There were only two of us there. She was about twenty feet away from me. There was no sound whatsoever around us spare for the noise of the running a/c in the vicinity. Where were “we” you ask? Or Who are ”we” you ask? I guess the whole of library was empty that day, empty even for the likes of a library that is, which was typical at the start of a semester (: P). However, there she was, sitting right in front of my eyes, so engrossed in reading her book and there was I, noticing her every move. Not really, but I bet that’s what you wanted to hear (: P). I was also reading a novel, a classic Charles Dickens “Great Expectations”. Then suddenly she looked up, adjusted the hair locks from her face, looked at me and gave an enigmatic smile.
Say what? Let’s rewind a bit.
It all began during the early days of my fifth semester when I used to go to library to read classics kept there. I liked the silence and ambience at first as I find it easier to concentrate in a deserted and reticent environment. It was blissful and refreshing for me and became a habit. Continuing for a week or so, I noticed a girl coming there regularly too. I usually do not take much notice of the surroundings but it struck me that she used to sit in the same corridor, wander in the same classics’ section (read the same kind of books, perhaps?) and used to sit there until I did. That day she was sitting just a few feet away from me, that black hair neatly tied with a few strands escaping the shackles to end up on her face, those searching eyes, attentive ears noticing every movement around her, indicating she is unsure of something. But, what and why? Well, her Salwar-Kurta apparel rather gave it away. :P . So, a fresher escaping the seniors and quad sessions (no ragging in IITK, remember?) by coming to the library. Quite innovative, I must add. However, I was curious to know what she might do there for three- four hours. I just happen to pass her desk and found her reading War and Peace. Tolstoy!! Seriously! Not that bad but too philosophical for anyone’s liking. And so boring that even Tolstoy took six months to write it. Contrastingly this also reminded of this fantastic article , but then I can imagine anything I want, right? I was reading Dickens (yeah, again) at that time. Next day I didn’t see her anywhere. I was immersed in reading when a loud, shrilly voice happened to divert my attention. I found that the same girl was sitting behind me and was being yelled at by two of her seniors apparently for bunking (?) quads. Being in third year means you can show your authority without worrying about creating a fuss. I knew they were sophomores and asked them to be quiet and leave her alone. (I might have said something on these lines. ;)). They weren’t happy about it and left giving her warnings in undertone. She looked at me and then went back to reading. So much for all my heroics! I didn’t see her for the next two days and totally forgot about her. Today, suddenly, there she was, coming and sitting on the desk next to me. Maybe she was hoping I would scare her seniors away like last time. She looked at me and smiled mysteriously. I felt like I was transformed into a virtual bodyguard but gave her a smile nevertheless. In her hand was a Dostoyevsky’s classic “Crime and punishment”(Whoa!). How much philosophy does this girl reads? Over the next few days, we exchanged glances and smiles but I could never talk to her. (Hint: Her choice of books was a big reason ;)). During this time she had moved over to Dickens (Great Expectations) having completed persuasion, Jane Eyre and Anna Karenina (Tolstoy, again!) in between. Was her choice of novels trying to tell me something? (Or that was me just being paranoid with patterns? Maybe the latter.) Then there were exams and both of us had to study in a crowded library. After the exams, the same sequence continued. We looked at each other, exchanged smiles but bloody hell; I didn’t even know her name and had no courage to ask her either. By the way i kept track of what all she read during this time (i just happen to find out :P). ). She was onto Orwell (1984) having past Harper lee, JD Salinger and Hemmingway (A moveable feast). That is one hell of a reading speed :P. How much can a girl, or for that matter, anyone be into philosophical classics? Every time I saw her a part of me wanted to go over and talk to her, ask the name atleast but I could not. How could I do it just like that? Without any pretenses, i was clueless as to how to do it.
Then she didn’t turn up for a week or so. I had left it too late. After some weeks i saw her at the CC canteen. She was with a couple of girls from her batch. Again, we exchanged smiles but in my mind, i was brooding over whether i should go over there and talk to her. "What if she ditched me? In front of her friends! those first years!! More so in front of my friends, who would never let me forget it!" I was scared like hell. Should I just go over and talk to her? Wouldn’t that be awkward? If she were alone maybe then I could have talked to her! ”She was alone sitting in front of you for almost a couple of months”, an inner voice in my head said. Why girls can’t wander alone, I thought. Why do they have to move in groups?? I was occupied by these thoughts when she went over to pay the bill and eventually I followed. She smiled at me at the counter (again). My impulses took over me and suddenly I mumbled, "Hi! So, what’s your name?" She said, "Excuse me?” Yeah I didn’t say it out loud enough for her to hear it. However, I again repeated my question with a heart going at supersonics and mind numb with fear (now that I think of it, it wasn’t like that). She replied "Oh, that! And I thought you would never ask."
