Double Circle: A story of love to naxalism by Nagesh Kumar

she replied feeling like a queen. 'You are great', I replied with folded hands. 'Thank you, thank you', she replied, trying to bend her knee. She also had on an antique hair clip. A white colour hair clip consisting of a long snake trying to be catch a butterfly. Is this possible. Let it be. 'There is a rush to catch a cab', Rajdeep said. 'This is not a problem, not at all', She replied with a tiny smile. She started her makeup and used my glasses as a mirror. I think, what is this? Is this the way to apply makeup on the road? After some time Rajdeep also did the same. Now I was feeling so awkward. 'So what is the solution?' I asked. Suddenly I heard two consecutive whistles and the next moment we found two or three CABs in front of us. I thought this was fabulous. Girls really rock. 'Where do you want to go madam?' one cab driver asked Arushi. Actually he was a south Indian man by his accent and he stared at Arushi from bottom to top and gave a devil smile. 'New modern market', Arushi replied. This is the place where we used to go for movies, dinner, shopping, etc in mussoorie. 'How much?' Rajdeep asked to the cab driver. 'I will not take much from madam', he replied while continuously watching Arushi. 'We two guys are also with madam', I said to him. He sees us and all the glow from his face disappears suddenly. '300 rupees', he replied. 'That's too much', Arushi said. 'You know, who we are?' Rajdeep said angrily. 'Ok', I replied and got them in forcefully. 'Why did you agree?' Arushi asked me. 'Don't worry I'll pay', I replied. After a moment, there was a great laugh. 'What is the meaning of a party in your point of view?' I asked. 'I think outing with friends, lots of eating, chit chat and having great fun', she replied after we left the cab. 'What about you?' she asked. 'Same', I shook my head and then lit the cigarette and started to take a deep puff. 'Hey... what are you doing?' Rajdeep shouted loudly. I thought I was doing a pole dance in the middle of the road without any clothes on. 'What?' I asked. 'Are you a smoker' Arushi asked me with great shock. 'Sometimes, it is not a big deal', I replied to both. 'My father told me it is wrong', Arushi said. 'It's too ridiculous, shame on you Nishan', Rajdeep said to me with more great foot work. Now I felt guilty and threw it on the road. 'Sorry', I said to both. 'It's ok, let's go', Arushi replied with smile. We enter a plaza called Splash plaza. We take the stairs to the 2nd floor. I saw the advertisement of Crystal Glass but it was of no use to us, after all we were well cultured person. Don't drink and smoke. But wait a minute, what is this, they were both entering in the bar. 'Hey this is a bar', I said and froze at the door. 'Let's go', Arushi replied and caught me by my arm and took me inside. I knew they both were non vegetarian. 'Madam order please', the waiter asked her. 'Six kingfisher strong beers, one roasted chicken, tomato and onion salad', she replied quickly. 'Anything else', she asked us. 'One packet of Du Maurier cigarettes', Rajdeep said to the waiter. 'Sorry sir we only have Gold flake', the waiter replied. 'No problem, Gold flake is also fine', Rajdeep said. 'You both are alcoholic, demanded Du Maurier and shouted at me for smoking', I screamed at them and gave them killer looks. 'Sorry sorry', Arushi said to me and slapped Rajdeep. 'We were just saying that smoking is injurious to health without liquor', Rajdeep said with great laugh. After that we all broke into laughter. 'I don't drink, only smoke sometimes', I said, refusing the bottle. 'Oh god! I am a girl and take three at a time and you are a man', she said to me proudly. Rajdeep also nodded with Arushi. 'Ok ok, I will take only one, no further', I replied, giving a tap on the table. Each one of us took one bottle and this time to cheers. 'Cheers', we all shouted. All the liquor hungry people saw us. After that cheers Arushi put down her bottle on the table. 'Never do that', I interrupted her. 'Why, what happens?' she asked. 'At least take one sip after cheers without putting bottle on the table', I replied. They were both looking at me as I made a new protocol for them. 