Forgetting

Rasika had called up Saloni to narrate the incident about the diary and the strange boy and scolded her to miss school again and to confirm if she would be able to come to school the next day.

"sure! today there was just a little fatigue.. otherwise I am fine. I will come tomorrow." she said over the phone chuckling at her concerned friend. "so... tell me about the boy?" she asked after a while. "what's there to tell about him. He was a sarcastic jerk." Rasika said pouting over the phone. "Anyways can you please forward me today's work. it's better if I completed it today." Saloni said once again changing the topic. "Spontaneous much?" Rasika sighed "I will forward today's notes."

The rest of her day was spent inside doing assignments and studying chapters a bit of TV and talking to her mother about random things. In short, the day was pretty uneventful and she did not thought about Vihaan.

However, on the other hand Vihaan spent a good amount of time thinking about Rasika. He clearly remembered Rasika had once borrowed his English notebook. Although she did not borrow for herself, she did so because she was asked by their english teacher so that she could give an example of the notice format. (They had the same english teacher) He did not think that Rasika would forget him, he purposely loitered around her, without being too obvious that is, since that day. it had been almost a month now.

He sighed and rolled on the bed once again. "Alright, if you don't tell me what is going on with you.." his father said closing his laptop. "nothing dad..." he murmured "please continue with your presentation." His father got up from the chair and sat beside him "If anything is bothering you... tell me and be over with it because..." Vihaan looked up at his dad thinking he would say something good or warm. But instead he said "you are disturbing me by squirming on my bed and sighing every two minutes."

Vihaan quickly got up "fine, I will tell mom." he said. He got up from the bed dragging the bag that he had under his stomach. "woah! where did that came from." his father said in disbelief as Vihaan moved towards the door. "I am going to class." he said. "an hour early?" his father asked but he was already out of the room.

.....

Today Rasika was not feeling well. She had slept even after the alarm went off. She considered not going to school at all, but then remembered that she had to find the diary and return it to the lost and found. Moreover her best would get upset if she did not show up.

Rasika waved her mom a good bye as she started walking towards her school. After crossing the first garden, she stopped when she saw the boy from yesterday he was standing near the gate tapping his feet. His eyes landed on Rasika and a big smile morphed into his features. He straightened his posture and waved at her. "Hey Rasika" she waved back while approaching him.

"let's go, I was waiting for you." he started walking and Rasika followed. "you remember me right?" he asked her teasingly. "off course" she said in a platonic voice. But then she stopped walking all of a sudden when she realised she really does not remember his name.

"what happened? " he asked turning around. "actually... what did you say your name was?" she asked him hesitantly in a low voice. "what?" he leaned in to listen to what she was saying. But she was so flustered that she looked down thinking it was an exclamation. "I actually didn't hear. repeat it louder." he clarified. "what was your name?" she said louder this time. He leaned back and looked at her in disbelief. "do you generally forget things in a short span of time?" he asked. "no!" she quickly said "just...names." he nodded his head but then he saw that Rasika was still looking down.

"hey... it's okay, my name was and still is Vihaan. Don't worry, I won't let you forget my name so easily." he chuckled and patted her shoulder.

"I will remember this time." she said and they started walking again. "Vihaan?" Rasika asked after a while. "yes?" he replied. "how were you so sure that I would use this route today also?" she asked. Vihaan pretended to think for a while and a small smile crept on his lips on Rasika's question. "Just see the surroundings Rasika. Those colourful flowers everywhere, some even have beautiful butterflies wandering over them. These evergreen trees providing an aesthetic view of the sky. The chirping of birds..all of this is so magical. These gardens are actually enchanted... they make you addicted. I am sure whoever uses this path once is bound to become loyal to it." he finished and looked at her. She was already looking at him in awe.

"If you look at me like that.." he teased her pretending to be shy. Rasika quickly looked ahead and cleared her throat. "it's just your speech was really good." But his statement actually made her heart hammer in her chest. what was she thinking all enthralled by him. She did not dared to look at him but the silence between them was becoming awkward... atleast for her. So she decided to be casual "you sound like a writer." she said. " I am one, dear." he replied. "if only I had my diary I might have shown you... all my works are lost now." he said a bit sad.

Rasika was silent once again. She wondered wether she should actually say something about his diary. Atleast it would give him some peace of mind. She was about to open her mouth but Vihaan quickly said. "Oh, I can see my classmates entering! I.. uh.. I should go ahead" he said and ran away quickly. She did not even realised that they were already near the school road... her paradise was about end. She looked back for a moment and then went on ahead.