The Perfect Day

Chapter 14

The Perfect Day

Life has became boring. I study a total of four hours. And that is after school! It is good that I understand things now but it’s still boring. I try to catch up with my guys but on most days I’m just sitting around at Sagar’s, doing my work. He enjoys my company a lot. Well, who doesn't? heh. Kesha and I had a fight. A little argument it was. It turned into a fight when I disagreed to apologize. But where’s she going? Besides we always had this little arguments now and then. My parents though are very happy seeing that i'm finally concentrating on my studies. It made me feel good about myself. I did well in the class tests and my teachers now cared of my presence in the class. The principal lacked of reasons to shout on my face. It was funny how easy life felt when I started spending time with my books. On the other hand, my social life was losing it’s spark. But that’s the price I had to pay.

“You think it suits you? Sitting in a library?” Taral lifted my face up from the books the sixth time she asked me, this time uprooting my hairs.

"Man! why are you in the library?”  I looked at her in irritation.

“Answer me.” She was solid with her question.

“Look if you don’t want to read, don’t. Just let me do my stuff. And get the hell out of this library.” I said in frustration but quietly.

“That doesn't answer my question. You’re not a guy who sits in the library in free lectures. You’re the one who peeks through the window of our class and entertain us during boring lectures, mimicking the teacher. So what's with all this books? is it something about kesha?”

“No! not everything is always about kesha! My dad gave me a big lecture about my academic results last time he had a glimpse over my marks. I don't want it again.”

“ So? My dad always gives me lectures about stuff!” She consoled me.

“But my case is different!” I sighed. “You do it all on purpose. To grab his attention.”

“You should have not said that.” Her words hinted a mild aggression but it was pure agony.

“ I’m sorry. It’s just everything didn't went as I planned it.” I expressed sadly.

“What..what did you planned?” she asked softly.

“I planned that...everything will figure it out itself. I trusted time.”

“So do that. It will work out. Like it always has for you.”

“But...okay.” I smiled at her. She was right. besides there was no meaning in arguing with her.

“So, talking about figuring things out what happened between you and kesha this time?And what are your plans on that?”

“That, my dear taral, is personal!” I said in a British accent. Her cousin from England had that accent and she always mimicked him.

“Fuck You! How in the world can you have the guts enough to tell me it’s personal!” She yelled at me.

Our principal finally got a reason to shout his throat out at me. I was so angry with her. and she was infact with me. I asked her all the personal stuff and her reaction wasn't for nothing. But seriously, who yells in a library? And who abuses in front of the librarian! We stood in the principal's office for never-ending thirty minutes. It was a blessing to us when he finally stopped talking. Shouting, to be honest. We walked out of his office.

“Personal, huh?” she looked at me fiercely.

“It is stupid. I can’t tell you. You’ll laugh at me!”

“Just parrot out!”

“I told her I made a promise to myself that I’ll read four hours a day. And She laughed at me like I was an idiot .”

“So you’re mad at her?”

“of course I am!”

“I Don’t understand. Jaimin told me you’re not apologizing for something you did. What did you do?”

“Nothing. She’s the one not apologizing. Come on taral! I’m a guy. how do you expect me to tell everybody I’m upset that my girl is not apologizing for what she did.”

“heh heh! You’re so cute! Acting like a little baby.” She laughed.

“ You don't understand. It's important that she values my decisions. No matter how stupid they sound to her." She was holding her laugh as I was speaking. "Laugh all you want. And tell kesha I’m not having a word with her until she apologizes.”

“Oh you naive little boy!” She pulled my cheeks.

“Do you want me to call your parents or are you both going back to your class?” Princy shouted from inside his office. We ran for our lives.

