CHAPTER-39
KIKUMATI
Chapter Highlights…
I sobbed, running towards the person.
“Kiku!”, exclaimed I, hugging him firmly. While Vyomi shrank her eyes and scratched her buff-cut hair, I felt Akshat’s cozy arms wrapped around my waist. I closed my eyes and soaked his burka with heavy downpours of my tears.
“Who are you?”, roared a familiar female voice behind us.
########################################
Naomi’s POV
“Bye, Mom. Good night. Take care!... Ba-bye!”, said I, faking a smile and sliding the balcony’s door.
My jeans and nightwear wrapped around my left arm covering the area from the elbow to the fist. I left the clothes on my bed and twisted the regulator to the bottom-most unit to turn on the only ceiling fan in our room, to its maximum speed. No sooner did I close my eyes, looking up and tying my free hair than my mobile beeped to compete with the plain white fan’s monotonous voice to drive the drops of sweat spreading on my forehead.
“Fuck! What if it was him? Oh no!”, I freaked out, leaving my bun tied so loosely thereby inviting a long fringe of my left hair. I raised my eyebrows at Shashank’s snap capturing an intrusion of cockroaches breeding behind a commode.
“Yuck!”, I almost puked at it. I threw my phone back on the bed, closed my eyes, and fist with which I hit my forehead restlessly. Urghhhhh! Fuck my luck. Hardly could I utter a word about my most troublesome situation to Akshat, despite being close to it. Urghhhhh! I sat back and kicked the cot’s leg only to hurt my own left toe.
“Hello! Yes, I saw your snap, darling!”, said I, picking up the creepy blackmailer’s call.
“What’s this, darling? How am I supposed to know unless you reply? A reaction is the least expected. Don’t you know that your boyfriend has been waiting to receive your gorgeous gesture? Hahaha…”, he ragged.
“But I opened it, right?...”
“Nooooo. There is a dozen of miles of variance between witnessing a peacock sitting on a tree’s branch and admiring when it flies. Hahaha!”I slammed my own forehead and hurried to reply to him with a sticker.
“That's like my good girlfriend. But, why don’t you seem serious about the degree-threatening evidence I have? Looks like I need to keep reminding you often rather than romancing. Why, darling?...”
“What? Hey, Shashank, I have been tolerating everything…What do you mean?...”, I raised my voice.
“Hahaha…Tolerating? Come on, darling, loving someone isn’t called tolerating them. It's called a beautiful romance. How could….”
“I haven’t done anything wrong. Ain’t I adhering to your annoying rules?”
He sighed and burst into a round of wicked laughter. “Naomi darling, calm down. Cool! Why didn’t you pick up my call then? Your lines claimed you were busy. Busy with whom, that bloody Akshat again? Darling, don’t you know the consequences of playing around with this Shashank?...”
“Stop it! I was talking to my mother. Do I need your permission to wish my parents a good night as I always do? You called me a little earlier tonight and…”
“Oops! I’m sorry. No worries, darling. Let me adhere to the time from tomorrow. I won’t call you anytime before ten. Hahaha!” I will sue you for everything, man. Sabka time aata hai(Everyone gets a moment that will favor them!) I gnashed my teeth secretly, as his word: “bloody”, flashed repeatedly within my mind.
How could he curse my Akshat? Enough. I can’t bear it anymore as he has involved Kiku. You troubled me-I don’t care. You are crossing your frontiers. Akshat sir is the most expensive pearl on Earth that's hard for one to procure and you….
Naomi, what’s wrong with you? My Akshat? My Kiku? No, I can’t love him. No way! I closed my eyes and shook my head for my hair to loosen off completely! I cut the call, at once, after wishing him a good night. Wish him a good night with bad dreams.
Urgh! My life has taken a bad turn ever since he shook hands with me that morning. I threw my phone on the bed and walked to consume the cool night breeze visiting me through the netted and open window juxtaposed to the balcony door.
“Wait, why can’t I do that?”, I exclaimed to myself, clapping my left palm with my closed right fist. I smiled wondering why the very idea hadn’t struck me till that point. Thanks to Mom! Above all, thanks for the villain’s call having coincided with my regular call!
