A thin line....

As they walked down the road their hands kept rubbing each other's. They were silent. It was just their second meeting. Sharon felt something choking in her heart. She didn't know why she felt a pain when he said that. She knew him for the past few months. They had met only once before, few mails, few calls and some yahoo chat, nurtured this relationship.

He was her batch mate in college, but they had not known each other then. It was that alumni yahoo group mail which sowed the seed.

Was it friendship? Something more? Sharon couldn't contemplate why she felt pain when he said that he is moving to Mumbai for his job?

Ashwant believed in surprises. This was one such. He had not told her when he applied for the job. He was savvy and subtle. Who wouldn't like him join their institution? He got the job and kept it a secret until the day he left.

Ashwant was a business research officer in a MNC earning a good ransom. Sharon was a smart bio-statistician at a central government concern. The first meeting with him was a pleasant surprise. One Saturday evening she had completed that days work early in the evening and was almost starting home and he landed there.

The first time she saw him close. He was a 6.3 ft tall, fair, well built dapper. Above all he had piercing eyes, which churned her every time he looked into her. His language, his style was awesome. It was easy to break the ice with the way he initiated the conversation.

"I haven't seen you before in college ". He gave her the bunch of flowers

She replied "I have seen you from far…but then you where a thin bony skeleton guy"

"Well with time and prosperity…I changed" he smiled.
"I expected you to be in a saree" he added

"Why did he expect me in a saree? Why?" she thought.
"Sarees take rest on Saturdays and I am comfortable in casuals, other days I would wear saree" she replied.

They had a long chat about college days, about the professors they knew, the college gutters, where usually guys and gals chat bunking classes,
German classes where it was always "ich weiss nicht"
And of course their traditional culturals where it was fun and more fun.

She found him as to be highbrow and he discovered her to be naïve.

The chat was long and at the end he offered to drop her back home.

She nodded. They walked down till the gate.

He said "You know Sharon, I am happy today, for meeting you, a beautiful, tall smart young lady…"

By the time they reached the gate. He pulled out his black Royal Enfield. It was a sexy possession of a debonair. Kick started it at one stroke and showed her, his fantasy mistresses' place….

Since then ….they became good friends. They got along well.

And now it was their second meet. He is leaving Chennai for better job to Mumbai. May be forever. The job pays him twice as of what he earned now.

Now they were walking down the same road to the gate. They walked close, their shoulders dashing…hands rubbing…

Ashwant kick started his sexy possession. She was standing near the parking slot watching him kick-start. No…the bullet wouldn't start.

She went near him and said…"Mebbe your bullet has become fond of this place"

"No ..it doesn't wanoo leave this beautiful lady here…wants me to take her with me"

Her face turned pink.


He left to Mumbai. Days changed to weeks and weeks to months. It was almost three months now.

One bright Sunday morning he had no office work. He decided to check his mails, he had not done tat since he came there.

He signed into his yahoo mail…sand saw 800 unread mails. He clicked on the inbox to open ….he browsed through the names and scrolled down…one mail caught his sight…it had come a two days before…from Sharon Carlo. That was her full name. He opened it with lots of curiosity. The net connection seemed to be very slow for him then, seconds seems hours.
He scrolled the mouse down…
It read

"Hi Ashwant

How are you? Hope you are doing fine. I am fine here.
You promised to send me your mobile no. But I didn't hear from you after you left Chennai.
I am deputed form office to attend a conference in IOCL, Kopoli.
Would be arriving there on 27th August morning probably by 10.00 am ie. Saturday morning at the Mumbai airport by jet airways flight. My schoolmate Felix his wife Samantha would be there to receive me at the airport.
I will stay in their house. The programme is on Sunday. Evening 6.30 pm would be my return flight.
Hope to meet you sometime there …mebbe Saturday or Sunday evening. Wish to spend an evening with you.
If possible give a call to Felix at 09X0X0X0000. I have already told him about you.

Meet you soon…till then bye
Sharon

How would he explain to her that he lost her number when he changed his sim card….indeed all his friends.

