A week had passed since Binoy left, and Bondita found herself trying to get used to Aniruddha’s bouts of aloofness. On one hand, she was glad that Binoy and Aniruddha had talked things out and seemed to be on talking terms, but on the other, since Binoy left, she could not help but notice Aniruddha pushing her further away. He barely talked to her except for work, and she did not know what she had done wrong to deserve this coldness. She wished he would talk to her, and she could tell him that he was hurting her, but she kept a brave face and decided not to. At work, she was informed by her Senior Lawyer, Mitra, about the promotion Aniruddha had suggested for her.
“A promotion?” She was surprised as he nodded. “Yes, from assisting him to having a cubicle downstairs.” Mitra thought it was good news for her, given how the Boss’s temper ran. Bondita smiled faintly. He also informed her that he would let her know for sure that week. Her desk would be moved soon. Aniruddha was away for a case in Kolkata for two days, and today, he had three hearings at the District Court. He did not let her accompany him unless she had her name in the case. She stopped reminding him of medicines and bringing food, trying hard to resist enquiring if he had eaten. He looked more like a mess with his stubble and bags under his tired, overworked eyes, and Bondita was concerned. But promoting her out of his office? Why would he do that? Bondita was scared. Did he feel her body language was different when he opened up to her and trusted her? He was not a child not to know. Was he upset because of that? Bondita felt like crying. It was like a deja vu; she was hurting all over again, and he wanted her to stay away without an explanation. Why would he do that? Bondita was determined to see for a week and then hand in a resignation letter. She would tell him she was going to take up the NGO work for villages as a full-time job. Yes, it would pay her less than private firms could, but at least she would be happy not to sell her soul to a corporate world and lose her peace of mind tiptoeing around him. She was not used to being on guard around Aniruddha, and it bothered her. Something was wrong; he was closed off, and he would not communicate even to save the friendship she missed.
Bondita sat on her desk, confused. Her phone rang, jolting her a little as the number read ‘Debarghya Chattopadhyay. ’ He was a former classmate of Bondita’s.
“Hello?” She asked, unsurely.
“Hey, Bondita.” He sounded cheerful. “I was at Chandannagar for some work. I was wondering if you could meet me today.”
“That’s great. Why did you not call me before?” Bondita frowned. “I have to clear my schedule now.”
“Oh, Madam is busy? Then should we cancel…”
“No, where are you now?” She asked. Debarghya smiled. “The district court. My senior is here for a case. It will end by lunch.” Bondita checked the schedule in her diary as she spoke. “Hmm. I can have lunch.”
“If only you had agreed so easily to a date back then.” Debarghya teased. Bondita shook her head. “Deb!”
“Alright, sorry!” He chuckled. “I promise I won’t try flirting anymore.”
“You know it never worked on me.” She smiled faintly.
“I still wonder why.” He sounded unhappy about it. “See you at lunch?”
“Yes.” Bondita smiled as she disconnected the call.
Aniruddha entered the chamber and found Bondita smiling to herself. It was the first time in a week he had seen her smile. A part of him wanted to enquire, and another acted like he did not care. He eyed her, adjusting his glasses to get her attention as she got up and picked up her purse.
“Where are you going?” He asked. Bondita inhaled.
“To lunch, sir.” He eyed her as she took out a black bindi from her purse and used the hand mirror to put it between her eyebrows. He wanted to say it was slightly inclined to the left, but he kept quiet. “Your employees get an hour off for lunch. I am taking my hour.” She said without looking at him as she took out the lipstick. Aniruddha frowned.
“You are going out?” He frowned. “Dressing like that?”
“I am meeting a friend.” She picked up her purse and logged out of her computer. “Not that it is office business.”
“A friend?” His brows shot up. “And where did this friend emerge from?” Bondita looked up with narrowed brows. “I don’t think you know all my friends.” Aniruddha waited for her answer as she inhaled. “He is a college friend who is in town.”
“I see.” Aniruddha put his hands in his pockets and eyed her, checking her hair in the pocket mirror in her purse. “Tell him to have lunch with us.” She stopped trying to adjust her lock of hair as she looked up at his tone. “He is at the district court, and I am meeting him there. Why will I bring him to my place of work? I said… it is not about a case.” Aniruddha watched her sprinkle some perfume behind her earlobes as he inhaled.
“Great, I am going that way anyway.” He grabbed his keys. Bondita eyed him. She could not understand what he was thinking. He seemed to want to meet her friend. Bondita shook her head. “I came here in an auto, and I can go there in an auto. Alone.” His hand stopped at the keys as she walked out of the office.
Bondita paid the driver and entered the district court premises to find Debarghya in a white shirt and black trousers, waiting by the line of typewriters, rhythmically typing on stamp papers on the right side of the gate. He waved at her as she approached him with a smile.