I doubt if my life has already been flooded with this frustrating problem. I can’t legit keep waiting anymore to talk to Akshat in person and convey the entire matter. First of all, I took a hell a lot of time to decide that I could open it out to Kiku, only after Vyomi reassured me that other night.
If at all Shashank catches me texting or calling someone, I would tell him that I was spending time with my parents. How would he know? Phew, finally, my brain has stepped out of the panic attack. Phew! It's finally working. Thank you, God! Thank you, Mom and Dad! I looked up and smiled widely at the fan’s circular rotor with a cyst-like button-type design upon its surface.
“Akshat sir! Hello!”, called I, as soon as Akshat answered my voice call.
“What’s there between us to talk at nine-thirty in the night, Naomi? Aren’t you satisfied even after rebuking me enough at the cafeteria for no reason, in fact, for defending you?”, asked he, in his meek and hesitant voice. I shook my head as tears accumulated in my eyes.
“Kiku, that's not the thing…Listen to me…Hello! Hello! Sir!”
I called him two more times just to be rejected on the very first ring. Sir! Please understand my situation. I sobbed as the scene of myself screwing him and leaving my plate behind in the canteen that very afternoon flashed in my mind. I can bear anything but your rejection, Akshat. Please don’t throw me away from your life, Kiku. I need you…Please talk to me, Kiku, not just for the problem but for the entire lifetime…
I rolled my eyeballs hither and thither. I have never been this close to a guy ever before. I love….Naomi, focus. I will never love Akshat sir. Guru Devo Bhava!
“Akshat sir, please pick up my call. It's something very serious and urgent. Please, Kiku…please…please…”, I closed my eyes, sobbed alone, as I fell back on the bed. I heard a voice message notification. I threw my mouth at it being sent with his chat being opened. I swallowed my tears and blushed at our Chemistry. I held my breath at witnessing his Whatsapp status online. I blushed at his video call.
“Kiku! We’re ruined. What to do now?”, wept I, as soon as his face appeared on my phone’s screen.
“Hey, what happened? Why are you crying, Naomi?”, he enquired, with his meek and hesitant black eyes turning dumbstruck at my restless stream of tears. I just couldn’t stop weeping at him. I wept my heart out that night. I had never been this close to anyone ever before to feel too free to cry like a baby.
“Shashank…He…Kiku…he…”, I began, with a trembling voice.
“What? Shashank? What did that idiot do now? See that’s why I kept advising you not to underestimate such a creepy ass…sorry, not to use that word in front of a girl…”
I blushed and wiped my tears. Where is my Kiku and where is that annoying creep? Above all, how the hell could he refer to Akshat as “bloody”? Wait, Naomi, whatever it is, Kiku isn’t yours. No! Why is my brain blasting with heavy clouds of thoughts triggering thunderstorms within me?
“Naomi, stop crying and tell me how he's troubling you now. I will sue him, I swear”, said he. I narrated the whole incident yet couldn’t stop my tears, each of whose drops was full of the scare.
“Yeah, don’t worry. I’m coming there soon…”
“But, Kiku, I stay at the PG…Hello! Hello!” He hung up.
########################################
“Kiku!”, I woke up, only to find myself sleeping diagonally on the bed. I seriously don’t remember when I dozed off. Lights were off and my room was pitch dark. I hurried to shake and wake my bestie up.
“Dude, if you want, you study. Why are you bothering me?”, dragged Vyomi, rubbing her eyes and yawning along. I pulled her out from the bed.
“Akshat sir has come down”, informed I, at which she shrugged and bulged her eyes, “Dude, why would he visit a girls’ PG at this hour? You must have had a romantic dream. Better confess and accept him soon. Aww! So cute, Akshat and Naomi!”, said she, lying back on the bed.
“No, dude. I can feel him around. I somehow feel he is in the reception area. Trust me, Vyomi. Please come along…I badly wanna see him”, said I, dragging her downstairs.
