It was that age when guys want to look grown up. Girls can remain girls all their lives. Boys, they want to be men, the first chance they get.
The students looked at him in anticipation, for they knew, any moment now, he would be called in front of the class, the customary song will be sung and then, will come the best part of celebrating a friend's birthday.
"What chocolate will you give?" asked a bespectacled kid sitting behind him, clearly salivating at the idea.
"Melody." He said.
The bespectacled kid sniffed his nose. Karan Mehta, his father had a paper mill in south Mumbai. His birthday was last week. He gave one 5 star to everyone. In comparison, melody seemed, well, pedestrian. But he didnt care. He knew melody was her favourite. She had told him once. He looked at her. Was she looking? Did she think he looked handsome? She wasnt looking.
"Happy birthday," she said as he gave her the chocolate and shook her hand. "How old are you now?"
"Ten." He lied. He was only 9. He wanted to grow up soon, do grownup things. She looked so pretty. Her pink lips seemed so soft. People think boys are innocent when they are young. The truth is, boys are never really innocent. They always know their thoughts are dirty for their age. As they grow older, the thoughts keep getting dirtier.
He looked at her soft cheeks. He wanted to kiss her on her cheeks, like they show in old movies. But will she get pregnant if he kissed her? That's what happened in those movies. He checked his thoughts.
Such dirty thoughts. She was such a good girl.
Then they were 14. Boys wanted to go to Water Kingdom. They opposed the idea of Essel World. They went there as kids, they said. Water Kingdom was unseen, exciting. What was exciting was the opportunity to see their respective girlfriends in wet shirts. Those were simpler times. Being boyfriend-girlfriend meant you asked the girl if she wanted to be your girlfriend, and then spend the next year getting teased by your friends and avoiding each other.
She wouldnt go. She didnt like water much, or the idea of hormonal 14 year old boys staring at her body. What followed was the first lesson in bribery. He convinced her best friend to go. It wasnt easy. She wanted a SRK poster she had set her eyes on. It was overpriced considering SRK's looks and his acting prowess. She was in. And then he waited for the day.
She came out of the water in a black shirt and grey slacks. Those were simpler times, girls hadnt graduated to wearing anything that showed more than 35% of their skin. It gave passing percentage a whole new meaning. The shirt stuck to her newly developed bosom. The strap of her bra showed. It left a huge impression on his mind and somewhere else. Dirty thoughts.
"You look very pretty." He said. Thank God for testosterone. It does great things to a guy's confidence.
She smiled. She looked away. She hunched her back, trying to hide her assets. But the shirt hugged on to her wet boy. Thankfully.
Such dirty thoughts. She was such a good girl.
Then they were 19. The sea lashed on to the rocks. The sea mirrored what he felt for her. The unrest.
He wanted her. How much longer could he wait. He put his arm across her. Gently, pulled her to him. Her body was soft, soft but stiff. Her body wasnt in sync with her mind. They wanted different things. His grip firmed, and he pulled her gently towards him. She gave in. She placed her head on his shoulder. There was a nip in the air. She wore the green sweater he had gifted her. Green was her favourite colour.
She was so pure. So uncorrupt of all the things wrong in this world. She was so right.
He whispered in her ear-
"I will do bad things to you."
She smiled, only to realise it was wrong. It sounded wrong, bad, dangerous. But for some reason, it left her with a tingling feeling somewhere inside her. She looked away. If only she could fly away from him. If only he wasnt able to make her blush like that. If only he would kiss her.
He looked at her, then at the sea, lashing out on the rocks.
Such dirty thoughts. She was such a good girl.
Then it was that day after what seemed like ages. Where did she start and where did he end as they lay next to each other, sharing dreams, bodies and sweat. He played with her curls. She closed her eyes. He kissed her, playfully biting her.
"I told you I was going to do bad things to you."
"Yes. You did. You are a bad boy."
"And you are such a good girl"
"I love you."
This was the first time she had said it. Not that he had waited for her to say it. He had said it months ago, because thats how he felt about her. How did it matter if she was there yet or not?But it did. If it didnt, why would he feel richer today?
"You love me?" He asked. He wanted her say it again.
"Ever since the first time I saw you in that white floral shirt of yours. You were such a cute kid. And a liar, by the way."
"Liar?"
"Yeah. You werent 10. You were born in the same year as me."
"Why didnt you tell me all these years that you liked me?"
"And miss all the wooing you have done for me?"
"Excuse me! According to my records, it was you who was head over heels in love with me."
"Yeah. Right. That is why I had to distribute melody, bribe my friend with a SRK poster and gift me a green sweater."
"You knew?"
She nodded. Her eyes twinkling with mischief.
And he wanted to do bad things to her again.
Such dirty thoughts. She was such a good girl.
Editor in chief Arshat Chaudhary
Current Issues: girls, How i got my girl back, love
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg)
Anonymous said...
Wow! Such a lovely & cute luvstory...
A Fineapple said...
its so so so beutiful.. :)
CYNOSURE said...
very cute...loved it... :)
Nupur said...
You're back and with a HUGE bang!!! Exactly the kind of stuff I like to read! I,too was planning to write something on the same lines... And if this is a chapter from your new book, I want an author signed copy!!
Dibzzi said...
Nice :)
Sculptor said...
"The truth is, boys are never really innocent. They always know their thoughts are dirty for their age. As they grow older, the thoughts keep getting dirtier"
Brilliant! Reminds me of this childhood show where even the mention of a kiss made everyone uncomfortable.. Simpler times
Sumit said...
Apart from the fact that this post was nice as usual, I quite liked the manner it had adult connotations in a very subtle and traditional way. Something like a text equivalent to the way they used to show two sunflowers brushing against each other to imply what they couldn’t show in old movies. Nice…
s4n705h said...
Great story but you missed to note one point. We boys think that we are doing something for a girl because we want to but its the subtle way of ladies to make us do all those things.
BTW I have written a Me type of past, at last. hope you like it. :)
Unknown said...
simpler times.. I wish upon a star to take me back in those years..! 'Love' meant 'LOVE' then.. :)
Ankita said...
Life was so simple then ! Love it , love this post and loved those times =)
Ranjeet Pratap Singh said...
@ Author: It's f****** Awesome...
Wonderful read.
Sankalp said...
Loved it.
Anonymous said...
nice
Anonymous said...
Yup I did...and you are a brilliant writer. I mean you bring people, places and emotions alive. A connect that is usually hard to establish... Thoroughly enjoyed reading all your post. Keep up the good work...
Anonymous said...
I just wish each love story ends in dis way....
Urvashi said...
Such a GOOD POST..!!! :) :) Loved it..!!
Arshat Chaudhary said...
@all
Wow... I hadnt seen these comments.. Thank you so much for these lovely comments... :)