The Girl on the train!

"Sometimes fiction is more realistic than the truth!"

"Hey sucker! Give me a call when you are about to reach the Coimbatore station. I'll be there! Don't be lethargic and sleep all the way." My brother showed his love in his own way. 

I will take a monthly holiday of at least two days every month from my workplace Chennai and will visit my home in Coimbatore. This travel will mostly happen by bus and I liked it that way. Rarely, I will take trains. This time I ended up with train, as it is a day time travel! Credits to one of my friend who insisted me on taking train as the buses will make you more tired. He himself decided that and booked ticket for me without my knowledge. So that I will be left with no choice rather than picking it.  

As soon as I entered the Chennai station I searched for my ticket. After trying all possible wrong pockets, bags and zips I found it successfully inside my wallet. I was shocked when I saw it was second class AC chair car! Wow! I thanked my friend and thought of how I'll escape from not paying this amount to him. I got inside my coach and scattered my bags everywhere. Sat peacefully and pulled out the water bottle. Drinking and making myself comfortable I arranged my bags. The train started moving slowly and surprisingly there is no co-passengers for me.

"Shit! I have to travel all alone?" And I cursed myself for not seeing the other passengers list in hurry.

I heard a voice not so sweet but it assured 'I belong to a girl!'. My eyes tweaked. I tilted my head outside the compartment. A girl as the same age of mine (rough guess) entered the train while talking in phone. She had a travel bag in her hand. Headset to her ears and phone in her jeans pocket. She was in a t-shirt captioned "Fules Ruck!" which literally transformed as "Rules Fuck or Fuck Rules" whatever! Getting on board on a moving train clearly stated that she deserves to wear that t-shirt. She entered my compartment and sat in the seat opposite to me, still talking in phone.

"Mummy, please! I got the train I will call later after reaching Coimbatore, Bye." She cut the phone without waiting for the other side's reply! I left out a sigh. She looked at me, smiled cautiously. And there goes typical boys' weakness.

I murmured 'Hi' but it was audible for her. She looked at me, smiled the same cautious smile again and immersed herself in her bag. I bit my tongue.

***

Half an hour passed, with silence doing the lead role and I am busy in shuffling songs on my phone. None of the song is fully heard as I switched to next and next in the half way itself. And also I couldn't resist myself by not looking at her! My eyes visited her more frequently. No, to be honest, my eyes went away from her very rarely. Suddenly something stricken! I saw this girl elsewhere. Couldn't remember! But for sure, yes! My mind stretched the possibilities. Facebook? Nah! College? Nah! In other college visits? Nah! Schoolmate? Something cracked! I saw her. She is crushing an use and throw tumbler after drinking water. Damn! She was my classmate in school till my 7th standard. And don't ask what is my age now! It is 23! By all probabilities she will be also in same 23.

Several thoughts crossed my mind. She was my bench mate in school and we shared lunch, pencil, rubber, sharpener and whatever. All was well till 7th then our ways departed. But to be honest after leaving her that time I have nothing to worry. I can't even imagine I'll meet that same girl at my 23rd year in a train and in a situation that she has no idea who I'm!

"So how are you Roselin?" Asked my tongue without my knowledge. Startled on hearing her name and surprised how I know it, she saw me in her small eyes and left out a wry smile.

"Are you Shiva?" She questioned but answered it herself, "Yes you're! How are you?" The cautious smile turned into friendly. She stretched her hand, I got it and shook it timorously.

"Yeah great. It's been long time, how are you? What are you doing?" I smiled back.

"Great! I guess..." She looked above and counted in the air by moving her fingers "...it's been 13 years!" She looked at me. Her eyes and body language had no change since that time. Every other things changed a lot. Mainly her voice. "I am working in IT in Chennai uff! Finished my computer science engineering. And you?"

Well its always been a difficult question every time. It will take at least 10 minutes for me to explain it to the questioner, since many won't account my work as a profession! I tried my best with her.

"I'm working as a movie critic. Will write reviews for movie in media."

"Oh cool. But what's your full time profession then? I mean this is a leisure job right?"

She is just a face in the crowd! Hiding my disappointment, I tried to sound normal. "This is my profession. It's media job. I will watch movies at office allowance and will write reviews and my company which is a media will pay me!"

She was very much surprised. Came to ask something but decided against it at the last moment. "Interesting job! Everyone will love to do this!"

I thought of my busy Fridays and my poor situation when 5 movies get released on the same day. Before other competitors our media have to give the review for all! This is hectic.

