The Red Dragon's Lair

Pink Cat

Andy

They walked to a restaurant that was frequented by the college students. It was a pocket-friendly place with a warm vibe to it. The walls were painted yellow and the place was decorated with cheap roadside paintings. Wasn’t very well lit, but the tables and cutlery were clean.

“This place isn’t much but the food is good,” said Andy, a little embarrassed by his choice of restaurant.

“It’s perfect! It's nearby too! Let’s order,” said Anya. “What would you like to have?” she asked, checking the menu out.

“Paneer tikka masala (cottage cheese curry with spices and veggies) and roti (Indian flatbread made out of whole wheat flour),” said Andy, happy that Anya wasn’t stuck up on materialism. Looking at her reading through the menu he continued, “This place is vegetarian. You won’t find much variety on the menu”.

“For me, a Dosa  (a pancake made from rice flour and ground pulses, typically served with a spiced vegetable filling) would be good,” said Anya and they placed their orders at the self-service counter.

“Why did you push for paying for the meal? I would have loved to pay. Anyways, this is an inexpensive joint,” Andy gave a cheeky smile.

“Between the 2 of us, I am earning while you are only a student. So it is fair for me to pick up the tab.” Anya shrugged.

Andy burst out laughing. “You are right. We engineers take ages to start earning. But you don’t have to worry about me being unable to spend. I transcribe during my free hours. Helps to cover my expenses.”

“Cool! So next time you spend,” said Anya, looking amused.

“Deal!” said Andy and dug into the food that the waiter had placed in front of him.

The exertion during the Regatta had left him tired and hungry. 

Anya

Anya observed how intently Andy ate. He is so cute, she thought. His entire concentration was on his food. He looked up and chuckled, “what are you staring at?”

“Nothing”, she shook her head and started eating, flustered at getting caught.

“I just noticed. Where is your cap?”

She looked at Andy, clearly confused, “Oh! I left it at the office. No point carrying it to the fest.”

“How was your day?”

“Same old robberies, murders, and unclaimed corpses,” she grimaced.

“Sorry, that was a bad question.” He looked at his food awkwardly.

Anya felt sorry for changing the mood of their dinner. Staring at the river had made her so sombre. She changed the topic, “How is Mia?”

“She is better. Especially since you helped with the restraining order. The guy isn’t pestering her as much.”

She had chosen the right topic! They went on to animatedly discuss the loopholes in the Indian judicial system and the influence of money and power.

They fell into easy conversation after that and it felt as if she had known him forever. His talk was like a breath of fresh air in her regular day to day life which was all about crime, distress, and impoverishment. She told him about her thoughts on how influential criminals should be dealt with. She was able to freely share her views and anger about the whole Sushant - Mia incident.

He told her about his childhood and she listened longingly to his stories of life with his parents.

She saw the love and respect that he had for his parents who stayed and worked in Mumbai (Bombay). His mom was a government servant working in the local council and his dad was a senior executive in the Life Insurance Corporation of India. Life had been smooth and easy for him while growing up. 

“What about you? Where are your parents?”

“Dead,” she said casually. 

“I am sorry.”

“Don’t be. I don’t remember them much. I was too young when that happened.” She smiled at him and continued, “I would have loved to talk more but I think we should leave now. It is 11 already and my last bus is in 15 mins.”

“You are treating me to dinner. It is only fair for me to drop you home.” He looked into her eyes making her heart skip a beat.

Anya thought about it. She wouldn’t have allowed anyone else to see where she lived but with Andy, she felt different. “Okay”

Andy

For a moment he thought that she would refuse. He felt relieved that she didn't. Maybe she did trust him after all. Post dinner, they walked back to the college parking. He took his jacket out of the side box of his Royal Enfield, overjoyed that he would be able to find out where she lived. 

“Pink cat?” Anya raised her eyebrows as Andy passed on the Fuschia full-face helmet to her.

He chuckled, “Mia loves all shades of pink and she is a fan of Catwoman.”

