Just Another Love Story -Chapter 1

"Get me an ice cream; Raj.It should have a scoop of vanilla, one butterscotch and chocolate. Also some chocolate sauce .Make sure that it is only over the chocolate scoop part. Make sure the vanilla part is clear." Payel had given her order.
Raj stumbled up to get the order, "Anything for you!!"
"And put a cherry on the vanilla part" her voice trailed him as he went towards the counter.
Raj looked back, perhaps a bit annoyed.
Payel made a cute fish like face and obviously Raj was all smiles again. "Anything for you”, he repeated and turned on to the counter.

"Payel, you completely use him", I said.
"Huh!” That was all Payel replied.
"Have you yet accepted his proposal?” I asked.
"No! Not so easily." She exclaimed.
"Will you ever?" pissed off, I asked.
"Let's see", was her answer. You could never expect a straight answer from that girl. I was so annoyed
"Why are you playing around with him", I asked agitated to no ends.
Payel gave me a "Go to Hell" look. I was about to say something when Raj came back with a lofty ice cream with God knows how many scoops and how many sauces.
We had to close our conversation half way.
Raj placed the ice cream in Payel’s hand and said, “Here for you, happy?”
I looked the other way, didn’t want to see her mocking expression.
I was pretty sure Payel was not the least serious about Raj. She was just having a good time. On the other hand, Raj was completely mad about her. Arrrrgg, I hated that.

Raj, a tall, handsome fellow. We all had had a crush on him at one time or other. He
was our hero, i.e. until he fell for Payel.

Payel, an arrogant snob. That’s how we all know her. She is rude and rough in her dealings. Never really cared who was at the receiving end of her words. Appearance wise a bit on the darker side and lanky as well with the street side fashion quotient. Not the least bit beautiful but though I would like to say otherwise, she was attractive.
Our dislike for her had increased ever since Raj had been blinded by her attraction.

Now about me and Raj, we are buddies now. Cannot deny having had a crush on him earlier, but now we are best buddies. Yet I could never convince him of Payel’s lack of interest in him. It was always like, “You have misunderstood her”. He always wanted me to get closer to Payel, and I wanted her to go off as far as possible from him.
I hated to see Raj, running errands for that despicable girl.


To be continued in the next post... Just another Love Story Chapter 2

From the Stars above

Hey Baby sister wake up, It's me here.

Mom had instructed me never to wake my sister when she is sleeping. But I could scarcely endure the urge to play with her. When the stars started twinkling and I had finished all my daily cores including studying and homework, I always used to wake up that teeny weenie bit with her toothless smile. My sister always smiled at me, and caught my fingers when I played with her.

About a year back once day mom told me, that I would be having a sibling very soon. I didn’t really care until I saw mom growing really fat. I was so scared that she would burst off one day. When I told her my fears, she did burst, but in laughter. Then she took my hand and placed it on her tummy .Lo! Something hit me there and I snatched my hand away.” What was that?” I asked her.

"It’s the baby” she said,” It is kicking".

"What, you ate up a baby? And it is still alive in your tummy!” I was aghast.

Mon Laughed, then She was in indecision for sometime, then she said,” My dear, Babies first come in the mothers tummy, where it grows up a little, then they come into the world".

I thought for a while, and then said,” All babies or only naughty babies?"

Mom said,” All babies, but why do you ask this question."

"Actually I thought the naughty babies are kept in tummies, so that they cannot run away. Mom, was I in your tummy as well?"

Mom hugged me, “Yes dear"

"Then was I naughty, did I kick?"

She gave me a kiss and said, “Only a little."

"Oh my God! I am so sorry".

"You were a good baby”, mom said and placed a kiss on my forehead.

"So this baby will be good?" I asked. Mom replied in her affirmation.

But the weeks that followed made me think otherwise. Mom grew even fatter. She couldn’t move and couldn’t bend. She was in lots of pain as well.

Finally one day when I returned from school, dad took me to the hospital where mom was. There beside her i found a small little baby who couldn’t even open her eyes. But when I placed my finger in her hand she grabbed it.