“Ohooo, what’s happening to my friend, kannoo?! Looks like you are really meant to be with Akshat. Do you indeed feel him?”, she cross-questioned, in her hurried tone. I froze mid-way on the stairs. I blushed, recollecting how I had woken up. Such a thing had never happened in my life before. Did I just feel someone?
“Wait, what? Akshat sir?!”, Vyomi exclaimed. I turned back at her only to follow her right hand pointing at the entrance. I bulged my eyes at the yellow automatic lights, fixed to the ceiling, turning on in a sequential manner, as a tall lady covered entirely in a black burka; only her light brown eyes were exposed, walked towards us, with her sandals hitting the smooth floor hard.
Love is so blind that it just happens unexpectedly.
You may fall for anyone!
Would you let go of your policy if you fell for someone you shouldn't? What would you choose-your policy or your beloved?
Vyomi chuckled. “Dude, I pity your sensation powers. Gender failed to match, in the first place.” She was about to return and I ran downstairs. I sobbed, running towards the person.
“Kiku!”, exclaimed I, hugging him firmly. While Vyomi shrank her eyes and scratched her buff-cut hair, I felt Akshat’s cozy arms wrapped around my waist. I closed my eyes and soaked his burka with heavy downpours of my tears.
“Kiku?! Who are you?”, roared a familiar female voice behind us. I turned back and swallowed my tears at Saro ma’am, our warden. She frowned into Akshat’s eyes which looked down at the floor.
“Ma’am, she is…her name is…”
“Uhh…”
I caught Akshat’s left palm and tightened it, gesturing for him to stay quiet. I raised my eyebrows at Vyomi, shaking her head and rushing upstairs.
“Kiku…She is Kikumati Khan, Kiku in short”, said I, taking a deep breath into my lungs. I felt Akshat chuckling and bulged my eyes at him. He just nodded as Saro checked him out from top to bottom.
“Hmm, none can fool me”, said she, displaying her mobile, “With smart apps nowadays, although I was fast asleep, my super device notified me of your entry. Why are you here late at night?” She raised her voice, questioning, “You don’t stay here though. Why have you come here? Listen, I will call the cops…”
“Ma’am, please don’t mistake us. He…”, I shook my head as Akshat turned to me. “She is my close friend. Due to some personal emergencies, can you please let her stay here for just this night? Please ma’am, I beg you…” I joined my hands together and bowed in front of her. She couldn’t take her eyes off checking out Kikumati, over and over.
“Fine. You should take a guarantee for whatever happens here. Got me?”
I nodded. “Two hundred bucks for a night”, said she, extending her right hand. Akshat took out two hundred rupee notes from his pocket and handed them over to her. He cleverly withdrew his hand quickly at which I blushed secretly.
“You are allowed to stay only in Naomi’s room. And no breakfast tomorrow. Leave as soon as the sun rises. Hmm!”, she instructed at which Akshat and I nodded, in sync.
No sooner did she leave than I pulled Akshat upstairs.
“Sexy! Hmmm, how much should one do for love? I changed my identity to Kikumati Khan for my Kiku medam. Hmmm”, he whispered, as we swung our hands, racing on the dark corridor.
“Shhhh! Kiku, everyone else is sleeping. It's the night for your kind information”, I whispered, placing my finger on his lip so forcefully that my loose bun completely freed itself. Akshat and I were lost in each others’ eyes, struck mid-way in the corridor. We were interrupted by the opposite room door screeching a bit.
“Kiku!”, called I, pulling him into my room, on whose handle rested my closed left fist.
“Hey, wait!”, said he, stumbling over his hijab dress and falling on me, pushing me, in turn, onto my bed. I breathed hard as he slowly removed the black headpiece and exposed his fair face. Our eyes were reluctant to release each other once again. I turned away and blushed secretly, as I felt him letting his fingers through my hair. We were interrupted by my mobile’s beep.
“Is it him? Let me…”
“Sir, Vyomi”, said I, blushing at his red face. Aww, someone was angry, not for themselves, but for me, for the first time in my life. He removed his burka and threw it on the opposite bed. He sat, breathing relaxedly, on my bed.
