Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow-1

Note: Story for http://weandwords.blogspot.com/2008/07/best-in-lounge-story-writing_29.html

(*All characters and situations are fictionary. They bear no resemblance to anyone living or dead. This is my entry for the short story competition at Writer's lounge. This is the first installment of the two part story)

I checked my watch. It was only 10 in the night. I had headed straight from the airport to Turquoise Cottage. It was a special night. I was returning from the States after completing an offshore project for an year.

It is tough staying away from everything you love. The smell you are so used to, the roads with their potholes, the traffic, the maddening rush, the cutting tea, hanging out with friends, those gossip sessions, and those idle moments with Richa…the spark in her eyes, the smell of Charlie which for me had become synonymous with her, her curly locks which I admired..

“Sir! Would you like to order something? You won’t be able to avail the happy hour benefits later. This is the last order”, the waiter had broken my chain of thoughts.

"Ah..ummm…huh…yaaa! Get me a Bacardi please…small….with sprite yes!" I placed the order. I glanced at my watch once again. It was 10:15! "Where the hell are these morons? What had Rashid said? Dude, you be on time! We will be there in TC(Turquoise Cottage) to welcome you. Damn! And here you go! I will be having my drink all alone!" I had asked them not to come to the airport fearing that the girls would need another session of make up before heading to this popular discotheque. My attempts at time management for my gang had failed miserably. The results were evident from the empty cushions surrounding me.

The interior design of TC had me in awe right from my MBA days in Delhi. Ultraviolet bulbs gave this place a dark and cool look. That along with flickering candles created the perfect ambience for greeting alcohol. Your eyes didn’t take long to adjust to the semi-darkness.

TC was our favorite hangout. It was here that we had celebrated the end of every dreaded trimester in our MBA days, sticking to shoestring budget. And today when our monthly earnings were much more than the amount we spent on drinks at TC back in our student days, we didn't have the precious "time" to catch up. Strange are the ways of nature. It always keeps you deprived of one or the other thing. And you continue living in the hope that one day; everything would be according to your wishes. Hoping that one day, everything would be fine. And you slog on, till the realization dawns! That too, when you are on your deathbed. And you continue hoping for a better life in your next birth! Hope…hope..hope! How much I had hoped and prayed that I would not be the one packed away for the offshore project to States. Everyone back in office wanted to go. I didn't. Because I loved it here. Because dollars never excited me. Because for me, being close to people who mattered was top priority. I wanted to be with Richa. Richa, my enemy!! She used to question my every presentation in the class. I would put in hours to research my part, fearing Richa would take me on. I never knew when that enmity turned into friendship.

Richa was a rare breed. A blend of someone who is modern yet so simple, who is cute yet headstrong, who looks dumb yet may stump you with her intelligence. I secretly admired her. I secretly wished she would be mine. That one day changed everything for me. We were crossing the road when she had pulled me back seeing a speeding truck. We stood on the divider for the next 15 mins where I was pacifying her that I was fine. She looked even cuter with the tears spoiling whatever make up she had put on. She was punching me hard and I kept holding on to her. It was that moment that gave me the courage and I proposed her in a single breath. Richa was the craziest person you would ever meet in your lifetime. She didn't take even a second to reciprocate my emotions. She slapped me! Right there…on the divider! The lucky souls who noticed this had frozen in their motions, their jaws dropped and stares fixed. The impressions of Richa's fingers were still fresh on my cheek. My face was moist with tears that had trickled unknowingly due to the impact. She was not looking at me. She had her gaze fixed on the traffic signal. It had turned red and still our feet were cemented. We didn't cross. I didn't know what to do. I later realized I never needed to! The light turned green. Richa turned and fixed her gaze on me. She pulled my hair, as hard as she could. I screamed in pain and more tears trickled. She pulled my collar. She put her arms around my neck and looked menacingly at me. "Couldn't you find a better place to confess your love you pigeon head? Now bear the consequences Mr. Sandeep." No sooner had the words escaped her lips that she pulled me closer towards her. I could feel her breath on my cheeks. I closed my eyes and prepared myself for another blow. And she didn't disappoint. The only difference being this one was far more pleasurable. The lucky spectators who had witnessed the slap and were patient enough to wait for a few more minutes would have nearly missed their first heart attack. Richa kissed me passionately and kept hugging me for the next 5 minutes right at the divider. Some started whistling wildly and clapping. There were some morons who booed. I am still grateful to them that they didn’t throw stones at us. I was lucky not to be caught by the so called guardians of Indian culture at this passionate public display of affection. The vehicles on the road had deliberately slowed down and the occupants had theirs heads stuck out of the windows…each one of them. I could neither see them nor hear them. I had turned blind. I had only the sense of touch intact. And that department in my brain was working well beyond its capacity to ensure that I felt every moment of that passionate kiss. I still feel the taste of her peach lip-gloss…the touch of her soft lips…..i still…..Aaaaaaaaaaaah! A blow landed on my face. I was caught totally unaware…

"Sandyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!! Broooo!!! Man…you seriously look a US return man!! Ooooooh!! Just look at you…you have put on man!! I bet you were on meat 24 x 7…Just look at your one pack flab…or should I call it a family pack??…Don't you…don't you pull in that paunch of yours! Let it meet your gang……Hey paunchie…This is Rashid…Hello…and meet my sweetheart Alaena. Don't you stare at her paunchie…don't you! She is mine. See…sealed with a kiss…muah! And hey, this is Divya…hey, Divzz…say hiii to Sandy's paunch! He he….And hey hey hey..how can I miss TJ!! Stop smiling you moron and say hiii to Sandy's lil paunchie…and hey…this is my colleague Crystal. That's it dear…wow! You already waving! Oyeeee..Niyati Moti…will you continue being a spectator like always or will you give paunchie a hug…yaaa…that's like it…Cheers!! And now take this dear paunchieee!! Punchhhhhh!" Rashid had punched my stomach hard. I buckled with the pain. I got some more kicks on my ass. TJ, Moti and Divz joined in the assault. Putting up any resistance was futile. My gang was nuts!

There was someone missing. I could feel his absence. Hey, where was that idiot friend of mine? Where was that roomie of mine who had been like a shadow for two years? Where the hell was Adrian?