He replied to her mail with his mobile number. He promised her that he would definitely meet her on Saturday evening.

It was 21st August 2005 just 5 days left.

An evening ….was reverberating in is mind…only an evening…

He can't help more. He stayed with his Aunt….how can he bring her there? It was not possible…his Aunt had given him a room inside the house. She would ask him a thousand questions if he had to bring her there.

a friends place…no .. the idea was bad…

Hotel…that was worser……

He mulled over it and then decided …. …

One evening in that week …his mobile tolled …as expected it was Sharon.

"Hi Ashwant…long time…"

"yeah…long time…hows you my gal" he was soft

"fine…how are you" she replied in a low voice

"me fine too…" he responded

"can we meet up on Saturday?" she inquired

"didn't Felix tell you…" he queried

"what…??" she didn't understand

"I told him to tell you" he said friskily .

"what …??" she repeated

"I told Felix that I will pick you from the Airport and you will come to my house. You can stay one day with me and one day with him…or as you wish" he was clear

"you have a house" she was hesitant

"yeah I have rented a flat…I shifted recently. I lived with my aunt but it was far from office. This one is near my office" he explained

He had rented a beach view flat. It was just 5 mins travel from his office. A furnished flat, big living room with decorative lamps, double bedroom furnished with wooden closets, en suite, comfortable, cozy, and the panoramic view of the Juhu beach from the balcony made it all awesome.

She was convinced and was affirmative to Ashwant.

She immediately called Felix. He confirmed what Ashwant had said.

He also told her "Ashwant is possessive, thinks that you are only his friend. Call me as soon as you reach Mumbai. I would be available for you at anytime".

She thanked him for that and passed her regards to Samantha. She was puzzled.

Sharon couldn't sleep that night. Thoughts of staying with a friend who is known to her only for few months haunted her. More that he was a bachelor. He stayed alone in a flat. Everybody at home had known him. But….the very thought of staying with him in a flat alone….made her heart palpitate.

She was actually scared of her own self, his piercing eyes, and his love for her. He had attracted her in several ways. Is something gonna happen..?? the thought running behind.

The announcement for the passengers to board on flight to Mumbai. She was shivering, little excitement, little scared, little happy…mixed emotions…..

Away from usual he woke up early tat morning, with the aroma of cynthol body cologne he was in a dark blue denim jean and black lee t-shirt was well in advance before the flight arrived in the Airport.

She walked out with her knapsack and handbag…and there he was standing resplendently waving to her. She waved back at him, smiled, walked up to him and said "hi". He smiled back at her. She was surely beguiling surely.

He took her knapsack on his back and showed her the taxi, which he had hired. He put the bag near the driver and made himself seated beside her. She was hushed up due to nervousness. He understood her vibes and started telling her about Mumbai climate, traffic, pollution that prevailed. The talk was very much able to ease her.

Finally they arrived home. A golden name board hung " Aswanth Venugopal". He opened the door which leaded them to a big living room. It was kept neat and tidy. She couldn't resist admiring the curtains, decorative lamps, the furniture, antiques, the wall hangings his taste was classy.

He then closed her eyes with both his hands from behind and leaded her to a place where she could feel a lots of breeze, chill and could hear the sound of the sea from far. He left open her eyes and it was the vista of the sea and the panoramic skyline. It was the balcony of the house ……..the vision was alluring.

They stood silently in the balcony watching the sea for more than an hour. The sea-scape made moods passionate.

Breaking the silence Aswant said, "You must be tired da…take bath and change. I will make a call for lunch…if you can tell me your choice…".

"No Ashwant…I am tired and feeling sleepy…got up early in the morning…so let me have a bath and sleep…don't order food now…let me have nap and then…" before she could complete he understood and said "k"

The bathroom was graceful. As she glided down the Jacuzzi she could feel the warm water enter her each hair pore. A freshening bath was nice. The soothing bath soon lulled her to sleep.

Ashwant was in the living room engrossed in Newspapers. Sudden gush of wind blew one paper form his hand and his eyes fell on her.

