You’re Trending in my Dreams Page 3

  ‘Someone tried to play cricket with me and I played badminton with him.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Ya. This man sitting next to me tried to grope my boobs in the darkness and I smashed his cock and ran out. And anyway the movie was fucking irritating.’

  Both Malvika and Garima broke out into giggles. ‘You’re such a badass,’ they exclaimed in unison.

  Ahana and Malvika were completely insane and Garima too enjoyed their company. She had finally started enjoying life away from home, the life she had wished for. Now that she had one hell of a gang, she never wanted to go back home.

  ‘I salute your attitude!’ Garima exclaimed, showing the middle finger to Ahana.

  ‘Some people flirt with danger; I take it on a date and make it pay.’ Ahana winked.

  They sped homewards after that.

  ‘Tonight I am going to promise myself that I won’t fall anywhere,’ Malvika declared.

  ‘I’m already looking forward to having a hangover tomorrow,’ Ahana added.

  ‘Hopefully we will take many pictures tonight. Because I am sure Malvika doesn’t want to waste this outfit,’ Garima teased.

  ‘I feel like changing my outfit ten more times.’

  ‘Don’t worry, you will be done with this feeling once you finish the first half of the vodka and then convince yourself that this is the greatest outfit you’ve ever worn,’ Ahana said in amusement. Their chatter and teasing continued until they got home and opened a vodka bottle. Garima opened up a bottle of Coke and poured it into a glass.

  ‘Cheers,’ they all said in chorus as they lifted their glasses.

  Ahana and Malvika sipped their vodka while Garima sipped on her cold drink. Within an hour the vodka was over and they opened another bottle. Both of them felt tipsy but continued drinking. When vodka goes in, your consciousness goes out! Ahana and Malvika clicked a selfie and uploaded it on Instagram.

  ‘You should drink responsibly,’ Garima suggested, looking at them struggling to sit properly.

  ‘I will drink responsibly when there is a brand of vodka named Responsibly,’ Ahana joked.

  Malvika laughed and said, ‘This vodka tastes a lot like I’m-not-going-to-work-tomorrow.’

  ‘You both are crazy.’ Garima smiled.

  ‘Even you should try drinking this. Vodka is made of potatoes. Potatoes are vegetables which are good for you.’ Ahana smiled.

  Garima ignored her offer and glanced at Malvika who was looking deep into her mobile screen.

  ‘What are you looking at so seriously? Porn?’ Garima asked.

  ‘No. I am actually thinking about this hot guy who keeps “liking” my Instagram pictures but never really texts me.’

  ‘Awww. You should start liking his pictures, then probably he will,’ Garima suggested.

  Ahana came up with an idea. ‘Why don’t we play a prank by calling random people and harassing them?’

  ‘They will get our numbers. It’s risky,’ Garima warned her.

  ‘No. They won’t. We will call using VOIP that will let us make calls via the computer without revealing our number. No one will ever get to know.’ Ahana winked.

  ‘Superb. It will be fun,’ Malvika chimed in.

  They dialled a random number. It was three in the morning.

  ‘Hello,’ the person on the other end said in a sleepy voice.

  ‘Can I talk to Ramesh?’ Ahana asked and chuckled.

  ‘Wrong number, madam.’

  ‘Then can I talk to Suresh?’ she asked again, this time more seriously.

  ‘Who do you want to talk with?’ he asked in a furious tone.

  ‘Any one. Ramesh or Suresh. I don’t mind either,’ Malvika added.

  ‘Who are you? Have you gone nuts? It’s three in the morning!’

  ‘Achha woh chodiye, tell me one thing. Bachhe kaise paida hote hai? We are innocent and don’t know how kids are born. Can you tell us?’

  The person disconnected the call and all three of them rolled on the floor laughing. They weren’t done yet. They dialled another number. Again a guy picked up in a sleepy tone.

  ‘You sexy hunk, tell me one thing. Do you know how kids are born?’