“She shifted to the neighboring room. So, this is just our room for the night. Phew! Privacy and peace after such a long time!”, added I, at which he blushed. I looked down and blushed, chuckling to myself.
“By the way, how did you find a burka just in time?”, asked I.
“My neighbor aunty”, said he, at which we chuckled, in chorus.
“Look at us. When we meet face-to-face, we forget about all the other problems around us. Sexy!”, he commented, at which I chuckled and nodded. I sat with my left leg rubbing against his right thighs, beside him, on the bed. I rested my head on his shoulders and sobbed.
“Naomi, I can’t see you crying. I love you, Kiku. Let's handle it directly at the disciplinary committee tomorrow. I have the point to defend both of us. Do you trust me?” He turned my head to look into his eyes. I smiled and nodded.
“But, how, Kiku? I’m clueless. Sorry for putting you too into trouble…Sorry, sir ....”
He shook his head and wrapped his hands around my shoulders. “It's actually our problem, Naomi. Neither just yours nor just mine. Akshat and Naomi always come along together.” I blushed at it. He began tickling me.
“Kiku! No! Ouch!”, laughed I, at which he placed his finger on my lip. “Shh! Your neighbors are sleeping.” Our eyes didn’t miss another chance to interlock each other. His eyes happened to hover over the plate of chapati and dhal covered with another plate upon it.
“What? Didn’t you have dinner yet? It's eleven, Kiku”, worried he, in his cute, meek, and hesitant voice. Without any further delay, he switched on the common bed lamp beside the window. He looked quite handsome but a little strict in the light brown casual T-shirt he had worn over white cotton pants with a dolly-dolly pattern on it. Aww, he is a little childish.
“It's OK, Kiku. Nothing will happen if I skip dinner one night…”, I dragged, at which he shook his head, pushing a handful of the nutritious food into my mouth.
“It matters to me even if it sounds trivial to you, Kiku”, he argued, feeding me the second bite. Bite after bite, the faint yellow light was the only source of illumination to highlight his affectionate face, every time he neared to feed me. I chewed slower than usual, on purpose; you are smart enough to guess the reason! Aww, what a romantic dinner I relished that night! It was the tastiest chapati I have ever had….Urgh! Stop your heart, Naomi. Are you falling for Akshat?
########################################
The next morning, I yawned and failed to close my mouth, spotting myself to be sleeping with Akshat on the same bed.
“Kiku!”, I freaked, shaking him restlessly. He opened his eyes slowly and sat up, at once. I shrugged. “Why did you sleep on my bed? You could have slept on the vacant bed opposite, right?”
He chuckled, checking me out. “Kiku! Don’t play the fool!”, cried I.
“Naomi, you kept weeping after the dinner and slept off in my arms. When I laid you on the bed, no sooner did I set to leave than you insisted I slept beside you. So…”, he explained, blushing along.
Oops! It was my fault. Urgh! What’s wrong, Naomi? I smiled and thanked him.
“Don’t worry. All OK. Nothing to overthink…we didn’t make love last night…”, he stated, chuckling and blushing again. I turned at the wall whitened by the bright morning rays entering our room. I hid my hair behind my ears and blushed to myself.
I pulled him closer and forced my tongue into his mouth to hug his tongue, for the entire next minute. As he presented a blank face, on being released, I blushed and thanked him.
“Thank you, Kiku. You could have taken the last night for granted…”I shook my head, highlighting, “But, you didn’t, although you love me. You are indeed the real man, Akshat sir.” We blushed as our eyes hugged each other for the next couple of seconds. I narrowed my smile and jumped out of the bed. I rubbed my hair restlessly, as I headed to stand outside, on the balcony. I rested both hands on the netted long handle. Did I just kiss him? Why can’t you stop your emotions, Naomi? What’s wrong with me?
What’s Akshat’s secret plan to save themselves from the hazardous Shashank?
Dear readers,
Thank you for following my series and reading the episode. Please rate it, write your review, give it a heart, and share it in your circle whenever you are free. Your voice matters a lot to me.
