Tender Love Proposal

"Representative, collect ₹20 from each one in the class", said the Math teacher for the copies of study materials she made for the class, earlier. 

And this guy was the representative, a cool and knowledgeable, straightforward and calm, not rough though stiff, a kind of a boy who is liked by everyone in the class, irrespective of gender, designation, good in studies or bad in studies. 

He tends to follow rules closely which alienated him from others in the class.

It's pretty good that one chooses Electronics and Communication Engineering(ECE) stream in which the girls' strength exceeds that of the boys. But when it comes to collecting money or notes from the whole class, it sucks.

How can he go to each girl in the class and collect money, it might have felt no less than begging. 

"Hey, dude, to whom in girls side shall we handover the responsibility of collecting money?", asked him to his neighbour and friend Thabeth Godson, as there was no equal representation from the girls' side.

No, he was not shy but wanted to talk to the girl whom he wanted to. Yes, he liked her at first sight. Her cute actions, childishness, and innocence got him fantasizing, often.

It was the Engineering Practices Laboratory Class, the first-ever and forever class he attended in his Engineering that he saw her. Nevertheless, he noted that the time was around 1145 hrs.

"I dunno, it's your responsibility and a good opportunity!", said Godson with a mischievous smile. 

"Enough dude, shall we choose that girl,  in the left extreme in the third row?", asked him gathering all his senses, afraid of the next round of questions he may encounter.

To his surprise there were none. 

"Yeah, okay, she'll help"

"Hey, dude will you call her for me?", said he.

He was able to speak to any other girl in the class, provided they start the conversation but was shy in her case. 

Earlier, he found her name after a long struggle of 3 days of continuous listening to the attendance, morning and afternoon, twice a day. There would be some disturbance that would have forced him to distract his attention away from his listening. But was reluctant to ask his bench mates too. 

"What's her name? Panjavarnam right?", he said.

"Don't act smart, I know your plan", said his friend. 

He frowned for the first time in his life.

"Pooja, Pooja, Arun is calling you...."

"Ahhhha, hmmm, will you do a favour for me?", asked Arun to Pooja.

She accepted, to help.

"Can you collect money from the girls' side and give it to me?"

"Sure, when you want it to be given?", She asked wearing a deep smile. 

His mind and heart started fighting, heart says there is some meaning in her smile, mind says to heart that it's your duty just to beat, do only that.

"I have to give that money to Math ma'am, collect ASAP", Arun said. 

"Okay, I'll collect", she turned to collect money without even completing her sentence fully.

His heart was celebrating inside, probably relocating itself, jumping pillar to post.

He was good in controlling his reactions, he didn't smile, not just that, he was new and fresh to this kind of a feeling. 

"Here you go, Arun", she handed the amount in 10 minutes.

"No, not now, keep it with yourself, I'll get it when the College is over", he replied. 

"Don't you want now?", asked her with an even more deeper smile.

"No, it's okay, no problem, I'll get it later", said he as if it was all his money. 

The plan was to talk to her after college.

She too agreed without any interrogation. 

So, this was the first time when he did a mischievous act. 

Somehow he managed to steal her mobile number from his hostel mates' phones. No, it was not to call her up, but he could sense a joy, happiness in knowing her number by heart. 

"9087***448"

But did she felt the same way our whippersnapper did? Only God knows.

Weeks passed.

They were towards the end of the first exam of their College life.

And that was the Chemistry exam. He had been a wizard in Chemistry during his schooling. He might be approached for even tougher of the toughest topic, practical or theoretical, which he clears as a cakewalk. 

As usual, he was discussing with a nerdy guy named Athul Raj, though he looked nerdy he was a slow grasper.

"I could feel her presence ", a voice from inside him said. 

There used to be a fragrance around him right from the next day he saw her; when he thinks of her. This fragrance was endemic to the first-year block.

And if there comes the fragrance it meant that he's thinking of her else she's somewhere around. 

It meant that the whole world is brand new and felt like he took a rebirth. No, it was not heaven. It was probably because he loved it when she came and can't take it when she went.

"....Arun....", called a voice from behind.

He turned promptly. By then the fragrance was gone probably because too much of everything becomes nothing. It was She.

His heart started beating faster, faster and faster... He could barely utter any word... after seconds of silence she broke the silence, "When will you go home?"

"....Probably by 5 in the evening after the College gets over by 1630...", he said with a cloud of confusion around him. This time just like his heart his brain also started overthinking. 

"Okay "

"...And (But) Why???"

"Nothing just asking, happy holidays, happy Onam", She wished.

"Thank you...Happy Onam", said he with an abrupt smile. Heartbeat gradually became normal.

Silence again...

"...All the best for the exam...", this time it was him.

"Same to you", said she.

Even though the most talkative girl in the class was she, She was seen smiling but searching for words with something in mind.

He turned back, full of joy, just about to bend down to the book...

"Aha...Arun...", called her.

"Take my number, and call me when you're free", She said.

He noted down on his palm. Before she finished he completed writing her number as he knew it beforehand. 

After that, he was in the seventh heaven...heart again started wandering within....the fragrance surrounded....the bell for exam rang.

They were on their own then.

No, he didn't call her. The vacation was for a week. Her thoughts surrounded him while at home. Can't function optimally.....he just existed to enjoy the joy and freedom of thinking.....fantasizing..... But he was not desperate to call her up.

Later, he revealed these happenings to his friends after the vacation. "You're a great dude", said they.

Confused on it," How and Why?", "For taking her number?"

"Nope, for not calling her immediately after getting her number!", they said.

