Mirror Mirror on the wall.....Ep 3

A few months has passed since that interesting night at the 'GlamBam Rock Show' and i feel its safe to say I'd actually made a friend in that egoistic cousin of Raia's. Our new found friendship had give our common link a very nice excuse to sneak out of the house to pursue her blossoming romance with Kenny. Rish and I were her alibis which she used very non-chalantly to keep her semi-conservative parents completely oblivious to her nightly jaunts. The two of us pretty much took to hanging out every other night of week. I never had to make a pretense to my mom, who was always aware of my whereabouts.

As a typical Delhi-ite who'd been in the 'City of Dreams '; Mumbai for only 2 years Rish was still to discover what it had to offer. I showed him sides to my beloved city through my eyes and he was amazed at what he experienced.

It was at one those times when Raia and Kenny had taken off on their own direction and left the two of us to our elements. This time we were walking from 'Eros' theatre after watching an early evening show of 'City of Angels' we were halfway towards Rustoms' to get their famous home-made ice cream. The night had just set in and it seemed like it was going to be a cool night.
"Did you know that this movie was a remake of a Wim Wender one...i haven't seen it but i did read about it somewhere?" asks Rish.
"Of course i do! 'Wings of Desire'...wasn't there a U2 video that used the same theme?"
"Yup! Now there's one thing i didn't really think was justified..." he says digging his hands into the pocket of his khaki cargos.
"Whats' that?"
"Why get Meg Ryan to die so suddenly. It would've been more appropriate to have her stay aive, have like a baby who is half man-half angel then having her die of cancer or something. That way Seth has someone to remind him of her."
"Good god Rish! That's so cliched and Bollywood like!"
"Hey movies are about making people feel like leaving their grief and this movie just left me feeling all hollow and sad."
"I think the director got a point across. he had to have her for a brief moment and then lose her to completely understand the pain of being human."
"Whoa miss future film critic!"
"Don't!" I give him a friendly whack on his elbow.
"Hey madam! Watch that elbow! Thats one i used to render you a spitfire out to demolish the male species!"
"Well you thought i was a rocker worshipping dumb bimbo groupie. What did you expect?"
By then we'd reached Rustoms' and a quick look at the available selection we place our orders. He gets a 'Chocolate Ripple' one and i settle for my favourite 'Butterscotch'.
"Lets walk up to Marine Drive and sit up on the parapet,"I suggest.
He nods in reply unable to say anything since he's scarfing down the decadent dessert.
"Wow! This stuff is good. Even better than 'Nirula's' which boasts having the best ice cream in India."
"This is just some of the few old world gems left in the city with all the new stuff that wants to replace antiquity,"I say wistfully.
By then we've reached the end of the road that lies perpendicular to 'Marine Drive'. A quick cross of the street and we bound towards the wall that runs along technically the longest 'boardwalk' in the city. Ice cream in tow we sit on the parapet facing the ocean. A nice balmy breeze hits my face and i eat whats left of my ice cream before it becomes milk shake. As i eat it i notice Rish staring at me like i had something huge sitting on my head.
"What you staring at? Did i just sprout horns?"
"No! silly, you just have a spot of butterscotch on your nose!"
I fish out a tissue from my pocket but he takes it from my hand,"Let me!"
I raise an eyebrow as he gently rubs the ice cream off my nose in a small stroke. But his hand decides to stay over my face and caress my cheek. I flinch like i'd been stung by a bee,"What was that?" I demand literally shuffling away from his touch. I see a very dreamy look in his eyes as he gives me a sheepish grin,"Sorry about that! Its just that you looked very cute wih that ice cream on your nose!"
But i wasn't amused with that action, it'd stirred up weird feelings inside of me. what was saying?
"Excuse me! Is that a half ass sorry line you use to snare unsuspecting chicks just to get them to go swoon aaah!"I get up with a start,crumple my cup and toss it to the side of the parapet.
"No Nats ! Its not like that!"