I changed the topic. "So tell me your favorite movies, books?"

Her eyes became bright. "Huh! I love romantic novels. Chetan Bhagat, Durjoy Dutta, Nikita Singh..." Scratched her head, "and Sidney Sheldon, adventure ones, Harry Potter and many more. In movies all romance movies in any language!"

Her taste is very tasteless! I cursed her. What the... She interrupted my thoughts.

"Ahhhh!" Placed her hand on her head, "forgot one main thing, I'm an ardent fan of Twilight! Both books and movies."

I thought I should jump off from the train.

***

After that we shared the years we spent without each other. Summarizing all the important things happened for us. She were all ears when I recalled by college life, how I followed a girl, how she rejected by proposal, everything. Even I told her how I felt when I got university rank! She was not surprised as we both are studious right from school life.

She talked about her college life. She told about the proposals she got! She told how she got a crush on a senior guy! Her cheeks were red that time. She explained how she refused the marriage proposal, which was put forth before her by her parents. She said she wanted to be independent and have to earn for some more years.

***

Apart from these information, I had noticed some more things. She had gone back to 'Shiv' instead of 'Shiva'. 'Shiv' is the name she called me when we were in school. Even I forgot that, but she remembered! Girls are dangerous. Every time she said "Shiv", her face did a smile. Even though it didn't mean anything, it's a boy's sensation to create a meaning for it! 

Her hair covered her face many times and every time she tucked it back behind her ears. In the start I was counting that, but lost my count when 'Shiv' resurrected again. I got a strange feeling and an unexplained closeness towards her. I wanted to look inside her head to know whether she has this same feeling or not!

***

Coimbatore is on the threshold! 15 more minutes, then Shiv and Roselin will depart on their ways like two different trains. I felt numb. I don't know but I can't ask her number. It's a homogeneous mixture of fear and shyness. 

Her cell phone let out a soft melody romantic song.

"Mom about to reach the station! Yeah platform 7! Wait there. Hello, Hello...." She played with the phone buttons. Took her time. Stared at me. She looked disappointed.

I thought she will say "I'll miss you Shiv!". So thought I can ask her number head high! If she don't like I can say, "Sorry I thought when you said miss me, you meant it! Didn't know it was just in words." Then she will be left with no choice rather than giving the number.

But this is something opposite. "Shiv, my mob got switched off! I want to send my mom an urgent message. Please can you lend me your phone?"

Even at this time I have no courage to ask her number. I thought what on earth I am gonna do with her mom's number? But also thought I can call her sometime, threw the net and can fish for her daughter's number. But wait, I'm not an expert in these things.

Impulse reacted quickly, my mobile was in her hands in no time. She typed something, the message was sent! She returned it back.

We had arrived at the station. The train stopped its journey at platform 7. My confidence is piling up that surely she will ask how to contact me! My heart beat was like the new metro train.  She got off from the train walked few steps, turned back,

"Hope to see you soon Shiv! Sometime on yet another wonderful journey. I am sure we will meet again soon." She winked and smiled. Waved her hand as a good bye!

Finally I got the courage and my mouth called her name. She was surprised and turned back with a question mark on her face. Before I say the next word, her mother appeared out of nowhere. I had to stop my sentence before starting it!

"How are you my child?" She kissed her on forehead, A driver collected her luggage. She smiled her last smile to me and moved away with her mom. I realized I didn't called my brother yet! Shit! Would've called him long back!

I took my phone, called my brother and told I had reached. He cursed me and said will be there in 20 minutes. 3 minutes passed by. I was standing on the same position where she left. I felt sad that I have no backbone to ask a girl her number. Convinced myself that I will meet her again. Decided to take only trains for future travels. Still I felt I am a loser.

A spark! I took my mobile. It must be having her mom's number. If she hadn't deleted the sent items, by luck it will be there. I reached the sent items folder. An unknown number is there. I opened that text message. It read,

"U r such an idiot Shiv! Dnt have courage 2 ask a girl's no.? This is mine, not my mom's! Ping me when you see this, you piggy. And yes I really miss you. Hope to see you soon, msg me back!"

I sat on the platform. Heads down, breathing heavily! How stupid I'm! I stood up let out a sigh. Made myself comfortable in a nearby bench. I messaged her.

"Sorry very sorry! I was afraid that you might mistake me. Yeah miss you too. Can we meet today evening?"

Reply message came the next minute,

"U r a cowardly custard! ;-) :D Evng 5.30, Cafe day! Treat is mine, for our re-unite! Cheers!"

***