Madhu sat in the balcony of her flat, with a cup of noodles in one hand while the other flicked through the constant messages that were being sent by Biswa.
Why?
Have I done something?
I'm sorry if I have.
She hated it when guys didn't know their mistakes and acted all pricey about it as if they were doing a favor to girls. But it wasn't just Biswa. He was an agent of this capitalist cesspool. It was the lifestyle she had grown tired of. For some reason, the life at the bungalow and the striking man made her think about this and take the decision. Maybe she belonged for loneliness, to be at peace with herself, away from the exhausting rat race.
Vijaya came in the balcony, clad in loose pajamas and a t-shirt, chewing gum. She sat on the chair that was opposite to Madhu and said:
"Arey so you mailed him your resignation notice?"
"I gave a week's notice," she fumbled with the fork as she rolled up the noodles and sucked it up. "I can't deal with this shit, babe. I am twenty four and I'm doing a stupid job by making ugly men like me for my face."
"That's how the world works sweetheart."
Vijaya wrote articles from home and owned a website on feminism.
"Weren't you the one who taught me about equality?"
"Those are very thanda concepts, jaan. If you want to earn money, you need to make few people smile. Hypocritical hai, par ab kya hi karein?"
"Not anymore," she widened her eyes. She was still having a hard time digesting the fact that she had just quit. "I want to do something else."
"And what is that?"
"Explore perhaps," she mused, "find my inspiration. I might be the single living human being who has no hobby."
"What are you saying?" Vijaya scowled. "You were good at...um...dancing?"
"I never danced,"
"What about London thumakda?"
"That was in the stupid graduation night," she frowned.
Vijaya pulled up her specs. "So you are going to find your hobby?"
"I suppose so."
"Good luck with that, Ms. Unemployed."
And that word hurt her more than anything in the world right now.
"Whatever it is bro, I am having my birthday party this Friday and you are going to arrange it."
Madhu smiled meekly. She had already made plans about it with Vijaya's boyfriend, Kishore Pandit. He was just the opposite of Vijaya. He was the hard and fast Brahmin who listened to his parents while Vijaya was the headstrong South Indian who had grown up to be an independent woman. When Madhu had met Kishore, she had thought he would be patriarchal in every sense of the word, what with how he walked and looked. But he turned out to be a sweetheart.
"How are things going with Kishore?"
"He's been quite distant nowadays," she frowned. "I mean, he took me to a diamond shop and for a moment I thought he would buy a ring for me but then it turned out to be for his mother. Goddamn that woman! She got the best ring and I was left with nothing."
"It's been five years right?"
"Too long, man. I want some new guy now." She curled her legs up and dug her face in her wrapped arms.
"Aw," Madhu patted her on the shoulders.
*
Then Friday happened. Madhu was handling all the decorations. With no work occupying her, she put all her energy into the party, forcing Kishore to leave his banker's job aside for a day and help her with the decorations. They put up neon lights and added Vijaya's favorite songs to the playlist. Kishore meanwhile ordered food and talked to the cake shop to deliver on time. Madhu cleaned up the rooms to make it look presentable. Then she coordinated and called everyone before Vijaya would return from the market.
Madhu realized there was half an hour to go before Vijaya's friends would come; she rushed to the bathroom, tossed all her sweaty clothes aside and took a shower. When she came out, she put on a black dress that was thigh length.
Soon, the party had begun, with Vijaya now amongst the crowd, dancing with her boyfriend. Vijaya had hugged Madhu, grateful for what she had done for her. There were a few who staggered around drunk, while some were making out and some had gone into philosophical discussions.
Madhu stood in a corner, sipping her drink. She was happy for Vijaya but not for herself. She had no one. She was so immersed in her job that she forgot to have a personal life. She had no one except Vijaya as of now. Her aunt, the only person who was close to her had passed. She had relatives in Australia but she didn't talk to them. All of this made her cringe from inside.
"What's a lonely girl like you doing in a party like this?" a husky voice came from the back.
Madhu turned to find Pran. He was a senior and on good terms with most people in the office, but Madhu's enemy. She had hated him since the day he tried to take advantage of her when she was drunk. He would send her weird and cringe-worthy texts and unclothed pictures.
Pran had the looks of a bad boy. He had piercing black eyes, with which he would gaze unblinking for minutes at a time, penetrating the very core of a person.
"Get lost," she responded.
"Ouch! Such strong words."
Madhu noticed his black coat worn over his V-neck t-shirt. He probably tried to look dapper but ended up looking like a gangster.
"Well you have to come around someday."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, nothing, just that..." he circled around Madhu, "you seem to be lonely amongst so many people. I can offer you company."
"I would rather eat shit."
"You don't mean harm to those whom you give attention. You never know when you need them." He licked his lips.
"What does that mean?"
The song had turned to a romantic number.
"You do realize I'm friends with Pandit right?"
Kishore had bad company. When Vijaya had begun dating him, Pran had come into the group himself, as he was Kishore's basketball buddy.
"And we talk. Manly talks," he raised his brows. "And he told me what he was going to do."
"What?" she asked like an idiot only to realize what was happening.
Kishore knelt down, pulling out an ornate diamond ring from his pocket and asked Vijaya to marry him, who was by then jumping in exuberance.
Madhu's mouth tasted bad but not from the alcohol. Her body froze at that instant when Pran's whisper came from the corner. "What a wonderful sight, isn't it?"
But what made Madhu cry from inside was Vijaya's answer.
"Yes."
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