Akash Vani

Disclaimer: 

All the characters and events in this story are not real and do not bear resemblance to any person living or dead. Any such resemblance is purely coincidental. The inspiration to pen this story came from an idea mentioned in a sit-com.

 

1.    One good reason

It was turning out to be a perfect day for him. He lay on his couch in a position which counts somewhere in between sitting and sleeping. Die Hard 4.0, which was playing on the idiot box, earned his undivided attention. His right hand was tightly gripped around the remote control while his left hand lay immersed in a bowl of popcorn.

It was one of those lazy evenings when one is inspired to do nothing.

‘This is life’, he thought. ‘How I wish I could lay here all day long’

But the universe was conspiring other plans for him.

A phone call introduced the unexpected turbulence in his otherwise perfect day. The call was from his Dad.

‘I have an important meeting today at 6 PM. I might get delayed. So ask your Mom not to wait for me.’

‘What about the wedding, dad? Mom was saying both of you were supposed to attend some wedding tonight’, he said and immediately regretted for reminding his Dad.

For once he thought this could be nominated as the biggest and the most foolish mistake he would ever commit. But later that day he realized he was wrong.  

‘Ohh!!! The wedding. It completely slipped out of my mind. Why don’t you fill in for me and accompany your Mom to the wedding?’ his dad said, conveniently ruining the day for him.

‘I will do my best to convince Mom’, he lied.

‘Mom! Dad might get delayed. So I am afraid you cannot attend the wedding tonight’, he shouted after replacing the telephone receiver.

‘Rekha aunty wouldn’t be happy if she learns about my absence in her daughter’s wedding’

‘Why don’t you fill in for your dad and accompany me to the wedding?’ she said as if it was the most obvious alternative.

‘How can two different people come up with the same plan to ruin my day’, he thought. 

‘I am sorry, Mom. I’m too busy to attend the wedding. And as if that’s not a reason good enough, I would be alone at the wedding; I know no one there. So I am not coming’, he said with an air of a person presenting a closing point of an intense argument.

‘You are coming along with me’, came the reply.


He sighed. Apparently his touche had no effect on the intended recipient.
And then she obeyed his silent orders and finally made herself visible. The light from the sacred fire touched her face and reflected onto his eyes. 
Alas! It was a stunning vista and he was momentarily paralyzed by the view. Wow

‘Give me one good reason why I should come along’, he demanded.

‘The food is going to be delicious’, she said.

Fifteen minutes later they were headed to the wedding.

***

2. The big fat Indian Wedding

‘Hi beta! How are you? You have become so tall. The last time I saw you, you were a tiny toddler’, laughed an aunty whom he didn't recognize.

He didn't know how to respond. So, he threw a wary smile.

‘You do remember me, don’t you?’, she asked.

‘How can I not remember you aunty’, he lied and looked at his mother for help.

‘Hi Rekha! Looks like you have already met my son’, intervened his Mom.

And then both of them carried on with their conversation conveniently ignoring him.

He parked himself in a secluded place and observed the people sitting ahead of him; half of them were engrossed in conversations with each other and the other half were too busy to listen as they were busy checking their cellular phones every 5 minutes. It was a like any other big fat Indian wedding.

‘Weddings suck’, he decided. ‘They suck even more when you have no company.’

And that’s when he saw her. She was heavily dressed in a pink ghagra; not the hideous shade of pink which could blind a person if he was stupid enough to stare at it for more than a few seconds, this was a rather divine version of pink.

Her Mehandi clad hands were just red enough to perfectly contrast the golden of her jewelry. Her waist length hair was neatly tied. He couldn't see her face though. She was standing near the stage, the video department’s equipment served as a very effective obstacle between his eyes and her face.   

‘Common, turn around. Show yourself’, he murmured. 

She looked gamine and gorgeous. The gold looked more golden on her; the red looked redder.

He waited for her to take her seat. Once she did, he decided to go and talk to her. He stood up and started walking towards her. Meanwhile he recollecting the best pick-up lines his friends had ever taught him.  

‘Hi’, he said; trying and failing to suppress his rising anxiety.

‘What kind of a conversation-starter is that? I hate myself’, he thought.

She turned around to look at the source of the unfamiliar voice.

‘She looks way more beautiful from near’, he thought.

‘Hi’, she returned him his words in a baffled tone.

‘Ok, now what do I speak’, he hated his lack of preparation.

‘What does a guy do when he runs out of topics to converse with a beautiful girl? I should post this question on Quora sometime’, he made a mental note.

‘I am sorry. Do we know each other’, she asked not making any effort to hide her confusion.

‘Actually, No. I saw you from there and you looked gorgeous… um… interesting. So, I wanted to talk to you’, he said. 

It took no time for her expression to change from puzzled to ire.

She arched her eyebrow slightly as he stood self-consciously before her.

‘Okay, let’s go and sit somewhere’, she said.