To bring me out of the house of books, taral planned an outdoor attack. She knew how much I loved going out with them. To relive our Saturday nights, we decided to go to this amusement park nearest to us called ‘Ajwa Fun World’. It was nothing special, nothing compared to disneyland or kinds but well, what we had was what we wanted. A place to be together. As Sagar being a non-member of the gang, he was never before invited to this type of trips and was excited the most. This fine evening, he joined me as my date. Not literally. I don't know why I didn't expect kesha to be there. Obviously she was going to come. She was part of our gang now. I looked at her obtusely when jaimin stopped the car at taral's house. I knew she was never gonna Apologize and the question was not about being mature and all, It was about our relationship. If this was going to happen through and through, I would surely hate myself. She had to understand that in a relationship, she has to care about my feelings and no matter how girlish I appear, I knew it was right. I came out of the back and sat in the front seat. Nobody said shotgun on that day. Maybe because I needed that seat the most. Jaimin's dad just bought a new Honda civic last diwali. Which, he still without a license, was not allowed to drive but a licence was nothing more than a 500Rs note and it was not a big deal for jaimin now that he was rich. Sagar sat behind with Taral and Kesha. Lucky bastard. We were all on the top of our moods and never throughout the way, was anyone silent. While no one noticed but me and kesha that we were trying our best to ignore each other. It was sad. I sometimes thought why our relation, whatever it was always lead into sadness. Was it my fault? maybe it was her's!

The were at the place. The entry tickets were on me because I was being a bookworm for an entire month. I was standing in the line when sagar joined me.

"Dude! I'm feeling kind of uncomfortable with them."

"Why? Are they not treating you well?"

"No! It's not that. I'm just a little embarrassed. I mean what am I supposed to answer when kesha asks me is he fine?"

"What? She asked about me? What did you said? And dude! you're on my team. You don't answer her."

"I said I don't know. I feel like an Idiot. Why did you asked me to come if you didn't wanted me to talk to her?"

"I know. I'm childish. I'm sorry. You can talk to her. BTW What about taral?"
"What about taral what?"

"Did you get a chance to talk to her?"
"Yes. But why are you asking?"

"Oh come on! I know you like taral. When are you gonna ask her? And what do you prefer? A slap on your face or a kick to the balls? I'll convince her for that!"

"What’s wrong with you I have a girlfriend!"

"I know you like...What! You have a girlfriend? That's a joke, right?"

"Ahh..Yes! It is." he gave a funny smile.

"Who is she you hideous Fucker?" How can anyone let that slip out. Or maybe he wanted to brag about it. Dude! Sagar has a girlfriend and I still don't. Oh, I have one. But she hasn't said that herself so we're not we officially.

"I wanted to tell you but I was waiting for a time when you would be so screwed up, I didn't have to be laughed at. Nisha. ‘The Rumor bag’ as you know her."

"No kidding?"

"Yes. "

"The rumour bag is your girlfriend? "

"She's not that anymore. You know that. And the thing is that we really like each other. You don't have any right to talk about her in that way!"

"So is this why you know things that even I don't about the seniors?"
"Yes. And none of it are rumours."
"I always felt like you had a secret relation with someone from seniors. Because you like, never ever had an interaction with them and you knew so much about them."
"That's because she knows it. And she tells me because we don't hide anything from each other. Not because she likes to spread rumours."
"No dude, I'm happy. I know her. Maybe she was a rumor bag but she is a nice and truly speaking, also a beautiful girl." I hugged him tightly.
"Good going, Bro!”

"You've changed a lot Karthik. Do you know that?" I knew that. I realized how much I was changed since the day I met Kesha.

"Yeah. And I guess I can't be blue with the one who did it. Get the tickets." I handed him my wallet.

I ran towards her and she was standing there chatting with Taral and jaimin. She didn't notice me. as I was behind her.

"Kesha?"

"Omg! Karthik! Don't talk from my back. You scared me!" She literally jumped in fear.

"I'm sorry!"

"No, actually I’m sorry.  I didn’t knew you'll make such a big deal about that day. I never meant that to be rude."

"Big deal? No. I was just hoping...Ah, whatever! We leave it here. And forget it, okay?"

