WILD SUMMER ECHOES

EPISODE FIVE

“Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart, and the senses.”– Lao Tzu

The warehouse at the outskirts of the city housed arms and weapons which would be used shortly. The supervisor opened the wooden crates to check the items. He was satisfied. There were small knives, guns, rods and paved stones. Cans of kerosene and oil were also collected and stored. The supervisor was glad that he had sent his family away to his home town in Bihar. As things stood, he knew there was going to be horrific retaliation for the murder of the head of the community. He waited with fear and dread for the fury to be unleashed. God save those who were going to be affected by the havoc.

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Sahana joined her regular group of friends at the canteen for lunch. There were girls from the typing pool, secretaries to senior executives and trainees. Every afternoon, they would gather in the canteen and share their lunch. Sahana’s home made food had lot of fans and they would devour the dishes that her mother had packed for her. This afternoon the topic ranged from food, to the latest girl friend of the youngest associate in the office. One of the girls blurted out that her boss caught her kissing her boyfriend in the office corridor. Everyone giggled. The girl was dating a dashing marketing executive from another department of the same office. Everyone expected an announcement from them soon….

“Sahana, what about you?” One of the girls asked her,

“What about me?” Sahana repeated in confusion.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Everyone stared at her and she felt embarrassed. She shook her head “No…”

“How old are you Sahana?” another girl asked

“22……” Sahana replied shyly.

“And you don’t have a boyfriend?” others chorused like it was the biggest folly she had ever committed.

“Sahana, you should get yourself one…” someone else advised.

“Why should I?” Sahana asked them curiously and others laughed. They decided to advise Sahana on the advantages of having a boyfriend...

By the time the lunch hour got over, Sahana’s head was spinning. She spent the rest of the day mulling over their conversations. Was it really necessary to have a boyfriend to impress people?

She felt like talking to her best friend, Sandip about it. When she reached home, she found an envelope. She slit it open with excitement. It was an offer of job from the college ‘Maharaja School of Music and Performing Arts’ in Kochi, a vibrant city in the state of Kerala. Would her parents allow her to go to Kochi? She was chosen for the post of Students Exchange Program Coordinator. It was one of the best colleges in the country and their exchange programs were popular with other Arts Colleges in Europe. Her job was to guide the students, prepare them with documents and letters for the application and coordinate with those colleges. She was thrilled and rushed to share the excitement with Sandip whose support she wanted for taking permission from her parents.

Sandip was nowhere to be found. She searched the whole colony for him. She tried to call him but he disconnected the call. She fumed. How dare he disconnect her call?

She came out of her house in time to see Sandip getting out of a Phatphati, the usual mode of transport in Delhi and shouting ‘bye’ to a girl who was sharing the vehicle with him. The vehicle dropped Sandip and left the lane creating ruckus in the neighborhood with its din.

Sandip turned around to see Sahana standing at the entrance of her house.

He stopped and they stared at each other.....

Sahana raised her eyebrows and questioned him,

“What is going on Mr. Sandip Singh?”

He smiled sheepishly and walked past her. Sahana followed him muttering, “So he has secrets!”

“Oh Hello, I am talking to you.” She bellowed. Sandip turned back “Oh you are talking to me?” he asked

“Yes Sandip. I am talking to you.” She said “And who was that girl? Bye Bye…Take care…” She mimicked him and he laughed.

“Arrey, I meet her at the gym everyday and she seemed cute and friendly. We started chatting and travelled in the same vehicle today.” He explained with a dreamy smile.

“Oh really…How cute! Why didn’t you drop her at her house?” she asked in growing irritation.

Then she walked back to her house and he followed, ” Why are you so angry Sahana?”

As soon as they entered her house, Sahana marched ahead to her room.

“Oh I am so happy Sandip! After all you have a girlfriend now.” Sahana berated him and banged the door shut on his face. He blinked at the closed door and asked himself “Girl friend? Where did a girlfriend appear?” he frowned.

Mallika wiped her fingers with the hand towel and came out of the kitchen to see Sandip grumbling to himself and glaring at the closed door of Sahana’s room,

“Sandip, why are you standing there and muttering to yourself?” she asked with a grin.

“Nothing Ma. Sahana is angry and I don’t know the reason.”

Mallika replied with a grin, “You two are always fighting and making up…Come with me Sandip…” Before she could complete the sentence, Sahana opened the door. Mallika and Sandip turned around to see Sahana, “Ma, I want to discuss something important with Sandip. You take him later.”

Mallika shrugged her shoulders.

Sahana took hold of his arms and dragged him into her room. Then she gave him the letter from the Music College. He didn’t open it but asked her,

“Why were you so angry? And closed the door on my face?” he asked her angrily

“I was just irritated…” she mumbled

“Why were you irritated?” he asked her and she shrugged her shoulders saying nothing. He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully and asked her “Were you jealous?”

The question annoyed Sahana, “Jealous? Of you? Are you crazy? Why would I be jealous?”

Meanwhile Mallika who was leaving the house called out, “Sahana lock the door. I am going to Minu aunty’s house.”

Sahana marched to the hall and locked the door. Sandip observed her and hid a naughty grin. Sahana noticed it.

“You know Sandip, my friends in office asked me whether I have a boyfriend or not…” She told him with mischief dancing in her eyes and sat down on the couch.

Sandip went still and waited for Sahana to continue. A tension gripped him…”And?” he prompted Sahana to continue.

“And what? I said no and they were like so shocked. As if I was an i***t. They advised me to get one so that I will know all about first kiss. So I am planning to ask Farin to take me out on a date.” She mentioned one of their common friends.

The letter fell down from his hands….

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