'This is the basic protocol of the liquor society, ok?' I replied, taking a sip of beer. In the starting, taste of beer is very bad but after half bottle, its taste changes into nectar. I thought I was lord the Shiva and became "NEELKANTHA". After some time we ordered dinner but didn't take it properly because of a hangover. I think drinks affect me most, after all it was only my third time. 'It's too late, we have to return back', I said while trying to manage my foot on the floor. 'Yes but I think this situation is not suitable to return to the academy', Arushi said with little tension. 'Oh yes. I think we should go to Chinkey's flat for night stay', Arushi said. 'Yes Chinkey's flat is a kilometre from the bar and is the perfect place for night stay', Rajdeep gave his opinion too. In a hangover everbody wants to give his opinion. 'So let's go', Rajdeep said and suddenly he fell down on the floor. 'Sorry sorry', Rajdeep said and tried to fix himself on the f*****g chair. 'Get up properly', Arushi said to him. 'Where is Nishan?' Arushi shouted when she saw my chair empty. 'It is his third time c'mon search for him', Arushi again shouted and stood up so fast that her chair collided badly with another person. 'He is on the platform', Rajdeep said to her. 'Oh God, with another beer', Arushi said.'Oh my God stop him immediately'. 'What are you doing?' Rajdeep asked. 'Drinking', I replied and poured the whole bottle in my mouth. 'It is enough, please let's go', Arushi said to me and grabbed me by my hand. 'You both are kids but I am not, baby', I replied. 'What did you call me', she asked with shock. 'It's time to party baby', I shouted and ordered another bottle. 'He seems totally out, catch him and take him out', Rajdeep said in Arushi' ear. 'What are you saying in her ear, say loudly small brother', I shouted. They grabbed my arms and took me out forcefully. 'Please Nishan let's go it's too late', Arushi said to me folding her hands. Suddenly a waiter came, 'Madam, bill of the last beer', he said to Arushi. Arushi tried to get money from her bag but interrupted. 'My beer, my money', I said. 'How much money?' I asked. '90 rupees only', he replied. 'Keep 100 rupees, keep change too', I said, giving him a 100 rupees note. 'All poor suddenly become rich after drinking', the waiter muttered. My beers make me so generous, now I am a king like great Akbar. 'Shut up', Arushi said and we left. 'O yes, so then where are we going?' I asked. 'Take a cab to Chinkey's flat', Arushi said to Rajdeep. 'No small brother', I said to Rajdeep. 'Where is the monkey's flat', I asked. 'It's Chinkey o.k.?' Rajdeep tried to fix my mistake. 'Who is she?' I asked. 'She is a cousin', Arushi replied. 'No way, you all cousins will make me crazy', I said and refused to go. 'No she is too good and for your information this time she is out of town', Arushi defended her cousin. 'Oh thank God darling. Let's go', I said and put my hand around Arushi' waist. After all she is quite pretty and looking hot. 'How dare you to call me darling?' she shouted and took a step away. For a moment there was a deep calm. 'Do you want a cab', one driver asked us across the road. 'Are you from south India?' I shouted. 'What kind of question is this baby', Arushi said. This was the time for a great jump. Rajdeep looked like Ashmi's father wanting to save her from a street boy. Before I could say anything... 'This is only a hangover, nothing else', she said to Rajdeep. I just laughed again and again. 'I am north Indian', the driver said trying to understand our nonsense. In the cab Arushi sat between Rajdeep and me. 'I am also from north India', I said. Arushi and Rajdeep stared me. 'I want to drive the cab', I just announced. 'Of course sir, I'll sit with madam on the back seat', he said to me watching Arushi with hungry eyes. 'No thanks', I replied and saw Arushi for a moment. She gave me a dangerous look with her black big eyes. 'Ok, this is our stop', Rajdeep said. 'The society is too dark', I said. 'It's around 12.30 a.m. stupid', Arushi said. 'I am expecting "baby"", I replied with a tiny smile. 