The bus was too crowded to even get space enough to stand. She used her right hand for support and the left carried the bags of vegetable she had just purchased from the mandi. Life had become too monotonous after five years of marriage with Vikram. She had left her job in order to look after the household chores in a proper manner. Soon kids arrived and now she hardly had any time left for anything else. Both her kids were too small to be left alone but by God's grace she had an understanding MIL who would look after the kids while she went out to purchase the household items. This evening was like every other evening. Lot of rush on the road and the bus too.
She handed over the change to the conductor while adjusting her pallu. Suddenly her eyes caught him. It had been more than six years since they had last seen each other. She wanted to hide in the crowd but before she could do something he had found her. He stared at her for a while trying to make himself believe. They could have never thought of meeting in such a way. They kept on looking at each other before they realized that it was time to come back to reality.
Why did the 20 minute journey seem to long for her today? She wanted to get out of it then and there. She didn't want to look at him again. She didn't want her heart to melt again. She was married now, she tried to remind herself. He would also be married by now, she thought. Why did their paths have to cross now? She had left her city for Kolkata because she didn't want him to look for her. She knew he would never find out about her habitat. Due to him, she had cut all her contacts with her friends at her ex- workplace. They had felt strongly for each other then and she knew it would be hard to resist him. But there was a fact that lay right infront of them. She was betrothed to someone else. Vikram had been inscribed in her life before his arrival. The conditions remained the same. Earlier too, when they had met Vikram stood in between and even today things hadn't changed. In fact they had become more complicated.
Soon the bus got empty and she got a seat for herself. Unfortunately, the only seat vacant was the seat next to her and the only man standing was him. He sat next to her. Both of them remained silent for the seven minutes they had to spend together. Her destination came and she got down. He got down too. She was scared now. She didn't want to have any interaction with him. But she couldn't escape him.
"Sunaina" he called out.
She turned about and questioned through her eyes. His hands went inside his pocket and a white and pink combination handkerchief came out. He handed it over to her. She had dropped this piece of cloth on his desk seven years back. She was surprised to see him having it till now. As she took it in her hand he said, "Thanks for the silent love you had for me. I'll never be a trouble in your life, don't worry. I got married last week to a Bong banker and got myself a transfer here."
She saw his engagement ring and smiled at him. He smiled back and both of them went their ways silently.
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She handed over the change to the conductor while adjusting her pallu. Suddenly her eyes caught him. It had been more than six years since they had last seen each other. She wanted to hide in the crowd but before she could do something he had found her. He stared at her for a while trying to make himself believe. They could have never thought of meeting in such a way. They kept on looking at each other before they realized that it was time to come back to reality.
Why did the 20 minute journey seem to long for her today? She wanted to get out of it then and there. She didn't want to look at him again. She didn't want her heart to melt again. She was married now, she tried to remind herself. He would also be married by now, she thought. Why did their paths have to cross now? She had left her city for Kolkata because she didn't want him to look for her. She knew he would never find out about her habitat. Due to him, she had cut all her contacts with her friends at her ex- workplace. They had felt strongly for each other then and she knew it would be hard to resist him. But there was a fact that lay right infront of them. She was betrothed to someone else. Vikram had been inscribed in her life before his arrival. The conditions remained the same. Earlier too, when they had met Vikram stood in between and even today things hadn't changed. In fact they had become more complicated.
Soon the bus got empty and she got a seat for herself. Unfortunately, the only seat vacant was the seat next to her and the only man standing was him. He sat next to her. Both of them remained silent for the seven minutes they had to spend together. Her destination came and she got down. He got down too. She was scared now. She didn't want to have any interaction with him. But she couldn't escape him.
"Sunaina" he called out.
She turned about and questioned through her eyes. His hands went inside his pocket and a white and pink combination handkerchief came out. He handed it over to her. She had dropped this piece of cloth on his desk seven years back. She was surprised to see him having it till now. As she took it in her hand he said, "Thanks for the silent love you had for me. I'll never be a trouble in your life, don't worry. I got married last week to a Bong banker and got myself a transfer here."
She saw his engagement ring and smiled at him. He smiled back and both of them went their ways silently.
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