Chapter 15: Siren’s flute



Everything happened like a tempest and uprooted our lives. Every night her snivelled eyes haunted me, “I will not live without you, Adi”. Each night I used to sit on my bed with her clothes in my hand. The doors, the windows, the curtains, and the couch everyone was asking me, “Where is the queen of this abode?” I was unable to answer them as the queen was hidden somewhere. Anxiety was killing me to the core, gnawing my soul with every passing moment.

One evening I went to her college, although I knew that she might not be there. I waited in front of the gate with a faint ray of hope. I saw Parineeta coming out of the college. She was surprised to see me.

“What are you doing here?” she asked me.

I asked her in return, “Do you know where Titli is?”

She nodded her head, “Aunt told me that she won’t pursue her studies. I was surprised to hear that, as she was the best student of our batch. I asked the reason but I did not get any clear answer.” She gave me a piercing gaze, “I think you know something. Tell me.”

I told her that Titli’s father came to know about our affair and she was sent away. I was not sure as where she was sent so I needed her help.

She looked at me and smiled, “Ok good. You need my help.”

“Yes.” I said to her, “Can you goto Titli’s house and ask aunt as where she has been sent?”

“I will try.” She sat on my pillion and said, “Can I have a ride to my place?”

I smiled at her, “Ok why not.”

On the way to her house she said, “I sensed that something like this could happen. I know her from the college days. She was jolly she was naughty same time she guarded herself so well that we envied her nature. She always kept herself away from any type of inclination.”

I murmured to myself, who else can know her better than me. I think her mother even does not know her well.

Out of courtesy, I asked her about her boyfriend, Shantanu. She leaned on my back and said, “No dear no such luck. He moved out of the city and out of sight out of mind.”

“So moving out of the city was the reason of your break up?” I asked her.

“Ah! Come on, Budhaditya I don’t want to discuss some passing affair now. I am happy to be alone.” She patted on my back and giggled.

I dropped her at her place. She asked my phone number and said that she would give me a call whenever she gets some information. I looked at her face; there was some inexplicable bliss in her eyes.

After few days, I received a call from Parineeta asking me to meet her. We met after my office at a restaurant.

While sipping our coffee she said to me, “I have bad news for you.” I winched my brows as her words came as jolt for me. She continued, “Her mother probably fathomed that you are behind the question.” I looked at her face, trying to make out whether she was telling the truth or not. She understood from my gaze and laughed at me, “So you don’t believe me, right. Come on Budhaditya. Believe me.” Her face became pale, “Aunt warned me to stay out of Titli’s life. I was very hurt to hear that as I was closest to her at least from my part.”

“Really, she told you like that?” I asked her.

She nodded her head, “Yes. We were good friends since school days. Something unfortunate did happen between us but I also miss her very much.” I felt a writhing pain inside me as I was missing her also. She gave me a cheerful smile and said, “Come on, Budhaditya. Life does not end with a person, does it? So why so down. Cheer Up.”

“Life is not the same for me, Parineeta.” I was about to say her but she pulled me by my shirt and said, “Come, I want do some shopping.”

“What?” I was surprised, “What do you want to shop?”

She laughed at me and said, “When I feel depressed then I shop. Anything just window shopping or buying tit bits nothing else.”

I said to her, “Ah! I don’t like shopping much.”

“For a change.” She came closer to me and gave me a beautiful smile, “Not even for me.”

I inhaled deeply and scratched my head. I felt helpless after beholding the twinkle in her eyes. I could not deny her request and mar the smile of her pouting dark lips. I nodded and followed her. After a long time I was feeling much better. I was at least smiling again.

We strolled lazily through the crowded footpath of Garihat. She kept on holding my hand while walking, to save herself from the crowd. She was very quiet not chirping as usual. I asked her as why she was so quiet.

In return, she gave me a smile and said, “What should I say. This crowd is really maddening.”

I laughed at her, “I told you. I don’t like shopping due to the crowd.”

“Yeah I know, but you changed your nature, right.” She pinched my arm.

I laughed at her, “Yeah, sure. Change is evitable. Everything changes every moment around us. Sometimes it is better to accept the change; sometimes it hurts to accept the change.”