'That is Chinkey's flat', Rajdeep pointed. It was on the first floor. And Chinkey was out of town. How could we enter the flat? 'We should enter by the window', I suggested. 'Here is the key baby', Arushi showed me the key with her killer smile. 'You were expecting na', she said. I wanted to say something to her while Rajdeep was trying to understand our equation. 'C'mon come inside, silently', Rajdeep said. 'This is your flat or not', I said. 'Of course this is our flat', Rajdeep replied. 'So enter with a loud laugh, I shouted. 'Hey you are totally out', Arushi said to me covering my face with her soft hands. 'Yes I want to be totally out', I shouted. Rajdeep closed the door. 'Yooooyoooooo', we all shouted. 'Thanks guys for a great time... thanks', I shouted. After sometime we all fell asleep and I vaguely remember Arushi by my side on the floor and Rajdeep on the bed. 'Wake up Nishan, it's late', Rajdeep said. I sat up rubbing my eyes. I saw Arushi coming with three hot cups of coffee or tea. She was looking quite pretty; her wet hair seduced me. She had already taken bath. 'Take', she gave me the cup that was more beautiful than the others. My cup had couple of hearts and many red roses printed on its outer side. And other two cups had simple drawings of the sun and grass, etc. I took one sip from my. It was horrible. 'How is it?' Arushi asked. 'Superb, delicious', I replied. 'Rajdeep made it', she said. Oh God, I thought, he wanted to kill me. 'Thanks', Rajdeep replied, adjusting his trouser which was just hanging on his hips. 'You are looking gorgeous', I said to Arushi. She said nothing, only gave me a shy look. 'Are you trying to flirt with her, she is my cousin sister, ok.', Rajdeep said. 'Guys we have to leave now', I said, looking intensely at Arushi. Surely she had something to tell me but because of Rajdeep she couldn't. We took a cab to the academy. 'Bye', Arushi said to me at the porch of the academy. 'Bye', I replied with trying to figure out the mystery behind her changed behaviour. Forget it and go for class, I thought. Next day Arushi called Rajdeep. 'Hello', Rajdeep said after picking up the phone. 'Meet me in the garden right now', Arushi said and hung up the phone. 'Yap, what happened', Rajdeep asked her in the garden. 'Please listen to me carefully and give me right advice', Arushi said with some tension. After the whole conversation... 'What the f**k is this', Rajdeep shouted at Arushi. 'He is not the best choice for you. He did wrong', Rajdeep said with foot work. 'Not he, we', Arushi interrupted him. 'After this incident, marriage is the only solution', Rajdeep said. 'But I don't know, if he loves me or not', Arushi said, twirling her locket a sure symptom of serious tension. 'He has to love you', Rajdeep said very angrily. The same evening... I fell on my bed and was just thinking about my love and past, when suddenly my phone rang. My screen flashed my nickname for Arushi, "miss blackish". 'Yes miss blackish', I said. 'Please meet me in the garden right now', she answered. 'What?' I asked. 'Right now, please', she said and hung the phone. Why she all the mystery, she was too difficult to understand. I saw both of them anxiously waiting for me. 'What happened?' I asked. 'You both carry on', Rajdeep gave me a tough look and left. 'What happened to him', I asked. 'I love you Nishan', suddenly she said to me. 'What... what?' I was shocked. 'I love you', she said again, much louder. 'Stop kidding or pranking, please', I said to her. But I knew this was real, my heart began to beat very fast. 'No, I am damn serious and I want to marry you', she said to me on her knee. 'Ok, ok, please sit first', I said to her. 'No, first answer me positively', she said, twirling her locket. 'Are you proposing or selling vegetables', I shouted. 'No... after that night...' she said. 'Which night', I interrupted her. 'Nothing, only give me an answer', she said and was just about to cry. 'Don't be so nervous and take a deep breath', I said. 'I will give you an answer but first sit by my side'. 'What?' she asked. 'I want to tell you a story; do you have time for it?' I asked. 'Ok, tells me', she replied, taking deep breaths.