Chapter 14 Pinky Promises

 Chapter 14

Pinky Promises

Sathya was hurt inside and I wished to make Sathya to meet Reshmi, but I thought a moment. She might have taken steps to meet her, If Reshmi wished to or else Sathya would have taken steps to know about her sister. So I decided not to involve in their personal matters.

I didn’t talked about Reshmi with Sathya that week later. On that weekend, we planned to go to our home town together. It was the weekend I planned with Susan and Madhu too.

We chose bus for travel, it would take five hours of travel to our houses from college. I packed my bags and a book just to show I am a student who studies all time at house. I booked tickets in a bus for both of us together, but I hadn’t informed my family that I was traveling with a girl and she too didn’t.

I chose to column where there will be two seats. We both met outside the college after packing. I saw she was in a light pink chudi and she had a white shawl. Her hair was floating in the air and she wore a bag over her shoulders, a big travel bag on her right hand and a trolley bag on her left hand. I was standing with a single bag over my back. I took her to the bus stand along with me.

I spotted the bus we need to travel, after checking tickets we sat on the seat. She asked me to give her the window seat. I allowed her to sit inside and I sat on the next seat. I prayed god that no known person should travel at that bus on that day and god answered my prayers.

I verified again if every faces are unknown. I satisfied on conforming it. We didn’t spoke much on the start of the travel. I bought Lays and juice for the travel. During all travel, I used to buy Lays and for thirst cool drinks. I was very excited to sit next to her and have a travel for next few hours. I had some gap while sitting.

A hand rest was there between us. She held her hand over it. I wished to place my hand too but she rested so I held my hand over my lap. The bus started to move. She was enjoying the window seat, while me felt satisfied on seeing her peaceful mind at that moment.

“Sathya”, I called. She turned her face to me. I added, “I am sorry for that day”.

“Nithu, don’t say sorry actually, I must be thankful to you for helping me. I felt myself peacefully after sharing something with you”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I kept it inside me all the time and never spoke with anyone. But that day, I just opened all to you. I didn’t know how I spoke about those”

“You are happy right?” I asked and she replied with a smile to say she was happy. I smiled back.

“Will sleep at travel?” she asked me.

“Usually I will, but not today”, I said.

“Why?”

“I was sleepless today”

“Don’t worry have a nap, I will look after your luggage. I never sleep at travel”, Sathya said and I stretched my leg to my extent and made my hands loose. I just closed my eyes, I didn’t even know when I was fallen asleep. Suddenly, I felt something. It was Sathya’s hand, her hand was beneath my hands over the hand rest. My sleep disappeared all a sudden and I was completely awaken but I acted like sleeping. On resting over her arm. I felt my heart was smiling at that moment. All I wish to hold her her fingers within mine, but I should not.

Sathya asked, “Woke?”

My act was poor, so I came back to reality and said, “Yeah”, by rubbing my half opened eyes. I also added, “How you know that I was awake?”

“Snoring stopped”

“Oops, Sorry for disturbing with my loud snore”

“No, no.. it was not disturbing, it was not loud too. Only I could hear it. It was cute”.

I laughed on hearing my snoring was cute. “What?” she asked. I said nothing and asked where we were and when will we reach our destination.

She said, “2 hrs more I guess, just go back to sleep”

“How could you be awake all the time?”

“Nithish, I love travel”

“Is this a travel?”

“What ever, just the moving vehicle on road with a good climate is all I need”

“Won’t you hear songs?” I asked her.

“I will but not at travel, Nature is a music”, by saying she turned to the window and added, “One thing I ever liked was seeing a distant mountain which was covered with clouds on the top and it will move slowly from us. Meanwhile the clouds move away from the mountains”

I could not understand what she loved as I saw them just as a mountain. She loved it a lot, that was the only thing fixed in me. She turned to me, “Nithish, how you spend your travel time?”

“Me?”, I asked and she nodded.

“I just eat whatever snacks I have for journey then I will start to sleep. When I was awake, I can say I reached the destiny. Sometimes someone needs to wake me”

She giggled.

“Nithish you are so crazy”

“I don’t think so, as all my friends do the same”

“Your friends?”

“Yeah Madhu and Sue”

“I know Sue but not Madhu”

“I am going to meet them tomorrow, are you joining with me”

“Where?”

“I didn’t who where, we will decide only at that time”

“My dad will ask me where I was going. I can’t say him I was going to wander on streets with some idiot guys”

“Then I could say him”

“He won’t allow with a guy”

“What about our travel now?”

“I didn’t mentioned him Nithish”

“Okay”

A silence dropped between me and her for some minutes. I made a call for Madhu at that moment. The call was picked. “Hello” I started.

Hello(Susan’s voice)

What the hell you guys are together?

