NOTE- Kindly peep in WE MET(1) and WE MET(2), to get the gist of the first two parts of the story that ends in this part.
“Wrong
number,” I said to my righteous girl and had cut the call. I am a tyro in
love. I could not bear with this monstrous feeling. Having my girl, the one I
dreamt, called me and I cut the call. Too much to believe. Her blue star
pendant kept flashing in my mind. By the way,” Preet,” I said to myself. She is named as cute as herself. My heart
skipped circadian regulations.
Jitin
sharma, who the hell are you? Why do you have my name and play with my love, my
life. I wanted to slap that guy. Lucky him!!
I
had always cursed film scenes when it portrays a hero in lovelorn, reminded
about everything he liked about his girl and when he smiles to himself. But now,
those fingers, the crescent lips, tucked hair behind milk tinge ear petals,
marble eye balls and those fluttering butterflies on them…. I am literally taken
away. ‘Sharma’ made my hands go wild on the wall, banging it. I kept staring at
my mobile screen and prayed, none of my dumb friends should flash on the
screen. And when she will call again, if at all she does, I was ready to
surrender, “Yes this is Jitin, Jitin Verma and I love you”. I was waiting for a
long time but in vain and slept off.
******
“Huh??
WRONG NUMBER??”
I
was taken aback. It’s him, it’s his voice. There is no way of it being a wrong
call. My heart was never wrong. I never let my brain do things for me, and it’s
my gift. Hence, I still trust that it’s him.
I
called Jaab, “Jaab. Wake up and listen”
“Yes
Preet tell me. Why do you sound tensed?”
“I
called Jitin. It was him. I am sure about this, his voice, the accent, the way
he says ‘hello’. Its so him.”
Jaab
interrupted, “Babes tell me what he told. I don’t need your voice analysis.”
I
said, “He cut the call. ‘Wrong number’ is what he told me”
“Jaab
I feel like crying. It’s him. It’s…. him.”
“Areyyyy!!!
Darling dainty, now don’t wet your hanky. He must have played with you, monkey!”.
Jaab is always cool. I was not convinced at all.
“Jab
please. Loved someone ever? He is not playing. I know him.”
“Wareey
wah! Look at her. So you guys were in love for years? You know him itseems,”
she teased.
“Jaaaaab,”
I pulled. Now Jaab had a serious tone. This is very special about her. “Ok. Now
give me his number, I will check.” I wanted to jump out of my couch, “Jaab are
you serious? Sure?”
“Ha
ha! Pass me his number. I will let you know by morning.
“Muah
darling,” I was excited.” Hello hello, if he is not Jitin, I am going to pick
him.”
“Haan??
Jab!!”
“Ha
ha ha! Stupid girl. I will let you know tomorrow.”
I
just clicked the ‘send’ button and plunged into my bed; tightly packed, knowing
I would never sleep.
********
8.00AM,
I woke on a call, all the incidents rushing back to my memory. It was an
unknown number, feeling excited, it must be her calling from another number, I picked
the call to tell what I had already planned.
A
metallic voice spok.” Hello, Jitin?” I was confused.
“Are
you jitin? Jaab here. Preet’s friend.”
“Yeah!
Jitin. I mean Jitin Verma.”
“Yes
you. Can I have a word with you? Preet called you yesterday. You met in train
right? Why is that you cut the call? han?”
“Look,
your friend was asking for Jitin Sharma. Ok? Sharma! I am here, Jitin Verma. So
it is a wrong dial. Tik hai? And yeh! Damn we met in train. So what?”
Fortune
cookies should have broken to read ‘fortune’ for me. Unfortunately I dint have
one. Yet I had the wholesome fortune coming in the next reply.
“Wooo
wooo wooo!! Cool down young man. What’s this Verma-Sharma. Jitin is Jitin. Ok listen,
she was hunting for you, JITIN VERMA! the one and only. Sharma was the tag we
used to escape our professor, once when he caught us gossiping on your name. Then
we kept using it and still using it. But it’s you mahn! Jitin verma. And mind
you, call her back, c ya.” I heard a beep.
I
was climbing up on cloud 9, swaying my wings and listening to Jaab’s long
reply.
I
don’t remember who initiated the call, but all I remember even today is, Jitin
and Preet did not sleep the whole night, that day.
Have a nice day!
