Dawn at Midnight.
Book 1: Transmigration. Chapter 2: A river named Teesta
First day of my college, my heart was thumping like a huge drum inside my chest as I entered the gate of Presidency College. Babu came with me till the gate of the college on the first day. I asked few students loitering along the corridor for the classroom of M.Sc. Physics. They showed me.
That day I wore a white long skirt with small blue dots all over and a white frilled shirt with blue pinstripes. As usual I carried my black stole along with me, wrapped around my neck. My jute bag was on my left shoulder and my long tress was tied in a bun behind the back of my head, softly caressing my nape and as I did in my college days, I had a pen in my bun.
I felt few prying pair of eyes, caressed me all over as I walked into the class room. I looked at those eyes and gave them sleek smile. As I entered the class-room, I heard some male voice from the corridor---“Oh! Guru. What a cut-piece, masterpiece.”
Few heads turned towards me. I looked around the bunch of students. Mostly were boys, few girls were there in the class. On the second bench there was a wheatish complexioned girl. She was chatting with few other fellow students sitting on the third bench. She looked at me and smiled and signed me to come and sit beside her.
I quietly went and sat beside her.
She said to me---“The way you entered the class, clearly suggest that you are new in Kolkata. Where do you live?”
I answered---“Dum Dum.”
She shook her head in disbelief---“Oh! Come on. You are from Dum Dum?”
I smiled at her and nodded at her “Yes.”
She introduced herself as---“I am Teesta Sarkar, from Lake Town and you?”
I smiled at her openness---“I am Suchismita Mondal.”
---“I guessed that. Your smile is really beautiful.”
Oh! My God, a girl was complimenting me. I turned pink in coy and laughed at her.
---“Dhaat Tereki. Have you gone mad?”
She winked at me---“Wanna bunk the first period and go to Coffee House?”
I shook my head saying that “No, I want to attend the first period at least.”
She pointed at another girl sitting on the third bench, who was also listening to our conversation.
---“She is Delisha Khatun, from Park Circus.”
Truly speaking, I didn’t expect a Muslim Girl pursuing M.Sc. in Physics. She was very fair. Rosy white in complexion, wore a dark blue salwar and a black hijab covering her head.
I asked her---“Do you have to wear this head-scarf always.”
She waved her hand at me---“Aree, Na, Yaar. Dad insisted, but my mom resisted him, saying that I was old enough to take care of myself.”
Someone from behind the class shouted at us---“Oh! Guru. Today, the wooden bench will catch fire.”
I looked over my shoulder as who spoke those words at us.
Teesta shouted at him---“G****, keep your foul mouth shut.” and pointed her right middle finger at him.
She said to me---“Don’t look at him.”
I gave a queer look at her as if asking “Who was he?”
---“He is Debobroto, from my previous college. Anyways he is good in Physics, mainly quantum mechanics.”
I looked at the person named Debobroto. He was tall, dark with specs on his eyes. Clean shaven, back brushed hair, squint eyes. Nose was bit small. He sat with his arms outstretched resting on the bench behind him. His arms were strong and muscular. I could feel his tough chest muscles from the unbuttoned blue and white check shirt and white vest.
I raised my right hand and waved my fingers at him, he smiled at me. He pointed his right index finger and middle finger at me and signed like shooting a pistol.
Teesta saw as what Debobroto did and she smiled at me---“He killed you on the first day, baby?”
Somehow I smiled at her---“I don’t have the luxury of getting killed, dear.”
I said to myself “I am already a corpse. Who can kill a person who is already dead?”
One day, during lunch break, we were walking towards Medical College, myself, Teesta and Delisha. We were munching peanuts. Debobroto came running towards us and tapped Teesta on her shoulder. I looked over my shoulder and asked him---“What happened?”
He asked Teesta---“Can I come with you?”
She gave a naughty look at him---“Only if you pay for the Friday first-show at Metro.”
He slapped playfully on the back of her head and said to her---“Why what happened to Tathagato?”
I asked Delisha---“Who is Tathagato?”
Delisha shrugged her shoulder and shook her head “How do I know.”
Debobroto said to me---“Teesta had several boyfriends and Tathagato is one of them. Am I right?”
Teesta started slapping playfully on Debobroto’s arms in the middle of the road---“You swine. Do you have to tell everything?”
He laughed at her---“Ok, ok. So he is past now. Who are you seeing currently?”
