Part 2 (2/2)

Virat: 'Dude, I think I am in love. I mean, I've never felt like this before. I just feel like gazing at her for hours. I sent a flirty message to her a few minutes back and am still waiting for her reply.'

Rohan: 'That's awesome, dude. So you've finally found the girl of your dreams after trying your luck with a dozen others.'

Virat: 'Ha ha! Fingers crossed. I hope it works out. How is life at your end? Anything troubling you?

You don't seem your jolly self.'

Rohan: 'Nothing, yaar. My girlfriend is worried about our marriage and so we've been fighting every night.'

Virat: 'The couple that fights the most is the one most deeply in love. It shows that you care enough to notice that the other one screwed up, and care enough to mention it too.'

Rohan: 'It's not easy, beta. Now that you have fallen in love, you will realize it.'

Virat: 'Lol. I will resolve the fight in no time by being the first one to say sorry. Simple.'

Virat never shared things that were too personal with Rohan and it was the first time he had mustered the courage to tell him about what was happening in his love life. But before Rohan could respond to his message, his cousin entered the room and disconnected the internet. Virat too switched off his laptop and checked his mobile one last time before calling it a day. His eyes lit up seeing one message from Mahek.

'I love your company too. Kavya and you are full of life. See you tomorrow. Miss you.'

Virat started jumping on the bed with glee when he read the last two words-'Miss you'. Though the message was not overtly romantic or anything, he was happy because at least she had replied. He had never thought that he would meet someone as special as her. True love is a constant battle between the heart and the mind. Only when both are in sync with each other that true love comes into being. And Virat's mind and heart were both shouting only one name in chorus. He lay on the couch trying to imagine her next to him. He was so excited that he was unable to figure out what to do next. If Kavya wouldn't have warned him, he would have asked her out right away. He wanted to tell Kavya about the message but it was quite late and she would be asleep by then. He switched his laptop back on to check whether Rohan was online or not. He wasn't either. He went to sleep that night with a smile on his face.

Dhuaa.

Rohan was chatting with Virat casually in his room while also thinking about his own complicated love life. He was about to take a sip of his coffee when I opened the door to his bedroom.

'Hey buddy,' I shouted.

'Aditya, when did you come?' Rohan asked.

'This evening with Mom. She had some work here, so we finished that and came straight to your place. Mom is outside discussing something with Aunty. Hurry up. Let's go out.'

'Just give me a minute. I'm chatting with my friend Virat,' Rohan stated.

Before he could chat again, I removed the internet plug and switched off his computer.

'What is this? I have come to f.u.c.king meet you and you are on the internet. Let's go to our favourite spot,' I said pulling him from his chair.

'You wanna go to Anna? Have you taken permission?' asked.

I nodded and shut down his laptop before he could start again. Though it was drizzling a bit, Rohan raced his bike towards Anna. Anna was our favourite tea stall where we'd catch up over steaming hot cups of tea and pakoras.

Rohan was a shy and reserved boy who kept mostly to himself. His family was the orthodox kinds and not very outgoing. The one thing Rohan did love was going to the gym. He was a typical gym freak who worked hard day and night to get great biceps. He was well mannered and was always very well turned out. This made him a favourite among girls who liked silent, brooding type of men. He was very bad at telling a lie because the innocence in his eyes would give the lie away. He was extremely caring and believed that not displaying affection openly showed that you are ashamed of who you're with.

Inspired by Bollywood movies, he was overtly romantic and loved to go out for candlelight dinners with his girlfriend. He was slightly superst.i.tious and used to wear precious stone rings on his fingers to ward off evil and control his temper. More importantly, he was focused on achieving his goals and was confident about achieving his dreams, one of them being helping orphan kids.

'Here comes your cup of tea. Do you want a smoke too?' I asked Rohan taking out a ciggie from my pocket and lighting it.

'No, it's ok,' he replied.

'Don't you get bored typing so much on Gtalk?' I asked him out of curiosity. I personally hated it.

'I don't talk much. It's just that my friend Virat was online and he was telling me about his love-life, so I couldn't log off,' Rohan added.

'Oh, cool. Who is he?'

Rohan told me how he and Virat were online friends who met each other through a blogger's site some time back and then added each other on Gtalk. They had met once when Virat wanted some information regarding a particular orphanage. Rohan had all the details about the orphanage as it was his dream to work for them and thus he had met Virat to help him. Though Rohan was an introvert and s.h.i.+ed away from making friends online, he was never wrong at judging people's intentions. He found Virat to be very genuine and decided to help him out. They've been friends ever since.

'At this age, guys go online to make girlfriends and here you have found a guy online. You are on the right track brother,' I laughed.

'Shut up, Adi.'

'I mean it, seriously. One of my friends is dating a girl he has never met. At least you've met your guy once,' I added teasingly.

'Trust me. He is a nice guy. We are not that close, but we're good friends.'

'Ok, boss. I trust you. So, how's life in Pune?' I asked.

'Just routine. You know what, I'm lucky to have a brother like you. In today's time we can manage to make good friends with whom we can go out and have fun, but it is difficult to have a brother who can understand you and really sit down and listen to you. I love you, Adi,' Rohan said sounding senti all of a sudden.

'Are you sure you're drinking tea or it is it bhaang?'

'f.u.c.k off, yaar. I'm serious,' he said getting annoyed.

Rohan was my cousin who stayed in Pune at NIBM and we were friends more than brothers. There was nothing hidden between us and he was the only one in the family who knew everything about me.

Similarly, even he never kept any secrets from me. I had many relatives in Pune and Rohan was one of them. Whenever I got a chance to visit Pune, I'd make sure I meet him. I always felt comfortable with him and Rohan too liked discussing his life with me alone, though he had other cousins too. He never liked talking about personal stuff with other members of his family.

'How is Zoya? Is everything all right now between you two?' I asked. The last I spoke with him, he had told me about the issues he was facing with his current girlfriend.

'Things are getting worse. I have planned something for her to surprise her but don't know if it'll work. I should have realized that inter-caste relations.h.i.+ps are not easy.'

'Don't worry. Chill. And how is your s.e.xy French teacher? Are you still taking cla.s.ses from her?'

'Yes, we are more like friends and she knows about my love life as well. She is the one I share everything with in your absence,' he answered.

'Does she still show interest in you?' I asked with curiosity. Rohan had mentioned once that she liked him.

Rohan had completed his BA from Wadia College and had joined a reputed company recently. He had a pa.s.sion to learn French and wanted to Major in the language. Thus he had decided to take special cla.s.ses in his free time to learn French which is where he met the teacher who took a sudden liking to him.

'I think so. She is a couple of years older than me. How does it matter anyway? I love Zoya,' Rohan replied.

'You are seriously lucky. An older woman l.u.s.ting after you. Gosh, I have always fantasized about my teachers having a crush on me, but they always threw me out of their cla.s.ses instead,' I winked.

After talking for some time, we left and went back home. Everyone always asks me how Rohan and I gel so well with each other, and I say to them 'We just understand each other.' There were times when we both wouldn't say anything to each other but knew what we needed. We would talk every night on the phone and my mom would end up asking how we always had so much to say to each other. I'd always tell her 'We are best friends, not brothers.' Family has nothing to do with blood. Family is the people you love and the people who count on you and love you right back. I loved Rohan and he counted on me.

<script>