Suraiya turned off the television, set aside her empty container of strawberry yogurt. She had just seen one of her favourite movies, ‘Notting Hill’ on HBO. She just loved Romantic Comedies, particularly ‘Bridget Jones Diary’ in English and Jab We Met’ in Hindi. She reclined on the sofa, the taste of strawberry yogurt still on her tongue. She stroked her long, straight hair, hazily glancing at a Leonardo di Caprio poster pasted on the wall of her room, with her large and round eyes, but her mind was lost elsewhere as it was on many an occasion. She lifted her Nokia 3110c, decorated with stickers and hearts (she was on the lookout for a red tail) and dialled an extremely familiar number.
Prafful was in the midst of an extremely important task. He looked into the mirror on his table, opened his left eye with the fingers of his left hand. He got the start of his life. An old man, behind him, was shouting in Saxtti Concanim “Ê Bhau, arê fone aila tuca, ghé maré begin...!” The contact lens fell off his finger. Very irritated, he looked at his LG Shine to see who it was who had called him and sighed.
Since he and Suraiya had met in the First Year at college 2 years ago, they were soul mates, although they were completely different in every aspect: looks, personality, likes. Prafful was short, fair, with almost mongoloid eyes and she was taller, browner and beautiful. Prafful said she resembled a Tollywood actress. Even their personalities were different; he had his feet firmly rooted on earth, not an extrovert and ruled by his head. And that is why it was such a surprise that they were such friends, without any romantic sentiments. They spoke at least twice a day.
Prafful slid his Shine and barked without any ‘Hello’
- ‘I was putting the lenses in my eyes!’
- ‘Oh I am sorry! I wanted to know about your project for the year. Because tomorrow we are going to be divided in groups, depending on the topics of the projects isn’t it?’
- ‘Yes. I know. You are not going to be in my group, because I already have mine’. ‘Check out tomorrow who has chosen your topic’
- ‘Ok, till tomorrow then’
But all of a sudden, Prafful felt playful and smiled to himself, blushing.
-‘Wait. Do you remember, that you have not returned the favour you owe me from last year?’
- ‘What favour’
- ‘Do you remember how you convinced me to go with you for ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’? I got out of the theatre with a headache! And that is why you have to go with me to a movie of my choice!’
- ‘ Ha! I am not going for your action and sci-fi movies! And talking about that, do you remember what happened? You reached late for the movie, and that is why I had to pay for your ticket and after the movie, you said you detested the movie and you refused to pay for your ticket! You still owe Rs 120, Mr Prafful!’
- ‘He he! I notice that your memory is still sharp. Till tomorrow then. Tchau.
Suraiya wasn’t very happy when she left college with Prafful after classes.
- ‘Did you see who is in my group?’
- ‘Yes, Pankaj. I don’t know him very well.’
- ‘But tell me what you know about him. Wasn’t he in the Higher Secondary with you?’
- ‘Suraiya, it does not matter for how long you know a person. Well, Pankaj was always..... how do I say it….the ‘different’ one in the class. He thinks laterally and does everything that others do not. He is radical.’
- ‘Xi saibá, it is going to be a bit difficult. He has invited the group to his house this evening to discuss the project’
Suraiya spent an anxious evening. The description of Pankaj made her nervous, because she would have to work with him an entire year. Even if there were three other people in the group, Pankaj was the leader, which meant that he would conceive odd plans, difficult plans, which would make the work of others more difficult. She started her Honda Dio and followed the directions that Pankaj had given to the group to reach his house. She needed a while to reach the apartment block and to find the apartment. She rang the bell and the door opened. For the next few seconds Suraiya was rooted to the spot. She thought that Cupid had opened the door for her. He was the most beautiful boy that she had seen in her life. His skin was so fair, nearly as white as milk and looked as soft as a baby’s skin. His eyes were a clear and green. She could see her reflection in those eyes. His hair was brown and smooth like silk.
- ‘Sohan who is at the door?’ And it was as if Pankaj had broken a glass plate on her head. Pankaj’s voice broke that special moment. Suraiya felt a balloon expanding in her; she had never felt so light in her life.’
- ‘Dada, its one of your colleagues’
- ‘Ah, come in Suraiya. The others are just reaching’
But Suraiya’s mind was on that boy.
- ‘Pankaj, is it your brother? He is very beautiful.’
- ‘Ah yes, he is. His name is Sohan. He is 12 years old and studies in the seventh grade. Sohan this is Suraiya, my colleague in college.’