Yeah(Madhu answered)

Where are you?

At Susan’s rooftop(Madhu replied)

What?

Yeah I peaked in Susan’s house

Don’t be cinematic

Idiot he is really at my house(Susan)

What the fuck!

(I gained Sathya’s attention with it)

No not interested in those stuff

(I sighed) Idiots!

Your voices are very low can’t hear properly

I am at Susan’s house, we both are hiding

So we can’t talk aloud

Okay, we will meet tomorrow

We told we will idiot(Susan)

When and where?

Will say later(Madhu)

I have a guest for our meet tomorrow

(On hearing this Sathya was very eager about the call. So I plugged an earphone rapidly and gave her an ear of it)

Sathya uh?(Susan)

(Sathya)I am

What the hell!(Susan screamed)

Was she with you?

Yeah

How could you both?

Just in bus, we are coming home

Happy Journey(Susan)

Where did the courage come from for you(Madhu)

To travel with a girl

Idiot, just say when and where

At the coffee shop, you saw Jeni at last(Madhu)

Ahhhhhhhh(Madhu screamed with a pain tone)

(I didn’t replied)

Nithish don’t mind him just come there at 5 pm

Convey it to Sathya too

Okay

I hung the call. Sathya was silent too. I just smiled at her and said, “A hotel near our school. I will take you there when you come near the school”

“Okay”

“Do you have bike?”

“No”

“Then how will you come?”

“Haven’t thought about it till now”

“I will ask Susan to pick you up”

Sathya agreed and asked slowly, “Do you still have a feel for Jeni?”

I was unanswerable at that situation. I smiled and said, “I think I should not have a feel for Jeni”

“It was not the right answer”

“Okay, I am. I like Jeni”

“So love became love uh?” She asked.

“It was not like that, love is something both should feel about. Unless I can’t claim it without her love. It may disgrace her”

“You are so gentle”

“I was not that was the reason why she left me”

“Nithish, I didn’t know why she left you. But I am sure you had done anything wrong”

“Thank you Sathya”

“Don’t thank me. I am just with you as you are with me”, she said by patting my hands with a smile.

Later we reached the destination. We got to our own houses and I spent that day with my family. My father was at home for me. I shared my days with them and told I got a new friend named Sathya. I also told that I am going to meet my School friends the next day and asked for bike. Dad refused to handover the bike to me and asked me to take the cycle. I was angry at that moment as he didn’t gave me bike.
Next day morning, I woke up and asked my mother, “Was my cycle in good condition?”

“Check it yourself kanna, it is standing as you parked a month ago”

I saw my cycle standing lonely with a sad face by bending its front wheel to a side. The color of the cycle was black but I looked like a brown as the dust covered the cycle entirely. I bathed my cycle, it shined back to its real black color.

My cycle was sick, both wheels lost it breath. I took it to the workshop for checking punctures. I dropped my cycle there and returned home. I called Susan and informed her to get Sathya from her house. She asked me where was her house. I didn’t knew it too and I asked Susan to get those detail from Sathya. Later I get back my cycle in riding condition that afternoon.

At that eve I was very excited to meet my friends after a long time. I rode to Madhu’s house and got a ride on his bike. Myself and Madhu reached the spot where we planned.

Madhu murmured, “I know she will be late”

“How you are sure about it?” I asked him.

“Yesterday we had a quarrel”

“Yesterday you guys are in good mood while I was talking”

“We were”

“Then what happened?” I asked by supporting him with a hand over his shoulders.

“It’s just a small fight, she will show her offense just by irritating me”

“I think so won’t like to irritate you”

“No Nithish it’s not irritation, just love stuff, you won’t understand”

“I was in a relationship too”, I said with an anger tone.

“It was ended and you didn’t felt the true love”, he said with a smile and added, “Hey you told you like a girl named Arshi. Say about her”, by saying he sat over the bike which bore him with the side stand.

“She is beautiful”

“How you met her?”

“In the class”

“How she looks?”

“Beautiful, yeah beautiful she is”

“Do you take any picture with her?”

“No, I am not that close. She just gave her contact and I spoke once with her”

“Wow Cool. Hope you soon fall into relationship with her”, he cheered me with a great smile. But my heart was not good to accept Arshitha at that moment. But I wished that once.

“How is that girl Sathya?” Madhu asked.

“Lovely”, I replied very faster.

“Was she?”, he asked I nodded and I said, “You gonna see her”

“Was she single?” he asked.

“You are already in a relationship, what is the purpose of knowing it”, I asked with doubting tone.

“It is the same reason Susan and I got quarrel”

“What are you saying?”

