Part 4 (1/2)

*But you won't know that I am standing behind the door,' I whispered.

*And I will push the door and go straight ahead,' she too started whispering.

*The moment you go two steps ahead, I will grab you from behind.'

I don't know what was happening to us. Was it the fruit of spending those weeknights without talking to each other, or something else?

Outside, it had started raining, adding to the sensation of the moment. I could hear the rain spattering on the ground, and the cold breeze blew open the windows and came into my room that night.

*Shona!' she cried my name with pleasure.

*And grabbing you from behind, I will take you and lock you in my arms.' I closed my eyes. And maybe she did the same when she said, *Shona!' again, very slowly, full of love, taking a deep breath.

*And with my hand I will bring your long hair in front of your left shoulder and I will bring my face very close to your neck on the right, with my other hand playing on your bare waist ...'

I tried to keep my emotions in check because I did not want to scare my sweetheart too much, so early. She didn't say anything for a while, but our breaths were getting louder. My own heart was pounding inside me with pleasure.

*And then?' she finally asked. I understood her state of mind, the ripples, the troughs and crests in her heart. But, above all, she wanted to enjoy that moment with me.

And I answered her, *And then you will feel my lips behind your right ear, on your neck.'

*Mmm,' she murmured, breathing heavily.

*I am feeling something so different at this moment. Are you?' I asked her very silently.

*Yes, something very different. What are you feeling?'

*With you in my arms, I am able to smell the cologne that you are wearing, your sweet feminine fragrance. I feel my lips kissing your shoulder and going down your back, licking the slightest sweat adhering to you ...' By this time, even my voice had started shaking. I asked her, *Tell me, what are you feeling?'

*I feel ...' she was struggling to complete her sentence and I could still hear her breath loud and clear.

She hesitated. I waited.

*I ... I feel,' she paused and then tried again, *I feel as if you are hypnotizing me, casting a magic spell that I don't want to come out of.'

She was breathing faster now, s.h.i.+vering. Her pa.s.sionate voice was stimulating me further.

*Now my other hand is moving on your waist. And then ...' I paused.

*And then ...?' she insisted I go on.

*And then, all of a sudden, it has started raining,' I brought the rain from outside my window into our sweet dream.

*Mmm ... And then ...?'

Very slowly, I whispered, *And then, I have turned you towards me. We are wet from the rain. I am watching you in your wet sari which is sticking to your body. I am seeing the raindrops falling on your forehead, running down your nose and hanging on your lips for a while before running further down your body. Strands of your wet hair are glued to your cheek.'

*And then ...?' She started whispering again.

*You are looking down, somewhere on my s.h.i.+rt, too shy to look into my eyes. I am raising your chin, to help you look into and read my eyes which are staring at you.'

*A ... n ... d ... t ... h ... e ... n ...?' she was hardly able to speak any more and was losing her words.

*With our heads tilted slightly, my lips feel the raindrops sticking to your lips, swallowing them, further discovering the softness of your lips ...' And that pa.s.sionate kiss which I described to her lasted for quite a while. That was the first time, I felt, she allowed me to cross a few boundaries. Miles apart from each other, we felt each and every s.h.i.+ver of that moment.

We were lost in each other when, suddenly, she turned mischievous. *Hey! People down there will be looking for us. I have to rush before my parents come upstairs, searching for me,' she shouted.

I wonder how she collected her energy and, more than that, how she remembered the fake people in the fake rain, on that fake engagement night (though it was to come true, in a few months).

*Aah! The people down there will be happy with their food,' I tried to convince her.

*Nah ... please. Come on dear, now open your arms. We have to go and change our clothes before they see us,' she urged, laughing at the virtual reality we were in.

*Ok. But on one condition.'

*And what's that?'

*I want to see you while you change.'

*Oh ... ho ... ho ... tumhe ungli kya pakdaai, tum to pura haath pakdna chahte ho. Zyaada galat fehmiyaan mat paalo,' she warned me with a little laugh.

*Haath pakdna? Not just the hand, I want to hold all of you!' I responded. I tried hard to convince her, but she didn't allow me, even though it was only make believe.

That night, we slept quite late. No, it wasn't night. I guess it was close to sunrise when we finally hung up.

I stared at my cellphone and, rising from my bed, I walked to the window. I noticed that the rain had stopped by then. I was tired and hungry, so I picked up an apple from the kitchen and, munching on it, I lay down on my bed. Then I went over our conversation again, over all that had happened, every detail ... I don't know when I fell asleep and started dreaming ...

The next morning was beautiful, with the sunrays bouncing into my room through the window. The mornings after a rainy night are really pleasant. With my eyes partially open, I smiled to myself, recalling the previous night. I managed to pull myself up, sat on the bed and turned to see myself in the mirror, still smiling. Then I asked my reflection, *Still in her hangover, haan?'

And what a night it was. If a hypothetical kiss could give so much a pleasure, what would a practical one be like, I wondered. Then I decided to call her up-to tease her for all she ended up doing the night before.

She picked up the phone in her sleep and asked, *Mera baby uth gaya?'

*Aah ... You kill me when you talk so sweet.'

*Really?'

*Hmm ...'

*But I am still sleepy and want to return to my dreams again,' she said.

Mischievously, I shouted at her, *Sleep? I am here to wake you up! Do you even remember what all you said to a guy last night? I mean, I wonder how you could be so open and bold, forcing me to say all that. You know, I was struggling to get over the embarra.s.sment. I never thought you would cross all the boundaries of shyness, ethical values ...'

I had not yet finished my speech when she woke up completely and shouted back at me, *Aaye-haye ... haye ... You guys! How cunning you are, my G.o.d! All you boys are alike. The lines you said just now should be mine actually. You stole my lines just because I was sleepy. You crossed all your boundaries and pulled me to the other side as well. How could you do that? You guys play so smart with innocent girls like me ...'

*Hey,' I said, interrupting, trying to calm her down. But she kept going like an opposition party's representative on NDTV's Big Fight.

*... All you guys are like chameleons, changing your colour when required ... You ...'

And I was trying to recall where I had heard about chameleons.