“So only Mia sits pillion on your bike?”

“Yes, kind of.”

“Kind of?” Anya asked, still holding the helmet in her hands.

“Yes. Mia doesn't like being a pillion. Whether it was her bike or mine she would be the one riding it. Now that she is on medication that's out of the question and I don't have to be pillion anymore !” He said climbing onto the bike and starting it. “Now will you please wear that and sit”.

Anya looked at the helmet and winced, “Oh God! I don’t want to be seen in this. What if someone I know sees me?”

“Come on! No one would recognise you.”

“This thing will look hideous on my uniform.”

“Ok, here, put this on” he passed his jacket to Anya, “now no one will realise that it's you and it will keep you warm as I speed up”. Andy laughed looking at her expressions. She looked cute.

She sighed and put the jacket and helmet on. Andy took a photo of hers on his cell phone. 

“What was that for?” she chided, “delete that”.

“Come on. You look cute. This pic will cheer Mia up.”

Again, he thought she would insist on deleting the photo. But when he spoke about Mia, she dropped it and mounted his bike. Mia could be the key to making friends with Anya, he thought.

He wished he could have asked someone to take a photo of theirs. When she loosened her ponytail he wanted to run his fingers through her silky, straight hair. Since that wasn’t an option he focused on the feel of her body behind him as she sat with her boobs pressed against his back. Her soft body made him crazy with desire.

He dropped her at the main gate of her society and said goodbye. Standing there, she looked so lonely. He wanted to stay back and caress her. He felt like kissing her nude lips, instead, he left before his body could betray him making him do something stupid like hugging her again.

Anya

She let loose her hair, put on the pink cat helmet and Andy’s jacket. She liked the feel of the jacket. It smelled of chocolate. And she enjoyed the way Andy gawked at her when she pulled the hairband out to free her hair.

When he snapped her pic, she wanted to stop him. But she couldn’t refuse when he mentioned that it was for Mia.

The girl needed some light moments in her life!

He was a fast rider and the feel of his muscular back against her body felt heavenly. She suspected the excessive braking was intentional but did not protest as she was enjoying it as much. She knew this ride was going nowhere so why not enjoy it while it lasts?

Their lives were so different. Hers was full of crime and danger while his life was full of hope and life.

He dropped her at her society gate. She signed looking at his fading back as he sped off. It was midnight but she wasn’t feeling sleepy yet.

Her wretched insomnia! As she walked over to her apartment she realised that Andy had forgotten his jacket. So they would be meeting again she thought breathing in his chocolaty aroma from the jacket.

She took a shower and poured herself a whiskey. Sitting on the tiny balcony which overlooked the river she sipped her drink and prayed to God for some sleep. She had taken this apartment due to its proximity to the river. The calm and quiet helped relax her distressed soul.

As the whiskey spread through her body making her feel warm and tired she went to bed slipping into a sleep full of dreadful dreams. Maybe she even looked forward to seeing her brother. That was her only connection to her family.

Dada... Look what I have made! A 9 year old Anya stood with her recent drawing very proud of herself. Their teachers had asked them to draw a family. She had drawn only her brother and a house next to a river which was full of fishes. 

"So many fishes Anya!"

"Yes, dada. We can go fishing every day and eat a lot of fish. We won't need to pay so you don't have to work so hard to earn money."

17 year old Palash laughed himself silly. "It doesn't work this way shona (an endearment in the Bengali language which means 'as precious as gold'. Used for sweetheart). Nothing is free in this world."

"I don't like this world"

"Don't you like your dada?"

She nodded to say yes. 

"I am part of this world."

Tatya stood next to him laughing like a demon, "I am part of this world too"

Scared Anya looked at him and he hit a rod on Palash's head. Blood gushed out of his head drenching Anya's drawing. The smell of blood, the feel of warm wetness on her hands.... DADA.... NO...

She woke up gasping for breath. Her bedside clock showed 4 am.

*****