In the times of Love

Vicky hardly attended college. He was doing his internship with an advertising company at Shivaji Nagar in Pune, Mediarocks. But, he would hang out almost every day outside college to fool around  with friends, boozing and admiring the cool N hot chicks. The only time he was present in college was during the college festival, Xtravaganza. After all, it was the time when many love stories started.
Radhika was Vicky's senior in college and was the object of desire of all the guys. Whenever she walks in the campus and touching her curly hair with her delicate fingers, she would send the guys in a frenzy state of mind. After all, she was super hot and naturally, the topic of conversation.
Radhika and Vicky were oblivious of each other's presence till Xtravaganza happened in August. Three days of college festival and like many, Vicky enrolled in Radhika's team in the logistics department. On the first day of the college fest,Vicky was standing in a blue kurta in the college campus and hiding away from the glares of everyone and was smoking. A sensual feminine voice patted him on the back and offers a handshake:
Hi, I'm Radhika. Logistics team, right?
Vicky was strucked  by her beauty and was wondering whether she is the same Radhika every guy was speaking and dreaming about. He stammered.
Hi, V-i-c-k-y..I mean I am vicky.
Radhika sports a mocking smile.
Yes, Vicky I got your name. You are in my team. By the way, smoking is strictly not allowed in college campus and certainly not during the college fest. It will give a bad image to Fergie college. C'mon dude, we are the best college in Pune. Btw, I also smoke and after all the preparations ,let's have a smoke outside.
Vicky nodded and throws the fag away.
Radhika pats him on the shoulder:
Fuck dude. Follow me. All volunteers are decorating the amphi theatre and we have a very important event in one fucking hour. Let's go jaldi.
Vicky runs after Radhika towards the amphi theatre. There are hordes of volunteers, boys and girls and Vicky is helping Radhika with the decoration, sticking the wall papers, muslin papers, banners and balloons.
During the interval at Indian classical dance show, Radhika asks Vicky
Hey, I never see you in college. You don't attend classes kya?
Vicky smiles and says, I am always in college hanging out with friends and I've heard bout you soo many times.
She smiles, Oh! Yeah! Really How come Mr Vicky? Btw, please reply to my question. Why don't you attend classes?
Well, it's just that I am doing my intern with Mediarocks and towards December you shall see me more often, he quips.
Radhika holds his hand, Please let's go out for a smoke and a cutting chai. They walk together outside the college campus and crosses the busy streets towards the chai ki tapdi.
Radhika asks the tea vendor, daun cutting bhau aur cigarettse, classic mild.
She asks Vicky, you like classic mild, na?
He replies that it's his favourite brand. They sit together on the bench. Radhika shares a thing or two on the weather, Nice weather na and I love dis weather. It's hot but still the gentle damp in the temperature makes the chai so good.
Vicky smiles, A perfect weather to kiss and some romance.
Fuck you, Vicky. She slaps him on his arms, Oh! Guys! They think of only one thing....Now, will you tell me why I am the object of your friends' conversation.
He is amused. Well, obviously girls are not mooning over you. Simple: Coz you are the hottest in college. She smiles sheepishly.
It is the last day of extravaganza and the students of Fergie poses for a group photo.
Radhika quizzed him, So, Mr Vicky? It's great how become friends in just three days. Hope to see more of you, my invisible college junior.
He replies, Babe, my internship will get over soon. They hug each other tightly.
Vicky, are you coming tomorrow for the party?, she asks.
He nodded, Radhe..how can I miss it?
As she ignite the keys of her bike, see then tomorrow at 9 p.m.
The gang of Xtravaganza joins on Saturday at Fire N Ice disco in Camp, MG road. Many love stories started during Xtravagaanza and couples could be seen dancing and sitting in a corner, cozying to each other.
Hi, been searching for you dude, Radhika says as she checks her mobile. Oh! You messaged and I've been searching for you everywhere.
He takes her by her arms, let's go for some vodka shots.
They gulped three vodka shots. Radhika suggested that they hit the dance floor, C'mon Vicky, let's dance. Kajra re is coming.
They dances as their bodies motion towards each other. They lips approaches and Vicky plants a kiss on her lip. She would not let him get away from him as she presses her lips against his. Their tongues swirl into each other's mouth and indulge into a long, passionate kiss oblivious of on-lookers and the blazing music.


