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June 16, 2012

Almost in love

Ever felt that the train of your life might be headed nowhere? You see the same stations everyday, the same nameless, faceless people getting in and out of your train,the same hustle-bustle around you.You sit by the window wondering when your station will arrive.But it never arrives,and the very next day,you are back on the same train again.And you wonder if you have taken the right train.

Rajiv was feeling the same thing.At 26,and standing in 2012,he realized his train was headed nowhere.He nervously paced the platform of his life,wondering whether the train he wanted would arrive soon.Trains whizzed by. And he stood there waiting.Fidgeting.Anxious that it may never arrive.

But it did!And it was exactly the train he wanted.
Well.Almost!

"Dude,this chic is bad news!" Suresh chirped,while popping a peanut into his mouth."She has had five boyfriends before you!And to top it all,she is not even that hot!!"

"Looks are not..",Rajiv started to reply.

"Stop giving me that shit!" Suresh interrupted,reaching for his glass of beer."You know how it is gonna be like.You are into her today.And one fine day..Poof!!..You won't be able to stand the sight of her anymore.The only reasonable reason for hooking up with a girl who has had five trial runs before you,is if she is incredibly hot!Which she is just undeniably not!!!"

"All I am saying is-I want to give this thing a chance," Rajiv protested,sipping on his beer."Let's see where our feelings take us.It need not be a happily ever after,but hey..it's worth risking.She is an amazing gal!"

"I should say," Suresh muttered."You are talking about a girl whose list of achievements consist of dumping five boyfriends.It's like she gets asked at the interview-where do you see yourself five years from now?And pat comes her reply-dumping five more losers.Starting with a gullible ass called Rajiv!"

"And with a friend like you,I wonder why I still don't have any girlfriends," Rajiv rolled his eyes.

"I am watching your back,son!" Suresh gulped down his beer and wiped his mouth."Preventing your love train from getting hit by the Heartbreak Express!"

"More like you are setting up my train to be stranded at Lonely-ville!" Rajiv grumbled,chugging down his beverage.
~~~
Two months later
"Look must you go back to Mumbai?" Rajiv asked in a pleading tone.

"My parents are there,Rajiv," Shruti said,raising her voice."They want me working in my hometown.Just like your folks want you to stay here in Kolkata!"

Rajiv looked away,without replying.After a moment of silence,he spoke testily,"Guess I am the sixth then."

"What?" Shruti asked with a questioning expression on her face.

"I am the sixth guy you are dumping!" Rajiv opened his arms wide in frustration."I should've figured.Guess hooking up and ditching a guy comes as easy to you as painting your nails or applying your lip-stick!Gawd!I can't believe I couldn't see this coming!!" He moved his hand through his hair in vexation and resentment.

"Rajiv,I did not say I want to break up with you,"Shruti cried out indignantly."I am just saying I am going back to Mumbai.We can still remain together!Many of my friends are in long-distance.And all the hoo-haa about it not working and all..it's just that...hoo haa!My leaving Kolkata isn't going to change anything."

"Not change any..?"Rajiv howled."Look.Let's get real here,ok?Long-distance only works if both parties are chatterboxes who yap about even the color and texture of the aloo sabji they had for dinner.I am not much of a talker,ok?And neither are you!!We will soon run out of topics to phone talk on.And eventually,it will be just Hi..hello...is your cold ok now?Yesterday I came late from office...couldn't call you..And that's it..one fine day,one of us is gonna update on FB that we are single again!!25 likes on your status from all the guys doting on you..and a couple of Sorry Bro's on mine."

"Rajiv,this thing is never gonna work if you go into it with such a half-hearted jerk-like attitude," Shruti shouted at her miffed boyfriend.

"Jerk?You calling me a jerk?This coming from someone who makes a virtual living out of ripping out hearts from her boyfriends?"Rajiv's annoyance was in full steam now.

"Are you even listening to yourself,Rajiv!!What?You smoked something?"

"You wanted the whole thing to end like this,right?" Rajiv shouted out his chagrin."I will date this guy till I get something in Mumbai.Then I'll pretend I still want this relationship to work.Guy will disagree.We break up.You get to tell everyone that Rajiv is such an ass.And no one puts any blame on you!!"

"Dude!!!!" Shruti's hands were on her head now,her eyes wide with disbelief."I think you need counselling.I never hid the fact that I had previous relationships.You said you were ok with it.And now you are acting like a kid who has just been denied his candy and wets his bed in response."

"That's right!!" Her boyfriend blared."Put the whole thing on me!You walk out on me.And the fault is all mine!!I will be the insensitive,immature dip-shit!I can almost hear you go-Ohh you know Shalu!I loved Rajiv.I really wanted it to work.But he was so fucking insecure!!!!!And so possessive!He couldn't even understand my commitment to my parents.He wanted to hog all of me."

"Ok,that's it!!" Shruti lost her patience."Get out of here!!!NOW!!"

"I am getting out of your life!!"Rajiv barked and slammed the door of her flat behind him.

At 2 am,that night,Shruti groggily got up at the sound of her phone's shrill ringtone.It was from Rajiv.
He wants to apologize?Now???!This had better be good!!Shruti grumbled to herself as she hit the Receive Call button.

"Shruti," Rajiv's voice sounded tensed."You gotta help me,please!!"

"Rajiv,what happened?" Shruti couldn't help feeling concerned.

"I am at a police station," Rajiv's anxious voice floated over the phone."They have detained us.I don't want to call my parents.Can you please come and get me out of here?"
~~~
A couple of hours later,Rajiv and Shruti were sitting in Shruti's car, outside a local hospital.
"Thanks for driving us here," Rajiv said,his eyes down,fixated on his shoes.

