‘Do you really love her?’ Swapan asked to himself.

‘Yes. Why are you asking? Do you have any doubt?’ Someone in his head asked him back.

‘No. Nothing like that.’

‘Then why aren’t you telling her about your feelings?’

‘Sometimes I feel confused. Is it actually love? Are you sure it’s not an infatuation or a crush?’

Swapan tried to concentrate on the Biology book on the study table. He had read nothing for more than thirty minutes. His private tutor would come anytime soon. After his arrival, his heartthrob Bipasha would also enter into the study. Bipasha used to come twice a week to his house to take lessons in science.

After the departure of their teacher, Bipasha used to stay in his study for some time. Her father was very busy and hence always late to take her home. She used to kill time by gossiping with Swapan on various topics.

That day Swapan was having a tough time paying attention on the Biology book. He was staring at Bipasha repeatedly from the corner of his eyes. She was wearing her favourite blue churidar. Swapan knew that she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

Their private tutor was teaching an interesting topic. It was ‘The Reproduction System’, a very important chapter in Biology. But Swapan was totally ignorant about it. His mind was reproducing the same thoughts that had been disturbing him continuously for some days.

‘Should I propose to her today? Or any other day? What will happen if she says “no”? Then I will feel extremely hurt. Our friendship may be ruined completely. She may complain to my parents also………………’

Swapan felt that someone was calling him by his name. ‘Swapan, why are you silent?’ It was the teacher’s voice. Swapan suddenly got back to his senses. ‘Yes, sir,’ he answered.

‘Didn’t you listen to my question? Go kneel down. What do you keep thinking all the time?’

Swapan could see Bipasha covering her mischievous smile with the Biology book. It was not the ideal day for him to tell her about his feelings. He vowed to improve his impression the next day.

Kneeling down, Swapan continued his thought process. What would happen if he gave her a love letter? Swapan used to help his school friends write love letters. He possessed a profound knowledge in literature. He was also very good in grammar and spellings.

Swapan discarded this idea. If he proposed to her verbally, there won’t be any evidence. If Bipasha complained to his parents, he could deny the allegation. But in case of love letter, he would not be able to save his back.

The tutor took an early leave. He had to attend a relative’s wedding. After he left the room, Bipasha asked Swapan, ‘Do you want to tell me something? You are looking very anxious.’

‘No ... nothing,’ Swapan smiled sheepishly. He restrained himself from disclosing anything.

Swapan did not know if he could gather courage to write her a love letter. But it seemed great to imagine about it. It would be a letter written in scintillating handwriting with words from the depth of his heart. Three quotes by Tagore and two lines by Wordsworth would add a literary value to the letter. His stylish signature at the end would look nice.

The next day Swapan was very happy. He had written the letter at last. It took him almost a day to write, rewrite and edit the letter. Along with the quotes, there was a poem in it. ‘My first love poem,’ Swapan whispered to himself. He was reading the chapter about the reproduction system attentively. The tutor would arrive soon.

Bipasha was stunned to see that Swapan had read the chapter thoroughly. It was nothing less than a miracle. He answered all the questions asked by the tutor correctly. ‘Wow! Swapan, you are a genius!’ Bipasha whispered in his ears.

After the tutor left the study, Swapan got up to take the letter out of a secret place. ‘Bipasha, I’ll be back in a minute,’ he said and turned to leave.

‘Swapan, wait!’ she said.

‘What?’

Bipasha looked very happy. Did she somehow know that he was going to fetch the love letter written for her? He thought that it was quite possible as the girls know well how to use their sixth sense.

‘Just a minute,’ Bipasha kept ransacking her bag before pulling out a piece of paper. There was something scribbled on it in a very bad handwriting. ‘My first love letter,’ she giggled.

‘Amit gave it to me today. It’s so nice of him,’ she said holding the folded letter. Swapan took it in his hand and looked carefully. The handwriting was almost unreadable. It looked like an inscription of an ancient civilization that was yet to be deciphered. But the message was clear. Swapan remembered that he had helped Amit to write this letter a couple of days back. Amit had lied that it was for his lover who lived in Delhi.

‘Did you accept his proposal?’ Swapan said suppressing the torrent in his heart.

‘I said yes,’ said Bipasha.

‘Oh….’

‘What? Are you not happy, Swapan? You are my best friend. You should be excited to hear this news.’

‘I am extremely happy,’ Swapan said with a fake smile. ‘Just a minute’, Swapan said and was about to leave the room.

‘Swapan,’ Bipasha called him again, ‘When you come back, please help me to write an answer to his letter. I know you are very good in it.’

‘Okay,’ Swapan left the room and decided to tear his letter in pieces and throw it in garbage. But he was in a dilemma about helping Bipasha in writing her reply. He knew that it was tougher than writing his first love letter.