"Oh, how small, how tiny!"

"This is your sister", mom said.

"Mom is she mine?” I asked.

"Yes dear" mom replied.

I held my sisters hand and kissed it.

The baby was really good. She slept less and played a lot. But the most important thing is she smiled whenever she saw me, she loved me. I loved her as well. I always looked forward to the time i spent with her.

And she was an ardent listener; I used to share with her my thoughts on myriads of things, all my sorrows, my happiness, and my problems. She used to listen patiently to whatever I had to say, and smile.

I had become so used to her that I could not think of a day without my deep conversations with her. The smile she gave me after listening to my problems seemed to make my problems null and void.

As times passed by she grew up a little bit. Her neck no longer toggled.

Finally one day mom made me sit and take her in my lap. The little thing curled up in my lap. It was so small and so delicate, I feared even to move a little bit.

As time went by she started to sit and crawl. I had always wanted to be a teacher, but I never really got a student. Now I got the chance. I started to teach my little one all my lessons. She used to curl beside me when I was studying and made all sorts of sounds.

She wasn’t a good student. Her intentions were mostly to tear of my books. So I had to be extra careful with her.

Thus my days went by, doing the usual chores of life. My sister had got perfectly entwined in our life. She was more than a sister to me. What role she played was different each day, completely depending on my whims and fancies. Sometimes she was my student, sometimes my baby and again sometimes she was my doll.

This was all good. But one day when at school dad came to take me back a bit too early. He was quiet and red swollen eyes. I was so scared to even ask him where we were going. I tried to recollect if I had done any such mischief which could cause me a big punishment.

Dad didn’t take me home. We went straight to the hospital, the very hospital where my little one was born. I asked “Dad? Is mama going to have another baby? She wasn’t fat this time?”

Dad hugged me, he was in tears. I knew something was terribly wrong. I had never seen dad cry.

What happened the next few days is kind of a blur to me. I was taken inside the hospital. They wouldn’t let me meet mom. I could only see her through a glass window. She was all covered with bandages and a lot of pipes in and out of her. No one would tell me where my sis was. I knew she was no more. Dad always had swollen eyes. I was simply wandering around; no one was there to take care of me.

Two days later they allowed me into mom’s cabin. She looked so bad. I instantly started crying. I knew mom was leaving us too. I cried and cried and said,” Mom, please please don’t leave me. No one will love me and take care of me if you are gone. You cannot go. I will not let you go. I’ll be a good girl, I will not be naughty” And I buried my face in her palm.

Mom placed a feeble hand over my head and tried to bring me closer. I moved very close to hear what she had to say. ”Baby, don’t worry”, she said “I’ll always be there. All you have to do is search me among the stars.”

That was the last few words I ever heard from her.

Later that day we completed the ceremonies that needed to be done. People had come to give their condolence. So many people around but I wanted to talk to no one. Slowly they all departed.

A kind of quite had settled in our home. Dad spoke very less Nowadays, not unless necessary. He is very busy with work. A nanny had come in to take care of me. I did not throw tantrums anymore. I had promised mom I’ll be good.So I ate properly, did all my studies, my homework, go to school .But still I was very lonely.

I often tried finding MOM in between the stars, but I never did. I used to stare up into the sky and ask ,”Where are you mom?” I never really got an answer.

That was another such evening. I went to our terrace and looked up to the sky; as usual I couldn’t find her. But then I started talking to myself, looked up after a while. My God! Wasn’t that a smile between the stars? Yes I saw that clearly, that was it! My baby sister smiled down from above. I knew it was her. The very toothless silent smile. I was filled with glee. I did find my little sis in the stars.

Then on, my regular conversations with her continued. I found a new friend between the stars.

It’s been a while since I have been with her every evening. Today as well I came up to the terrace in search of her, but the stars weren’t there.

Today the sky is cloudy, I cannot see her. But no worries, I know she will be there tomorrow, smiling down upon me, from between the twinkling stars again.

Summer's here

Summer's here and my camera has started clicking, capturing the colors of nature.Hope to have a few more soon.