“Wow, did you dress up for me?” He eyed her white Kurti with red leggings, the Teep and jhumka as he commented.
“Shut up, I have no appearances today. I came from the office.” She smiled, giving him a side hug, “How are you?”
“You know how I am, you are on my Orkut,” he shrugged.
“Unlike you, I don’t update every minute of my life there; neither do I check yours.” Bondita shook her head. “We are out of college now.” He ignored her taunt.
“My senior just left. So where are we going?” Bondita stopped briefly at his words. She realised she had not been in Chandannagar or around it recently to know where to have lunch. Debarghya eyed her, lost in thought as he shook his head and smiled.
“You have no clue, do you? You invited me to lunch, Bondita. How stupid can you be!” He chuckled. Bondita hit him with her purse as he feigned an injury.
“You have not changed a bit.” She shook her head, amused at him.
“Will changing my habits earn a yes for a date?” He asked with a flirtatious smile as Bondita narrowed her eyes at him.
“You just won’t give up, will you?”
“You know how much all the girls were after me, and I was crazy enough to ask you out… not once, not twice, thrice! Thrice! I got rejected thrice.” He shook his head as Bondita smiled.
“I did not ask you to ask me three times. I never said I would change my mind.” She pointed her finger at him. “That was on you.”
“Yes, it was, Madam. I apologise. I thought a nice boy who respects you, cares for and compliments you would be enough. But you are Bondita Das.” he raised his arm over his head, “Your bar is that high.”
“Trust me, Deb, those are minimal efforts!” Debarghya laughed at her words. “Really? The girls used to drool over my chivalry. Find me another guy who would…” Bondita was about to protest.
“There you are.” Bondita’s heart skipped a beat. “I was looking for you.” Debarghya looked confused at Aniruddha as Bondita turned to see him.
“Do you need something, sir?” She asked with a polite smile. Aniruddha was observing Debarghya from behind his glasses when he chimed in, “Sir? Pleased to meet you. She keeps talking of…” Debarghya extended his hand to Aniruddha as he shook it, and he eyed Bondita, who repeated her question. He ignored it and asked Debarghya, “Your first time here?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Great, Bondita, we should take him to lunch.” He sounded serious as Debarghya smiled. “So kind of you.”
“We were going for lunch.” Bondita interrupted as Debarghya looked surprised.
“Great.” Aniruddha nodded. “Debarghya, right? I have a car; come on.”
“Thank you, sir. She doesn’t know a place.” Bondita eyed Debarghya following Aniruddha to the car. Aniruddha reached the driver's side, looked over the top and asked Bondita, who stood at her place, “You coming too?” Bondita inhaled as she eyed Debarghya stepping into the passenger seat beside Aniruddha. She took the back seat.
“We can go a bit further down to the highway for a Dhaba.” Aniruddha adjusted the rearview mirror as Debarghya nodded. “Whatever suits you, sir.”
“Do you like Biryani? We can have some.” He smiled.
“Sounds good to me, Bondita?” Debarghya found no response. “She is fine with it.” He inferred.
“So how do you know, Bondita?” Aniruddha asked, trying to sound casual about his query.
“We were classmates.” Bondita chimed in from the back seat, eyes meeting briefly through the rearview mirror.
“She was a brilliant student, and I was tough competition.” Debarghya glanced over his shoulder at Bondita.
“In your dreams.” She snapped back.
“You forgot the second year, Madam?”
“You forgot your entire college life?” She answered.
“Ah, banter.” Aniruddha smiled sarcastically. “Nice.” He slammed the brakes, making them jolt as he apologised. “So sorry, I did not see the speed breaker.”
“We can’t go much further.” Bondita eyed the road. “You have a hearing after lunch…” She eyed Aniruddha. “Sir?”
“Thank you for the reminder, Miss Das.” He eyed her again through the mirror. Bondita looked away and inhaled. He parked the car at a roadside Dhaba with a blue and white board and walls painted with graffiti of delicious kebabs and biryani. Debarghya followed Aniruddha inside, sharing his experiences in Kolkata as they found a three-seater in a corner. Bondita followed them quietly.
“So, she was popular?” Aniruddha ordered food and turned to Debarghya, who smiled. “Very. I am sure many of the girls were even jealous of her.”
“Don’t make up stories, Deb.” Bondita eyed him with a warning.
“Oh, you have a nickname, do you, Deb?” Aniruddha smiled. “Nice.” He clasped his hands together and placed them under his chin, observing as Bondita gave warning glances to her friend. Debarghya seemed least bothered.
“She always shows her eyes to everyone like that. Remember that one time after the fest when I proposed to you.” Bondita looked alarmed at his words as Aniruddha straightened himself, watching Debarghya laugh. “Oh god, you shouted at me, and everyone was scared! Nilanjana cried because you shouted. O god. We always wondered where she got her anger from.” He wiped his teary eyes. “Any other guy would not have proposed again. But I…” Bondita’s eyes widened as she eyed Aniruddha’s narrowed brows, observing Debarghya.