  This time the guy didn’t disconnect the call. Instead the pervert actually started explaining things to them.

  ‘First, you have to get naked with me, then I will lick you everywhere and then I will insert—’ he continued.

  This time the girls disconnected the call and the prank had them in splits.

  ‘This guy’s hand will hurt thinking about us.’ Ahana laughed.

  They had a great time together, cracking hilarious jokes and playing pranks the entire night. Some people just disconnected the call while some took the joke sportingly and played along. There were some who even threatened to inform the police but it was immensely funny, all in all.

  With time, their bonding had grown strong. When it comes to friends, it’s not quantity but quality that matters. Though it was just the three of them, Ahana, Malvika and Garima had become thick friends and along with studying, they were living their life to the fullest. Soon their girlie paradise would need to make space for a guy.

  Roomies

  I’m sorry but you never encouraged me and you weren’t there to tell me there’s nothing to fear.

  But you should have been there.

  I’m sorry but you weren’t the one to teach me to ride a bike.

  But you should have been there.

  I’m sorry but you never held me tight when I lacked strength.

  But you should have been there.

  I’m sorry you weren’t the one to hold me when I cried.

  But you should have been there.

  I’m sorry to say that you will always be my father, but you will never be my dad!

  Varun wrote the poem on a piece of paper, then crumpled the sheet and threw it in the bin. It was well past midnight. Suddenly the doorbell rang. He knew all too well who it would be. His father had again come home in a drunken state. He helped his father in and put him to bed, holding his hand for a minute. He wanted to feel the loving touch of his father, something that he had never experienced in all these years. All that he could associate with his father’s touch was his rage and violence. He had decided to speak to his dad in the morning about taking admission in Mumbai University. After mustering up some courage, Varun made up his mind. He was going to talk to his father the next morning. If he could convince him of his plan then it was fine, if not, he would run away to Mumbai. Either way Varun refused to stifle his dreams.

  With so many thoughts running through the mind, he never realized when the clock struck 6 a.m. Though it was still early, his dad never allowed him to sleep beyond that hour. An army rule imposed on him even at home which frustrated him completely. But today he was going to speak his mind and express the feelings that had lain suppressed in his heart for ages. Generally a son is not very comfortable talking to his dad unless the discussion is about a cricket match or something casual. Today was slightly different.

  Varun approached his father when he saw him sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper in the living room and chugging whisky from a glass.

  ‘Dad, I want to discuss something with you,’ Varun said politely as he sat on the chair in front of his father.

  ‘What is it? I hope it’s not about you doing some petty business in the future and spoiling your future by doing a BSc,’ his dad said in a strict tone.

  Before the discussion could even start, Varun’s dad had passed the verdict. It was a strict no, and it made Varun furious.

  ‘But why, Dad? What’s your problem? It’s my life and it’s my choice of career,’ he shouted.

  ‘If you have to stay here in my house, it’s not your choice. You have to make me proud by joining the army. Are we clear?’ his dad said in anger, throwing down the newspaper.

  ‘I don’t want to be in the army. Army people are losers. Yes, they have respect in the outer world but at a personal level, they are
real losers. They live a lonely life and when they realize that they have done nothing their entire lives, they start becoming violent with their families, they start placing restrictions and giving orders. Do you think we are your slaves? I wish Mom were alive today. She would have never let this happen. Even when my mom was dying, you preferred to stay away from home. Why? Because you had other useless duties to fulfil. My mother died in pain. She needed you. We needed you. Where were you at that time? Where were you when I was looking for a support system? You preferred drinking over spending time with me or my mother! You always wanted us to live our lives your way. That’s a dictatorship. I am not going to accept it. You are a killer.’

  Varun’s dad stood up and threw his glass of whisky to the floor. The broken glass was symbolic of the broken father-and-son relationship.

