Schoolmates (33 page)

Riya bent her head down and averted her gaze. She did not have the courage to look at Vikram. She knew he wasn’t a fool. He was the valedictorian of his batch in his B-school. Many accolades adorned the walls of his proud father’s study. He had studiedhigher degrees from foreign universities, rejected many offers other men would kill for and had been promoted thrice in four years in his current position. The man was sharp. The only thing blinding him, as Anjali had often said to Riya, was his love for her. And, Riya was gathering that, the truth of Kabir’s blatant actions was waking Vikram’s lost senses... and he was now gaining a renewed perspective on the situation . . . one which would change the state rather badly, Riya feared.

Later as the game proceeded and people cheered the teams, Riya couldn’t help remenescising the past. It looked just yesterday, that Kabir had played that historical final match, in class twelfth. It seem just yesterday that he had dislodged his lower jaw in a fist fight, just yesterday she had sneaked her Tiffin under the table and out of the window to Dev so that both of them would eat her lunch, again. Somehow years of separation had not faded her grey cells. Maybe the dialogues were fainter, but each moment was engraved as fresh as paint in her mind. A very young Kabir flashed his mischievous smile at her, and a very much in love shy Riya had blushed at her own vanity. Wasn’t it just yesterday, Riya mused over in her mind, that he had thumped his fist at his heart and declared his love for her, as she sat waving bye from the school bus, as always, and then she had pointed her figure at herself and flashed it back in the famous ‘V’ sign . . . implying me too!!

Clutching his things as he played, flashed a non-stop string of sweet memories. Riya recalled all their sweet conversations, Anjali and her constant disapproval of Kabir, the meetings in the den, under the dark stairs, his bike, and their first dance!

Stop...Stop it Riya Sehgal!!

She ordered her mind yet again. She was covertly surprised at the weakness of her mind for betraying her, making her loose self-control. She mustn’t think of that dance. Not now, after so many years. But who was she lying to. All she had done in these years was to cling to the memory of that night! She remembered everything as if it was playing right in front of her eyes . . . the moonlight, the gentle cool breeze, his clothes, her sari, that song which was mildly playing at a distance, how she had felt in his arms . . . how he had whispered her name in her ears, so softly, so lovingly, right before . . . stop Riya! She commanded herself. Nodding her head, oblivious to the fact that Vikram was watching the shifting expressions on her face, she absentmindedly got up and sat down next to Manya.

Kabir was still just as wild on the court as ever, secretly, Riya was proud of him even now, as she sat on the same spot watching him with same old intensity, despite her. She looked at the faces of his present team members. All were beaming with a confidence that they would win, that Kabir Sharma, the legendary school hero would win another match for them. Kabir had infused these youngsters with the same magic that he did with his teammates back in school days. The same magic that had engulfed Riya’s mind, body and soul.

Riya was unable to forget her past now, how much she loved him! He was the shoulder she had cried on when her dad had slapped him, the shoulder she had leaned on; so many times, the shoulder she had hidden her face that night of her farewell party! That night!

Not once had it occurred to her, how strong those bonds of love were and how hard they were tugging at her heart now. She wanted to run to him and fall in his arms, she wanted to feel his arms around her, she wanted to hold on to him and cry her years of loneliness out! She wanted him so badly; she was so much in love with him. She began stroking his jacket softly, lost in thoughts, pulling the woollen up to her nostrils to inhale his fragrance . . . the smell that reminded her of Kabir and his dominating presence.

It was then that she knew her life would be miserable without him. She knew he was right, they were born to be with each other, she knew she loved him, and only him, and that she will continue to do so till she dies. She may have another ring on her figure, but long ago, many years back . . . she was taken, by him unknown even to her own conscious. Riya was, in all its holiness, and honesty, betrothed to Kabir.

Riya wanted Kabir to win again. She felt like a school girl, praying for the boy she loved, praying for him to win and declare all those people wrong who ever doubted him, all those who doubted them, all those who said that loving each other was wrong. She wanted him to win, for her, for them.