‘So, you were saying something’, she asked after they parked themselves.

‘Yes,’ he croaked, and cleared his throat.

‘Yes.’ There, that sounded more confident.

She focused her starry eyes on him. Her ego was right there, sitting next to her. Big and fat

‘Now that I have decide to woo this girl. I have to plan my every move intelligently’, he thought.

‘Okay! So this is the deal. You are…um… drop dead gorgeous. Your waist length hair is so enticing. Your saccharine sweet smile is breathtakingly spectacular. You are beautiful to the extent that should be made illegal’, he blurted out.

And then he was falling short of adjectives.

‘Screw my limited vocabulary’, he cursed himself for not paying attention in the grammar class in his primary school.

‘Where are you going with this’, she asked. She sure was annoyed as hell.

‘I am totally besotted by you, that’s kind of obvious’, he murmured.

‘See, if you are trying to impress me; Let me tell you, I am not impressed. Just make yourselves scarce’, she said and started to leave.

‘Wait! He said. I am sorry if I offended you. But this was the only way…’, he started.

‘Only way to talk to a girl you have just met’, she asked as if he had just insulted the whole of womankind.

‘No. This was the only way not to repeat my mistake’, he completed his sentence.

‘Mistake? What mistake’, she enquired.

‘It is a long story’

‘I have all the time in the world. Go on, amuse me’, she said.

‘When I was fifteen years old, I had a crush on this girl’

‘A love story! Interesting. What was the girl’s name’, she clasped her hands together and he noticed how beautifully manicured they were.

‘I don’t want to mention her name. Let’s just call her Minnie for instance’

‘Minnie, the mouse’, she teased.

‘What’s wrong with her sense of humor? That is the kind of joke which only Sajid Khan and Akshay Kumar can enjoy’, he thought.

‘Very funny. So where was I’, he asked trying hard not to get distracted by her aura.

‘Yeah. You had a crush on this girl, Minnie’, she helped.

‘But I didn’t have the balls to go and tell her. So she, kind of, never knew about my feelings for her. In fact, she didn’t even know that I existed. On the other hand, I always used to think about her. Her thoughts used to disturb me all day. And her memories had a direct effect on my marks. At the end of the year I ended up with very embarrassing report card, and she ended up being the class topper’, he started.

‘I still repent not talking to her. I don’t want to repeat that mistake. It’s always better to regret the things which we did; rather than regretting the things which we didn’t do. I don’t want to go home and think ‘I wish I had spoken to that girl with the long hair at the wedding’. And for all we know I might never see you again’, he said.

‘So you come up to me and start flirting’, she exclaimed.

‘No, that was not flirting…I was just…’, he started.

‘Guys, who are so generous at complimenting a girl they have just met, are certified flirts’, she said with an air of a girl revealing an inside secret.

I just want to tell you that I like you’, he confessed.

‘I am impressed. Finally, I see a guy who has the balls to tell a girl that he likes her’, she murmured.

The words “I-am-impressed” which escaped her mouth sounded like a beautiful poem to his ears. He decided to cash in on the opportunity

A random question: You know what is common between finding a good opportunity when you actually need it the most and using that opportunity in the right way to make your life better?

Ans. Nothing.

Inference: When one happens the other doesn’t.

.

***

3.  Let the show begin

‘Now that we have both impressed each other, can we go on a Date? Are you free this Saturday’, the words were out before he could stop them.

‘Wrong move. Remember when I thought that reminding my dad about the wedding was the biggest mistake. Turns out it wasn’t. THIS is the biggest and the most foolish mistake I could ever commit’, he cursed himself.

‘No’, she blurted out.

‘I mean, I am sorry. I have some work on Saturday. Got to meet some friends’, she re-framed her refusal.

‘Oh, it’s fine’, he said trying and failing to hide his disappointment.

‘But I am really bored you know. We could do it right now’, she crinkled her nose cutely; and for some inexplicable reason he found himself blushing.

‘Do it now? You mean a date’, he said. His disappointment had just committed suicide.

‘Not a date. Not exactly. See we are here, two utterly bored souls who have never met each other before, at this big fat Indian wedding. We could talk, get to know each other, have a great time’, she said.

She paused, giving him enough time to comprehend what she had just said and what she was about to say.

‘No phone numbers, not even names’, she said slowly emphasizing on every word of the sentence.

‘But why no names’, he enquired.

‘Simple because I don’t trust you. I mean it’s been only two minutes since we met. We are practically strangers, and for all I know you could be a desperate stalker’, she confessed.

‘That was very mood lifting. Thank you’, he said sarcastically.

‘She is pleasantly beautiful yet cautiously smart. I like I like’, he thought.

‘Frankness, you see. Learnt it from you’, she winked playfully.

‘Awww! She winked at me’, he blushed beet-root red.

‘So are you in’, she said as if they were closing in on a multi-million dollar deal.