  ‘What did you say? Army people are lonely? We sacrifice our lives so that billions of people in this country can breathe safely. We are the hope of countless families who enjoy festivals because we are fighting at the border. And you say that we are losers?’ He screamed as loudly as he could.

  ‘I don’t care. Why should I bother? You might have lived your life for billions of people but my mother died alone. For my entire teenage life, I have lived alone. My friends were scared to come home due to your violent behaviour. You might have been the hope for countless families as they celebrated but we never enjoyed a festival together. Never ever! Do you have any justification for that?’

  ‘I am not an emotional fool. Duty comes first for an army person and I did justice to my duty. Your mom had cancer and her death was on the cards irrespective of my being in the army or not. She died of cancer, it was not my mistake. Do you get that? All this rubbish that you say just goes to show how immature you are. I am going to teach you better. I am going to teach you a lesson even if it kills you.’

  He took the belt that lay on the desk and started lashing Varun with it. Varun took the blows without even blinking an eye.

  The lashing continued for some time. His father kept abusing him and Varun kept bearing it without saying a word. ‘You son of a bitch, how dare you call me lonely and a loser? I am the one who provides you money and—’ But when his father said ‘son of a bitch’, something happened to Varun. He caught hold of the belt with his hand and threw it away. Then, pushing his father back, he retaliated with a slap. ‘How dare you abuse my mother?’

  For a moment both of them stood there silently, without moving an inch. Varun had not slapped his father, he had slapped a man who was abusing his mother, who couldn’t understand his son or his feelings, a man who could neither be a good father nor the head of his family, a drunkard who would violently beat up his son. For years now, Varun had held a grudge against his dad and he could never forgive him for neglecting him during his childhood.

  Varun went inside his room and locked himself. Tears were streaming down his cheeks thinking of what had happened. He was human, and his emotions had given way to a volcanic eruption.

  The very same day Varun booked his train ticket to Mumbai and as soon as his dad went for an evening walk, Varun packed his bags and everything that he would need during his stay. He had no option other than to run away. Before leaving, he put in his bag a photo frame with his mom’s picture as he considered her his good luck charm. She was the one and only inspiration in his life. The only things left to take were his school certificates and some cash. He found the keys to his dad’s locker in the dressing table. After packing all his necessary documents and picking up some cash, he wrote a harsh goodbye note for his father and placed it on the dressing table. Then he picked up his baggage and left, without once caring to turn back.

  When Varun’s dad returned, he saw the goodbye note Varun had left for him. Though he knew his son didn’t like him very much, his departure was still a big shock to him. For a split second, he was blinded by complete darkness. He sat on the chair reaching out for the water bottle and reread the last line of the letter. Please do not search for me if you are a real man. Live with it and be strong. After all, you are an army man!

  Varun’s dad was shattered from within. He was his father, after all. The question that loomed large over his head was whether he should look for Varun or and give up on him.

  Twenty hours later, Varun stepped on Mumbai soil, a city where he would build his dreams.

  Varun called Ahana upon arrival and informed her that he was taking a cab to her house and would be reaching in an hour. Ahana shared the news with Malvika and Garima.

  In one decisive moment, Varun’s life had changed forever. Within a few days, Varun not only got admission to the college he had applied to, but also made friends with the other two flatmates—Malvika and Garima. A relationship is not dependent on the length of the time you have spent together; it’s dependent on the foundation you have built together.

  Varun was slightly more comfortable with Malvika than Garima and loved spending time with her, and Malvika too loved his company. As days passed, he started looking for a part-time job to pay for his monthly expenses. The cash he had brought with him was slowly running out. Though Ahana persuaded him to borrow some cash from her, he didn’t want to be an added liability on her as it went against his own principles. She had helped him a lot with the accommodation already. Gradually they had become the secret ingredients to each other’s happiness. Eventually he got a job at a café near the apartment.

