You’re Trending in my Dreams Page 5

  ‘Here comes the virgin queen. Virginity is the lack of opportunity,’ said one of the girls in the group.

  ‘If you want, I can be the opportunity and ensure that you lose your virginity,’ said a guy.

  ‘She is saving it for her husband, it seems,’ laughed another girl.

  ‘Can I be your husband for a night?’ asked another boy.

  ‘Such a loser you are. You don’t know how to enjoy life. Sex is for fun and we live in modern times. There’s nothing wrong with having some fun, is there?’ said a girl who held a cigarette in her hand.

  The comments kept pouring in and this time she couldn’t stop herself from reacting.

  ‘That’s it! What’s wrong with you guys? It’s your choice if you want to sleep around and fuck the whole day. I simply opt out of this “fun”. Who are you to comment on my personal life and talk shit? Look at yourself first and then open your lousy mouths, you fuckers,’ Garima said furiously.

  ‘Oh ho . . . so you can use cuss words too? Then it won’t be that difficult for you. You can use it to motivate your boyfriend so that he can go hard on you,’ one of the girls shouted.

  By this time Ahana had parked the car and was making her way in and she heard their conversation. When the gang saw Ahana approach the group, one of the girls commented, ‘Do you also fall in the same group of lonely virgins?’

  Ahana reacted strongly. ‘I am a woman who is far more modern than you think you are and far more independent than your mom. If your dad had used a condom that night, he would have saved the planet from scumbag motherfuckers like you. You think losing your virginity is cool? And you, you guys, haven’t your mothers taught you to keep your dicks inside your pants? Teri maa ki . . . Don’t teach your mother a lesson in virginity, you jerk. And the girls in the group—have you no shame?’

  One of the guys tried to hit Ahana but Garima broke in, saying, ‘I dare you. I will kick you so hard that you will never walk erect. Stay away. Don’t think of every silent girl as weak. If they decide to hit back, you will realize that guys cry louder than women. Be real men who respect women instead of threatening them and bullying them with physical force.’

  Her words had silenced the entire group. They bowed their heads in shame. Sometimes people forget other people’s feelings. Ahana and Garima had taught them a valuable lesson and they would think twice before teasing another girl.

  ‘Well done, my girl.’ Ahana patted her.

  Garima smiled and called Malvika to ask her whereabouts. She was sitting alone in the canteen in a low mood. Ahana and Garima came and sat near her and asked her the reason for her unhappiness. She told them her parents were insisting she get married as soon as she graduated.

  ‘They say the right age for a girl to get married is twenty-three. I mean, where on earth is it written that if I cross twenty-three I can’t stay single? Who made such creepy rules?’

  ‘You still have a long way to go, darling,’ Ahana consoled her.

  ‘Yes I know, but all they have to talk about is marriage. I was just talking to them about general things and was telling them how the first semester will soon be over and they started saying how they wanted me to graduate soon and get married to the perfect guy. Spare me,’ Malvika said in disgust.

  ‘I have a better option. Once you are done with graduation, take admission to a postgraduate course. Most people who opt for PG do it to postpone their inevitable marriage.’ Garima laughed.

  ‘It’s not a joke. Doing this graduation is worse than a Roadies task and you are talking about postgraduation. They keep pestering me to get married and they talk about it all the time . . . I mean ALL the time. I will stop calling them from now on. If we don’t have the right to even choose our partner and are supposed to get married as soon as we graduate, then why the hell do we bother to study so much when we can’t even enjoy our life with our money and opportunities? I so hate this.’

  ‘Are you planning to join a women’s empowerment group?’ Varun said, tapping her back, upon hearing her strong views against marriage.

  Everyone laughed and Varun took his seat beside them.

  ‘By the way, you have all the right to choose a guy you want.’ Varun winked.

  Malvika went red in the face and Ahana caught her blushing. Ahana knew that Varun and Malvika secretly had a crush on each other and were trying their best to hide it from each other and the group.

  ‘Don’t waste your time staring at the person you’re in love with. Get up and go tell them you’re in love with them before it’s too late and they’re gone,’ she stated.

