Meera

It was around 1.30 pm and I was in afternoon shift that day, as usual I boarded the train and occupied a seat near the window. An old man asked me, “Child, will this train halt at Mylapore?” “Yes sir, it will” I replied, at the same time a girl came and occupied the seat in front of me. She was cute, attractive and looked trendy. All of a sudden, my mobile beeped notifying I have received a message

‘Sri… where are you?’. It was from Abi.

‘Just got into train, Will reach in 15 mins’ I replied.

‘Come to my cabin once you reach.’

I had no clue why she had asked me to come, I responded, ‘sure.’

All the way, I was so curious to know why she had asked me to come. After reaching office, with all the curiousness brimming I went to her cabin and asked, ‘Hiiii Abi.. What’s up? Why did you ask me to come?’

“Hey Sri, come come. Look at this” she handed over a cover to me.

It was little heavy, I guessed there might be a book inside it.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“Have a look” she replied.

I opened the cover and noticed that it wasn’t a book, but an album.

“Heyyy… Engagement Album??? When did you get this?”

“(In the) Morning, got it at last” She replied.

“Have it for now, I will look at it later, clocked-in late, duty calling. See you again” I gave the album back to her and walked to my cabin.

[I’m Sriram, Abinaya is my best friend from college and now working for same company. Recently, she had got engaged to Rajesh. ]

Same day, 5.00 PM…

It was a practice that we take a break at 5.00 PM everyday; I pinged to two other friends and started off to Abi’s cabin. As we were waiting for Vimal and Nisha, she gave me her engagement album.

In the first few sheets, I found pictures of Abi and Rajesh in different poses and attires, followed by pictures of other rituals and people around during the function. I could see everyone smiling and posing for clicks with their mouth wide open. I was gradually turning the sheets, looking at every photo, Abi on the other side was very keenly introducing me her relatives. In one of the sheets, in the left bottom corner, I saw three girls standing with a big smile. At the centre, the girl of the day - Abi, to her left I saw a girl in a lavender saree with some designer works in it, that face looked familiar. I hardly remember who was standing to Abi’s right. In the meantime, Abi got busy in a call, I flipped over the sheets. She returned and continued the introduction work again, I thought of rolling back the sheets to get to know who that Lavender beauty was, but I did not want to ask at that moment. I didn’t have any other thought at that time, rolling over the rest of the sheets I found that girl even more beautiful at many other pictures.

By that time, Vimal and Nisha joined us, so we moved down to food court. As always we were munching our snacks accompanied with our regular chit-chats. In the middle of the conversation, I asked to Abi, “Who is she?”

"Who?” she replied and looked puzzled.

“In the Album...” I dragged.

“Be clear da.”

“Lavender saree, nose ring, dimples, Samsung mobile, mole in cheeks…”

“Stop, stop.. enough enough. She is Meera, my schoolmate, my best friend too” she replied.

“It seems you will make a speech on her. What happened?” she asked.

“Nothing…” I smiled at her.

******

Months later,

I was getting ready for Abi’s wedding, all dressed up and waiting for a message from my friend. “I have started. Be ready, I will be there in ten minutes” Vimal messaged me. “Ok. I am all set” I replied him back. In the meantime i called Nisha, and informed her that I and Vimal will be starting in a while and asked her to get ready along with Madhan as they are from same place.

A Metallic blue Scorpio arrived in front of my house; it was Vimal and it’s his brand new car. I got into his car and we drove to the marriage hall picking up Nisha and Madhan on the way.

We reached the hall in next half hour.

We were sitting in one corner of the hall and making all sorts of fun as loud as possible. On the other side, bride and groom were performing all the rituals with a face that suggested that they couldn’t be a part of the fun. As I was so much involved into the discussion with my friends, I didn’t give much attention to anything else. Someone tapped my shoulders, I turned back to see who it was, it was Meera, she was standing with her ever smiling face. I was awestruck, she was amazingly beautiful and looked traditional, I was staring at her for some time. I couldn’t hear when she said 'Hi' to me, then she followed with "Hiiiiii.." loudly waving her hand in front of my face, I recovered, and replied her with 'Hi..'. We had our conversation for next 5 minutes and later I noticed that all my friends were watching us with a big shock, realizing that I was too deeply involved in speaking with her, I decided to introduce her to my friends to avoid further damages.

“Hey guys... this is Meera, Abi's best friend from school.” I introduced her to my friends, eventhough they all were giving me a teasing look.

Being my best friends they know everything, they know how we got introduced and how Facebook helped us to know about each other over the months. I was trying to handle the situation gesturing them to keep calm. Meera couldn’t understand what was going on, before things got worse I took away her from that place.

“Dai dai…” I heard Madhan calling me aloud. I pretended as I didn’t hear though.

“I think he is calling you” Meera said me.

“Don’t mind” I replied to her.

Abi’s brother came rushing towards us, “Meera akka, Abi is calling you” he said.

“Wait da. I will come back” she told me and went with him. I was standing still and watching her, Madhan came near me, shook my shoulders and said, “You aren’t normal since the day you saw her on train”. “True” I replied with a smile.

