Forbidden Desire by Ritesh Prasad (best books to read ever TXT) 📖

types of girl all around the city.” I exasperated.

 

“Calm down.” He said putting his hand on my shoulder.

 

“Let’s go upstairs, I will pay the bill and we will move out.” He replied and pushed me upstairs on the same table, he ordered one large peg whiskey. I gave him a dread look, “Common let’s go, what we are still waiting for?” I said in frustration. Just one last peg he signaled and waiter bought the same.

 

I was in no mood to drink anymore, my night was spoiled, why the hell she remained quiet when her friends charged me with such allegations” I was talking to myself.

 

“It’s okay?” Ankit said.

 

“But why?” I shouted.

 

“I didn’t do anything. I swear if I wasn’t in this state I would have definitely charge her. Was she dumb that she didn’t utter a word? The scene was unnecessary created by her intentionally; she should have stopped her friends... She knew very well, nothing like that happened as her friends were accusing me. “Order me one peg as well.” I said venting my frustration. The waiter brought my drink soon. I gulped that in one-shot and started murmuring again, “Why the hell she didn’t speak, I am still finding this strange.”

 

“Leave it,” she might have got scared because you were drunk, or might by seeing the crowd.” Ankit tried to give his own explanation to pacify me.

 

Suddenly the same red shirt guy came to our table and said, “My Sister is calling you downstairs, she wants to talk,” come he signaled me.

 

“Now what,” I said, “I have already apologized for the thing I haven’t done.”

 

“Why are you guys exaggerating the issue?” But he was in no mood to listen to me, by this time rest of his friends also accompanied him,

 

“Come with us” He said putting his hand on my shoulder.

 

Now my anger was in full swing, somehow I controlled myself and followed him downstairs in the restaurant section of their table. There were two girls and one boy sitting on a six seater table. She asked me to take a seat, soon Ankit also followed me and was there by my side.

 

“Now what?” I said in disgusting manner looking at her.

 

“Nothing!!!” She smiled. I was taken aback by her attitude, the way she was reacting.

 

“Ohhh so you can speak…Great!!!!! I thought you are dumb.” I said in tipsy tone, I could barely balance myself, Ankit was there holding me.

 

“Have a seat.” She said pointing towards the chair.

 

“Wanna something to drink?” Ohhh you already had plenty” She said mocking her face.

 

“What kind of joke is this? I have already apologized enough in front of everyone for the mistake I haven’t done.” I said raising my voice.

 

“Yeah, I know,” she smiled.

 

“Wanna something to eat? Or you are full with your drink.” She teased again.

 

Now I could not stand this anymore, so I turned around and was about to leave…till she said “Wait!!!”

 

I replied, “What?”

 

“We need to talk?”

 

“Talk about what?” I said.

 

“You and I”

 

“What? Is this a joke of some kind…? Look lady I’m not finding this funny anymore” I said in heated tone.

 

“Have a seat first, I will explain everything,” she pointed.

 

“I am sorry! I could have spoken then and there once I recognized it was you, but suddenly I started enjoying your drunken scene, it was fun, it reminded me of the movie “Devdas. Have you ever thought of trying in movies? I bet you would be superb. Please don’t take it personally, that was only a prank.” She said, and laughed.

 

“What do you think of yourself? Look lady it wasn’t funny at all, the crowd was almost close to bash me.” I burst.

 

“Don’t worry I would have never let that happened.” She said smiling.

 

“Why you booze so much if you can’t control. I was surprise to see you here, I thought you would recognize me, but you didn’t.” She said looking straight in my face. I also found her face familiar.

 

“Do we know each other?” I said trying to recognize her face with my not so good eyesight at that moment. Ankit was there holding me, I just pushed him and sat on the chair facing her in the opposite.

 

“Ahhhh….fortunately yes we do, infact we know each other very well.” She said crossing her arms and leaning backwards on the chair.

 

I just ignored what she said and replied while getting up from the seat holding Ankit’s arm “I think it’s better, I should leave now.” By this time she stood up from chair and came nearby my seat.

 

“No I am really sorry, I mean it.” She said.

 

“No grudges,” I replied and stood up again to leave. I shouldn’t have drank those much of pegs, I thought back of my mind, without bothering what the girl was saying to me. I could hardly understand what was going on, I could barely see things, my eyes were struggling to keep open. But it was my nervous system that was not allowing my eyes to shut, strange how our system works.

 

“Come on Ankit, let’s leave now,” I said, even he was confused with what was going on, though he didn’t question me, but I could gauge from his silence what he wanted to say.

So we both turned to leave but were interrupted by her again.

 

“Don’t you recognize me seriously? Or you are pretending to do so, still angry for what I did.” She said hastily.