  Garima giggled and they high-fived. She had understood what Ahana was trying to say. Varun and Malvika avoided looking at each other. Just then Varun got a call from his dad that changed his mood completely. He picked up the call and left the table. Garima too left for her oral exams. Malvika and Ahana chit-chatted for some time until Varun returned. His frustration was visible on his face.

  ‘What is it between you and your dad that always makes you angry?’ Ahana had to ask.

  ‘It’s okay. Don’t worry. Just remember what I told you.’ Malvika held his hand.

  ‘OMG! She knows and I still don’t. Wow Varun, you are too fast. You never told me.’

  She tried to make him smile but he sat there expressionless. When Malvika left to attend her lecture, Varun told her everything. He cried in front of her as she was his most trustworthy friend.

  ‘I needed him in the good and bad times. But all he ever did was to shout at me and abuse me. I sometimes feel like I am not even his son. How can a father be so cruel?’ he sobbed.

  Ahana heard him out patiently without passing any judgement. Varun added, ‘I just wish he would come here running to support me. I wish he would talk to me about my plans and aspirations.’

  ‘I understand,’ Ahana replied.

  Hearing Varun’s story Ahana started reflecting on her own relationship with her father. But that’s how life is. If we get everything we desire, we would never realize the importance of striving for it. Ups and downs are necessary in life. Depression gets to us and makes us shut ourselves away from the world. It makes us lock ourselves in when the people outside are just waiting for us to open up and smile at them. Ahana somewhere missed the presence of her dad in her happiness; Garima was taunted for her innocence by some stupid college group; Malvika was being pressurized to get married as soon as she completed her graduation though she had just joined college; Varun realized that he needed his father to be around him even though his father didn’t think of him the same way.

  All four of them were lost in their own thoughts on their way back home in Ahana’s car. Ahana saw Garima and Malvika in the rear-view mirror; they looked really sad.

  ‘Why don’t we plan a road trip? A random one. We all have our own sorrows but it doesn’t mean we should just cry over them and forget to enjoy life. Forget whatever happened today and let’s just enjoy. Let’s celebrate our friendship and togetherness. We are all family, after all,’ she suggested.

  No one reacted for a few seconds but the idea enthralled everyone.

  ‘Sounds exciting. We will turn our GPS off and just drive wherever the road takes us. It will be a lot of fun. We can start tonight,’ said Varun, almost jumping in excitement.

  A few years ago there was no GPS. Sometimes we get lost and find better places than we’d initially planned. All of them had decided to celebrate their togetherness on a random road trip, forgetting their sorrows. Sometimes the person you need the most, and rely on to support you, leaves you alone. Some people get depressed and end their lives, while some, like Ahana, Garima, Malvika and Varun, decide to deal with it and still find their moments of bliss!

  Let’s Get Lost . . .

  College days are not for worrying about the world outside but for celebrating togetherness with your friends from whom you will probably separate as they walk on their own chosen path a few years later.

  The four of them decided to go on their random road trip th
at night itself. The rules were simple. They would not use the GPS for navigation to see if they were on the right track. No mobile phones and debit cards. No connection with the outside world. Phones switched off and life switched on. The destination didn’t matter to them as they wanted to make their journey memorable. They wanted it to be an adventurous trip, one they would remember for a long time to come. It was decided that Ahana would drive as she was a stranger to Mumbai roads and would not know the right way, which was exactly the purpose of the journey, unlike Malvika who was a born Mumbaikar. Before the start of the journey, they had withdrawn enough money from an ATM in case they needed it for an emergency along the way. ‘I hope you have checked everything?’ Varun asked as he shoved the money into his wallet.

  ‘Yes,’ Garima replied, getting into the car.

  ‘Has everyone put their phones in their bags? We are not going to use them, so tuck them away in your bags safely,’ Varun stated.

  ‘Obviously, we will keep them in a safe place. We live in a world where losing your phone is more scary than losing your virginity.’ Ahana laughed.