‘Ok I am in’, he said not sure where this was going.

‘Great! So let the show begin’, she declared.

‘I guess we will need fake names for the evening’, he suggested

Ahh…yes. You can call me um…Vani’, she said.

‘Nice to meet you Vani. I am um…Akaash’, he said forwarding his hand for a hand-shake.

In a daze, she placed her hand in his. As their fingers touch, she felt an odd exhilarating shiver run through her nerves. But the feeling didn’t last long. She withdrew her hand hastily, embarrassed. And then she blinked rapidly, her eyelids matching her heart rate.

‘Okay. Let’s start with the introductions’, she said still recovering from that awkward hand-shake.

‘Ladies first’, he said distracted by her beautiful eyes.

She tore her eyes away from his scrutiny and stared blindly down at her knotted fingers.

‘Okay! You can call me Vani for this evening. I did schooling from Rosary Convent High School. Currently, I am sophomore in a medical college. I love travelling. My favorite movie is DDLJ. I adore SRK. My most prized possession is my Scooty Pep. I am a vacuum cleaner at the dining table; I eat almost everything. Ironically enough, my culinary skills are pathetic. I am scared of rats and I hate Maths. Period’, she vomited the words as fast as she could.

‘Your turn’, she said as she tucked her loosened strands of hair behind her ear.

‘I am Akaash. I did my schooling from St. Paul’s High School. I am a 3^rd year engineering student. I read loads and loads of books. Dan Brown is my favorite author. According to me, Lord of the Rings is the most well written book and Harry Potter is the best story ever told to mankind. And when I am not reading books I am either on Facebook or on Quora. My most prized possession is my X-box 360. And did I mention; I have this huge crush on Natalie Portman. I emphasize huge crush’, he said.

All this while she kept playing with her hair, making his heart skip a billion beats.

‘Screw Die Hard 4.0, I could sit for hours just watching her’, he thought.

And then the scrumptious buffet called to him and his perennially starved stomach responded.

‘Looks like the dinner is on’, he said hoping she would catch the inner meaning of his expression.

She did.

‘I am starved’, she declared and they closed in their feast.

‘Oh, I just love pani-puri’, she exclaimed as they decided to attack the pani-puri stall first.

‘Even the way she ate them was so pretty. What she lacks in her sense of humor, she more compensates it with her charisma’, he thought.

‘I love them too’, he murmured, this time distracted both by her and the pani puri.

They couldn’t do justice to the main course, thanks to the love they both shared for the pani-puri.

Before the dinner was over, he decided that she was much more than a beautiful girl. She asked him questions about himself that no one had ever asked before.

She had a feeling that he was genuinely interested in her. He was intelligent, had a great sense of humor and was skilled at making her feel at ease.

Once they were done feeding themselves and evaluating each other, they realized that the time to bid adieu was closing in.

***

4. “and they lived happily ever after…”

‘I had a really nice time’, she smiled revealing perfect white teeth. He stopped breathing.

‘She was still very beautiful. No one should be this good-looking’, he thought.

‘Nice time? I had the best time of my life’, he said.

‘Was that too cheesy? Ahh! I don’t care. I am glad I just said it’, he smiled within himself.

She was about to leave and put an end to this blissful night. He didn’t know how to stop her, He didn’t want her to leave; he wanted her to stay forever.

And then she stopped. She turned to him again.

‘You know… the thing I was supposed to do this Saturday. The rendezvous’ with my friends…’, she started.

‘I am not doing it anymore’, she continued.

‘I will tell them I have some lab-records to finish’, she said looking square into his eyes.  

He noticed a ghost of smile touch her lips as she turned to leave.

‘OMG! The date is on’, he could die of love right there.

And then they lived happily ever after … Oh wait! Not yet.

That could have just been the perfect end for their first date; but there was only one problem.

***

5.  Keeping the mystery alive

‘Hey, wait a minute. How I am supposed to contact you? I don’t know your number’, he shouted.

‘Let alone number, I don’t even know what your real name is’, he continued.

‘I am sure you will find that out’, she said keeping the mystery alive.

‘Oh common! As if this day was not exciting enough’, he said, but she was already gone.

All of a sudden, searching for her number was the sole purpose of his existence.

‘Girls should quit watching Sherlock’, he tried to think if she had left any clues behind. 

She didn’t.

‘May be her real name is indeed Vani’, he speculated. It wasn’t.

After a heavy brain storming session he decided that there was only one way to crack the mystery.

It took three hours of browsing/searching/hunting the wedding album to find a photograph of hers. Thankfully, Rekha aunty recognized the girl in the photograph and that’s how he earned her contact number and learned her real name.

***

The date on that Saturday was only the second of many dates that followed.

And now seven years later they were a married couple blessed with twins: a boy and a girl. Both of them agree that their best date was their first one. They wanted to remember how they met for a long time and hence they named their twins Akaash & Vani. 

***

an art, by Shashank