  All of them had their share of troubles and sorrows. Garima couldn’t forget her past; it was like a splinter stuck in her heart forever. The one person that Varun couldn’t forgive ever was his dad. Even though Ahana’s dad wasn’t as abusive, he still was indifferent towards her and that saddened her. But all of them had their dreams to chase and were passionate about them. Ahana wanted to be one of the country’s top fashion designers, Malvika wanted to start her own dental practice, whereas Varun wanted to be an entrepreneur. Garima meanwhile just wanted to live a happy, independent life, the kind that had eluded her so far.

  It’s all in the moment, as they say, but it is important that the moment clicks. For these four, the moment had not only clicked but had framed a picture-perfect image.

  Varun had just come home from college and was about to go for a bath when his phone rang. It was his dad. He picked up the call.

  ‘How are you? And where are you?’ his dad asked.

  ‘Mind your own business,’ Varun said.

  ‘Why do you always behave like this and make me angry?’ his dad replied.

  ‘I do not want to talk you, so please stop calling me. Why do you care? Just get lost,’ Varun screamed.

  Malvika came into the room running. There was no one at home apart from the two of them. Ahana and Garima had left for college. Malvika had stayed back to prepare for an upcoming test.

  ‘What happened?’ she questioned; giving him a puzzled look.

  ‘Nothing. It was my dad’s call.’

  Malvika asked him whether he was always as rude to his dad as he was now. Varun nodded and told her the reason for his anger. He told her how his dad used to beat him even for the slightest mistake and used to abuse him every day. While narrating the entire story, he got extremely emotional. He confessed that he missed his parents’ involvement during his adolescent years. Malvika held his hand to convey that she understood how he felt. Varun felt a sense of security, the kind that he had missed his entire life, as Malvika sat there listening to him. ‘Whatever it may be, he is your dad and I’m sure he loves you too,’ Malvika whispered.

  Varun got up but Malvika caught hold of his hand and pulled him back.

  ‘Never judge someone without knowing the reason behind their behaviour. After your mom passed away, your dad must have felt lonely as well. Probably that’s the reason he drinks so much. Did you ever try consoling him, telling him that you were going to be his strength? You could have shared whatever he felt. You could have tried being a friend rather than a son. You could have broken the ice, extending conversations beyond sp
orts and news. Did you ever try this with him?’

  All Varun could say in answer was a faint ‘No’. He was dumbstruck. No one had ever explained things to him the way she did and he felt a deep connection with her in that moment. The best conversations occur when people talk with their eyes. Both Varun and Malvika were silent for a few seconds, just looking at each other.

  Varun wanted to hug Malvika for trying to explain the situation but he knew it was too early for them to share a hug.

  ‘Would you like to have some coffee?’ Malvika said, breaking the awkward silence.

  ‘Yes, but only if something’s going to happen over that cup of coffee,’ Varun flirted.

  Malvika just smiled and went into the kitchen. Varun had a shower and changed into his boxers. Giving him a cup of coffee, Malvika went into her room. She was suddenly not feeling too well. Varun was contemplating whether to enter her room or not. It was not as if he had never walked into her room but today there was no one at home. He finished his coffee and knocked on her door.

  ‘Come in,’ said Malvika, still lying on her bed.

  ‘Hey. Are you fine? You look dull.’

  ‘You mean that I don’t look beautiful?’ Malvika teased him.

  ‘Of course you do, you are beautiful. There is something charming about you that can awaken even a dead soul. And it’s not just your outer beauty, it’s your qualities as a friend. The way you explained things so beautifully to me, it was incredible. Your parents are very lucky to have a daughter like you.’

  Varun realized that he had praised her a little more than he should have. But it was apparent now that he liked her, so why shouldn’t he praise her? The best way to impress a girl is to praise her for her qualities and not just her outwardly beauty. Malvika blushed and they talked for a couple of minutes more before Varun realized that he was still standing at the door.

  ‘Can I enter your room? Or is entry for boys banned?’ asked Varun.

  ‘Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize you were standing all this while. Please come in,’ Malvika replied, going red in the face again.