“Get up fast, fast!” Nobonita said as she pulled Shriya out of her chair.
Shriya reluctantly got up. “Girly, you are crazy. It is
still some time for the bell to ring. The sky won’t fall if you enter the class
5 minutes late.”
Shriya continued talking, “Have you got the assignments
completed? That old Gupta will be pissed off if you go without it in his class.
Last week he kicked that Suman guy out remember na? ...”
But Nobonita was not listening. Her mind wandered somewhere
else. She seemed confused, looking for something around. Something very
important.
“Now will you walk faster? You got my lazy bum off the
canteen chair and now you can’t even lift your leg?” Shriya complained.
Nobonita smiled but still walked at the same slow pace. She
had nothing to say, but was deep in thoughts. She checked her watch. It was
just moments for the bell to ring. She slowed down even more.
The bell rang. Anush picked up his bag and ran out to meet
his friends. He rushed past the group gathered around the professor out the
door.
He didn’t see her coming, bumped into Nobonita. In the
process, she dropped her bag. Already in a hurry, he looked into those eyes,
and the world slowed down. But his mind was flooding with thoughts. He had to
rush, he was late, but he was lost. He gathered his stuff, looked back at the
sparkly, Kohl eyes. Damn Bong girls!
“Sorry!” He said and ran again.
Nobonita’s world still ran in slowmo. She would love to
rewind and relive it!
When snapped out of her state of trance, Shriya teased her, “Mission
Successful?”
“Huh? What mission? What are you talking about?”
“Oh come on girl, I know you feel the butterflies! I know why you run everyday to make it on time! I am not that
dumb a girl!”
Nobonita still wore a smile! Her mind was intoxicated. She
remembered the lines her granny would sing, Rabindra Sangeet, Mor bhabonare
ki haway matalo, dole monn dole akarono horshe!!!
(My thoughts are confused by which intoxicating winds? My
mind sways for no reason, with a delight!!!)
