CHAPTER-3 (Roots)

“I like your paintings.”  Vaahika said while gazing at his painting which was about to complete, while putting down her bag by the side of the back-stage curtain.

He looked at her for a miniscule second, gave a slight nod and turned back to his painting.

“You don’t talk?” Vaahika asked Kunaal.

He put down the paint-brush, and without saying anything left.

She stood there stunned. She was in 10^th standard that year and he in 12^th. They were in the same school.

Vaahika was 15 then and Kunaal was 17. He had a lean physique, a square face, a sharp nose, rosebud lips and his hair had a brunette shade. He looked charming and was. But, there was one thing constant about him, he always remained quiet; everywhere. Quiet and alone. He was a brilliant painter and speaker. There were speech competitions, painting competitions, debate, declamation and Kunaal acquired the first position in all of them. He was the favourite student of all the teachers, reason being his knowledge, enthusiasm and outspoken yet sublime etiquettes.

Vaahika was exactly the opposite of Kunaal, when talking about the aura she carried. She was a walking chatter-box, which everyone loved about her. She never walked, she danced and she acted. Guys in school drooled over her and she used to gaze  only Mr. Mystery.

She was in 8^th standard when she saw Kunaal for the first time practicing his speech in front of the mirror in the theatre, after school. She was practicing her act but something stopped her and she just stood behind the curtain, eyeing the senior till he left.

That was the first time and today. No matter, what she’s doing and where she is, Kunaal walks past her and she would leave everything and watch him till he disappears.

Because he was a senior, she couldn’t get chances to approach him. But this year was different. She knew if she doesn’t try talking to him now, she probably won’t get any chance ever again. And, that’s why though pre-boards were approaching, she insisted to be the part of theatre-play to her teachers, which luckily was considered.

Kunaal was asked to paint some portraits for stage decoration, and, hence he stopped by after school to complete the same.

“Hi!” Vaahika waved at Kunaal seeing him entering through the backstage.

“Hi, junior!” Kunaal replied with a wave, and a soft-smile, for the first time ever.

“You have a dimpled-smile. See, me too!” Vaahika smiled at him, trying to make a talk and hiding her excitement at Kunaal’s reply.

Kunaal nodded at her and begun emptying his bag for completing the work he was left with.

Instead of practicing her act, she sat there and watched Kunaal.

“Should I be complaining about you that you pass your time here and don’t practice?”  Kunaal asked Vaahika in a threatening tone.

“You would do that?” Vaahika asked instantly, widening her eyes, not scared at all, but frowning.

Kunaal burst out laughing. “Sorry for the reaction, the other day and thank you for the compliment.”

Vaahika smiled at him. “Sweet!” She thought.

“ Can I ask you something?” Vaahika asked a bit hesitatingly.

“Yeah!” Kunaal nodded in agreement.

“I have seen you; in library, painting in the theatre, practicing your speech, or playing basket-ball. One thing has always been constant. You are always alone. Why no company? People admire you, be it teachers or juniors or your own classmates. But you are always alone. Why? I mean, why is that?” Vaahika asked Kunaal everything she had been wondering about in the past few years about Mr. Mystery.

“OH GOD! So many questions! Someone has been noticing me a LOT, eh!” Kunaal laughed, put his stuff aside and sat near Vaahika.

“Answer no, senior?” Vaahika crossed her arms, insisting Kunaal to answer her questions.

“To be honest, I just am a busy person. Investing my time on something productive is good pick rather than hanging out with girls or guys who half-listen to my talk or half-talk to me while using their androids or gossip about how they make out under their parent’s noses with their own friends just for the sake of ‘enjoyment’ and find it so ‘happening’. I do talk to everyone though. But no hang-out-business at all. That’s it. To add, I feel good as a loner.” Kunaal answered her question as honestly as he could.

Vaahika had her face on her palms and eyes on Kunaal’s distant eyes while he was telling her why he was always alone. He was indeed charming! Kunaal saw her gazing at him and it was the first time he was seeing her from up close and undoubtedly she was adorable. Her eyes, calm. Vaahika shook her head and was about to say something when the watchmen called out her name, while stepping in the school-theatre.

She stood up, took her bag and turned towards Kunaal. “Hey senior! Let’s go.”

Surprisingly, Kunaal also wrapped his bag up and left with her. Both of them walked out of school gate and Vaahika told him that she lives nearby only. She asked him where he lives and he told her that he lives in the garage which was few miles away from school.

