Inked!

Inked

Just 15 and in love! From playmates to soul mates to romantic love the journey was long and the transformation subtle. Raveena and Ashok, best friends since they could remember. Actually, since anyone could remember. They had been crawling together on all fours, till they learnt to stand on their feet and chase cats, puppies, and butterflies. It had been a big relief to their mothers, as they could finish off their chores, while the two infants would be immersed for hours in their world of toys, make believe, and play. Of course, they would fight fiercely too and hurl things at each other( once, when he had pulled her plait hard wanting one for himself …). But they soon outgrew such childish and churlish behaviour, settling for arguments and debates, which would never end.

At school, they were treated like Jai and Veeru, with everyone soon learning that picking up a fight with one meant picking up a fight with the other too… ( Buy one get one free… kind of!) Well so what do you think happened? Exactly! Soon they were the most popular students among the children and the teachers alike.

Hormones surged; appearances changed, and they fell in love with each other… madly!

That’s when Sahib appeared on the scene. A new chap, he had reached the small one-horse town as his father had been transferred there. The new DC, District Collector. They had a fabulous mansion, rather half a palace to reside in.

The mansion had a long driveway through an old mango orchard, the trunks of which were so thick, an entire battalion could hide behind them, easily. Driving under the canopy of the bottle green leaves, shading the pathway from the hot sunshine, lifted you into a world of luxury, straight away. At the end of the verdant tunnel, was the first glimpse of opulence. A towering edifice, evenly punctuated with balconied windows, boasting intricate craftsmanship. The two storied mansion, which was high enough to be six storied in a city, had turrets on each corner, just in case someone forgot the importance of the address or the resident.

It had definitely been a creation of love and fantasy. The front courtyard had been replaced with a garden boasting allegiance to Shalimar and Nishant of the Kashmir fame, a tad smaller in scale, perhaps but with all the details.( After all the residents were from the Civil Services, they would have certainly studied all the details for their entrance exams!)

Well, I am diverting from the point. The scion of the present occupant is the concern of our story. Sahib! The name was perfect too, for one born to such privileges.

On his first day at school, he couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Raveena … such a beauty had never been seen except on the silver screen in his entire life of 15 years. His hormones went into overproduction and the result was…OCL, obsessive compulsive love. Also known as love at first sight, puppy love, blind love, etc.  etc. Well he was a puppy in love! Mooning, sighing, and following his love all around till one day…

The school, like all good schools had organised an educational trip to a nearby dam. It boasted a beautiful garden, and an evergreen forest all around the reservoir. When the river had been dammed quite a few villages of the tribal folk had got submerged. Who cares about tribals?

 A few folks from the big city far away, did come over, they had sat around for days, weeks and months till nobody really batted an eyelid on seeing them. Their clothes had long ceased to be fashionable, their faces looked haggard, and their hairdo was nothing anyone wanted to copy. Journalists were not taking the bumpy bus rides anymore as their editors had warned them the news didn’t sell. The displaced tribals finally received princely sums of Rs. 1000 or even 1200/- for their land which sustained the entire family, yearlong. Never having seen so much money at once, the tribals celebrated! They went to town, literally, buying slippers and radios. The princely sum soon evaporated. Again, I am digressing…

The forests were left undisturbed, thus plants, trees and all life forms could flourish within its tranquil, nourishing, and comforting environs. So, the students would get a chance to collect samples for their ‘Herbariums’.

The silence of the forest was filled with excited shrieks of spotting various colourful wild flowers of blue, pink and yellow while the leaves were of  unique shapes and sizes, some smooth long blades while others were serrated, some smooth while others fuzzy. The children had never seen such colourful butterflies, nor so many. The buzzing bees, the dragonflies and countless colourful insects were a heady mix.

A buzzing butterfly soon landed at the feet of Raveena. “I love you Raveena,” said Sahib. He had in his hand a delicate bouquet of wildflowers, which he offered  while on his knees. “Eeeeks” shrieked she!     “Get up Sahib! What’s wrong with you? You frightened the day lights out of me.”

“So, do you love me too?”

“Never, you are just my classmate. I love my soul mate. I have loved him ever since I can remember and will do so in all my lives! Clear? Now off you go and never bring up this silly topic ever again.” Thus, admonishing him, she moved on.

Our poor love-struck Romeo was smarting. He had never been refused anything. And by no one. Ever!