“What? There was a second time? Wow.” Aniruddha sounded impressed. “Bondita, you never said…” he eyed Debarghya. “Anything about him?”
Debarghya stopped laughing as the waiter brought the food, and Bondita seemed concentrated on it. “She would not.” He shook his head. “She is too proud to even think I considered her. Me, such a lowlife.”
“Shut up and eat, will you?” Bondita snapped. Aniruddha looked amused as he picked up his spoon and tasted a morsel.
“Umm… Debarghya, your senior is from the High Court?”
“Yes, sir, Mr. Mrinal Kanti Biswas.” He nodded. “Do you know him?”
“I am familiar with his work.”
“I was offered an internship by his firm after Bondita rejected it.” He picked up a morsel as Bondita’s spoon fell, its sound echoing through the empty Dhaba. She murmured an apology as the waiter came by and gave her a new one.
“Bondita… what?” Aniruddha froze as his spoon didn’t reach his mouth.
“Refused.” He shrugged. “Didn’t you tell him?” Bondita inhaled.
“Yes, I was offered the internship, but I wanted to come home.” She tried with all her strength to maintain an expressionless face as Aniruddha eyed her keenly.
“He has the best firm, silly girl.” Debarghya shook his head. “No offence, sir; tell her.”
“He is right.” Aniruddha nodded, pressing his lips as he eyed Bondita, looking annoyed at Debarghya.
“Be thankful. I left, and you got the job, idiot.” She murmured as Debarghya smiled.
“Thank you, Madam.” He smiled at her. “But his offer is still open for you, he told me to tell you that.” His words made Aniruddha skip a heartbeat as he looked up at Bondita’s undecipherable expression. “When he heard I would see you, he told me to tell you that.”
“Noted.” Bondita nodded. “Now, can we finish and go back?” She gestured at her watch. Aniruddha exhaled like he was holding his breath.
“You should invite him home.” He made Bondita look up with a frown.
“No, he doesn't need to come home. He will be on his way.” Bondita forced a smile. “Sir.”
“Thamma would like him.” Aniruddha sounded amused. “If he tells these stories.” Bondita was alarmed. “You better not…” She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Aniruddha had a smile on the edge of his lips.
“Whose home?” Debarghya asked, confused.
“Mine.” They said in unison as Debarghya looked confused.
“I… stay in a rented apartment on his premises.” Bondita cleared before Aniruddha could speak.
“You should consider the offer,” Aniruddha said almost in a murmur. He wished she did not. He was being aloof from her, but a part of him was scared that she would leave. He did not want her to leave. But then again, who was he to stop her from doing better in life? To hold her back? Bondita looked up at his words as he looked away awkwardly.
“I will message you with a detailed offer from Sir.” Debarghya eyed Bondita for her reaction as he sounded hopeful. “You can come back to Kolkata and work with us.”
“You have her number?” Aniruddha chimed in. “Nice.”
“Yes, she said it's a work number.” Debarghya nodded. “Sorry. I should not have told her about the offer in front of you. I hope she is not in trouble.”
Bondita eyed Aniruddha, looking amused. “Not at all. Anyone can leave with better offers, right?” He eyed Bondita, whose jaws tightened. The man under broad daylight seemed to be a Dr. Jekyll version of the Mr. Hyde she met that night, who was commanding her to stay back.
“And that’s not a work phone.” He shook his head as she frowned. “I gave it to her for her birthday. It was a gift.”
“Oh.” Debarghya eyed Bondita, who smiled politely.
“Bondita, did you not tell him about our relationship…” Bondita looked up at Aniruddha’s choice of words as Debarghya looked confused. “I mean… our families go back a long way, her grandmother was friends with my uncle. I have known her since she was ten.”
“Oh… I see.” Debarghya smiled, eyeing Bondita.
“I will pay the bill.” She stood up abruptly. “It's my treat.” Debarghya protested as she proceeded to the cash counter, leaving the men sitting.
“So you know her that long… that well?” Debarghya whispered to Aniruddha. “Mind if I ask something informal?” Aniruddha eyed the young man. He had not been formal since they met. Did he not realise that? He nodded.
“How does she get impressed by a man?” He almost sounded like he was wondering aloud as both of their eyes travelled to see her paying the cashier.
“What do you mean?” Aniruddha asked.
“I did everything, held open doors, pulled chairs, made her notes, carried her books, offered to pay for tea, took her shopping, she never bothered. Any other girl would be…”
“She is not just any girl, is she?” Aniruddha smiled faintly. “She is Bondita.” Debarghya eyed him.
“You must be extremely proud of her.”