He couldn't understand. They explained to him about the outer world. Four years of military lifestyle schooling made him a young gentleman; the reason he was not in sync with the common civilians.

Looking into the new ambience and what they explained, there was an urge in him to call her right away, he did, pretending that he was in the home, but he was in the College hostel. They spoke for 7 mins 59 secs.

12 mins were the longest time he spoke with his buddy during his school vacations. This made him feel like he's gonna commit some mistake, again the war started was it for good or bad. But he was happy, he kept smiling, the guy who was stiff and smiles meant giving more freedom to Juniors which would eventually make them more friendly, which is not acceptable in military discipline. 

"Are you in love with her?", asked Andrew, his roommate. 

"I dunno how to Express, but I like her", he said.

"Okay, fine, you're away from all this na, that's why, you'll find out soon", Andrew finished.

There was a deep discussion in the room behind closed doors of room number 10, 'ten is den!'

After sometime...

"I gonna tell her about this", said Arun Kumar in a sarcastic way.

"Enough kidding dude", he said.

"Pooja, I think Arun loves you", Arun Kumar, his friend wrote an SMS to her.

"No more kidding dude", Arun Kumar extended his phone showing the message. 

😳

.....Over the horizon..... not our dude, it's his ringtone, his phone rang after 2 mins of the message delivery. 

Frightened by the sudden music he jumped off his bed. It was her number. The 'dub' was longer than the 'lub' in the heartbeat. 

In haste, he was unable to think, staring at his friend for his deed. He went out, answered the call, he couldn't speak, she started, "...Arun...".

"Yes..", he said, "You didn't reply to my message, didn't you get your laptop", he said trying to divert away from the chaos.

".....Arun, do you know, your friend Arun has sent me a message?", said she.

"Ohhh, you know him too", he said.

"Do you know or not?", she demanded an answer. 

"How would I know, that's his phone", said he.

7 Sep 2014 was his brother's birthday, he was unable to wish him, unable to celebrate as he was also in Sainik School, Amaravathinagar. 

It was 9 Sep 2014, a day before his birthday. He wondered this year would be heavy, he's finished, he thought. 

"I'll check and I'll call you", he hung up pretending to be angry with his friend with the same name.

No, there was a difference, he was Arun Kumar and he was Arun Balaji, second, he was Civil and he was in ECE.

Not sure of what to do, our dude switched off his phone.

After 15 mins Arun Kumar's phone rang, he spoke, it was her, "You started speaking over the phone, not even for a day, you started fighting!?"

She didn't bother to confirm his alleged message. He didn't realize it earlier. She wanted to talk to him. Arun Kumar said, "He has gone somewhere, I don't know what you said to him, he's not as before, he's never this way before, I'll tell him to switch his phone on, you settle your matters", to her and hung up. 

Arun switched his phone on, at once he did, it rang with vibration, this time it was heavy.

He answered at the very first ring, neither she nor he spoke, silence prevailed at least for 1 min. 

"Did you see?", She broke the silence.

He couldn't speak at the same time he hated the silence, "Yes, it's true, what was written in that message was all true, I like you, if you don't like me just tell me, I'll run away somewhere, I'll go somewhere ", this was all he could speak with no comma, no full stop. 

"Why me?", She asked.

"I dunno, if you don't tell me I'll go somewhere, I'll run away, I'll not even appear in front of you"

Only, "Okay", was heard.

"Listen, take your own time, don't be in a haste, the choice is yours, it's not a compulsion, Good Night ", dude hung up.

To remind her of him he sent a blank SMS by around 2345(1145PM), the same time he saw her for the first time!

But there was no reply.

The clock struck 12 he's unable to sleep. The whole room was awake, they're Engineers right! For this birthday he's waiting for her first wish, he said his friends too not to wish him the first wish, but friends are friends, they fought for it all the three roommates wished at the same time 0001. They sent an SMS, it was timestamped 0001.

It's already 0003 there was no sign of her call or SMS. Dude was feeling guilty or angry? he didn't know. Finally, at 0005 .....over the horizon.....dude smiled, jumped in joy. 

Answered the call, "Happy Birthday"......"Thank You"......"Pirandha naal vahzthukkal"......"Nandri"....."Janam din Mubarak"....."Dhanyavadh"...

To his surprise several random girls from the hostel, including those from his class wished him. She had got them awake for wishing him! He was very happy and was waiting for something. 

Finally, the phone was in her hands, "Anything else?", he asked, "Yep, Priyadharshini wants dairy milk for your birthday, don't forget"!

"And what do you want?", asked him.

"I want nothing ", said she.

Hung up.....

Upset...

The punch broke the newly installed water purifiers' candles. 

Put the phone under the pillow, can't believe all this wouldn't happen in his life....he's meant to be guarding the borders..but he's here, with a cloud of unsureness, what would happen next, around him...

He grabbed his phone to set an alarm,  found 4 missed calls, from her.

Called her immediately, "You called? What's the matter?"

"Nothing"

"That too 4 times, what's the matter?"

"Unknowingly, I did"

It's already late in the night whom else she'll call? Parents? No! He could recall she was not using a touch phone, it was a buttoned Nokia 108. There is no way of calling someone by mistake. Her innocence pleased him. Then he asked, "I ask you openly, do you accept my proposal?"

And, after 2 mins of silence she said, "Arun, I love You".

He couldn't believe what's happened.

Everything seemed as a dream come true moment. 

His bleeding fists got compensation!

Thank You...

Congratulations! You're still alive.

Cheers.......