Suraiya, could not concentrate on the project discussion that day. Soon after reaching home, she told Prafful about it.
- ‘Suraiya, are you mad!? You fancy a child of 12 years? Do you know that makes you a paedophile?’
- ‘Yes Prafful, I know, but I am completely in love. I am going to wait till he turns 18 years. I do not care what others say or believe. I am going to win his love even if it takes me years. I am going to win Pankaj’s approval too.’
Prafful, hung up in great anger. That night, Suraiya could not concentrate on anything; not films, not television neither her favourite fried chips for dinner.
She did not find Sohan on Facebook, and she knew that he did not have his own mobile phone. She spent the entire night tossing and turning in bed, thinking of how to meet Sohan, that meant going to Pankaj’s house. She was not happy when Pankaj announced to the group that the meetings for the project discussion would be in rotation, at the house of each member of the group. She turned morose and lost interest in everything. Prafful tried to distract her with various things but did not succeed.
- ‘Prafful, it does not matter ok. I have to be with him. Anyhow, you do understand what Sohan means don’t you?
‘Yes, I know that it means ‘lover’. Suraiya, come to your senses, please. Do you know that you can be jailed for paedophilia? Your family will throw you on the street. And then what will you do?’
This thought reached Suraiya’s heart. She decided to forget the boy.
However, the more she tried to forget Sohan, the more she thought of him. She began counting the days on the calendar until the next meeting at Pankaj’s. When the day at last arrived, she became very impatient. That evening, she took her bag, the scooter keys, and nearly swallowed the omelette that her mother had prepared. She fled from her house and obviously reached early at her destination. Sohan opened the door for her and she felt as though she was floating on air. She opened her mouth to speak, but did not succeed. It was Sohan who broke he silence.
- ‘You are Suraiya aren’t you? Dada has gone out for a while. Wait in the living room’
The apartment appeared empty to her
- ‘Sohan, isn’t anyone at home?’
- ‘No, Momma and Papa have still not come back from work. Dada will be back shortly.’
Suraiya’s blood ran faster at these words. She saw Sohan entering a room and followed him instinctively. She saw him reading some books on his study table.
- ‘Are you doing your homework, Sohan?’ She asked without realising what she was saying
- ‘Yes, it’s Maths. It is so difficult. Dada does not help me. Says I should do it myself, to improve my skills. But I find geometry difficult.’
- ‘Can I help you, I do it well.’
- ‘Oh, thank you very much’
She came nearer to him from behind and leaned over him. She felt his velvety hair and his baby skin, and was aroused.
Pankaj returned in 10 minutes and saw Suraiya seated in the living room
- ‘You reached early today. You seem very happy today, lady’
Ela conseguiu dar a sua atenção completa à discussão e dormiu muito bem àquela noite. Ela não disse a Prafful o que fizera mas ele reparou a mudança nela. Porém, Pankaj também reparou a mudança no seu irmão. Sohan não queria sair com os seus amigos e tinha medo das raparigas. Ele começou dormir no quarto de Pankaj e tinha medo da sua cama. Pankaj perdeu a paciência um dia quando uma prima abraçou Sohan e ele gritou e chorou. Pankaj levou Sohan ao seu quarto, fê-lo sentar na sua cama e falar. E finalmente Sohan contou-lhe como ele foi molestado por Suraiya quando Pankaj saíra por 10 minutos.
She gave her complete attention to the discussion and slept very well that night. She did not tell Prafful what she had done, but he perceived the change in her. But Pankaj too noticed the change in his brother. Sohan did not want to go out with his friends and was afraid of girls. He started sleeping in Pankaj’s room and was afraid of his bed. Pankaj lost his patience one day, when a cousin, hugged Sohan and he screamed and cried. Pankaj took Sohan to his room, made him sit on his bed and let him talk to him.
- “Por amor de Deus, Sohan, porque é não me disseste àquele dia mesmo?!”
- ‘For God’s sake Sohan, why didn’t you tell me on that very day’
- ‘Dada, I was very nervous and confused. It was only after some time that I understood what had happened.’
- ‘Don’t worry; she is going to pay for this. But first I will tell Momma and Papa, and then I will call the police.’
The next morning, Suraiya woke up to the sound of the police siren. She opened the door as her parents looked on in horror. A policeman approached her.
- ‘Are you Suraiya? Come with us to the police station. You are under arrest for the sexual abuse of a minor.’