“After your talk on yesterday, we were taking about our college friends. She talked about her friend and showed a girls photo. I just said that girl on the photo was Beautiful and asked for intro. Susan got possessive and she pulled my hairs and beat me. It is the reason she is acting crazy like an idiot”

“It is not a big deal to getting possessive”, I laughed.

“Nothing is a big deal until you feel it bro”, he was saying me and then his eyes was moving somewhere and he continued, “Sue came”. He got down from his bike.

I spotted Susan riding her scooter. But I was searching for Sathya behind her. Sathya was completely hidden behind Susan. I tilted my head both right side and left side but I could see nothing. Susan came nearer and I could spot Sathya at that moment. She was wearing light pink t-shirt and a dark brown leggings. She made a little smile on seeing me. I smiled back with a big smile showing my teeth. I was not sure about her fright at that moment.

Susan had a glance at Madhu and she called me joyfully, “Nithu” and hugged me. I hugged back. Next moment Madhu cried, “Sathya!” and showed an accent of hugging her. Sathya feared at that moment on seeing Madhu. Susan stopped him but extending her hand at middle, “She is a stranger to you”.

“She is our friend”, he said.

“She dislike hugging”, Susan said.

“Is that she or you? I know it was you” Madhu asked by raising his eyebrows.

“Who said you, I dislike hugging”, Sue said by twisting Madhu’s hand to his back and hugged him tighter. I felt shy on seeing their romance and I turned to other side. I spotted Sathya was looking at me at that moment. I giggled at Sathya.

Then Susan took Sathya with her in. I walked in, Madhu pulled me and said, “You sit with Susan today”.

“Won’t you wish to sit next to her?” I asked.

“Just do what I say”, he said.

Susan called us, “What were you speaking hurry up”. We both followed them faster.

Susan found a seat and she sat, Sathya was about to sit. I said, “Sathya, can I sit with Sue please”. Sathya nodded and I sat next to Susan. Sathya sat opposite to me and Madhu showed up by sitting next to Sathya. Sathya moved a little away from Madhu and she was almost at the edge of the seat.

Madhu was talking to Sathya in a very low voice that only they could hear. Sathya was neither laughing nor speaking. She was just nodding, I haven’t saw her that quiet before. I felt little possessive on seeing Madhu sitting next to Sathya. I know he is my friend and he is just talking but I felt possessive. Susan said to me in a low voice, “Nithu did you sat here or Madhu made you to?”

What could I say her? I was confused and I spoke the truth. She said, “Madhu I wished to sit with you only don’t try dramatic just come here”

“Is it?” he claimed his seat joyfully and asked me to swap. I did then I was sitting next to Sathya, I felt Sathya sat at the comfortable posture than before. I saw her sitting closer to me as we sat last day in bus.

“I was swapping this always”, I said.

“What?” Susan asked.

“Always you guys will have a fight and you will put me in the middle of your quarrel then you will leave me aside later you guys will start your romance”

“Hell! No”, Madhu screamed in a low voice.

“Our romances are in private”, Susan added.

“Then what are these stuff?”, I asked. Susan replied, “We are just hugging and holding hands”

We ordered our juices as usual but Sathya ordered Butterscotch Milkshake. Madhu started, “Sue ask him about Arshi”

“No we must ask Sathya about her”, said Susan.

“Me?” Sathya pointed herself with a doubt.

“Yes, you are with him so you must have seen both of them. So say it”, Susan said.

I turned and had a look at Sathya. She was puzzled a moment and she said, “She is good”

“Sathya was she suitable for Nithish?” Susan asked.

“Was Nithish suitable for her?” Madhu asked. Madhu and Susan shared a glance at each other and giggled. I started to laugh too.

“I am feeling this meet like an investigation on me”, Sathya opened her mouth finally after a long time.

“Don’t think like that, these are fools don’t midn them”, I said to Sathya.

“As you got a new friend, you are saying old friends as fool uh?” Sue started at me.

“All are friends no old or new partitions”, I said with a wink.

“Yeah I told the same and asked Sue to call her friend for meet”, Madhu said.

“Whom?” Susan thought a moment.

“The beautiful girl you showed yesterday to him”, I interrupted the conversation.

“How you know that?” Susan had a sharp look at me. I wished to have fun at that moment, “Susan, Madhu told me that you showed a girl and she is beautiful and sexy. You are less attractive compared with her”

“Sue Sue, I haven’t told this he is messing with us, trust me”, Madhu begged her. I giggled a little.

“Nithu never lie to me”, Susan had a blind belief in me and added, “I am damn sure you might have said it”

“Was you lying?” Sathya asked slowly by pulling my shirt. Then Sathya found it was lie on seeing my giggle and she started to giggle. Madhu was holding Susan’s hand and he was begging to core.

“Don’t break the peace between them, just say the truth”, Sathya told me.