“I am.” Aniruddha nodded. “We all are.” Bondita tapped on the counter, glancing over her shoulder at the men sitting as she waited for the man to return her cash.
“Did she reject you?” Aniruddha asked. “More than once?”
“It's embarrassing, right? Three times.” Debarghya admitted sheepishly. “I liked her.”
“Did she like someone else?” He enquired. He shook his head.
“No, a few other guys liked her, but after seeing my fate, they were scared.” He chuckled.
“What did she say? Why did she refuse?” Aniruddha narrowed his brows as Debarghya shrugged. “She said the men in her life taught her that the things I do that women find impressive are minimal gestures. I assumed she must have a wonderful father figure at home.” Aniruddha smiled. “She did, my Jethu. Her father…”
“Yes, she said that… she did not mention Jethu, though…”
Aniruddha looked surprised. Before Debarghya could say more, Bondita approached them.
“Let’s go. If you go now, you can still catch the 2.25 train.” She urged Debarghya. He nodded. Aniruddha eyed the watch and got up.
“Should I drop you at the station?” he offered.
“No. We will take an auto.” Bondita interrupted before Debarghya accepted his offer. She looked irked. Debarghya shook his hand as Aniruddha said, “It was nice meeting you, Debarghya.”
“You too, sir.”
“Next time you come, please come home.” Aniruddha eyed Bondita as Debarghya nodded.
“Auto…” Bondita waved at an empty auto, abruptly pushing Debarghya towards it as Aniruddha stood there watching her get into the auto with him.
“What is wrong with you?” Bondita snapped at Debarghya, hitting him with her purse as he rubbed his injured arm. “Why were you speaking like that?”
“Like what? You spoke so much about him, it felt like I practically knew him.”
“You don’t.” She snapped. “He did not need to know your history and geography!”
“Well, I talk more than I should. But he didn’t mind; he was nice.” Debarghya scratched his head as Bondita shook her head hopelessly. “Did I get you into trouble?”
“No.” Bondita shook her head. She was miffed and rattled by how Aniruddha behaved, trying to figure out his thoughts. For the first time, she could not read his mind or anticipate his move, which irked Bondita. Debarghya observed her with an amused smile.
“I get it now.” Debarghya made her jolt out of her thoughts and stare at him as they approached the station.
“What?” Bondita questioned cluelessly.
“Why you are unimpressed by me.”
“Why, genius?” She chuckled, ready to embrace another crazy theory.
“Because you have grown up seeing him. Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury increased your expectations of men!”
Bondita’s heart skipped a beat as she chuckled awkwardly at Debarghya.
“Go home, don't spout your alien theories.”
“Alright, don't admit it.” Debarghya shrugged. “I will tell him we exchanged numbers.” Bondita stared at him a little wide-eyed.
“Why on earth will you do that?” He smiled at the urgency in her voice.
“Because you are never going to tell him.” Debarghya made Bondita look a little pale. “Tell him what?” Bondita’s voice trembled. Debarghya smiled.
“I have never seen you react like that to any other guy.”
“He is… my boss.” Bondita looked awkward. Debarghya nodded as they got out of the auto and started walking towards the station.
“But he should also know…that if he asks, it will be a yes.” Bondita stopped on her track and looked up at him, smiling faintly as she opened her mouth to protest.
“No, don't slap me at the station!” He stepped back, alarmed, warning her as they stood by the platform. “ I won't tell him. You definitely should.”
“No, Deb”, she shook her head, “It's not that easy.”
“It is not, I know.” He nodded, amused. “I once liked a girl who refused me thrice!”
“Stop it.” Bondita shook her head as he chuckled. “Take care, Bondita.” He shook her hand as the train was announced. “You too.” Bondita waited for him to board the train before she caught the auto back home.
All through the journey, Bondita wondered. She always found no answers when the girls in the hostel pestered her about Debarghya and gushed about him. She was just not interested, never attracted to him. She could never explain why. It all suddenly dawned on her. Perhaps he was right. She was not interested in any other man in her life because she had always admired Aniruddha. She thought she was over him because they did not interact. But even on the worst days, when she found his behaviour irrational, his demeanour confusing, and his words harsh, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury was still the best man she had ever met. Bondita could never change the admiration, idolisation and respect she felt for him. The feelings changed into strong emotions that were enough for her. She had learnt that love, as scary as the word might sound, did not need recognition or approval. It existed in her being as easily as she breathed. The more she tried to push the feeling away she suffocated. She was scared of this feeling, but she was not in denial of it, at least to herself. She knew better. She had chosen him over Debarghya when she refused her classmate. She would choose him over anyone else without the slightest hesitation, even when she accepted that she could never let him know her feelings. It was comforting to cry to sleep with his thoughts rather than imagining giving someone his place. Something was comforting in the pain she carried in the secret of her heart; the feeling she knew for so long, the familiarity of it, became a part of her identity.
