Chapter - 17 (First Time Jishnu Learns About His Damonic Power)
Something kept bothering Jishnu on the way back from Anushka's. He had an 11 to 12.30 class with her. It being a Sunday, he woke at around 10.45 in the morning. After a quick shower, he got into his black denim jeans and put on the maroon, gild-bordered kurta. He had a quick look at the rectangular mirror on the wall. He combed his hair running his hand through it once more. He put the comb back at the base of the silver frame of the mirror. Cupping his chin with his hand next, he couldn't help breaking into a smile.
Satisfied with what he saw in the mirror, he ran down the stairs as he heard Roma Masi, the maid, call out from the kitchen.
"Sorry, Roma Masi. I'll have it when I get back home. I'm already late for my tuition class." He answered back. He saw Mr. Arnab, his father come out of his room into the living room.
"Good Morning, Dad. Sorry about skipping breakfast. I'll tell you everything afterwards." He waved at his father and ran out of his house.
He knocked on the door of The Banerjees sharp at 11.25. He was greeted by Mr. Rajan, whom he had met for the first time on the day before. He was directed up to the sisters and spent the next one and half hours teaching Anushka.
On entering into the room, he had noticed the elder sister, Akanksha,reclining in bed. immersed in a book She looked up from the book, wished him with a sparkling smile on her face snd went back to reading the very next minute.
At some point, Akanksha asked him, while going out of the room if he would prefer black tea to milk tea. Soon afterwards, a lady brought a cup of black tea for him with some cookies.
It was while sipping his cup that Jishnu looked at Anushka sitting on the chair at the side of the table, next to his chair. She looked sweet in a colorful skirt and a black T-shirt. Anushka looked up to find Jishnu's intent gaze on her. As he put the cup down, Jishnu found her looking at him strangely, and asked :
"Is there something you wanna tell me, Anushka?"
She shook her head. Jishnu had a feeling that she refrained from asking him a question.
"I think that's all for today." He said after a few minutes. "I'd expect you to do the sums at the end of this chapter. In case, you have a prkblem, you can always call me after 9.30."
He looked at her again, his eyes smiling. Finally he got up. As he came out of the room, he could somehow sense her still looking at him with a strange look on her face!
Once out on the street, he sprinted back home, had lunch with his father and sister, informed them about his schedule for the day, and dashed up to his room. When he came out and down the stairs after sometime, he heard his sister exclaim, with open admiration in her face,
"You look dashing, Da. Do take care and enjoy the party."
Jishnu smiled at his sister, sneaked a peek into his father's room for a quick "good bye" and sped out of his house. He hurried to the bus stand and waited for the mini bus that would take him to Ruby Park, where one if his best friends, Ankur, lived.
That day was Ankur's birthday and his parents were throwing a party on the occasion of him turning 18 that day. He had wished him exactly at 12 the previous night before hitting his bed.
As the bus reached the Gariahat Bus Stand and waited at the traffic, Jishnu found Suparna, a close friend of theirs, standing under the shade. Putting his hand out, he waved at her to catch her attention. The next moment, Suparna was getting into the bus, pushing past an elderly man.
Jishnu moved to the window side, making room for her to sit by his side. The bus was almost empty as it moved ahead as the signal changed to green and turned left next, towards Kasba.
Suparna came up and nearly stumbled near him. She sat down next. She was looking glamorous in a deep green and velvet sari. She was a bubbly, boisterous girl, a bit nosy, and the Games Captain of CPS for girls.
"Thanks, Jishnu." she spoke out while collecting the sequin bordered end of the sari around her. She complimented Jishnu next :
"You look dashing, bhai. You'll rock at Rohit's tonight."
Jishnu laughed and put his head down closer to Suparna's ear to pay back the compliments :
"You're looking no less, Su. Bibek'll not leave your side tonight." He chuckled as she rolled her eyes. Suparna was Bibek's girlfriend. Both studied at CPS.
As the bus neared Acropolis, Jishnu looked out at the highraised, magnificently lighted building. A lady dashed out of a nearby shop selling hot amritis, with a middle aged woman at her heels. Jishnu heard the woman call out to her :
"What's the hurry Rabina? Babai won't be home from his tutor's before 8!"
Jishnu cocked his head out for a closer look at the young lady. RABINA. Jishnu recollected the other Rabina and how he had learnt from Bibek by chance about the rumor she had tried to spread about him after her inexplicable behavior at his house last winter.
Bibek told him that Suparna had heard about the affair from a friend of Rabina's. Rabina had told the girl that she visited Jishnu's for the notes from Madam Roy. She had to go up to his room at his invitation and on opening the door, found him standing in the middle holding some pages. She had hardly proceeded towards him when he pulled her into his arms all on a sudden! She was so taken aback that before she could think of freeing herself from his arms, his lips were on hers, and all over, creating havoc!
The shameless girl had no hesitation telling others that she did not try to resist his kisses! It took Jishnu a lot of efforts to keep his mouth shut about the rumor, at the pursuation of some of his close friends.
"Jishnu, tu kaha kho gaye, bhai?" (Where are you, bro?). Jishnu saw Suparna waving a finger at his face.
"Time to get off the bus." He heard the conductor shouting at him from the pavement as the bus had reached the last stoppage.
The friends who lived near by, had already arrived at Ankur's, unknown to him. They had decorated his room with baloons, flowers and blinking lights. There was a huge chocolate creme cake, covered with almonds waiting on the table with the words " Happy Birthday, Ankur" written at the top. In fact, Ankur was purposefully kept busy at the Lake Mall by the two friends for coffee. He was given to understand that most of his friends would not be able to attend his birthday party for one reason or the other.
The friends had earlier chalked out the plan and agreeed on giving him a surprise. The two friends with him at the Mall, would accompany him back to his house while others would be waiting for him, hiding in his room. As soon as he entered the room, all of them would scream out "SURPRISE!", simultaneously switching the light on. Ankur would then cut the cake and blow out the 18- shaped candle.amidst the clapping and singing of the birthday song.
Ankur, an only child, was pleasantly surprised, no doubt. After the initial surprise, after he had washed the chocolate and creme off his face, they all had gone down to the gigantic dining room.Soft music was playing in the room, lending a crazy feeling of love in the air :
Dil mera har bar ehi sun neko bekarar hain,
Kahona pyar hain, kahona pyar hain…
(Every time my heart goes crazy.
To hear you say that you love me,
Say that you love me, baby.)
Jishnu was one of the few friends still waiting in the dimly lit balcony of Ankur's room. He was not a smoker but on occasions like this he couldn't help having a fag or two. Some time back, he was offered another glass of Coke. What was wrong with the Coke? He was feeling, he didn't know why, a bit tipsy.
Ritu, the girl from XI, was still there, when Jishnu realized something, He had been holding her eyes in a deadly gaze before lowering his eyes on her full mouth next. There was no way she could get away from his hypnotic charm this time!