 

“I really don’t know what you are talking about lady.” I said trying to identify her face which seemed familiar but I was so drunk, it was hard to recognize, my eyes were shutting giving me indication that I should leave immediately. So I started taking steps slowly, “Hey Stop!!!!!!” She said and grabbed my wrist, I sensed a familiar touch.

 

“I am sorry Shhoonnaaa!!!!” She said getting up from the chair. “Sorry for everything I did, it has been almost 4 years and see our destiny, that we met here again.” Now she was sounding familiar to me, I could sense her, though I could hardly open my eyes, eight large pegs were too much, I thought back of my mind.

 

“Look at me, I am Sakshi!!!! Your Sakshi.” She said without letting my hand go.

 

The word Sakshi went like a bullet through my ear, it pinched my heart, I was awestruck.

 

“Whhhhhaaaaatttttttt???” I bursted turning back to her.

 

“Yes I am your Sakshi, Look at me closely; you will realize that I am your Honey, the name by which you called me. Your Honey, my Shhoona!!!!” She said putting both her hands on my hand.

 

By this time I was sure….. Yes it was her, though I was finding difficult to recognize her face, but my every sense my heart confirmed this, yes it was her. It was just unbelievable…..unexpected…what the hell was she doing in Kolkata after so many years? I jerked her hands with my full strength I could, and left the place immediately. Ankit also followed me running.

 

I could not believe it was her. After years of gap, my love, my past, my blunder, the person I hated the most was back in my life. I started taking steps faster, I wanted to avoid any further confrontation with her.

 

At the back I could hear her voice, “Rohit plzzzz wait!!!!!!!, listen to me just for once, please forgive me,” was the last word I could hear. But I wanted to get out her and this place immediately. I was feeling suffocated and needed fresh air badly.

 

We soon came out and I started looking for an auto, Ankit was there by my back. “Hey Man! Was she the same girl that you loved once, the one about whom you talked every time, the love of your life?” He said firing question at me.

 

“Stop it Ankit! I said getting annoyed, let’s go home.” After that he didn’t ask me anything,

 

We got into one of the auto there and headed towards our destination. We didn’t exchanged a single word thereafter on the way. I was in complete silence, it was easy to escape everyone there including Ankit, but how could I had escape myself. I was there sitting quiet pre-occupied in my own thoughts, the scene that happened in the restaurant, the crowd, the humiliation, the joke and finally the word that awestruck me the most Sakshi!!!!!. I was not worried about the prank she played on me in the restaurant, but was more deeply hurt by the prank life was playing with me by bringing the most hatred part of my life once again in front of me. I just felt like vanishing from this world.

 

What the hell was she doing here? When did she come back to Kolkata? Why she is here? And above all why she wants to confront me? with all these questions in my heart, soon I reached my place. I waved goodbye to Ankit and moved towards my flat. I opened the door and straight zoom to my bed, it was next to impossible, that I could stand or could change to something appropriate for sleep. I just banged on bed and felt asleep. Within few minutes I was awaken by phone call, but could hardly get up, so avoided and fell asleep deeply again.

 

Next morning, was awaken by phone call, “Hello!” I said in half asleep tone.

 

A female voice replied from the other end “Good morning! How are you feeling now?”

 

“Good, may I know who this is?” I said in sleepy tone.

 

“It’s me,” was the prompt reply.

 

I understood it was her again, “How did you get my number?” I said in straight tone.

 

“I haven’t forgotten that and it’s still saved in my phonebook since years, but you haven’t changed your number as well.”

 

“By the way you haven’t changed too, you look the same; your attitude is still the same rude and robust….”

 

“Ohhh really, so what do you need now.” I said annoyingly.

 

“Nothing, just thought of giving you a sweet good morning call, the way you like me to do every time. Remember? If by chance I missed any single day, you would be upset with me for the whole day, ohhhh you haven’t changed and I really admire you for that.” She was literally flattering me.

 

“Stop bothering me now” I said in irritated tone.

 

“There is nothing left between us to discuss, you be happy in your own life and let me live my way.” I said and disconnected the call.

 

She called me again and this time I disconnected the call and switched off my mobile. I got up from the bed, lit one cigarette, had a large puff and stood by the side of my window. I could hear the morning puja chant coming from the nearby pandal, but I was so occupied with my own thoughts I could hardly realize what was going around me. My eyes were continuously gazing outside the window, searching for something but what it exactly needed? I don’t know and slowly I was lost in my own thoughts……

2. The Flashback : My arrival in Kolkata

Jun 2005, Kolkata Railway Station 8:00 AM,

 

I was speaking to someone over the phone, “Hey Bro! Where the hell are you? I am waiting since half an hour, I told you my train would reach here by seven in the morning.”

 

“Don’t worrying I am in