Eyes

I

 

Tilak was coming out of his cubicle when he heard Chandan call him. “Will you come here for a while?”

 

“Will you please read what is written in the sms?” he asked when he entered his cubicle.

 

Chandan was one of the most meritorious employees of their company. He was a magician when it came to composition of background scores of the ads that their company created but just like all the geniuses, nature has balanced his fortune with a misfortune. He could see things alright when they were far but could not see things that were close, or things which were hard to read, like smses on a cell-phone.

 

He often asked for the help of his friends, who happily helped him because he was a wonderful person.

 

Tilak read him the message.

 

“Will you please answer it? I will tell you what to write.” Chandan requested again.

 

It seemed that the girl who has written the message truly loved Chandan. Tilak answered the sms.

 

He heard Chandan talking with the girl as he closed the door of the office behind him.

 

“Hey Tilak, I want to see Pausha, I want to know her more.”

 

“I think that’s a good idea. She seems to like you. Why don’t you take it a step further and see if you can end up together forever.” He laughed.

 

“I think you are right. May be we should meet. I like her very much. She is a very sweet girl.”

 

They were having their lunch together. On Chandan’s request Tilak texted the smses and fixed an appointment in a restaurant next Sunday.

 

 

 

II

 

 

“Tilak, I am scared. What if she refuses me? And calls off the friendship?”

 

“Don’t be scared buddy, she will like you, and you are a marvelous person.” Tilak smiled at him fondly.

 

It was Sunday morning. Tilak was still in his bed when his cell-phone rang. It was Chandan. “I am on my way to airport. My flight is at ten. I am leaving for two years to Singapore.”

 

“Will you do me a favour? Will you meet Pausha on my behalf? She will be coming here all the way from Raniganj just to meet me. Tell her that I am really sorry that I had to go away like this. I received the sms fifteen minutes back or else I would have called her up myself. She must be on her way to Kolkata so calling her now is useless and rude. I will pay you the bill buddy; just take my girlfriend to a date. Please!”

 

Tilak agreed because he knew that if none showed up in the restaurant that will mean end of Chandan’s friendship with Pausha, there are slim chances that she will take it sportingly.

 

He got up and left for the restaurant at the given time. Pausha was sitting in the table; it was love at first sight. He spent the whole day with her and left absolutely drowned in her love.

 

She really was like an autumn morning. Simple, calm and serene. An air of purity enveloping her whole being.

 

He hid the fact from her that he was not Chandan. Why heaven only knows. He told her that he has changed his phone number and email address and gave his phone number and email id to her.

 

He knew Chandan has left his phone in India. He was dead sure that he will forget her in two years.

 

Sometimes people lie just without any reason at all. May be he thought that it would be their first and last meeting. But then why did he give her his own number? Hoping she too will be smitten by him?

 

She did not contact him back and two years passed by. Though he tried his level best to befriend her she remained aloof.

 

Chandan returned to India as his boss. Tilak got a little scared that he will ask about her, and if he finds out the bluffs, the results will be extremely bad for him.

 

Well, he did, the first question he asked him when they met was about Pausha, how was the meeting and what type of person she was.

 

“She is married. She came with a small daughter.” Tilak blurted out.

 

“She can’t be married. She told me she is unmarried and she is not a liar.” Was Chandan’s firm answer. He brushed off all that Tilak said to convince him.

 

 

III

 

 

 

He has already replaced Pausha’s number with the number of his cousin sister. Who lived in Raniganj. He has told her every thing and begged her help. She was furious but promised that she will help him as much as possible.

 

He has gathered enough knowledge about Pausha pretending as Chandan, he shared them with his sister and requested her again and again to get rid him of Chandan as early as possible, or else she might get caught and that will mean his doom.

 

He has failed to gauge the depth of Chandan’s feelings for Pausha. He was one of those persons who loved very rare, and when they did they loved with their every thing.

 

“Tilak, Chandan is nagging me to meet him again and again.” It was Doyel, his cousin on phone. “He is ignoring all my attempts to brush him away. I can’t be cruel to him without any reasons… tell me what I will do!”

 

“He is convinced that I am not married, because he calls up at all hours and asks me to let him speak with my husband or daughter, now from where will I get a husband or daughter?” she added, “So I avoided his grilling without saying anything.”

 

“Give me little time sis, just little time, I will try to shake her off his head. Can you give me your phone for a few months?” he asked and she happily gave it to him because she was absolutely disgusted with the entire affair.

 

Tilak started to sms him as abusively as possible. Trying to shake him out of his obsession.  He could see that Chandan was shattering to pieces, his heart started to curse him.

 

So he tried to treat him with firm friendliness even that failed. He could see that he was deeply in love with her.

 

His mother complained to him that he is turning down all the marriage offers.

 

He felt like banging his head to the wall.  He truly liked Chandan and hated himself for slipping into this quagmire of endless lies. He was sinking deeper into it with every passing day. He could see no way out of it.

 

 

 

IV

 

Pausha was sitting in her room when her phone rang, it was Chandan. She was a little irked. He did not turned out the man she thought he was and have been trying to get rid of him since then but he just was not giving in.

 

“Pausha, I am coming to Raniganj, can you meet me for a while? It’s urgent.”

 

“When and where?”

 

The venue was fixed. Tilak met her, told her the whole story and begged her to save him and Chandan.

 

Pausha scolded him but forgave him.

 

Next day Tilak entered office, “Chandan, Pausha wants to meet you.”

 

“Where? How did you know her?” Chandan beamed.

 

“I gave her my number when we met.” Tilak said, she is coming to Kolkata tomorrow. Please don’t go to Singapore again. Tilak laughed hiding his pain and fear.

 

They met in the same restaurant. “Where is your daughter?” Tilak asked her naughtily.

 

“I am not married; she is my sister’s daughter. I brought her with me as a safety measure.” She laughed. “When you told me that you are not Chandan I was so mad at him that I deliberately lied to you and gave away the phone to my sister. She has been playing all these pranks with Chandan.”

 

“I am sorry. Really.” She smiled at Chandan. Tilak could feel their mutual attraction. He tried to slip out but was not allowed. They passed the day together happily. Pausha went back to Raniganj glowing like a jasmine in early morning. Leaving behind a ecstatic Chandan.

 

(END)