25

The fun times didnt end since then. Adi rushed to his hostel early in the morning as he had escaped the previous night and he had to be back before anyone woke up. In his room, the first thing he did was call me... yes I had been expecting the call. But instead of the normal 'I am back!' .. he kept asking was the last night real?
We talked on phone each night for hours. Mornings, he would sleep in his lectures and me in mine. Isha knew about the commitment. She would help me sneak out to meet him on weekdays. At weekends, when he was back, we would rarely see or talk to each other in front of everyone.. not event the amount we used to. Social networking sites, still showed us 'single' ... we had our relatives in our friend lists and we were not yet ready for the declaration.
Practically, he knew everything about me. But we wanted to know each other with a different perspective. And so we needed our time.

But as they say, God never asks you your plans. One Sunday evening, Adi was packing to leave. Dad had been out of town for some business meeting and mum had gone to the market to bring him some biscuits. Isha too was gone out with her friends. Adi asked me to come over to help him pack. It had only been six months since he went to college. I was packing while he relaxed carelessly.
He was throwing random comments... making me concious of everything... my dressing, my hair, my movements...

Me - "Firstly you dont do your job and when I am doing it, you wont let me... what do you want?"
Adi - "You"

He said it with alot of seriousness in his voice... one that made me drop the clothes I was holding. He laughed and walked to me. I started walking backwards. Often I saw this in the movies and thought how can anyone do it in real life... if the person you love is approaching you, how can you move backwards.. but now I knew that this is the way things worked. Love never defined things.. things defined themselves in a very lovely way!
I was leaning against the almirah door and no more space to move back... he still kept approaching. Yes it was 6 months into commitment but that magic was always there. We talked less and looked at each other more. I shook free of the feeling and tried moving out but he held my hand. He was holding a beautiful bracelet in his other hand. I noticed it for the first time.

Adi - "I hope there is no problem with this?"

I had refused to wear a ring when he brought one. Everyone would notice and it would be so obvious. He started placing the bangle on my wrist. None of us spoke but kept looking at each other with utmost love in our eyes. Finally when the bracelet was in my hand.. I smiled and turned to leave.. but the moment I turned, the smile turned to fear. He noticed the fear on my face and looked towards the door.
If any moment, a movie director yelled 'cut' from somewhere I wouldnot have had been surprised for the situation was typically one of those in the movies. Mum stood at the door staring at the two of us while Adi and I, stood as close as we could without merging into one and holding hands. We all stood still for a moment. Fear grew inside me like Tsunami waves. With a tear in my eyes, I broke myself from Adi and ran out as fast as I could. In the process, I didnot even realise that the bracelet had broken and all its beats spread all along the way to my home.