"Okkk,may I know just what happened here?" Shruti asked incredulously."I receive a call from my boyfriend..who by the way I  had a huge fight with earlier...in the middle of the night!I have to whisk myself away to a police station.And I come to know there that you got into a drunken brawl with Suresh. You even busted his forehead..for which he had to receive ..what?? Five stitches?What the hell is going on,Rajiv?Why are you suddenly behaving like a kid just hitting puberty?"

"Suresh said some nasty stuff at the bar," Rajiv replied slowly ,in guilt mode."I was drunk.I got crazy.I hit him without warning.He started bleeding profusely.The bar manager immediately called the cops on us.And.... you know the rest."

"Wait?What?He said something nasty..and you lost your cool??!!!" Shruti's eyes seemed about to pop out in disbelief."You?Who always claims to be so mature and in control all the time?Fuck!!" Shruti clenched her steering wheel tightly and slammed her back against her seat."It just feels I've been wrong all along about you,Rajiv!!"

Rajiv just kept quiet and stared vacantly out of the car's window.After the customary admonishing about getting into fights and the cliched lecturing on the dipping values of today's youth were over,the cops hadn't wanted to detain them any longer.Besides,Suresh needed immediate medical attention. At that late hour,finding a conveyance became a pain.So Rajiv had called up Shruti.She had a car.It would prove useful in carrying Suresh to the hospital.Suresh was still inside the hospital.The doctor would examine his stitches one last time before letting him go.

"What did he say that got you so mad?" Shruti presently asked,breaking the spell of silence.

"It was nothing." Rajiv replied without looking at her.

"Tell me!!"

"I told you!!It's nothing."

"Look Rajiv," Shruti said testily."I drove all the way from my home 2 am in the night to get your ass out of this sticky mess.You owe me a better explanation than -it was nothing."

"He called you a whore,ok?" Rajiv replied,his eyes now facing her directly."He called you a fucking whore who topped even Draupadi in her whoredom.Draupadi just had five.You broke her record.Suresh said that.He was drunk.I was drunk.Something came over me and I hit him.That's it.That's your story.You happy now?"

It was Shruti's turn to be silent now.After a couple of minutes,she spoke,"Let's go to my place."

"What about Suresh?"

"It's already 4:15,Rajiv.He will be able to find something to get back home in half an hour or so.He can manage ,I think." Understandably,Shruti was in no mood to drive home a guy who had called her a whore.

"Ok.I will text him we are leaving then." And Rajiv fished out his mobile to punch a sms in it.

At Shruti's place,the two made tender love.Shruti suddenly realized how much she meant to Rajiv.For his having to hit his friend of ten years like that.As for Rajiv,he didn't realize anything new.The fact that he couldn't live without her had dawned on him way back anyway.

"Please,don't go," Rajiv pleaded with his eyes as Shruti nuzzled herself into his protective arms.

"Rajiv,I told you..." Shruti softly demurred.

"But,can't you just.."

"Rajiv,drop it.Let's not spoil this moment." Shruti said as she clutched his arm tightly.Amidst all the fondling,all the coddling and his grazing his nose against the nape of her neck, Rajiv couldn't help getting a sickening feeling in his stomach.This might be the last time they would be spending such tender times together.He would miss everything.Their cuddling on the sofa,their huddling on the carpeted floor;the nuzzling,the playing around,the rubbing,the squeezing,the stroking,the toying.Every thing.

Five weeks later,Rajiv opened his FB account to see Shruti's current city changed to Mumbai from Kolkata.She had moved out quietly and hadn't even informed him.Possibly to avoid a scene,he guessed.She had asked some time to be on her own.So for the last five weeks,they really hadn't caught up with each other much.From the way she seemed to end things,it didn't appear that a long-distance relationship was likely either.Suresh had been right.His love train lay derailed after all.

With associated heavy casualties.

Just then,there was a ring of the doorbell.Rajiv opened it to be pleasantly surprised to see Shruti standing outside.
"Shruti???I thought you were in Mumbai!!!" Rajiv stated with incredulous excitement.

