Chapter 8
Falling for Sona
At night, I tried to think rationally. The smell could have been figment of my imagination, or may be it came from some wild feline animal. It didn't last for more than few seconds. Also, there was no logic behind relating the doll incident to the smell. Somehow, someone must have thrown the doll in the veranda, and I stamped on it inadvertently.
Nothing happened in the next two months. I avoided Sona as much as possible. After that doll incident, she too seemed to have been shaken a bit. But, who can stop someone, who is destined to invite trouble? At last, the harrowing winter left, and there came the queen of seasons, spring. The spring not only brings colour to the environment, but also it paints beautiful hues in human mind.
Sona's higher secondary examination was approaching, and she started visiting my apartment regularly for solving maths problems. As a matter of fact, I had been a sort of wizard in solving math problems. I had a great ability of making one understand. I loved tutoring, too. Considering that higher secondary was a very important examination in one's life, I could not refuse help in the last few months before her finals. But, I always had a fear that Sona might do something silly.
But allaying my fear, she could maintain her focus on studies. But, as the days went by, I was getting soft on her. Previously, I used to come late in order to avoid her. But now I began to come early. I began to wait for her typical 3 knocks on my door and the call of "Akshar da" in her mellifluous voice. I could feel that the eye-contacts were no longer just between a student and her tutor. She would prepare a cup of tea for me, and I would praise her profusely. She seemed to have been wallowing in the attention that I was paying her.
One day Sona came with a heavy make up on her face. She used to have a thin eyeliner and a meagre amount of lip stick. The amount of scent she used was so scanty that it could heardly be smelt. But that day, her eyeliner was deep, she wore mascara, her lipstick was prominent, and the scent could be sensed from a distance of 1km. She was wearing a golden yellow Salwar kamiz.
"What's up Sona? Are you going somewhere?" I blurted as soon as she entered my apartment.
She smiled coyly, and said, "Today happens to be my 18th birthday, Akshar da."
"Oh my gosh! Why didn't you tell me yesterday? I would have bought a gift for you. By the way, you look so lovely today."
I tried to compensate my forgetfulness -- as by then I remembered that she actually had told me about it last evening -- by paying lavish praises on her looks.
For a brief moment I saw a shadow of gloom on her face, as she remembered that she had told me. But she didn't press on that point, and I saw her face brightened within seconds. With a pout she feigned some anger in her voice, "You are praising my looks. But have you ever looked at me?"
That was silly question, I knew! Sona never talked to me in that fashion previously. Out of guilt or whatever, I again blurted, "I have always found you beautiful. Now, can we start studying?"
There was a distinct expression of delight on Sona's face, and she agreed to study. Sona had been a good student in mathematics. It didn't take much efforts on my part to make her understand difficult problems. But today, I was having a great difficulty. Very soon I realized that that she had been lacking in focus today.
Chapter 9
Sona in big trouble
Flabbergasted after repeated attempts, I closed the book, and directly asked her, "What is your problem today? Are you bothered by something?"
Sona seemed to have been relieved by my act. She was very hesitant to speak. When I encouraged her to speak up, she said in a soft voice, "Actually, I want to tell you something."
I could see she could not look directly at me. She was looking downwards, and constantly fidgeting her fingers.
"Go ahead Sona, I am all ears." I again encouraged her.
Sona seemed to have garnered some courage, as I could hear slight increase in the intensity in her soft voice, " Akshar da, what I am going to tell you is a very difficult task for any girl. Since you are very reticent, and never open up, I have to do that."
At this moment, I got an inkling what she was going to say. When a girl treads in that line, she is bound to express her love. I could have easily hedged the topic. But as I wrote earlier, I, too, was very soft towards her.
For a moment, I got goosebumps. The resistance of morality that seemed to have worked as a bullwork against any inappropriate act started to melt like a frozen vanilla ice cream when kept in open. Instead of stopping her, I held her hand, for the first time, and stopped her, "You don't have to tell it Sona. I know it."
I myself became astonished to hear the deep romantic voice coming out of me. At that moment, a very strong wind blew, and the jambs of my window made a huge noice. I could hear the sound of breaking glasses of window panes.
"Oh my Gosh, is it a Norwester?", I cried.
Sona, too, seemed to have shaken by the violent acts of the wind. As I rushed towards the windows to close them, the light went off, and I could smell that fetid smell.
"Oh my God!", I shrieked instantly, and changed my direction to bring the torch. The entire room was filled by that putrid smell. I sensed something bad was going to happen. Fortunately, I got the torch on the dressing table in that room. I lit it, and searched throughout the room, but could not see anything. However, I needed to light up the candles. I told Sona to hold the torch, and not to switch it off. For a moment I seemed to have forgotten the freaky nature of my torch. The candles and the matchbox were kept in the drawing-cum-dining room.
As I was rushing in dark, I stumbled on something, and fell on the ground. As if that was not enough, my forehead hit the edge of a wooden chair. Since I was running, the impact was severe, and despite being a sportsman, I lost my consciousness for few moments.
But, within seconds I regained consciousness by the loud scream of Sona followed by a sound of a very weird hysterical laughter from an uncanny voice.
"Help me", Sona repeated the words few times with descending intensity, and suddenly her voice stopped. I garnered whatever strength I had to get back on my feet, and lumbered towards my bedroom.
To be continued
Picture taken form the Internet
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