I asked Debobroto---“How many boyfriends do Teesta have?”
He laughed at me on hearing my question---“Hey Mita, if I start counting I will finish only in the morning.”
Teesta screamed at him---“If you don’t stop now then I will kill you.”
Debobroto winked at her---“Give a kiss and I will surely die.”
“So Teesta had several boyfriends” I asked her.
“Come on you don’t start now, Mita” Teesta pleaded at me.
“Mita” I then got a new name from my colleagues and friends. The name “Paree” was lost after he went away. Only ChotoMa and Babu used to call me by that name.
That day I was very much upset, due to Babu’s denial to buy me cell-phone. I sat in the class room with a gloomy face. Teesta came near me after the lunch break and asked me “What happened to you?”
I shook my head “Nothing, I am fine.”
She looked into my eyes and said---“Don’t try to hide from me. Tell me what happened.”
I gave a painful smile and said to her again---“I am fine. Can we goto Coffee House?”
She pulled me out of the class room and looked at my face---“Tell me what has happened?”
How could I tell her what was going inside my heart? I could not.
I had to lie---“I am just feeling sad. I have not gone to my house in village for a long time that’s why.”
She didn’t know then, that ChotoMa and Babu was only my guardian. She didn’t know the truth. She was surprised to hear that---“What, your father and mother doesn’t live in DumDum?”
---“No. My native place is far away from Kolkata, in a village.”
She took me to the coffee-house and we sat at one corner. I dreaded to sit on the second floor. I looked up the ceiling; the huge fans were rotating painfully. Last time I came here, he was with me and we sat on the corner table on the second floor.
The walls were calling me as if asking me “Why I was alone this time?”
We sat on the first-floor; she ordered fried chicken and cold coffee.
---“You have not told me anything about yourself. Tell me everything. I just want to hear who is actually Suchismita? What lies behind this beautiful smile?”
I told her that---“Mainly I was upset because Babu didn’t brought me cell-phone.”
She gave a queer look at me and said---“That can’t be the only reason.”
I told her most of the tale, only part I omitted was my relation with him. I avoided that beautiful agonizing part. Why to bring pain in an already painful mind by remembering those colourful days? Let those days remain in a corner of my heart, forever. All those reminiscences were like beautiful flowers. I didn’t want to share my memoirs with anyone.
We bunked rest of the periods.
She sat silently in-front of me and said to me---“Your ChotoMa and Babu are really very good person.”
I smiled faintly at her---“Yes they are.” Only I knew that I was a pet scarlet princess locked in an ivory cage.
It was one Tuesday, due to demise of a teacher there was a holiday in college. I had to do nothing. I, Teesta and Delisha were loitering on the road, leisurely walking towards Hedua.
Delisha said that she would like to treat us.
I asked her the reason. She smiled coyly at us and said---“Yesterday, I and Danish got engaged.”
Teesta laughed at her and said---“Another bird fell in trap. Come on where are we going?”
I said---“Peter Cat. Cheloo Kabab. Nothing less than that.”
On hearing me, Delisha and Teesta gave a surprising look at me.
Both of them asked---“How do you know about Peter Cat? You are a real mischievous girl. I am sure you didn’t go there alone. Who was with you?”
I smiled faintly at them and said---“Naah baba, I went there with a good friend of mine and her boyfriend.”
The look that they gave at me clearly told me that they didn’t believed a single word of mine.
I laughed at their baffled face---“Aree, I am telling the truth. No one was ever for me. Not in my college days. Yaar.”
Yes that was actually a truth; no one ever courted me during my college days. Whatever happened happened afterwards in past few months.
“Ok, ok.” She looked at Delisha and smiled mischievously at her and asked---“Tell me how is Danish on bed?”
Delisha was rosy white complexioned girl. On hearing Teesta’s naughty query her face turned red.
“Dhaat.” And slapped playfully on her face “Am not like you at least, who has to taste every one before giving a final call.”
I looked at Teesta and Delisha.
Delisha asked again---“Are we going to Peter Cat?”
Teesta answered---“No, after a long time I have found few good friends. Let’s go to my house. Only my sister-in-law would be present. Mom and dad have gone out and my brother is in his office. Let’s us enjoy.”
We three girls boarded a taxi from College Street and were on our way to Teesta’s house.
Teesta always loved to wear western outfits. Jeans and t-shirt were her favourite dresses. At times she used to come in skirts also.