Suraiya looked at the policeman and then at her parents.
- ‘I dont deny it, Sir. Yes I molested a boy of 12 years. I am obsessed by him. Come shall we go?’
And Prafful, who lived in the next building, could only look in despair when he saw his soul mate enter the police jeep.
Prafful was in the midst of an extremely important task. He looked into the mirror on his table, opened his left eye with the fingers of his left hand. He got the start of his life. An old man, behind him, was shouting in Saxtti Concanim “Ê Bhau, arê fone aila tuca, ghé maré begin...!” The contact lens fell off his finger. Very irritated, he looked at his LG Shine to see who it was who had called him and sighed.
Since he and Suraiya had met in the First Year at college 2 years ago, they were soul mates, although they were completely different in every aspect: looks, personality, likes. Prafful was short, fair, with almost mongoloid eyes and she was taller, browner and beautiful. Prafful said she resembled a Tollywood actress. Even their personalities were different; he had his feet firmly rooted on earth, not an extrovert and ruled by his head. And that is why it was such a surprise that they were such friends, without any romantic sentiments. They spoke at least twice a day.
Prafful slid his Shine and barked without any ‘Hello’
- ‘I was putting the lenses in my eyes!’
- ‘Oh I am sorry! I wanted to know about your project for the year. Because tomorrow we are going to be divided in groups, depending on the topics of the projects isn’t it?’
- ‘Yes. I know. You are not going to be in my group, because I already have mine’. ‘Check out tomorrow who has chosen your topic’
- ‘Ok, till tomorrow then’
But all of a sudden, Prafful felt playful and smiled to himself, blushing.
-‘Wait. Do you remember, that you have not returned the favour you owe me from last year?’
- ‘What favour’
- ‘Do you remember how you convinced me to go with you for ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’? I got out of the theatre with a headache! And that is why you have to go with me to a movie of my choice!’
- ‘ Ha! I am not going for your action and sci-fi movies! And talking about that, do you remember what happened? You reached late for the movie, and that is why I had to pay for your ticket and after the movie, you said you detested the movie and you refused to pay for your ticket! You still owe Rs 120, Mr Prafful!’
- ‘He he! I notice that your memory is still sharp. Till tomorrow then. Tchau.
Suraiya wasn’t very happy when she left college with Prafful after classes.
- ‘Did you see who is in my group?’
- ‘Yes, Pankaj. I don’t know him very well.’
- ‘But tell me what you know about him. Wasn’t he in the Higher Secondary with you?’
- ‘Suraiya, it does not matter for how long you know a person. Well, Pankaj was always..... how do I say it….the ‘different’ one in the class. He thinks laterally and does everything that others do not. He is radical.’
- ‘Xi saibá, it is going to be a bit difficult. He has invited the group to his house this evening to discuss the project’
Suraiya spent an anxious evening. The description of Pankaj made her nervous, because she would have to work with him an entire year. Even if there were three other people in the group, Pankaj was the leader, which meant that he would conceive odd plans, difficult plans, which would make the work of others more difficult. She started her Honda Dio and followed the directions that Pankaj had given to the group to reach his house. She needed a while to reach the apartment block and to find the apartment. She rang the bell and the door opened. For the next few seconds Suraiya was rooted to the spot. She thought that Cupid had opened the door for her. He was the most beautiful boy that she had seen in her life. His skin was so fair, nearly as white as milk and looked as soft as a baby’s skin. His eyes were a clear and green. She could see her reflection in those eyes. His hair was brown and smooth like silk.
- ‘Sohan who is at the door?’ And it was as if Pankaj had broken a glass plate on her head. Pankaj’s voice broke that special moment. Suraiya felt a balloon expanding in her; she had never felt so light in her life.’
- ‘Dada, its one of your colleagues’
- ‘Ah, come in Suraiya. The others are just reaching’
But Suraiya’s mind was on that boy.
- ‘Pankaj, is it your brother? He is very beautiful.’
- ‘Ah yes, he is. His name is Sohan. He is 12 years old and studies in the seventh grade. Sohan this is Suraiya, my colleague in college.’
Suraiya, could not concentrate on the project discussion that day. Soon after reaching home, she told Prafful about it.
- ‘Suraiya, are you mad!? You fancy a child of 12 years? Do you know that makes you a paedophile?’