"Then whats it like! Tell me! We've known each other like what a few months and you pull a stupid stunt like that!" my defensive, sensitive persona had woken up and there was no turning back. It was not a state of mind i liked being in but this little act and his remark had put me on my guard.
"Look! I wasn't intending any harm. but iIwould be lying if I said all I wanted was to be only friends with you,"was his answer.
I felt the ground slipping beneath my feet. The sea behind me sounded like a swirling tidal wave or i think i was just the confusion welling up inside my head. This couldn't be true! Rish, the guy i'd thought to be different was pretty much the typical.
"What are you saying?" my voice gave a little tremble much to to my alarm. I felt betrayed by my own reaction to this confession of his. Did this mean that i was okay with what'd he'd just said?
He seemed to be reading my expression for a moment because what happened after that just knocked the socks off my combat boots. I was grabbed by the arm only to be faced with him eye to eye.
"Look! I know you feel like what the hell is this guy getting at and what's his game. But believe me I don't want to lose you as a friend. The first time we met after we cleared up our ego hassles i thought hey, here's a girl with a smart head on her shoulders. i mean aside from the caustic vocabulary and the i'm tough as nails exterior i found you to be the kind of person i could actually relate to. But i can't just go about spending my time with you with a lie in my heart. I really like you and if there is any chance we can take this friendship beyond what it already is i'm ready to take it."
By now my eyes had welled up with stinging tears and all i wanted to do was to scream at him and then take to me heels an run like Forrest Gump had when his beloved Jenny had left him the lurch. But like i'd said before my feelings were beginning to betray themselves as my resolve seemed to be disintegrating.
"Let me go Rish,"I say quietly. I feel the grip loosen and he takes a step back to give me some air. I land my weary bottom back on my spot on the parapet, purse up my mouth hoping to quell those tears that seemed to just flow like rivulets.
"Hey! I'm sorry. I didn't know it'd make you cry! Look just forget i said anything. We'll just go on like this never happened okay," his tone changed from assertive to very apologetic in an instant. The same tissue he'd used to wipe the ice cream off my nose came out from somewhere and he came fowardand began wiping the tears off my cheeks. I took the tissue from him and blew my nose rather noisily almost comical. He gave a brief guffaw only to settle himself and resume a serious visage.
"Are you okay? Lets go get a cup of tea somewhere and i'll get you back home. We'll put this behind us and please don't tell Raia this. She'll never let me live it down if she found out i made her best friend cry."
Hearing him go on and on almost makes my laugh. Here he is the mighty Drummer Rish with a ego the size of a watermelon but right now he's all for an apology for something that i realised at that very moment i'd probably wanted the whole time i'd known him but hadn't had the guts to fess up to.
"Will you just shut up being all pensive and hold me for chrissakes!" I yell.
"Huh!" He seriously doesn't know what to make of me getting all complex on him so i do the arm grabbing for a change, wrap my arms around his waist and bury my face into his flat chest. I can hear his heart rate increase its pace against my cheek as he pulls his arms around me in a waerm embrace.
" You seriously need to get your head examined. One minute you treat me like i'd committed the crime of the century and the next you behave like corny paperback romance novel heroine."
"Only you hardly look like Fabio. Otherwise i might have to rip my bodice and bare my vulnerability!" I say into his 'Chicago Bulls' sweatshirt that smells of curry and 'CoolWater'.
"Now thats a little too much information for someone you've known for a few months don't you think?"
"Okay Mr.hotshot Drummer Boy should we seal this pact with a cup of tea or not?" I ask.
"Sealed it is my Miss.Firecracker! Sealed it is!"

He lays a light kiss on top of my forehead, i feel all warm and tingly on the bottom of my toes much to dismay. But you know ' I can't fight this feeling anymore....' (i think of the song by Reo Speedwagon)! Hands laced with each other we walk away from Marine back tracking our way towards Churchgate Station to celebrate this little graduation to our new friendship. I look up to the night sky to think is this what it feels like when teenage dreams come true?

THE END