True Love

I don't remember when I first saw Sonaa. We were born in adjacent
hospitals a few months apart. Thereafter we resided in the same
building. I stayed on the second floor while Sonaa lived in the
top-floor penthouse. My father worked in a bank while Sonaa's father
was in the Merchant Navy. Our worlds were quite different. My folks
were hardcore middle-class people with little hope of turning rich
overnight. Sonaa's family was considered rich. She always wore
fashionable clothes and moved around in more than one chauffeur-driven
car. As little kids we did play together. I was invited to her birthday
party and she to mine. Her presents were always expensive toys while I
gave money in an envelope. There was a school called Green Lawns three
blocks away and both Sonaa and I were admitted there. It was a good
school where students were expected to be proficient in everything. You
were encouraged to study hard, play various sports and also act, sing
and recite. There were many private schools in the city where fees were
much higher. Since Sonaa's father sailed for six months in a year her
parents were looking for a good school that was close by. Green Lawns
seemed to suit them. My parents put me there because I could walk to
school. My mother was too busy with her chores to accompany me most of
the time.
In three years time we became Green Lawns veterans. We knew the school
building like the back of the hand. We knew which teacher had what
funny peculiarity and what eccentricity. We loved playing cricket in
the lunch break. There was always so little time during the break and
so much to do. While the boys were busy with cricket some of the girls
played basketball and some volleyball. But most of the girls spent the
free time in the girls' common room. Sonaa became the most popular
junior girl in no time. She was good-looking, she was rich and she was
generous with her pocket money. She bought her sycophants meals at the
school canteen quite often. We were quite young then~about eight or
nine. Even then I was in awe of Sonaa. She had this magnificent
personality. She was better than average looking at that time. But she
had this glow, this confidence. And she was so friendly most of the
time. You felt free with her. But she was so attractive that you were
afraid of speaking to her. Of course, these things did not matter much
in those days. Our life revolved around sports, games and fun.
But things changed. We were in the seventh grade. Sonaa now looked like
all the beauty of the country had been put into her. We boys were proud
that she was in our class. We all wanted to speak to her but were
afraid to even say a word. Yes, we discussed studies with her but only
when we were required to. At other times she buried her face in a
bestseller. Indeed she would only leave the classroom when a teacher
asked her to. Boys from higher classes would often come to our room
just to take a look at Sonaa. I later learnt that one of Sonaa's best
friends, Liliy, charged the boys money to show them Sonaa's face. And
it was around this time that the first proposal occurred.
It was the last Friday before school closed at the end of the academic
year. We were excitedly discussing where we would go on vacation and
what we would do. Suddenly, a tall boy wearing spectacles entered the
room. We knew him. He was the school vice-captain Cyril Fonseca. Before
we could even move he walked to Sonaa's seat. It was then we noticed
that he had a red rose in his right hand. He directly offered the rose
to Sonaa and said, rather loudly, "I love you." And then he walked
away. I realized that I was very angry. My ears felt red and warm. I
felt outraged like never before. I wanted to punch Cyril Fonseca in the
face and make his nose bleed. I wanted to call him unspeakable names.
But I did nothing. Nor did Sonaa. She lowered her head and continued
reading her book.
At the end of tenth grade Green Lawns organized a dance for us. In fact
the students of twelfth grade who were also passing out were invited
too. It was more their dance than ours, actually. All the boys were
expected to come with girlfriends though it was not compulsory for the
tenth graders. The school captain, Arin Roy, of grade twelve, had
recently been selected 'Best Student' for the third time running.
Students AND teachers were not surprised when Arin asked Sonaa to the
dance. I was an average student having average looks. I played no
sports and had no talent. Hardly anyone was interested in going to the
dance with me. I did go to the event because I was part of the catering
effort. Sonaa came with Arin. She was wearing a blood-red dress that
made her look awesome. At the end of the party I suddenly felt that I
had to meet her in private. I just had to spend some time with her,
alone. I was not sure why I thought thus but I knew it had to be done.
I did not know how I would do it but it had to happen.
The opportunity came three years later. It was a long but sweet wait. I
wanted nothing but a few happy moments in her exclusive company. The
occasion was the mayor's carnival. Every year our town organizes a huge
carnival at the dock grounds. Everything that is great about our
smallish town is showcased in this annual event. Arin and Sonaa have
been seeing each other for a few years now. Arin has recently found a
job. The two of them are expected to announce their marriage very soon.
Arin had asked me to buy two tickets for the carnival. I purchased the
tickets. Then, I returned the money and told Arin that the tickets were
not available. I next did a most evil thing. I met Sonaa and told her
that Arin would be late on the carnival day. So, he had asked me to
take Sonaa there and wait for him. I was lucky. Sonaa believed me. She
went to the carnival with me. And of course Arin did not come and Sonaa
was very angry with him. But I was happy. In fact I was ecstatic. The
thirty minutes I spent at the carnival with Sonaa by my side was the
best half an hour of my life. The carnival had bright lights, brilliant
fireworks, rides of various types and stall after stall selling the
most wonderful things. But I saw nothing but Sonaa. O, how could a
person be so beautiful, so elegant, so wonderful and yet remain so
calm, so humble, so silent. Each time she looked at me she cast a
mysterious spell. I wanted to be defeated by her and dreamt of
submitting to her looks. No one could ever be more beautiful. I had
lived so long for this day. I could not ask for more.
Both Sonaa and Arin found out the truth the next day. I don't know how
Arin felt but I did meet Sonaa. She was very sweet and patted me gently
on the head. I just grinned sheepishly. We did not meet thereafter.
Well, I did attend her wedding. It was grand.