Three months later.
Vicky completed his intern and has become more regular in college. He tried the phone number of Radhika but it's left unanswered. Nobody has seen Radhika in college and he tried searching for at the Economics department but to no avail. Fed up of trying to reach out to Radhika, he started dating Sneha, a first year girl from Delhi. In February, somebody told him that Radhika is back to college and that she went for a tour in Germany, showcasing the Marathi play Mee Purush boltoy.
Radhika heard about his affair with Sneha and according to her friends, she is quite upset with him. One day, the passed crossed accidentally and she prodded, After all, you showed that you are just like the others, na. I was your legitimate fuck. Sex was on your mind and that's it, dude.
Vicky is pissed off, Now, will you let me explain? I tried calling you several times.
She replies angrily, I thought there was something going on between us. Can you have waited? And you are dating this slut, she shouted and left.
Several times, they happen to see each other in the college campus and the hang out spot. There was always an awkward silence between them. Not even a formal hi. The truth is that Radhika always think about him and the memorable moments spent together. She dated a few guys but broke up immediately. Her heart was not in the relationships.
Vicky broke up with Sneha and apologized that he is not doing justice to her and it's better that they move on. Often, he would drown his sadness in alcohol.
It was the exams time and after that, Radhika will leave college to pursue her masters in mass communication at Saint Xavier's in Mumbai. Often, they would see each other in the campus and behaving as complete strangers despite standing in a single group or discussing their respective exam papers.
It was the last day of college and the first monsoon showers has just started. Radhika walks up to him, Hi Vicky. So, you have one more year to go and just came to say bye and best of luck in your life. I also want to say that you are a bastard.
She turns and walks away from him in the college campus. Vicky's buddy Aniruddha shouts at him, dude what are you doing? You love her man and she fucking loves you..chutiya run after her and tell her.
Without losing a second, Vicky throws his bag on the floor and heads towards the parking space in college where Radhika is heading. His friends, Aniruddha, Neha, Rohan and Kim follows him. He yells, Radhika, Radhika, Radhika, please listen..I am a bastard, I've been an asshole..
Radhika turns and ponders, now what the hell is fucking wrong with this guy?
He walks in her direction, Perhaps in the start I was unsure of my feeling and that's why I dated Sneha. But, I broke up with her because I love you. When we were not together, I waited for every single in college campus so that I can see your beautiful smile. I love your curly hair. It's the last day in college and I don't want to regret telling how much I love you.
Radhika runs towards him and they hugged each other tightly. She says, I love you too, my bastard. And they kissed. The water lashed heavily at that very moment. Monsoon has started in Pune. Anirddha, Neha, Rohan and Kim shouts..Fuck the world...and clapped their hands thunderously.

Mumbai

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

The count down starts. 34 days from now on I shall be in maximum city. It's been a long wait and it's worth the wait. I left Mumbai on September 22, 2007 as I bid farewell to the city of dreams. I left the city, heart broken and shattered. My heart broke on that day as tears dropped on my cheek. I had to leave the city. I needed a break, cutting me off from the local trains, yellow-and-black cabs and turned my face to love. I loved and lost. Chanda told me, ya dude do get out of the city. You need a break. Honestly, I suffered from a terrible break up and staying in the city would mean thinking of the past things that hapened to me.
In a sense it's been good. Lotsa things changed for better. I was able to surmount the heart break. I've come clean inside. I shall be in the city for a week. I can't wait to kiss Mumbai and everything that matters. I can't wait to board the local to Andheri, hang out at Churchgate, Marine Drive, Colabo. Mumbai rocks. It is the best city in the world. A city that never sleeps. I love the city and when you are not with someone that you realize its worth. Mumbai,my city, my love. A city that never cease to amaze me. Our never say die the spirit. It's amazing and intriguing how we bounce back after every bomb blast. The people are amazing. There is never a dull moment in amchi Mumbai.
I'm already making plans as to where to go on Day 1, where to eat, whom to meet. It's like running into the arms of your muse. Mumbai is my muse and shall always be. Our love is forever and ever. It is an adictive place. Since I have few days leave I shall try to do the maximum in the city and looking forward to meet old chums, make new friends and sip my Capuccino at Barrista and hang out at Bandra Bandstand. I'm back with a revenge and it's time for em to triumph in Mumbai. How things changed for me in a short span of time and shall witness the change that's happening in the city. I shall witness the fast paced life.
Do commuters still rush in the early morning to catch the local train to their workplace? Of course, they do. Do you guys still have chai at 1 a.m at Churchgate station and savour your bun with jelly. Most definitely. What kind of stupid question is that? Or the cutting chai at Rajabhai Tower, university of Mumbai and the walk from university to Colaba..the crazy run of cabbies and hordes of onlookers at Juhu Chowpathy and the coffee at CCD. These were the golden years or so I may call it. It was a crazy life in Mumbai and it's still..I'm sure for crores Mumbaikars. The struggle for a better life and to make the moolah. It's never been easy in Mumbai.
They say a life time is enough to assess the power Mumbai has over its citizens. One life is not enough to know even a third of Mumbai. Do you still recall running from one place to another to hunt for a flat in the city. SoBo..too expensive, Bandra not in the budget, Virar you can't stay and Andheri is the only decent option. It has new shopping malls budding up and the solution is always the BEST buses and the local trains if your college or workplace or film studio is located in the South or West. I still vividly remember studying in the library at Kalina campus and dashing to board the train at Santacruz, It's 8 p.m and as you juggle you way in the jam packed local, you tend to count the number of stations to reach the last stop as you are dead tired. No problem if you manage to get a seat you open your bag to read The Economic Times. As the train slowly approaches Churchgate station, you get down cautiously if you don't wanna be pushed by commuters who are waiting to enter the train. It's a crazy run. Yet! We adore the city.

It's a love-hate-love relationship we share.
Sometimes I get so fed up with you that I wanna leave everything and go.
But, only to realize how much I miss you.
Yoy are my special city.
You are mot just a city.
After all, you wear the Queen's necklace.
So vibrant, full of energy.
No wonder lakhs converge everyday to rest on your shoulder.
Like a dutiful mother you carry our burden.
We suffer in your lap yet we prosper.
Some of us finds love, while other suffer break up.
Yet, our love for you knows no limits.
As I ready myself to find solace in you,
I can't tell on the amount of excitement to be with you.
I wish that we shall unite for better and worse.
Love you my city.

My amchi Mumbai.