Hiten flipped the boring paperback pages in one hand and with the other adjusted his blanket around the face. Both his hands felt frozen, so did the other body parts covered even within the blanket. On the inside, he was boiling in rage over why he didn't book a reservation in advance for a daytime train. He looked around, just a handful of people could be seen scattered over this platform on an otherwise heavily crowded Nizamuddin station. "Chaaaaay-walaaaa"- a shrill voice boomed out of nowhere. Every ear and eye moved automatically toward this godsent angel piercing out of a thick fog cover. Shivering Hiten called him out almost impulsively- "Ae, Chhotu!!" The little tea hawker's trajectory changed and moved towards Hiten's voice. But so did another pair of eyes. Across the platform, on the other side of railway tracks, Nayana was sitting alone shivering in a yellow saree under a thick layer of woollens. Hiten discovered a new definition of the word frozen at that moment. For a moment, both their gazes met, and Hiten slipped down the memory lane as if hand-in-hand with Nayana. Nayana, the most popular girl in his class since the first day in college. A 5'8" tall girl with radiant skin, confident walk, short tomboyish hair, and a dimpled smile completing her captivating look. The first time Hiten saw her, 'pahla nasha pahla khumar' changed from a song to a feeling for him. And when she topped the whole batch by year-end, the average-looking shy introvert Hiten found himself gone completely invisible in a world where she existed. Not just his classmates, but even his seniors flocked for Nayana's attention in the next few years. But Nayana seemed oblivious to everyone's charms. Hiten would just steal a glance or two during the lab or sitting in class a few rows behind her time to time. His classmates teased and encouraged him to speak to her. But he'd never dare talk to her directly. If at all needed, through a friend of hers indirectly at max. The classmates would often proclaim in frustration- "saala hopeless!" Before the final year exams, Hiten gathered some courage and asked a classmate for her phone number on the pretext of notes. The classmate teased him for days about it but ultimately provided her number. After deliberating what all to say to her for weeks, he typed a 'hi' in mobile. but that too he could not 'Send'. And the next month, his hopeless love story ended with both of them passing out of college in the year 2000, as they drifted away further and further in their own different worlds. 19 years passed away. Email, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and what not- arrived. The world around Hiten changed, but not him. He'd still often search for Nayana online, be happy for her perfect life on social media, but could never click on the like or add friend button. And just when he was grateful to be existing in the shadows of self-rejection, fate threw upon him a chance encounter with Nayana. Seriously, what the fish!!? Hiten had a storm brewing in mind- "Is she really looking at me? She is watching here at least. Should I wave at her? Noooo, what if she is just looking for the tea hawker? Oh, this is so stupid! Come on Hiten, if you didn't exist for her 20 years back, how can she remember you now? She is way out of your league man." The noise of a train arriving on her side of the platform broke his soliloquy. Hiten raised his neck sideways to look for Nayana, but the train in front blocked his view. And as he'd feared, the moment the train whistled away, it was an empty platform in front of him again. Nayana had left. His hopeless dark world had just seen a momentary flash of light, only to go dark again. "Well, in a way, it's good only na! If she were on my side of the platform, what would I have even spoken to her?"- he was trying to console his stubborn heart with a failing logic. And just then, CLINNNNG- his mobile rang with a text. "Saala hopeless! -N" -read the text message from an unknown number. From suspicion to surprise to anxiety, Hiten bottled up all his emotions, and with trembling hands typed- "How long have you had my number? -H" "Always ;)" -came the reply. A sheepish smiled sprouted on Hiten's face with that wink smiley. There was two decades of catching up to be done. But he had waited long enough.
Hiten called out for another tea as he began forming his next sentence.
Comments