When You Are With Me

9 - A letter to SakhaBabu?

Well, it was her habit to hold his hand, Her Sakha Babu's hand while walking. Bondita protected both hands on the straps of her bag to thwart herself from gripping the hands of someone else-- ensuing in awkwardness.

She barely stepped ahead of Shyama and Celicia, reckoning the words she mumbled a juncture before. Spontaneously, She heard some faint cries from somewhere. Bondita paused to put a glimpse of who was weeping, but to her trance, nobody was there except her new mates.

"Is someone crying?", She inquired Shyama. "Yeah, I too heard!" Celicia asserted.

They all gawked here and there but no one was there to be found. She wandered her eyes throughout the hallway. Meanwhile, Shyama clenched Celicia's hand frightened all of a sudden. The British girl looked at him with a soft smile and stared at their joined hands.
"Bondita!"

"Hmm" Bondita averted her gaze to set on him. "I think we should go. Someone may have gotten punished by the teacher", He said looking down with a skittish face.

Bondita furrowed and then trekked her eyes at their joined hands.
A twinkle reached her eyes escorted by a smile. She slyly nodded clutching the straps of her bag on her shoulder, ambling at their pace.

Seems like they are little more than just friends. She cleared her throat to which Celicia jerked his hand.

"Well, Celicia... Do you like Indian?" Bondita grinned, gritting her teeth in fun.

"Yeah, I do!" She exclaimed nonchalantly.

"I mean all are the same for me. I have both Indian and British friends", She replied hesitantly and then, she pinched Shyama's arm. "Aouu" He groaned.

"Go to Hostel fast. My Mother is waiting... Bye! Everyone" She ran out with timid cheeks from there. Bondita cackled shaking her head. And went on to walk outside the school with Shyama.

Shyama thinned his eyebrows. "Is pinching someone good? Why are you laughing?"-- "Nothing I reminisced something", She mustered her words.

"By the way, at which hostel are you staying?"

"Hostel number three," He told. "I am in number two. Hey, Same pinch! You are my neighbour here too. At state, at the bench, at the hostel, Is home in India close to mine too? Okay so since I am your Padosi(neighbour) you ought to help me in my studies" She snapped.

He pouted and said, "You talk a lot!". Bondita with a frown looked at him. "But I like it when you talk," He said slyly. They stepped out of the School. Aspiring some ideals of fate.

Petrichor of the sandalwood engulfed the atmosphere, giving birth to the mysterious yet undeciphered fragrance as decade-like days slipped. Was something blooming within? Maybe flowers of the season... of the souls. Perhaps it was the time yet was the eternity. Sitting behind her desk, Bondita tapped her small anklets donned feet on the marble leaving chimes echoing in her hostel room. Her raven sleek strands swayed with the cold breeze in the early morning while she occupied in dreamy conversation through the Pale yellow papers.

Sweet SakhaBabu,

In my arm, I have etched the name of two funny people. I laugh a lot glancing at the name of this caricature. Do you too smile when you think about me?

She pressed her lips together whilst smiling widely. She continued to ride pen on the pale sheet of paper.

Oh, Sakhababu! I miss you so much!
You know a reason why, Because the Caretaker's roar doesn't manage to shake me with her voice. She can't roar like you of course. But that doesn't mean I like to hear you shouting, I don't want to be deaf so soon.