At the Dining hall,

All of us were having our dinner; Meera doesn’t know anyone apart from me and Abi. Bride, groom and their families were sitting together, we were occupying the seats opposite to them, Meera was sitting to my left and my friends to my right. All my friends were teasing Abi and Rajesh. As the fun grew up, they started teasing Abi’s food habits; she will usually have extra ghee in all her dishes. Madhan started it all, “I think, the ghee they have added will not be sufficient for you. I could find it with your facial expressions”

“Rajesh finish off your dinner soon, otherwise you won’t have anything to eat, be careful with Abi” continued Nisha.

“Rajesh will turn pauper in buying ghee for Abi” said Vimal.

The fun and comments grew more and more, even their parents enjoyed it.

The cook and the men who were serving us weren’t comfortable, their face turned red and wild, may be they would have thought that we are mocking at their preparation, even though we were doing it for fun, their face looked serious, as it was not a joke but a pride for them.

Initially I didn’t notice it, it was Meera who first noticed it, she gestured me to have a look at their reaction, I guessed something was wrong and drifted the topic to something else, which was part of our college fun.

After our dinner, I went to her and said “Thanks.”

“What for?” she asked.

“It might have resulted in any problem, thanks for preventing it and saving my friends” I replied.

“I didn’t save your friends, I saved you” she said.

I didn’t understand what she was trying to say to me, “What?” I asked her.

“If it is an insult to your friends, then it is an insult to you as well. I don’t want you to get insulted from anyone, anywhere.” she replied.

“Why?”

“I can’t explain it. It’s like that” she said.

“Will you tell me clearly? I didn’t get you” I replied.

“Idiot.!!” She said and went away.

Virtually I was jumping in joy, as I understood that what she was trying to convey is same as what I wanted her to say. But I don’t want to reveal it before she says it to me, so I was keeping quiet and trying to pull out words from her.

I chased her and asked, “tell me stupid.”

“Come with me,” she said and took me to the balcony.

It was such a lonely place, everyone in the hall were busy with their own works. In front of a clear dark sky, with moon trying to make our lives bright, chill breeze cooling our hearts, she stood leaning on the wall, looking at the moon, smiling. She was so lovely; I wished that I could die for her in that moment or at the least convey my love to her. I was about to utter the words, but something stopped and made me to wait for her reaction. It is really wonderful feeling to get to know something from someone special which you are already aware off. Your favorite sweet from someone really special will always be sweeter and tastier, it’s priceless too.

She started, “can’t you understand what I was trying to say?”

“No..” I said, smiling without her notice.

“I don’t know how to start; I don’t know how you will take this. I don’t know why I am doing this, I don’t know what’s there in store for my future”

“Tell me whatever you know.” I interrupted in purpose.

“Shut up. Let me finish.” she scolded and continued

“I don’t want to leave this as such; at least I want to get the burden off my heart.” She paused for a moment and then continued.

“Do you remember the day when I started late from office, and you kept messaging me for every 5 - 10 minutes and was messaging non-stop until I reached home safely, even you called twice when I was waiting for my buses, I liked the way you take care of someone you knew.”

“Do you remember this at least, when I was returning from grocery shop after my mom had given some 50 rupees and total billed amount was only 48, you asked me what did I do with the balance, when I replied, ‘I ate chocolates for the remaining 2 rupees.. :P’. You said that you imagined me, like that child who appears in that detergent commercial saying that “Michamaana rendu rooba la icecream saptaen…” I loved the way you teased.

"It was just one to two months after we got introduced, you wished me at 12 for my birthday, I didn’t expect at all. It was really a surprise for me. I don’t know whether you wish all your friends apart from your close friends, but the way you wished me I liked it a lot. I still remember the words you said, “A birthday is a million moments, each holding a promise of fulfillment of your dreams and accomplishments of some special plans. I wish each of those million moments to come true and execute those special plans in a very special way. My hearty birthday wishes Meera.” You were so sweet. I loved it. That was a very special birthday to me.” She said.

“One day I was upset as my lead yelled at me badly for a simple mistake of mine, which caused a serious issue, I was crying like anything, even though you couldn’t spare much time talking to me that day, in those few minutes the way you consoled me was lovely, it was really helpful in calming myself down, I don’t know when I would have turned normal if I hadn’t spoken to you that day. You lent me your shoulders to me when I needed it the most. I liked it”

“I feel so happy talking to you, texting you, I feel as if I’m so secured whenever I am with you or talking to you, to my bad luck, we had met just twice so far, thanks to Abi and Rajesh, their shopping plan made me to meet you and spend some time with you. All my worries getting vanished when you are with me, I feel like I am in a new world, when you are near me.”

“One minute Meera. Will you stop it” I interrupted.

She looked stunned and shocked. There was two minutes of silence and I wasn’t looking at her, but she was looking at me all quizzed.

I started, “I don’t know how it has happened to you, all I wanted to ask you is one simple question”

“What is that?” she replied in fear and looked shocked as if I am going to deny her proposal.

“Will you marry me?” I asked.

She was surprised, maybe she didn’t realize that even I had the same feeling towards her, she was still in a shock tears rolled down her eyes, it was so evident that she was trying to express her joy, she came near me.

I opened my arms wide enough to hug her, she came even closer.

“Plar….” She slapped me aloud.

“Idiot!” She said and hugged.