- ‘Yes Prafful, I know, but I am completely in love. I am going to wait till he turns 18 years. I do not care what others say or believe. I am going to win his love even if it takes me years. I am going to win Pankaj’s approval too.’
Prafful, hung up in great anger. That night, Suraiya could not concentrate on anything; not films, not television neither her favourite fried chips for dinner.
She did not find Sohan on Facebook, and she knew that he did not have his own mobile phone. She spent the entire night tossing and turning in bed, thinking of how to meet Sohan, that meant going to Pankaj’s house. She was not happy when Pankaj announced to the group that the meetings for the project discussion would be in rotation, at the house of each member of the group. She turned morose and lost interest in everything. Prafful tried to distract her with various things but did not succeed.
- ‘Prafful, it does not matter ok. I have to be with him. Anyhow, you do understand what Sohan means don’t you?
‘Yes, I know that it means ‘lover’. Suraiya, come to your senses, please. Do you know that you can be jailed for paedophilia? Your family will throw you on the street. And then what will you do?’
This thought reached Suraiya’s heart. She decided to forget the boy.
However, the more she tried to forget Sohan, the more she thought of him. She began counting the days on the calendar until the next meeting at Pankaj’s. When the day at last arrived, she became very impatient. That evening, she took her bag, the scooter keys, and nearly swallowed the omelette that her mother had prepared. She fled from her house and obviously reached early at her destination. Sohan opened the door for her and she felt as though she was floating on air. She opened her mouth to speak, but did not succeed. It was Sohan who broke he silence.
- ‘You are Suraiya aren’t you? Dada has gone out for a while. Wait in the living room’
The apartment appeared empty to her
- ‘Sohan, isn’t anyone at home?’
- ‘No, Momma and Papa have still not come back from work. Dada will be back shortly.’
Suraiya’s blood ran faster at these words. She saw Sohan entering a room and followed him instinctively. She saw him reading some books on his study table.
- ‘Are you doing your homework, Sohan?’ She asked without realising what she was saying
- ‘Yes, it’s Maths. It is so difficult. Dada does not help me. Says I should do it myself, to improve my skills. But I find geometry difficult.’
- ‘Can I help you, I do it well.’
- ‘Oh, thank you very much’
She came nearer to him from behind and leaned over him. She felt his velvety hair and his baby skin, and was aroused.
Pankaj returned in 10 minutes and saw Suraiya seated in the living room
- ‘You reached early today. You seem very happy today, lady’
Ela conseguiu dar a sua atenção completa à discussão e dormiu muito bem àquela noite. Ela não disse a Prafful o que fizera mas ele reparou a mudança nela. Porém, Pankaj também reparou a mudança no seu irmão. Sohan não queria sair com os seus amigos e tinha medo das raparigas. Ele começou dormir no quarto de Pankaj e tinha medo da sua cama. Pankaj perdeu a paciência um dia quando uma prima abraçou Sohan e ele gritou e chorou. Pankaj levou Sohan ao seu quarto, fê-lo sentar na sua cama e falar. E finalmente Sohan contou-lhe como ele foi molestado por Suraiya quando Pankaj saíra por 10 minutos.
She gave her complete attention to the discussion and slept very well that night. She did not tell Prafful what she had done, but he perceived the change in her. But Pankaj too noticed the change in his brother. Sohan did not want to go out with his friends and was afraid of girls. He started sleeping in Pankaj’s room and was afraid of his bed. Pankaj lost his patience one day, when a cousin, hugged Sohan and he screamed and cried. Pankaj took Sohan to his room, made him sit on his bed and let him talk to him.
- “Por amor de Deus, Sohan, porque é não me disseste àquele dia mesmo?!”
- ‘For God’s sake Sohan, why didn’t you tell me on that very day’
- ‘Dada, I was very nervous and confused. It was only after some time that I understood what had happened.’
- ‘Don’t worry; she is going to pay for this. But first I will tell Momma and Papa, and then I will call the police.’
The next morning, Suraiya woke up to the sound of the police siren. She opened the door as her parents looked on in horror. A policeman approached her.
- ‘Are you Suraiya? Come with us to the police station. You are under arrest for the sexual abuse of a minor.’
Suraiya looked at the policeman and then at her parents.
- ‘I dont deny it, Sir. Yes I molested a boy of 12 years. I am obsessed by him. Come shall we go?’
And Prafful, who lived in the next building, could only look in despair when he saw his soul mate enter the police jeep.
No comments:
Post a Comment