She asked him that why he lives at the garage. And, he tells her that he works there.

“You work? When do you sleep?” Vaahika asked Kunaal, shocked at what she came to know about him.

Kunaal laughed again at her innocence. “You are cute.”

She blushed and waved him bye. “Kal milenge! Bye Senior!”

Kunaal smiled back at her and left.

The next day, Vaahika spotted Kunaal near the entrance flipping pages of a book.

"Hi, Senior!" Vaahika waved at Kunaal while approaching towards him.

"Hey! Hi junior! You can call me by my name itself, you know?" Kunaal greeted her back, with a gentle smile.

"Kunaal!"  Vaahika repeated his name, nodding, and shook hands with him.

"Here, take this. I was waiting for you to hand it over. It's a good read; one of my most and all time favourite. You like reading, right?" Kunaal asked Vaahika while handing her the book For One More Day by Mitch Albom.

"Oh, I don't like, I love reading!" She excitedly took the book from him and smelt its pages as if it is a delicious food. She loved reading way more than theatre.

"It's almost time for assembly. Shall we?" Kunaal bent to his right-side like a host and she happily made her way ahead of him. Both of them headed towards their respective classes, put their bags and came back to the assembly ground. While the prayers were being recited, she stole some glances at him, secretly hoping that he might be doing the same, but he wasn't. She kept doing so until assembly got over and classes begun.

Theatre schedules shortened a little and classes stretched too, reason being, the pre-boards were approaching closer, day-by-day. Things were different now. Vaahika and Kunaal weren't some random junior-senior anymore but friends.

She was happy and Kunaal also was visibly happy around her. Canteen, theatre, painting, rehearsals; they were mostly together. She danced, sung, mimicked, giggled, and Kunaal would do nothing but adore her for everything she was.

Pre-boards begun and their togetherness got a little disturbed. They used to see each other, wave with a smile on and that's all. January went like that and then February came.

The results were out and she had scored well. She thought that Kunaal might have scored just the same and she was eagerly waiting to see him after school.

She was waiting for him in the theatre after school that day. It was almost 5 when the security guard came and asked her to get back home. She left from school and started walking towards home.

She reached home and her mother opened the door. She hugged her and stepped in.

"Beta, ek letter aayaa hai aapke lie, but there's no sender's name on it." Vaahika's mother Meera told her while she was putting her schoolbag down.

"Mere lie? Letter? Show."  Vaahika put her bag on the chair and asked her mother to show the letter, her forehead wrinkled.

Meera gave her the letter and went to kitchen to rustle something for her daughter.

Vaahika went to her room, closed the door, changed, freshened herself up and sat on her bed, comfortably. She tore the letter envelope and there was a letter wrote in a very neat manner. It read:

Hey Junior,

           Sorry that before leaving from here I couldn't see you or tell you prior. Henceforth, I am writing you a letter which you can keep with you to remember me as and when you like. Oh yea! You can also tear it. Marzi hai! Haha. *Winks*
I am going back to Mumbai and won't be coming back here again. Yes I know, you must have scored incredible in the pre-boards, so, please be the same in your finals. I scored okayish. So, no big news from my side. Also, I am going to drop this year.

And yes, don't you ever think of leaving theatre. Please don't. Whenever you get this letter, next day do ask the security guard. I have given him something to hand over to you. Hopefully you'll like it. Keep the book with you as well. My most favourite one, remember? Senior sends his love and best wishes. Shine on, always. 

And, thank you for being such a cheerful person in my life. I owe you a big hug. If I ever come back, know that I would only be coming back to give you that. Stay the way you are. 
Take care of yourself.
Affection.
Phir milenge. 
Kunaal :)

(PS: I missed you and I know I’m going to miss you, even more now.)

 For a couple of minutes, she thought as if she's dreaming and she's going to wake up to reality, but then her forearms felt something and she realised that she wasn't dreaming.

Her tears were pouring down on her palms and she was all gloomy having no idea about how it happened what just happened. There was everything, sadness because she missed him and now knew that he is gone afar; anger because he didn’t tell her before leaving; anxiety because she felt terribly uneasy about how things changed suddenly. But, the topmost feeling was the realization that she was in love with him.

Lost and tired in her own thoughts and memories, she fell asleep. Something broke inside her. Badly enough!