  They cruised along Palm Beach Road with music playing on full blast. Varun took out some hash from his pocket and rolled a joint. After taking a few drags, he passed the joint to Ahana. They were listening to ‘Manali Trance’ from the movie Shaukeens. Like Lisa Haydon, Ahana was swaying to the number and driving the car at full speed.

  As they neared the end of Palm Beach, they saw a guy trying to hitch a ride. Ahana slowed the car so they could take a better look at him. ‘I think we should help him. He looks decent enough,’ Malvika said.

  ‘It’s not safe to be picking up strangers. Let’s move on,’ Varun added.

  But Ahana didn’t listen to him and stopped the car. Slowly she lowered the window and asked the guy where he wanted to go.

  ‘Can you please drop me until Mankhurd if you are going the same way? I’ve been looking for transport for the last hour,’ the guy said in an effeminate voice.

  ‘Sure,’ Ahana declared.

  The guy came and sat next to Varun who had to scoot to the middle to make room for him. Malvika was seated to Varun’s right. Garima was sitting in front and had no problem with a stranger sitting in the car. Ahana pressed the accelerator once again and turned left on the Sion–Panvel highway as directed by the unknown traveller. Just as Varun was dozing off, he sensed a hand grazing his thigh. Thinking it was Malvika, he let it continue for some time. But when he opened his eyes slightly, he got the shock of his life. It wasn’t Malvika but the guy sitting next to him!

  ‘Dude, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?’

  Ahana looked back to see what the commotion was about. Malvika couldn’t stop laughing, looking at Varun’s awkward situation.

  ‘Ahana, stop the car. That’s it. Take your hand away, you moron,’ Varun screamed as the guy tried to touch him again.

  Ahana and the girls were enjoying seeing Varun uncomfortable. Instead of stopping the car, Ahana encouraged the guy, saying Varun was gay and was looking for a boyfriend.

  Spurred on by the girls’ response, he tried to get hold of Varun’s ‘package’, making Varun scream out in terror!

  ‘Why are you screaming, handsome? Keep calm and enjoy yourself. This will be an experience of a lifetime for you,’ the guy whispered in his ear in a seductive tone.

  ‘Ahana, are you going to stop the car or should I jump out?’ Varun screamed.

  ‘Darling, we are on the bridge. If you jump out now, you’ll fall straight into the river. I suggest you get out on flat ground once we cross the bridge,’ joked Ahana.

  ‘Why are you doing this?’ asked Varun, turning to the guy.

  ‘I love how your nipples are visible through your shirt. And the dragon in your pants—’

  Before he could finish, Varun screamed, ‘Fuck you, man. Spare me the horror. You are sexually harassing me.’ The more he screamed, the more everyone laughed at his situation.

  ‘What’s your name, by the way?’ Ahana asked, looking at the guy in the rear-view mirror.

  ‘What’s in a name? It’s all down there. A person is recognized by his size and Varun, by that standard, is quite blessed . . . if you know what I mean,’ the guy said in a seductive manner only to embarrass Varun more.

  For the first time Varun felt that living with three girls was actually a lot safer than living with a guy who turned out to be gay. He felt helpless and wanted to bang his head on a wall somewhere while all the girls continued to make fun of him. Finally Ahana stopped the car and Varun pushed the guy out of the car.

  ‘You people think this was funny? It felt like I was being raped. He even touched my privates!’

  ‘Did he stroke you well?’ Malvika winked.

  ‘It’s not funny at all. Shit. I almost wanted to . . . I want some beer. I want it right now. Enough of all this nonsense,’ Varun screamed in frustration.

  A man instantly knows when a seemingly nice guy is actually an asshole just as a woman instantly knows when a sweet woman is actually a bitch! He had sensed something wrong the very minute he saw the guy asking for a lift.

  ‘What place is this? Malvika, do you know?’ Ahana asked.

  ‘How the fuck is that related to beer?’ Varun screamed again.

  ‘I am not too sure since it’s dark, but I think we are somewhere in western Mumbai,’ Malvika said, looking outside.

