet to take her blessings. That's when I saw a shadow of a girl in my room near my book shelf. But I controlled my happiness and chatted with aunty.

Suddenly I heard her calling, VINAaaY........... How are you? My heart skipped a beat when I turned to face her. There she is my bestie, my dream girl. There was no change in her. The same round face, with that smile which made her eyes sink due to those chubby cheeks. She was the same she still had a long hair. I came back to reality and stepped down from the stool to hug her. Amma was right, she is so short. We gave each other big... hugs.

We sat in the balcony and chatted so much. (it wasn't awkward as she is the person who can talk to anyone. There is a inside joke that if a ghost comes in the midnight to her room then she will sit with it and talk with it asking things like "how did you die?", "is there any plans to seek revenge on people who killed you?" etc.) We went around the apartment don't know how the time flew. It was 8 when they called us for dinner. On the dining table we all had a discussion about the current issues and other political issues. But soon the topic of my marriage came up which flushed my happiness in a second.

After dinner I was reading a love story in the balcony, when she came and sat beside me. Finally after a long silence, she asked me "you are not willing to get married now but you don't want to hurt their feelings. So you said yes for this marriage?" I didn't respond to it. She understood and changed the topic." Are you sacrificing your dreams Vinu? What happened to that dream of becoming a wildlife photographer? I remember you always used to tell me", right now I had no answer for that.

Yes, I wanted to become a wildlife Photographer, but I was scared to tell my dad about it. So I chose to do CA. I still I go around to places with my cam and make videos or click pics on wildlife. I got many awards for that in school and college, but others think it's just my hobby, for me it was my passion. Till day actually none in my family or friends had asked me about it. She still remembered what I had told her long back.

As I had no answer I gave her a long stare. She saw me and said "I know how it feels, when your own ones don't appreciate our talent at least share your feelings with me, even though I am not matured enough to console, I can be a ear which listens to you. And how much stress will you give for that small heart? " suddenly I felt as if someone was there to understand me. I turned to her and asked what about her dreams. She was silent for a while, and she spoke, "your joking Vinu? Who will listen to my wishes? They are just worried about their dignity and self respect in the society. In this house though I look like I am a princess, I am not. I am.... Maybe a princess who is a kind of puppet..... For outside world I am a free bird, but actually I am a bird whose legs are chained, where it can only walk a distance but cannot fly. Even if it tries to fly it will be pulled back by those huge chains. Let's not talk about it."