Classroom Diaries

 She was sitting right across the room, actually he had chosen the seat to carefully to watch her. She looked very thin today, maybe it was her dress or did she actually lose weight. She was busy taking notes and Amit could hardly hear a word the professor was saying. He was lost in his own world thinking about everyday he saw Damini. Then suddenly he realised that she might not know about his existence. Its been two years they were in the same class and he never got a chance to speak to her rather never gathered courage to speak to her. The bell rang and his thoughts were shattered. Everyone started going out of the class and Amit also went to the cafe, later he had plans with his friends for a jamming session. He was the cool guy, who could sing and play the guitar. He was the heartthrob of the college and he liked the girl who  nobody knew. This was the reason who could not tell anyone about his feelings for Damini. And maybe that was the reason he could never gather the courage to speak to her. What if she ignored him? What if she insulted him? Why did she never bother to look at him when all the girls in the class were crazy about him. That was the exact reason why he liked her. 

Later in the evening Amit took out his car and went on a drive. He sat at Marine Drive and started thinking about Damini. Something was miraculous about her. Only three times their paths had crossed in these two years and every time she looked at him, there was something in her eyes which was enchanting. He did not know much about her  and nobody seem to know her much. She was quiet in the class and did not have friends. She did not participate in any extra curricular activities or go out with anyone. She was an average student and moreover an average introvert girl who nobody noticed. Amit did not know if he could ever speak his mind to her and if he does what she would do.

Next day in class an excursion was announced for two days, to a nearby village and counted credits for social work. Amit was very happy as this meant that Damini would also go on the trip. The trip was planned for two weeks later. He knew this was the only chance he could get to talk to her. He started preparing like it was some exam, writing what he wanted to say and reciting it over and over again knowing that he might not be able to speak a word in front of her. The two weeks went by quick, as time went by he became more and more nervous.

He could not sleep the night before the trip in anticipation of what could happen. He fell asleep in the morning and missed his alarm, eventually he woke up super late and ran to catch the bus. He could board the last bus, which was about to leave. Much to his surprise Damini was in the bus and the seat next to her was empty. His friends were in a different bus so he went ahead and sat besides her. She looked even more serene today. She was wearing a white printed kurta and blue jeans and her perfume smelled like a mix of flowers. Her hair was casually tied in a low ponytail and her earrings dangling near her neck. Their arms brushed in a jolt, Amit was very thankful that India had bad roads. She looked at him a little embarrassed and both said sorry. He did not want to let go off the chance and started making small talks. She replied with monosyllabic answers and soon he had nothing more to talk. He was quietly thinking now, that this could have been the only chance and he is losing it. Damini suddenly looked up and their eyes crossed. He was very embarassed and she smiled, then somehow they started talking.

The trip was becoming an unusual surprise for Amit. The next two days went great and he spent most of his time with Damini. They would spent hours talking and it felt as if they knew each other for years. His friends noticed this and we're very happy for him. They were on their way back, and something had changed, Damini behaved weirdly, as if he didn't exist. Amit was getting very annoyed and tried to speak to her a couple of times but she won't. He sat down silently after trying for sometime. 

The next few days this continued, and Amit didn't know what changed. Everytime he tried to talk to her she would ignore. He kept trying but nothing changed. A couple of weeks had passed and he had decided that he would confront her anyhow and find out the reason for her behaviour. He stopped her out of the class that day. She was terrified, she tried to go but he held her arm. She pleaded him to let her go but he was adamant to know the reason she behaved strange since they were back. She was in tears but he was so angry that he couldn't see. He kept on asking her 'why'. She broke down and only then he realized that his behavior was unacceptable. He sat down in front of her and she was crying uncontrollably. After some time she just stood up and walked straight off the campus. She didn't come to class the next day of the day after that or any other day after that. 

Amit felt guilty of his behavior but also wanted to know what happened, so he started looking for her in the city. A few days later he got an address. He went to the address, as he was outside, he saw a frail young girl at the window. He recognized her in a minute, there was a man who was over looking her shoulders into the mirror. Then he saw her face and saw the bright shining sindoor on her forehead. He stood there spellbound.

The Girl at The Station

The New Delhi station was buzzing with people happily chattering & discussing their itinerary for their trip. Some of the kids were playing with their siblings; others wanted their parents to buy those toys from the hawkers. Their mothers were happy to finally get out of the kitchen and the routine household chores, happily thinking about a few relaxed moments. The evening sun was so bright, it seemed like it wanted to double the happiness in the air. Like every other summer vacation, the station had come to life with the happy faces all around.

The little girl was looking around at all the happiness surrounding her and all she wanted was to absorb all of it at once. She was wearing a new blue frock & her hair was tied nicely into two ponytails. It was her first time on a train, she had only heard about people travelling by trains to far off places and only the other day she saw a train on the TV. Her mother was holding her hand tightly, it was hurting her a bit but she was still smiling. Her father got her a frooti, she did not even ask for. She could not believe if it was all real.

Pinky does not remember her own parents, she had only heard from Priya Aunty & Amu Didi that her parents died in a car crash. She cannot remember any of it, neither her home nor her parents, nothing. She was just three when she came here; this has been her home since then. She had started believing this was her home & all the other kids were her siblings but soon she realized that no one is here to stay forever.

Two weeks back on the Friday, Pinky had just finished her homework and started watching Tom & Jerry when Priya Aunty came & shut down the TV and told all of them to get ready. Pinky was very bored of this ritual on every Friday, from last 3 years. She did not want to go but Amu Didi looked at her gesturing her to come fast. She loves Amu Didi and she knew that Amu Didi was right. All of them wore the best dress they had rather the only nice dress they had. Pinky did not like this at all, she knew that one of them will again go away with a new family. Over the last 3 years all her friends were gone, Ashi, Jia, Lata all went away and Akshay went with his family two weeks after coming here. Nobody liked her; the families who came to find their new sons and daughters always ignored her. Nobody ever liked Amu Didi too, everyone said that she was too old and it would be difficult to adjust with a teenager. Every Friday evening the both of them would sit in one corner & read a story from the storybook about the long lost princess who found her own palace when she grew up.

She got ready to avoid scolding from Priya Aunty & stood in the line & waited for the couple to pass by and ignore her. They did go ahead this time too but suddenly the woman rushed back to her. She sat down on the floor and started weeping Pinky did not know what she had done to make her cry. She got scared that she would get a scolding even though she did not do anything this time. Nevertheless, the woman would not stop crying, so she sat down in front of her & gently wiped her face. She looked up & smiled at Pinky, tears rolling down her face and hugged her. In some time, Pinky was also hugging her back. Pinky had not felt this warmth in a long time & did not what was happening. This was a new feeling to her; she did not know how exactly it felt. After some time the couple left, and while going they told her that they will come back soon to get her. Amu Didi came running to her & hugged her tightly and told her now she will also go with her new family. She will also be loved by her parents like the other children outside are loved. She was happy but also sad at the same time.

It was already two weeks since the day she met her parents and nothing could compare with the love she felt when she was with them. They cared for her like nobody ever did. They thought about everything even before she told them. They played & watched cartoons with her and did not even scold her once.

In the meanwhile, the train came to the platform & Pinky got into the train with her parents. They were going to Nainital to meet her family who were eagerly waiting to welcome their princess.