There she was peacefully in a sweet siesta. Innocent, blemish less; tender, warm girl curled up in the bed…cherubic is what she looked like…ravishing. He wanted to place kisses on her fore head, on her cheeks, her neck and on her ears. He went near her. Sat beside her on the cot.

Her golden kiss curls waving him near her face. Her rosy red lips like honey-dipped raspberry pulled him closer. The curvaceous body and the visible cleavage aroused the raging beast of his desire. Before the monster of lust could take over he pulled himself forcefully to normal state.

He paused for a while…..took her hand in his…and woke her for lunch.

She woke up like a child squeezing her eyes. She sat on the bed with leg folded. Streaks of curly golden black hair on her face, he couldn't control himself admiring the way she was.

"what do u wanno have for lunch?" he asked

"anything" she was hungry.

"me" he was enigmatic

"you…moron". she started hitting him with the pillow

"stop …stop.. shall we order for lunch da…your choice??" he held her

"anything …your choice" she retorted.

He ordered antipasto veggie, mozzarella, minestrone, spaghetti, salami, green salad, apple pie and ginger ale.

"you eat non-veg…" she was surprised.

"just to give you company da" he winked back

" hmm…. to give me company??…otherwise you don't eat is it??" she gave him a false stare

"Yeah….." he shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head

The sumptuous meal arrived in 20 mins. After a extravagant meal he sat in the balcony and she stood watching the sea sipping the ginger ale.

It was evening and they decided to set out for shopping. She changed to black jean and blue strapless top, a black silk scarf knotted around her shoulders. She was dressed to kill.

Nariman point, Malabar hills, Marine drives in his bullet and dinner in a posh Chinese restaurant.

Ashwant was an expert with chopsticks. He thought her how to use them. She was successful and made the dinner all the more exciting. After dinner Ashwant ordered for jasmine tea. They had one cup, the second cup and it went on to four cups each. They sat there chatting for some time and started off home.

As Sharon got onto the bullet she stumbled…..the jasmine tea had done its work. Her visions seemed to be blurred and Ashwant had developed a strong headache.

"My visions are murky Ahswant…I m feeling dizzy" she blurted
"don't worry its coz of the jasmine tea….we had a little too much. Lets go home" he started his bullet.

They reached home in few minutes. Sharon could manage but Ashwant was suffering from severe headache. He had taken a pill. He sat on the cot, leaning on the wall, holding his head and she sat helpless beside him. She was helpless but somehow managed to find out a pain balm. She sat beside him and took the balm in her fingers

"where is it aching for you" she was puzzled

"you apply that on my forehead da" he was holding his head

she applied the balm on his fore head. She was soft.

"put some pressure when you apply" he said..

She was not in a comfortable position.

She couldn't prevent him from lying on her lap. She felt a sudden rush of adrenalin within her. She rubbed the balm using her shivering right hand while her left was holding his face abutting to her body. He could feel her warmth. He was lying there with his eyes closed.

It would have been 10 mins. He opened his eyes slowly and was feeling better but still on her lap. In all the head ache dizziness her scarf had lost its place form the shoulders and was lying on a chair in the living room.

She had realized it only when she saw Ashwant's eyes admiring her disrobed shoulders. In the sudden realization she put her hands across and covered them. In the haste streaks of curly hair fell on her face and shoulder as though, they came to her rescue. They hung there covering her face partially and some of them making love with her shoulders which made her more appealing to him.

He pushed those curls behind her ears making her face fully visible to him. He pushed even the last strand of hair on her face behind and dragged the fingers down to her neck.

"I wanno kiss you dear" he lured. She didn't refuse…

he took her face in his hands…drew her close to his…and placed a deep kiss on her honey dipped raspberry lips…

Intoxicated by the jasmine tea, seduced by his looks, hushed by his touch, swayed by his kiss..the lure was perfect, but she withdrew...

She stood watching the sea… the waves kept beating repeatedly…she was silent…

He stood beside her in the balcony bare chest in his black denim shorts…brushing her hair…having his fag…the smoke vanished in the sea breeze….

She was beautiful……


psst: Credits to Anjan who did the proof reading of this piece...