She smiled. How silly was I. Jaimin laughed. Sagar bought tickets and Taral made a inappropriate comment about me being the third girl in our gang. I laughed on that one too.

We jumped on to the rides. Starting from popcorn to ice-cream, it felt like we were kids again. I held kesha's hand on scary roller-coasters. Not because I thought she was scared but because I was losing my senses. My head was going round and round and I prayed that I don't die on that roller-coaster. Beautiful death it would have been though. Holding her hand! We drifted through rides that were not equally capable of killing me but frankly they gave me a dramatic fear of heights and speed.

"You cry like a kid, karthik." Kesha stated.

"what? those cries? It was for fun. I like shouting at heights. Just that"

"You convince like a kid, too" She smiled.

"I thought you were scared so I thought I should ..hold your hand, you know!"

" And you're dumber than a kid!" she said in her usual insulting manner. I don’t know why I found it hot.

"And you're Mean. Crazy, Short tempered, egoistic,.." Her face was wide open.

"Don't know why always dressed prettily, with your almond eyes beautifully shying away when you smile and...I can't imagine how to explain it to you without sounding cheesy but I'm Madly in love with you!" I said it. Without sounding cheesy too, I guess. Bingo! I was blushing inside. She looked me in the eye and her eyes were contemplative.

 

"Say something that I don't already know!" She walked ahead smiling. Oh she made my world go upside down. She was so witty with her tongue.

We eventually moved to the food stalls that were proving themselves capable of giving us aches in our stomachs as we lost control over eating those tasty items. Whoever among us planned to have pani-puri was so going to get abused by all of us. We were all exhausting as the hot chilly masala made us sweat. I drank the last sip of water passing an empty bottle to jaimin. Taral stated there was water in the car and went to fetch that. I was eager to ask Sagar more about his story with the rumor bag ‘Nisha’ but he would be embarrassed to talk infront of Kesha. He was a shy guy.

"Oh Damn! The keys are with me. I'll go hand it to her." Jaimin said and ran towards the car.

"Okay!" I replied to already gone Jaimin.

"So Sagar. why do you never come along? You seem fun!" Kesha started a conversation.

"Me? Ah..! Let's say I'm a bit late bloomer." Sagar seemed comfortable. I liked it. I always wanted Sagar to be a part of my group but it always stuck straight as he never was comfortable with people around. I wanted all my friends to be friends with kesha. I wanted everyone that I liked to like her. I wanted a perfect love story for us. Like that day was. Perfect. I lost them. I didn't knew what they were talking about. 
"Blue. I mean not more than White but better than Black."I wonder how someone reach to Blue from late-bloomer. I guess from flowers. I took out my wallet and peeked inside to realize I was empty. I couldn't let Kesha pay and I couldn't ask Sagar for money infront of her. It was getting more embarrassing as the bhaiya stared at me. It felt like he was telling me something.  I have seen many break-ups over this place. When you don’t pay and let her pay, you lose your impression of being a gentleman. You look like a loser!  I thought for a minute and I realized I seriously needed a good doctor. I thought way too much! I made an excuse that I needed water badly and went to ask Jaimin for some. I moved into the parking lot searching him in embarrassment. I paced towards the car and leaned over the shining gloss color of the hood were Jaimin and Taral kissing. I was not shocked. Yes, I was amazed. but I expected them to come together one day or another. I hide myself behind a car and went back. Surely they didn't noticed me. They seemed quite busy. I came back empty hand but my heart was full. It had been a beautiful evening. Sagar had a girlfriend. Kesha likes Sagar’s company. Jaimin and Taral will be a couple. Apparently, they already were. I was so happy. I drove the car on our way back. I wanted Jaimin and taral to sit together. Sagar was half asleep as he never had the capacity to stay up after eleven. Kesha was sitting by my side and I knew driving without watching the road is dangerous but on that night it was she, who was more important to me than my very life.