  After driving for a few more kilometres, they were able to locate a wine and beer shop. Ahana stopped the car and told Varun to bring a few bottles of beer. Varun had placed his wallet in a bag placed below his seat. He bent down to fetch it and saw that the bag’s zip was already open. He panicked and looked for the wallet but to no avail. The others asked him to search elsewhere in case he had dropped it somewhere in the car, but he was certain he had put it in the bag. Everyone told him to check once again but he found nothing. And then it dawned on him! The weirdo they had given a free ride to was not only a potential rapist but a thief as well who had robbed them of all their money and had fun at their expense.

  ‘How did he know the wallet was in there?’ Garima asked in shock.

  ‘How am I supposed to know? I might have left the bag unzipped but I’m not too certain,’ exclaimed Varun.

  ‘How could you be so careless? We are totally fucked now,’ Malvika squeaked at Varun.

  None of them were carrying their ATM cards. They were now left with no money at all. The random trip had suddenly turned into their worst nightmare.

  ‘Now how are we going to get cash? We don’t have our cards either,’ Malvika sobbed.

  Ahana tried to lift the mood of the group by saying, ‘Varun, chuck it. Why don’t you just donate your sperm at one of the fertility centres nearby? We will get sufficient cash for it. A little charity won’t harm you.’

  ‘Dude, that’s a nice idea. You want me to Google some sperm banks around here?’ Malvika said in excitement.

  ‘Just go for it. Be a man. Shake well and ring the bell.’ Ahana winked.

  ‘You girls are too much. Anyway, there’s no need for it. I don’t want to be the next Vicky Donor.’

  ‘Not Vicky. Varun . . . Varun Donor.’ Garima laughed.

  Luckily, while rummaging through his pockets, Varun found a five-hundred-rupee note.

  ‘That’s all I have,’ Varun proclaimed, showing the note to everyone.

  ‘We can still get three bottles of vodka. And anyway, we have sufficient petrol in the car. The only concern is we won’t be able to eat anything later. But that’s fine . . . who wants to eat when we have enough to drink?’ Ahana exclaimed.

  Varun got out of the car and went to the wine shop. Ahana had parked the car right across from the shop, by the side of the highway. There was a huge crowd of men outside the shop trying to buy liquor. Varun tried to make his way to the centre and shouted out his order, but his screams went unheard. He was already frustrated with everything that had happened and this waiting business was getting on his nerves. He scr
eamed once again but the counter boy responded angrily and told him to be patient as he was attending to other customers.

  With no choice left, Varun stood in the corner. It was while waiting here that he saw beer crates piled up one over the other in the dark. Suddenly an idea struck him!

  He glanced at the shop owner and the counter boy who were busy collecting cash and attending to customers. Varun looked around to see if anyone was watching but everyone was busy doing their own thing. In a fraction of a second, Varun picked up a crate of beer and ran faster than Milka Singh. The difference was that while Milka ran for the pride of the nation, Varun ran to save himself from the humiliation he would face if he were caught. Ahana saw Varun running towards them with the crate and immediately turned on the ignition.

  By then the shopkeeper had seen him running and was hot on his heels.

  ‘Ruk, teri maa ki. Ruk, saale,’ he yelled at Varun as he ran behind him.

  ‘Run . . . run . . . faster,’ cheered Ahana.

  Malvika opened the door and Varun jumped in. Ahana stepped on the accelerator even before they could shut the door of the car. Within a few minutes, they crossed Malad and took the route towards Mind Space, Malad. They spent the night near Madh Island where Malvika recounted a few horror stories about the place until they were scared stiff.

  One should not wait for happy endings to come; one should create happy endings. Had they thought of a destination, they would not have enjoyed the journey as they did now. It had indeed turned out to be one hell of a road trip for them. They had managed to drink beer for free and had eaten some street food with the last five-hundred-rupee note. If your friends are like your family, life becomes wonderful. Varun, Malvika, Ahana and Garima were now part of one such crazy family that knew how to have fun without any limits.