Riya began chanting a slow rhyme ‘Go Kabby go’ just as she use to in school. Unaware that Vikram was watching her intensely. Vikram was no fool and soon knew what was going on. He was picking up that there was more to Riya and Kabir that met his eyes. All the time when they had been together, Vikram had not seen in Riya what he was seeing now, the way she looked at Kabir. And he knew that look, for not once had he seen it in her eyes, for him. Something in him began to hurt, boil with anger or jealousy . . . it was hard to identify.

It had been thirty minutes in the game now. Riya got up from the benches as Kabir’s team finally broke to play the last stretch of the game. Sitting down was too taxing now. He had always had excellent team spirit and flawless defences. His schemes and plots were mind boggling! Riya sensed that there was a new plot that he and his team mates would follow. She was chanting her rhyme when he turned and looked at her. Their eyes met and spoke what she could not say, that she loved him, that she was here . . . waiting for him. He smiled, just like old times and winked at her. For the first time that day, Riya smiled back at him, the same smile that had always sent Kabir sky high with love and pride for his girl. He knew that she knew . . . all he ever needed was a signal.

“She had smiled . . .” Kabir thought!! Even in the chill of winters, his body was covered with sweat and steam was effusing out from his arms.

My god! She had me again like a love struck teenager with her smile. It was so relaxing and invigorating, filling my bones with some magical adrenalin shot. I felt on top of the world! Unbeatable and victorious. The game was easy now.

I turned back and the game resumed. Kawaljeet was shouting his instructions and his mates were doing rather well. Kabir’s team was smiling now, and passing the ball in such a way that opponent team was unable to decide whom to block. Most had thought that Kabir would keep the ball to himself in these last minutes, but they were wrong. Amit passed the ball to Garvit who then passed it to me. I immediately passed it back to Garvit and moved ahead a few paces. Suraj then took the lead and turned around blocking Kawaljeet and snatching the ball from Garvit. I had moved too close to the basket now, and as planned my mates were looking at me. But Kawaljeet had moved next to me and so I could not have done what was planned. I moved back. The ball was with Kawaljeet’s team now. We needed it back. John leaped forward and in a skilled manner, snatched it from between Kawaljeet’s legs. Now it was our game. He threw the ball at me; I was in the middle of the court. In a split second I surveyed the positions of everyone. My team was in place and I nodded my approval. I called Amit’s name as he was the tallest. He knew what he had to do.

The trick was to intentionally miss. Which Amit did skilfully. But, by this time I had ran halfway across the court, just next to the net. When Garvit threw the ball Amit had ‘missed’ towards me, there was no doubt even in the minds of the spectators who was the champ!

I had shot my life’s most important basket and won.

As my team mates roared and clapped, I slipped down from my hanging position from the basket and fell to the ground. It was a big achievement. I had won! I had won her back! Unconscious to me, a tiny tear of victory slipped out of my eye.

Years of sulking, hating and resentment had washed out of me. She was mine . . . and she loved me too. I felt the sun on my face and saw her standing there. Radiant as a goddess, the love of my life, clutching my jacket close to her heart, she had a shimmer of tears brimming up in her eyes too.

I could feel the joy of being important to Riya, run in my veins. All my life the one thing I wanted was to get over her, forget the past, accept what was god’s will, my bad luck, my fate . . . my poor destiny and a truck load of nonsense people told me. Dev who used to stay mute, I now realise, was the most prudent man I ever met. Perhaps he knew, I was just finding a way to assuage my pain. He knew the wound would not heal ever as I was genuinely and totally in love with Riya. Even when I had a new ‘girlfriend’ Dev had not uttered a word. I had asked him many times and all he ever said was that he was fine if that’s what I wanted.

Now I realise, all I ever tried was to forget her and in all that trying; I kept thinking of her and never really stopped loving her one minute of my life. I forgot nothing.