Book 1: Transmigration. Chapter 2: A river named Teesta
First day of my college, my heart was thumping like a huge drum inside my chest as I entered the gate of Presidency College. Babu came with me till the gate of the college on the first day. I asked few students loitering along the corridor for the classroom of M.Sc. Physics. They showed me.
That day I wore a white long skirt with small blue dots all over and a white frilled shirt with blue pinstripes. As usual I carried my black stole along with me, wrapped around my neck. My jute bag was on my left shoulder and my long tress was tied in a bun behind the back of my head, softly caressing my nape and as I did in my college days, I had a pen in my bun.
I felt few prying pair of eyes, caressed me all over as I walked into the class room. I looked at those eyes and gave them sleek smile. As I entered the class-room, I heard some male voice from the corridor---“Oh! Guru. What a cut-piece, masterpiece.”
Few heads turned towards me. I looked around the bunch of students. Mostly were boys, few girls were there in the class. On the second bench there was a wheatish complexioned girl. She was chatting with few other fellow students sitting on the third bench. She looked at me and smiled and signed me to come and sit beside her.
I quietly went and sat beside her.
She said to me---“The way you entered the class, clearly suggest that you are new in Kolkata. Where do you live?”
I answered---“Dum Dum.”
She shook her head in disbelief---“Oh! Come on. You are from Dum Dum?”
I smiled at her and nodded at her “Yes.”
She introduced herself as---“I am Teesta Sarkar, from Lake Town and you?”
I smiled at her openness---“I am Suchismita Mondal.”
---“I guessed that. Your smile is really beautiful.”
Oh! My God, a girl was complimenting me. I turned pink in coy and laughed at her.
---“Dhaat Tereki. Have you gone mad?”
She winked at me---“Wanna bunk the first period and go to Coffee House?”
I shook my head saying that “No, I want to attend the first period at least.”
She pointed at another girl sitting on the third bench, who was also listening to our conversation.
---“She is Delisha Khatun, from Park Circus.”
Truly speaking, I didn’t expect a Muslim Girl pursuing M.Sc. in Physics. She was very fair. Rosy white in complexion, wore a dark blue salwar and a black hijab covering her head.
I asked her---“Do you have to wear this head-scarf always.”
She waved her hand at me---“Aree, Na, Yaar. Dad insisted, but my mom resisted him, saying that I was old enough to take care of myself.”
Someone from behind the class shouted at us---“Oh! Guru. Today, the wooden bench will catch fire.”
I looked over my shoulder as who spoke those words at us.
Teesta shouted at him---“G****, keep your foul mouth shut.” and pointed her right middle finger at him.
She said to me---“Don’t look at him.”
I gave a queer look at her as if asking “Who was he?”
---“He is Debobroto, from my previous college. Anyways he is good in Physics, mainly quantum mechanics.”
I looked at the person named Debobroto. He was tall, dark with specs on his eyes. Clean shaven, back brushed hair, squint eyes. Nose was bit small. He sat with his arms outstretched resting on the bench behind him. His arms were strong and muscular. I could feel his tough chest muscles from the unbuttoned blue and white check shirt and white vest.
I raised my right hand and waved my fingers at him, he smiled at me. He pointed his right index finger and middle finger at me and signed like shooting a pistol.
Teesta saw as what Debobroto did and she smiled at me---“He killed you on the first day, baby?”
Somehow I smiled at her---“I don’t have the luxury of getting killed, dear.”
I said to myself “I am already a corpse. Who can kill a person who is already dead?”
One day, during lunch break, we were walking towards Medical College, myself, Teesta and Delisha. We were munching peanuts. Debobroto came running towards us and tapped Teesta on her shoulder. I looked over my shoulder and asked him---“What happened?”
He asked Teesta---“Can I come with you?”
She gave a naughty look at him---“Only if you pay for the Friday first-show at Metro.”
He slapped playfully on the back of her head and said to her---“Why what happened to Tathagato?”
I asked Delisha---“Who is Tathagato?”
Delisha shrugged her shoulder and shook her head “How do I know.”
Debobroto said to me---“Teesta had several boyfriends and Tathagato is one of them. Am I right?”
Teesta started slapping playfully on Debobroto’s arms in the middle of the road---“You swine. Do you have to tell everything?”
He laughed at her---“Ok, ok. So he is past now. Who are you seeing currently?”