"Mumbai?" Shruti asked surprised."Why on earth did you think that?You didn't think.I would at least tell you before I leave?"

"But your FB update?"

"What about it?"

"It says your current city is Mumbai."

"What?" Shruti blinked stupidly.

"Yep.Look." And Rajiv showed her the FB page.

"Ohh dear!!" Shruti shrieked."It must be my sis,Ruchi!! She has access to my account.This is her way of making me know she is seriously miffed at me.I gotta call her right away!!"

"Miffed?For what?"

"For not coming back to Mumbai,stupid!!"

"You are not going to Mumbai?" Rajiv almost jumped in delight.

"No!!" Shruti smiled."I rejected the job offer."

"That means you are staying right here??"

"Right here with you baby!!!" Shruti's eyes glittered with amusement.

Rajiv had done it.He had finally boarded the right train.And it was chugging away to its destination.Right on schedule!
~The End~

32 comments:

  1. Cute story (^_^)

    I love happy endings. They make you believe there is still a bit of goodness and happiness left in the world. :D

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    Replies
    1. Yep.I wanted to make a simple,no-frills,cute romance story.Nothing stellar or spectacular.Glad you liked it.

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    2. @Nihareekaa You know what??!!Are you from Kolkata by any chance??

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    3. @Nihareeka Nyah..I just thought reading a couple of posts that you might have a Bong or a Kolkata connection..:-) GUess I was wrong...

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    4. But I am, in case you are interested.

      Koel Mallick

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  2. I loved the story! But I wanted to know more...about Shruti. :D :D

    Nice analogy about the love train and it's derailing. :D Good Work! :D

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    Replies
    1. @MSM More about Shruti?? *raises his eyebrows*Ahem...why??? :-)

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  3. Wow! This is such a beautiful story..loved it :) you know, you should publish them.

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    1. @Dark Angel Well,this one was a pretty simple story.Maybe one day when I really hit on something interesting,I will publish it.:-) Thanks.

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  4. Reminds me of Soul Asylum's song "runaway train, never goin' back... wrong way on a one way track...." :)) anyway, nice post!

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    1. @Ash :-P As Amateur At This pointed out,this is CLICHED...:-D But yeah,I wasn't aiming for a stellar story anyway...Thanks..

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  5. Can I be honest here? The only word that comes to my mind is CLICHE. In the end the girl will always choose her boyfriend over her career and there has to be make-up sex. I really thought it was going to end differently but it didn't. You can do better than this, can't you?

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    Replies
    1. Of course,this is cliched!!!:-D I wanted to make a romcom.Happy endings..:-P Happy endings always take a predictable route unfortunately.And to put twists and turns in such a short story is difficult,if not possible.If you want twists and turns,try my The Rapist series...:-)

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  6. Beautiful... That's what describe this! :-)

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    1. @RG Well yeah..it has a happy ending..:-) Although,plot wise it is kinda cliched....

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  7. I always adore how you portray you argument scenes ^_^
    I feel like bursting into the song the on with rishi kapoor atop a train and singing 'hoga tumse pyara kaun'

    Nice change on the blog display.

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  8. Nice story..But why are Rajiv and his friends such losers?I mean why does he make such a big issue about her past and keep whining about it!?

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    1. @Sonia Rajiv doesn't exactly whine about it until he feels that he is gonna get dumped..But yeah...overall...just plain male insecurities...:-)

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  9. What i like about the story is its simplicity... its says what it has to say and says it well.. :)
    Great Job!

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  10. total " awwww...." ending hai :-)
    Awesome script.
    The natural chemistry that you develop between characters call for applauds.
    * taliyaan taliyaan *
    :)

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  11. Simple and sweet, a li'l mushy too, but it does satisfy the happy ending craving in every romantic :)
    P.S.- I absolutely love the new look to the blog. Perfect blend black and blue...dark and mysterious, yet soothing :)
    But the comment section gets a little tousled every time you change the template. The replies turn into separate comments. :|

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  12. @Prisms and Lives Thanks.
    @Rohu Hehe...Simple...and naive... :-)
    @Swarnali As I told you..WEIRD!! :-)
    @MSM Thanks.I love your new look too.
    @I do Who got hit??Who??!!! :-D :-P
    @Komal LOL.Thanks.:-)

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  13. Good one son, now this was a story. Sometimes the simplest of tales does more wonders than a labyrinthian tale of hunks and chicks. Agree? :)

    I loved this one.

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  14. OH!! You are writing stories now.. :) cute one.. honestly I found 5 ex-boyfriends a bit too much.. :) Apart from that great story.. superb beginning.. :) loved it.. (I hope you still remember me..)

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  15. @Arpitha :-D Woaaaah!!!You are back!!!!!!After so long....where were you for so many days???That training took so long to complete???Missed you here......I hope you are here to stay now!!!

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  16. @Phatichar LOL.Yep....simplicity works sometimes..

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