It was the same destiny that had brought us together again today. It was the same fate that she stood there, just like those golden days of my life, holding my things and belonging to me. She had a smile on her face and I was caught staring at her even though I was aware that the boys were thumping my back and lifting me off the court. There was a loud cheer all around, as I finally looked towards the edges of the court. The other staff members were also gathered and were clapping to our victory. The gardeners, the peons, the old watchman, the plumbing people and the other guards, all had made quite a gathering. From afar, I saw Vikram and Manya too standing and clapping.

Had I been more alert I would have picked the hard expression in Vikram’s eyes immediately. I would have seen that Manya was in-fact not clapping but merely rubbing her palms to warm them up. But I was so fixed in my gaze at Riya that I missed all this.

I saw her take a few steps close and then hesitate. I knew she wanted to come to me but could not. I wanted to run and lift her in my arms myself. It was ages since I felt complete in myself and this distance was killing me now. My whole body was shouting out to her and the tempest of emotions was difficult to control. All I wanted at that moment was the world to freeze so that I maykiss her again and kiss her with so much passion that nothing or no one would ever put that doubt in my mind that she wasn’t mine. I knew now, that despite people telling me all kinds of palliative things, why it was that I felt she was near me. It was because she was to be with me finally in the end. I had actually never hated her or thought ill of her.

I was looking her way, thinking of what my next move should be. How should I get her away from this place and say what I had bottled up for these many years, but with everyone around it was not easy. Also, I still needed to be sure that she was comfortable with me approaching her now, especially after she was in a dilemma herself, after realising her feelings for me.

‘Is she scared’?
I thought, walking slowly with my mates towards the stands.

And then it glimmered in my eyes. The sunlight had caught something shining in between her fingers. Not the left hand, I realised. It was something she was rubbing . . . in her gold chain.

I saw her smile and it was then that my vision was cleared and a bolt of lightning spiralled through my whole body. I was sure of what I had to do next.

It was a ring . . . a simple gold band, now nestled in her neck as a pendant in her gold chain. My ring, and indeed she had never taken it off!

CHAPTER-21

I
t was ten in the night. I was at my home, standing in the balcony with a drink in my hand. It was impossible to think of anything else at the moment. I could hear Manya in the house, in background, but my mind was occupied with the day’s events.

I could not get Riya’s face out of my head! To see my love shining in her eyes was so therapeutic, all my pain and bitterness had melted in an instant. I had almost foolishly kissed her there itself when I ran up to her near the benches. It was only when Manya had semi hugged me that I realized it was not school, she was with Vikram.

Keeping me in control was difficult. I wanted to hold her, to tell her how much I missed her, how much she meant to me, how happy I will keep her, safe and loved . . . oh so loved. But there were people around us and it was then I saw her searching over her shoulder. Vikram was missing.

I looked into the pit of my empty goblet, drank the last sip and turned back in for a refill. As I poured my second drink, I couldnot erase the look Vikram had given me as we were departing, outside the school. It was . . . fierce and brutal. Simple.

And, I was sure had the ladies not been present, Vikram would have pounced on me immediately. It was clear he knew what Riya had not told him so far. And he was mad . . . bitter, angry and hurt.

As I turned to walk out to the balcony once again, thinking, I saw Manya hurling her suitcases out of the spare room.

“Hey, are you going out for a trip or something?” I asked. I realised time had passed since I had paid attention to Manya and her work. Lately it was Riya and her miserable absence which had consumed my hours.

“Yes . . . and No.” Manya replied without looking at me. She kept pulling her suitcases and when they were safely deposited next to the door she finally looked up at me.

What I saw really surprised me. She looked . . . serious and much mature than other days. There was a meaningful look in her eyes and for once, she meant business.

“What do you mean Yes and No?” I knew something was running in her mind.

“Yes I’m leaving, but no, it’s not for a trip.” Manya took a step closer.

“I’m leaving you Kabir.” She said calmly.

Now I took a step back. I was averting this situation, but when it hit me smack in my face, I was speechless. I felt glued to the spot and a sudden panic came over me. I was not able to tolerate the intense tranquil serene look Manya gave me. It was deep penetrating and it was endowed with numerous questions.

“Manya . . . I . . .” I was trying to say something sensible, but it never came out.