I asked Debobroto---“How many boyfriends do Teesta have?”
He laughed at me on hearing my question---“Hey Mita, if I start counting I will finish only in the morning.”
Teesta screamed at him---“If you don’t stop now then I will kill you.”
Debobroto winked at her---“Give a kiss and I will surely die.”
“So Teesta had several boyfriends” I asked her.
“Come on you don’t start now, Mita” Teesta pleaded at me.
“Mita” I then got a new name from my colleagues and friends. The name “Paree” was lost after he went away. Only ChotoMa and Babu used to call me by that name.
That day I was very much upset, due to Babu’s denial to buy me cell-phone. I sat in the class room with a gloomy face. Teesta came near me after the lunch break and asked me “What happened to you?”
I shook my head “Nothing, I am fine.”
She looked into my eyes and said---“Don’t try to hide from me. Tell me what happened.”
I gave a painful smile and said to her again---“I am fine. Can we goto Coffee House?”
She pulled me out of the class room and looked at my face---“Tell me what has happened?”
How could I tell her what was going inside my heart? I could not.
I had to lie---“I am just feeling sad. I have not gone to my house in village for a long time that’s why.”
She didn’t know then, that ChotoMa and Babu was only my guardian. She didn’t know the truth. She was surprised to hear that---“What, your father and mother doesn’t live in DumDum?”
---“No. My native place is far away from Kolkata, in a village.”
She took me to the coffee-house and we sat at one corner. I dreaded to sit on the second floor. I looked up the ceiling; the huge fans were rotating painfully. Last time I came here, he was with me and we sat on the corner table on the second floor.
The walls were calling me as if asking me “Why I was alone this time?”
We sat on the first-floor; she ordered fried chicken and cold coffee.
---“You have not told me anything about yourself. Tell me everything. I just want to hear who is actually Suchismita? What lies behind this beautiful smile?”
I told her that---“Mainly I was upset because Babu didn’t brought me cell-phone.”
She gave a queer look at me and said---“That can’t be the only reason.”
I told her most of the tale, only part I omitted was my relation with him. I avoided that beautiful agonizing part. Why to bring pain in an already painful mind by remembering those colourful days? Let those days remain in a corner of my heart, forever. All those reminiscences were like beautiful flowers. I didn’t want to share my memoirs with anyone.
We bunked rest of the periods.
She sat silently in-front of me and said to me---“Your ChotoMa and Babu are really very good person.”
I smiled faintly at her---“Yes they are.” Only I knew that I was a pet scarlet princess locked in an ivory cage.
It was one Tuesday, due to demise of a teacher there was a holiday in college. I had to do nothing. I, Teesta and Delisha were loitering on the road, leisurely walking towards Hedua.
Delisha said that she would like to treat us.
I asked her the reason. She smiled coyly at us and said---“Yesterday, I and Danish got engaged.”
Teesta laughed at her and said---“Another bird fell in trap. Come on where are we going?”
I said---“Peter Cat. Cheloo Kabab. Nothing less than that.”
On hearing me, Delisha and Teesta gave a surprising look at me.
Both of them asked---“How do you know about Peter Cat? You are a real mischievous girl. I am sure you didn’t go there alone. Who was with you?”
I smiled faintly at them and said---“Naah baba, I went there with a good friend of mine and her boyfriend.”
The look that they gave at me clearly told me that they didn’t believed a single word of mine.
I laughed at their baffled face---“Aree, I am telling the truth. No one was ever for me. Not in my college days. Yaar.”
Yes that was actually a truth; no one ever courted me during my college days. Whatever happened happened afterwards in past few months.
“Ok, ok.” She looked at Delisha and smiled mischievously at her and asked---“Tell me how is Danish on bed?”
Delisha was rosy white complexioned girl. On hearing Teesta’s naughty query her face turned red.
“Dhaat.” And slapped playfully on her face “Am not like you at least, who has to taste every one before giving a final call.”
I looked at Teesta and Delisha.
Delisha asked again---“Are we going to Peter Cat?”
Teesta answered---“No, after a long time I have found few good friends. Let’s go to my house. Only my sister-in-law would be present. Mom and dad have gone out and my brother is in his office. Let’s us enjoy.”
We three girls boarded a taxi from College Street and were on our way to Teesta’s house.
Teesta always loved to wear western outfits. Jeans and t-shirt were her favourite dresses. At times she used to come in skirts also.