Like any other
evening, I was pedaling back home on my bicycle, in a pace such that
even the turtles seem to be faster. Speaking of turtles, people have a
misconception that turtles and tortoises are really the slowest (Of course next
to snails.). It’s the conclusion people derived from “The Hare and the Tortoise”
story, though only few understood the real moral of the story. Crash! A two-wheeler
vehicle hit me as I turned across the T-junction. Considering the amount of
damage to me and my bicycle anybody could guess the speed at which she was
coming. Yeah! It was a girl who injured my right elbow.
“Oh
my God! Are you alright? Am so sorry”! She rushed to me after carefully parking
her vehicle, by which time some people had already helped me up.
She
picked up my bag that has fallen and was consistently apologizing in the local language
with an odd accent. The people around started scolding her for driving so fast in
a small street, for which she paid no heed.
“I’m
okay! I’m okay”! I said dusting my arms. “Ouch”! I let out a cry of pain. “Oh
God! You are hurt”. As she came near and looked at my wound, I was able to have
a close look at her. She wasn’t very tall. Actually, she was not even as tall
as I was. She was fair and looked like a north-Indian. Probably, a Bengali. I could
not look at her for long, lest people get a wrong message about me.
“Just
come with me”. She walked towards the pharmacy that was right across the
street. I followed her like a servant. She got some cotton and two band-aids
and said, “Show me your arm”.
“Huh?...
No no. I can do it myself”. I was completely taken aback by such an offer.
“No.
It’s nothing. Just show” and before I could say anything she took my hand. I mean
she held my hand very gently and started wiping the blood off. Her touch sent tingles
down my stomach. It’s not very usual for a girl to touch a boy like that unless
you are related by blood. She then put a band-aid on it while I let out low
sounded cries of pain. The wound was pretty much bad but her touch seemed to be
soothing and healing it already. As I came back to my senses, I took my hand
from her and said, “Thanks”! She smiled and that is when I noticed her nose
ring. She looked more beautiful now. I smiled back. I personally feel that
girls look charming with a nose ring.
“There
are some extra cotton and band-aid. I’ll just put it in your bag”. She opened
the bag and kept it inside. “Use it in case the clotting doesn’t stop”.
“Yes!
Thank you. I think you should get going. You seemed to be in a hurry”. I said
as we walked towards our vehicles.
“Oh
my God! Yeah! I’m late for my class”. She squeaked anxiously holding her head
and then hurried to her Scooty.
“Sorry,
I came in your way”. I picked up my bicycle and placed my bag on it.
“It’s
not your fault, . . . . Hey your name”?
“Sathya.
And you”?
“Akshyah.
Not a nice way to meet but still nice to meet you”. She smiled again. “See you
around. Bye”, saying she sped off.
“Bye”.
I said staring at her wavering hair.
As
I walked back home pushing my bicycle, I illusionised her face in my mind. Wow!
Cute! I smiled. It was really too late to realize the fact that I can’t “intentionally
see her again. She just blankly left saying “See you around”.
“That’s what happened yesterday
evening”. I said.
“Ah ah! Off with a good start man”, Aakash said sheepishly. “So
you met her again today morning didn’t you”?
“Oh yeah! Lucky me”! I winked.
(to
be continued)
*****