Day 08 (20 December 2008)

Rab ne Bana di Jodi

Living far away from Khushi was turning out to be more difficult than I had anticipated. God bless Vodafone for their low call-rate schemes. But, after a point in time, phone conversations simply did not suffice. Not seeing her for weeks and even months began driving me crazy. I craved to meet her but was helpless.

Khushi happened to be visiting her Buaji that weekend, who lived barely 10-12 kilometers from my mausi's place (where I resided at that time). It was a great opportunity to meet her. But how? I tried hard to come up with an excuse to meet, and failed.

While talking on the phone that evening, Khushi told me that her buaji and cousins were taking her to see "Rab ne Bana di Jodi". My brain started racing. Without sounding suspicious, I casually asked her the time and venue of the show. She told me innocently, without realising what I was up to. The conversation did not last very long as she had to get ready and leave for the movie.

I immediately rushed to my cousin. He had been begging and pleading for days to see that movie, but I did not take him as I had already seen it with my friends. I apologised for being so mean, and invited him to join me for the movie. I proudly declared that I would not mind seeing the movie again for 'his sake'.

Although It was late in the evening, I managed to convince my mausi to let us go for the movie. She tried to say no but eventually had to give in to my commendable emotional blackmailing skills.

It did not take long for us to reach the theatre. I was freezing by the time I was in the queue for parking (I had forgtotten my jacket on a December night amidst all the hurry). As I hoped and prayed that I ran into Khushi at the theatre, my cousin tapped my back and whispered in my ear, "Bhaiya, the girl in the car next to us is staring at you!". I turned to look. IT WAS KHUSHI! At first I was happy, but the "I will kill you" expression on her face scared me. Little did she know that the crazy evening had just begun.

By the time I had parked my bike, her cousin was already in queue to get the tickets. I stood a few places behind him. As soon as he paid for the tickets and moved out of the line, I jumped the queue (ignoring the cursing, abusing mob of people behind me). I bribed the person on the ticket counter to give me seats right next to the 'person before me'. After a little hesitation, he bowed to the power of greed.

I bought popcorn and coke for my baffled cousin (the poor fellow had no clue what was happening or why). I walked into the hall and searched for my seat. To make things even better, Khushi was sitting at the very end, giving me an opportunity to sit next to her. I glanced at her as I took my seat, letting out a casual 'hi'. She behaved as if she did not know me.

After a couple of trailers and advertisements, the movie began. Although I had seen it twice with my friends already, It seemed way better this time. As my cousin and her relatives sat there, watching the movie, oblivious of what had just happened, I enjoyed every moment I sat next to her. I expected her to switch seats with her cousin during the interval. Surprisingly, she came back with her popcorn and sat next to me again. Although she did not talk to me during the entire movie, I was having the time of my life. The situation seemed both amusing and surreal to me.

As I walked out of the theatre with my happy and still oblivious brother, I knew that she'd be very angry. "Holle- Holle ho jayega pyar", I hummed the song on my way back home.