She laughed along with me, “Yes Budhaditya, change is very much needed in life else the life gets monotonous.”

I asked her, “Are you hurt after breaking up with Shantanu?”

She gave an inquisitive look, “Why are you asking that?”

“Just like that. If you don’t want to say then it is ok.” I said to her casually.

“Yes, I was at first. But then I said to myself that what happens happens for the best.” She gave me a pale smile and continued, “I lied to you about the reason of the breakup. The real reason is something else.” She came closer to me and looked up at my face, “Budhaditya, will you drop me home?” her face was inches from mine.

I nodded gently, “Ok.”

While returning she told me the real reason of her break up. Shantanu lied the fact that he was married. He was going through a rough patch with his wife. He used Parineeta as a cushion for mental support. Parineeta came to know all these when through a common friend. She was heartbroken at first but came out of that. I was quietly listening to her without saying a word.
After I dropped her at her place, she stood in front of me waiting for some reaction from my side.

I placed my hand on her shoulder to appease her, “You only said that what HE does does for the best.”

“No!” she smiled at me, “I am not repenting for that. I am quite happy that I was not dragged into a marital turmoil. By the way will you pick me up tomorrow after college?”

I was quiet unsure about such friendliness. I looked at her. She understood the dilemma stirring my soul. She smiled sweetly and said, “Don’t worry Budhaditya. I am just asking for a ride, nothing else.”

I nodded and assured her that I would pick her up after college.

Weeks passed; still there was no contact from Titli’s side. I tried to figure out as what promise could refrain Titli from contacting me. The answer was quasi clear. She might have promised to her dad upon seeing his deteriorating health condition. I was unable to figure out as what I should do in that type of situation, should I contact her or refrain from contacting her. All these thought did came in my mind for past days. With each passing day, these thoughts took the backseat. The restlessness was getting sediment day by day.

I felt solace to find Parineeta along side. A tiny sapling budded from the alluvial soil. Her smiles and her soothing touches brought respite to my dejected heart.

One evening after I picked her up from her college, she said that she want to goto a movie.

“Why movie? I feel that quiet boring. Sitting there in a dark room and doing nothing. It is better to watch movies at home.” I said to her.

She patted on my back and laughed at me, “Now I know why you are so boring.”

“Ah!” I exclaimed, “See I am a boring person.”

She suggested, “Yep. Ok then we can watch movie at your place. What do you say?”

I said to her, “Ok fine, but you will be late for home. What about that.”

She sounded bit nervous, “Yeah that’s true. May be this weekend, what do you say?”

I thought for a second and then gave my consent, “Ok I will pick you up.”

She then asked me, “Have you got any call from Titli?”

I shook my head, “No, not yet. I don’t know what all is going on.”

She sounded bit concerned, “Hmm... I think she is under lot of pressure from her family.”

I nodded, “Yes I also think so.” I paused for a moment and then said, “At least she could make a call from outside.”

She took a deep breath and said, “It is all fate Budhaditya. I don’t know what to say.”

“What?” I asked her. “What do you want to say?”

She said to me, “No not today, may be some other day I would tell you.”

It started raining suddenly. She held me tightly as I raced my bike to her place. The treacherous rain drenched both of us. The cold winds and the wet clothes were depleting the heat of our body. She hugged me tightly to absorb heat from my body. I could feel her soft bosom flattening on my back. A soft sensuous sensation ran through my spine. The voluptuous beauty was trying save herself from the rain.

I dropped her at her place and stood under the porch of her apartment. Instead of walking inside, she stood close to me. I could feel her heartbeat as her bosoms were touching my arm. I looked at her rain-drenched face. Droplets of water trickling down her strands created several thin streams on her dusky face. The dress was soaked and glued to her bust. Her dark colour undergarments were visible. My gaze slipped over her deep cleavage showing through the upper part of her dress.

She whispered in my ears, “Thanks for the ride. After a long time I felt lively again.”

I was also feeling the same. I mocked at her, “See, I am not that boring, right.”

She felt my gaze on her bosom and gave me a naughty smile, “You are not boring but I feel quiet naughty.