“Susan know I was lying and Madhu know Susan didn’t believed me”, I said with a smile.

“How you say it?” Sathya asked.

“Trust”, I said and added, “The trust we had on each other. They are playing with hearts and love now. I promise there will be a laughter at the end of their conversation”

“Will it happen often?” Sathya asked.

“No, but I know my friends”, I said with a satisfying heart.

“Do you know about me?” She asked.

“Yes”, I said. From that moment, I felt Sathya closer to me and I was completely pulled to her words. “Can you say?” she asked.

“I could say it but I fear saying”

“Saying what?” she asked, our eyes didn’t met but ,my heart was looking into her heart at that moment. I wished to look into her eyes. But I am not that strong enough to look.

“Saying what I have in my mind”

“Speak up Nithish”

“Hello, hellooooooooo!”, Madhu put a barrier between me and Sathya.

“Guys are you in a separate world?” Susan asked. I disagreed her and diverted by saying, “I thought you both are discussing about break up”

“Yeah we did. Poor Madhu, he will cry without me”

“What? Do you think that?” I asked with fun.

“I will”, Madhu made a fake sob.

“So sweet”, Susan hugged him sidewise.

“They started their romance”, I said to Sathya in a low voice. She smiled.

Her finger on the table touched my fingers. I saw her little fingers dancing as my eyes moves. Without my consciousness I made my little finger of my right hand to hug with the little finger on her left hand by twisting around it.

“What are you doing”, Sathya was looking weird at me. I didn’t know what to say at that moment, I pulled my hand first and noticed if Madhu and Susan saw me. Then I confirmed they were not as they were busy arguing in some topic.

“I made pinky promise”, I said.

“What is that?” she asked.

“Susan made me this year ago”

“I made what?” Susan entered the conversation. Sathya told that I mentioned pinky promise to her. Susan laughed and said, “It is an unbreakable promise I used to do it from my childhood”

“Is it? It’s childish but it looks cute” Sathya asked.

“I, Madhu and Nithu did it so that..”, Susan was saying but, “Just a belief between us”, Madhu completed before Susan’s words. I nodded. Sathya extended her finger and said, “Promise me now”.

I moved my finger around her like carving an apple. Sathya said, “I will be with you at all times”. She winked at the end.

Sathya extended her fingers to Susan and said, “Be my friend always”. Susan smiled and gave her finger. Then Sathya looked at Madhu and said, “My loving and caring brother please?”

“Brother?” He freaked on hearing that word and added, “Did you called me brother?”

“Yes bro, Susan is my friend so you must be my brother”, she said with a lovely tone. Susan giggled and said, “I will call my friends and ask everyone to make this promise. Thank you Sathya”.

“I will accept only Sathya as my sister”, Madhu cut his words to Susan.

“So you will flirt with my friends and stalk them, is it?” Susan stared at him. He laughed and said, “I won’t except few”

They started their argument again. Sathya interrupted them by saying and extending her finger, “Brother please complete the promise with me”

Susan beat his hand slowly and took his hand forward. “Such a love sick guy”, Susan murmured. “You are the medicine for it”, he said after he made the pinky promise with Sathya.

Later we went home, Susan dropped Sathya in her house. After the dinner, I made a call for Sathya. The ring went up and she hung the call. I didn’t called back. I expected to talk with her at that time but she hung the call. So, I was waiting for her call by keeping the mobile at the middle of the bed and rolling around it over the bed.

The mobile rung, it was Sathya. The rolling me sat erect and attended the call. In call,

Hey

Why you called now?

Just to talk

Idiot I am in home

So what?

My Father may scold me

He won’t as you got a way to call me

Okay say

What you feel about my friends?

I feel nothing

Do you like them?

Yeah, except that idiot Madhu

Haha

Why?

He was sitting next to me

Then he was asking me to smile

He was little crazy to impress Susan all time

He said that first but I hate him

I don’t know why

Okay leave him

I need to ask you something

What?

You promised Madhu as brother

Then Susan as friend

[A silence]

I can’t understand

You didn’t promised me

To be my friend or brother

But you told You will be with me at all time

Yes, I will be aside you

Okay

Then?

Nothing leave it

Do you know what is Pinky Promise?

Just a name for promise

No, we did with our little fingers right?

Yeah

If someone broke the promise

The other could cut the finger

they used for promise

Hope we won’t cut our fingers

You will never get that chance

Hope you too

Okay, my Father is calling me bye

Bye

The call ended but I had a feel that she liked me. I also feared that I should not make the mistake as I did before with Josphine. But a thing confused in me Why she didn’t called me either as friend? Am I imagining things? I decided not to decide anything about the relationship at that moment and decided to sleep at that time.