A few students in and around, some behind trees and some behind the bushes, few among the grasses, had observed the exchange. They were roaring with laughter and two were actually guffawing aloud. The crimson face of Sahib could easily be mistaken for a tomato. And was it hot? The tears trickling down those red cheeks were nearly sizzling. Such was the storm in his heart that he wasn’t sure was he more angry because his proffered heart had been crushed or because other kids were laughing at him.

After a satisfying day of collecting specimens, clicking pics and  making merry the children all broke into songs and games, on the way home. The bus was buzzing with activity. Then someone started, “Hey Sahib what were you telling Raveena?”

Silence!

Followed by loud laughter as Raveena narrated the scene to everyone. More laughter erupted. Only the darkness hid the tomato red face and the heat it radiated. Embarrassed to the core, Sahib was now seeking revenge.

It didn’t take him long to figure out who was Raveena’s sweetheart, cause he walked upto him after school one day and warned him without mincing words.

“Raveena loves me, and I love her. We have loved each other forever and will do so until our dying day! Don’t you dare come near her ever. Understand? Else …”

Highly theatrical, I agree.

Well Sahib was not one to take things lying low. He mulled a plan in his love spurned brains and put it into action. One day the mango trees witnessed Sahib and one of the good for nothing gardeners, Lalu unload a gagged and blinded person from the car and hustle him into the house. Once it became dark, the stars came out one by one and listened to the whispers of the mango trees in disbelief! Such deviousness in one so young?

In the meanwhile, Raveena was getting worried. Sure, she had a debate with Ashok regarding women should only do half the chores at home, while men the other half… but she didn’t mean to upset him. She had walked off in a huff from the bus stop. She had awaited a call from him, but there was nothing. She checked her phone a couple of times… walked around listlessly, till she could take it no longer and ran over to his house.

His mother was immediately worried. She had presumed they were together. He had gone out around 3:30pm after receiving a call, saying he would be back in some time. Now the two of them hurried out of the house trying to see if he was injured or anything, around the neighbourhood. But someone would have seen, someone would have informed.

Ashok’s mom was worried sick and mumbling ‘Ram, Ram Ram!’ as she tried to control her sniffles. Raveena, spotted his cycle on the ground, behind a few bushes, on a remote stretch of the road. Looking around closely she could make out nothing. She then tried calling him again. The dark evening lit up feebly as his phone rang. It was lying half buried in the grass at some distance. “Aunty! Ashok’s phone!” she said. She checked the last few messages, threats from Sahib. And the call received…  it was from Sahib too!

“That dirty dog!”

“Aunty I am going to the DC’s house; you bring uncle and my parents. Sahib has a lot to answer.”

She got onto the bike and rode furiously away, while Ashok’s mother kept saying, “Wait dear child! Wait!” On reaching the gates, she hopped off and went in after hiding the bike behind the wall. She ran  taking some shelter behind the wide tree trunks in spurts. As she approached the last of the trees at the edge, she scrutinised the imposing building. Nothing!

She summoned some courage and tip toed to the window in the corner, which was partially open. She could barely hear some sound from within. Still wondering whether to go in or wait for her folks to fetch up, she felt a firm hand on her shoulder!

“Eeeks!”she screamed! “Get off me you rascal!” she started hitting the owner of the hand while turning around. It was a stranger, but with a commanding visage.

“Who are you girl? What are you doing here?” he demanded.

“Who are you mister? What are you doing here?” she quipped.

“I am the owner of this house. I live here. Do you know Sahib?”

“He is the culprit! I have come to rescue Ashok.”

“ Wait! Tell me everything.”

And she did….

Oh! How the Mango trees whispered! They almost created a storm! As he walked with her inside the house!

As they went inside, the man took her straight to a room at the back of the house. They barged in without bothering to knock. And the sight inside was not a nice one. A bound and gagged Ashok was being beaten up by Sahib. The Civil Servant was shocked to see the villainous mode of his blue-eyed boy. One tight slap resounded across his face while Raveena quickly tried to set Ashok free. Fumbling and mumbling, ‘You will be fine Ashok! I am here and so is this nice uncle!’ she desperately untied his ropes and removed his gag.

‘Thank you, uncle! We love each other…  When Sahib said he loved me it was a rude shock!’

“Well, what do you have to prove that?” asked the older man trying to regain his composure.

‘We inked ourselves to remind us we will be together forever,’ she rolled up her sleeve to show a neatly tattooed ‘Raveena loves Ashok’ as did Ashok reveal a tattoo saying  ‘Ashok loves Raveena’.

Shouts and excited chatter at the entrance, broke the magic of the moment.