"Hey, please save a seat for us. We'll just be back." This simple sentence in Gujarati had magical effect on both of us. A gigantic balloon had placed itself in our chest and was swelling with pleasant warmth. Appu looked at me and I saw my happiness reflected in his eyes. Our cheeks were straining under continuous smile. I knew Appu was wondering the same thing "Was this real? Did these two beautiful girls really come up to us in an empty bus and asked to save a seat for them?"
We could've dismissed it as a prank but we knew neither us nor our friends had the imagination to pull it through. Appu told that this was our lucky day and I agreed. I was internally cursing that I hadn't realized how special the day was until now. We had squandered away so many hours in listening to middle aged men drone on about laws of physics and chemical formulas. We had walked up and down the four storied college building for practicals and lectures. We were discussing such mundane things as homework, cricket and movies for the last hour while walking from college to the busstand. How unforgivably stupid were we? How could we be this lucky as to have two of the most beautiful girls of our bus route come up to talk to us on their own?
I did a few somersaults, in my head, of course. Me and Appu were sitting side by side on a two seater bus chair. Appu moved to the seat infront and turned back and smiled and started to say something. I internally wished him to shut up as I wanted to hear the girls coming up the stairs.The bus was literally empty but for us. Last two periods of our first year B.Sc. course were free today and we decided to walk up to the main bus station, Lal Darwaja, in stead of sitting in the class and finishing up homework. I was amazed that at one point I had felt guilty in doing so, Idiot!
We came to our usual platform on the huge bus station, enquired about our bus and were told to get on the bus standing at the far end as it will leave in twenty minutes. We had nothing better to do and got on to the empty bus and took the seats we liked best. Oh, what a wonderful choice we had!!!
We didn't even know the names of these girls. Yes, they sometimes took the same bus as we did and we knew they lived in nearby area as they got down just one stop before us. We also judged that they were studying in an arts college in Lal Darwaja as most of the beautiful girls in our bus route did. But other than that, we knew nothing about them. So, I could think no other reason for them to come and talk to us other than that they were interested in becoming our friends. I told so to Appu.
Appu pointed out, and I also realized, that these girls have been acting friedly towards me for last few weeks during bus rides to college. Most of boys and girls in our area went to Thakkarnagar, the starting point of our bus, to catch the bus as it usually became too crowded to stop anywhere else. Boys in our group chose not sit on the overcrowded bus during morning trips. In stead we chose to cluster near the front where there was enough space to stand in a circle and hash out discusions on varied topics.
All bus chairs faced one way, forward towardds the driver. But near the front, where we usually stood, there were a set of two chairs facing each other making a small club of four seats together. This is where these girls and their friends usually sat. For last few weeks, they had volunteered to hold on to our bags during the trip. We loved it but were either too engrossed in ourselves or too gutless, my money is on the latter, to extend the conversation. But the girls were gutsy. They chose to speak to us.
While me and Appu were discussing this, other students had started boarding the bus and we were worried. I was looking at the front of the bus from whence she had addressed us and Appu was eying the back. He nudged me and turning around I saw them climb the stairs. Till this time, we did not know who will sit next to whom and honestly, we didn't care. We were okay with either option. Girl who sat next to Appu was fair with jet black hair and eyes. They shook hands and introduced each other before Appu introduced me.
SHE kept standing and when I looked at her she signalled that she would like the window seat. I would've given her both the chair had she asked so I quickly got up and allowed her to sit near the window while I sat next to her. Her eyes were brown and her hair golden and her cheeks turned pink when our arms brushed. We talked and we laughed and in a blink of an eye her stop had come. Before alighting she told that she will be catching a 10.30 am bus from Bapunagar as they have an early lecture tomorrow. I volunteered that I will be there. She smiled her pink smile and left.
This was my first interaction with her and start of the events leading up to my first Love Letter.
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