《Vagaira vagaira》


 Wonder what changed? ?

    " Never judge someone before you know them. It''s not a good habit to jump to conclusions. Did you get the story? " The teacher asked as I kept my gaze on the time above the blackboard. ''5 more minutes and I''ll go home'' I thought to myself. I wasn''t much of a bright student and I didn''t even get the good seat. I sat in the middle row on second bench I couldn''t look out of the window even if I wanted to. The bell rang and I jolted up my seat almost forgetting the person in power. She looked at me annoyed and I tried to avoid her sharp eyes as I played with my plaits, but she gave up quickly which meant I had a bad day tomorrow as I was going to be embarrassed first thing in the morning. As soon as I saw her silhouette leave I ran down the stairs.


    I slammed open the door reaching home as I made an entrance making my mom flinch a little in the process.


    "Niku how many times have I told you not to do that? " I just giggled as my mom scolded me and sat on the sofa while she bent down to get my shoes and the heavy school bag, opening it checking if I had my lunch. Once she was satisfied looking at the empty tiffin box she asked me what I learnt in school.


    "A story. It had a good moral." I replied as I tried to remember what really happened today.


    "What was the moral? " She asked almost immediately.


    "Never judge a book by its cover." I said giving it a minute. English was the last period we had and a 1st grade students didn''t really have good memory or did they? She smiled approvingly. I was watching tv when felt a little tired and dozed off on my mother''s lap and the comforting darkness took over.


    It''s getting darker I better head home. I saw as the night almost took over the sky. It was 6:45pm. I was waiting for the bus when there was a ring I immediately checked my phone and saw my mom calling.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation."Niku are you home yet?"


    "Not yet. I am still outside the company waiting for the bus."


    "Call me as soon as you reach."


    "Yep. I''ll call you later. Bye." And I ended the call as I saw my bus approaching. It wasn''t that late but the area I lived in was.... let''s just say quite and even though I have been an intern for almost 6 months now I still wasn''t used to the uncomfortable stillness that sent chills down my spine.


    The bus halted with a jolt and I got down. Now was the toughest part the 10 mins walk to the apartment. I started walking down the straight dark road with flickering street lights which did not help much except sometimes the flickering did add a little too much to the horror. So much for a cheap rent apartment. That''s when I heard footsteps, heavy footsteps. They were growing louder and faster which made me hurry a little as well. I took long strides to reach as fast as possible holding my keys between knuckles, a basic trick everyone knows or at least that''s what I am assuming. I reached at the gate my heart pumping and breathing unstable. I turned to close the gate when a voice shouted," Ma''am you dropped this." I halted and saw a lady approach me handing me my company ID card. I thanked her and I continued walking to the stairs. It was a woman who also seemed to be in a hurry, holding her handbag and almost running as she checked her wrist watch.


    I plopped myself on the bed in the living room which was also my bedroom. It was a one room kitchen which are not very easy to find in Mumbai. I stared at my hand as I rolled them back into fist remembering what happened. " Never judge a book by it''s cover." I said almost out loud taking a sharp breath in as I looked at my sealing. I wonder what changed?

 Colours🌸

    ''It''ll rain, I guess. I like it when it rains every colour just pops up. People say it''s gloomy and we can''t go out and enjoy but honestly I think that gloomy colour is the reason other colours look so bright, and going out was never my problem. You can say staying at home and enjoying my own company is my forte. Did I introduce myself? I guess not.


    Hi! I am Sudha or should I say Mrs. Datta?


    So as I was saying you can tell I am an introvert and married for six years. My husband works in a big company, a literate engineer and I have a bachelor''s in economics which might be laying somewhere in the corner of closet well acquainted with the dust and having some insects for company. His family wanted a housewife to take care of his parents so you can guess the way things escalated. I am a housewife but it''s not bad. I like it. I read, watch TV and do the chores at home. No one to disturb, no one to complain.


    I am not a fan of cooking. Though I do make decent dinners and lunch isn''t as bad either. The only time I like going out is to shop for vegetables at the market. It''s like a beautiful garden of shiny little things. Brushing my hand, smelling every unique scents. Watching the light as it shines on them sometimes fading the colours in patches. The little drops of water on it as they all turn themselves into beautiful kaleidoscopes. I don''t even feel like picking them or else I''ll ruin their pattern.


    There is also this flower vendor with the colourful little blossoms organised looking as if a rainbow. But that man talks a lot. I wonder how he can talk so much. Did I keep something in the oven?......


    I am sorry did I make you wait long? I was seeing many people make muffins so I thought to make them myself, but silly me I forgot and yes, I burnt them (light laughing as Sudha watches out the window looking at the shower as it gently caresses the earth.)


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.                       I should make tea. Tea with rain is perfect I don''t know why others like coffee. It''s not as enjoyable frankly, but everyone has a choice. The colours are popping again. All the plants in my balcony love rain especially the light showers. How do I know? Look, they are all dancing to the rhythm as the drops slide down their leaves tickling them. I bet they are giggling. But then again who knows.(Radio playing in the background as Sudha watches out of the window.)


    After what I said you might be thinking that I like lockdown. I don''t. My husband is always at home complaining and whining, he can''t see his girlfriend na...... That''s why. Right now he is sitting in the room talking to her, he thinks I can''t hear him. ( Sudha slowing approaches the room and tries to listen through the door.) She is complaining as always, apparently her husband doesn''t cook good food. Their affair has a grey colour it isn''t very appealing.


    He''ll be hungry now and he likes fruit custard or something healthy in the evening at least that''s what he says. I like to put red apples and yellow pineapples together with  green grapes. All the bright colours in a platter trying to steal each other''s spotlight. I really like colours as you can say and I also like to see them blending together. But I don''t like the blend or combination of dark green, grey, red and a tint of bluish colour. They stain my skin. The clotted blood as it transforms with time. I don''t like it. I wonder if he does the same to his girlfriend. Does he beat or yell at her when she makes a mistake or is it just me?( Sudha is looking at the mirror caressing her cheeks which have a reddish grey hue on them.) Do I really hate these colours tainting my skin or am I just bored seeing them everywhere?( looks at you with a smile, shrugging.)