Cupid Strikes

All the characters referred to in the below blog are fictitious and bear no resemblance with anyone living or dead whatsoever. Any co-incidence is purely co-incidental and unintentional.

For first time readers, please refer to the post, “Bio Geek or a Moron?” for continuity.

Jignesh had lost control by now. Two debacles in the same day, he could no longer take it. He had to talk to Siddharth. So goes Sid’s cell ringing. Jignesh calling. Another debacle, Sid thought, since Jignesh never called him inside college without meeting Jahnavi and committing a blunder. Lest was he aware that this time our hero had achieved a double feat. He picked up the call.
Sid: “Now what is it that you have done?”
Jignesh was disturbed by this; his debacles with Jahnavi had always disturbed him, because they were always unintended. But somehow he gathered himself and responded.
Jignesh: Hey I need to talk to you, cannot tell you over phone. Where are you?”
Sid: I am coming to the canteen, meet me there.”
Jignesh was still sitting in the canteen, lost in his thoughts, when he was jolted out of the reverie by Siddharth who spotted him sitting in the corner table, sad and disgusted. He sat beside him, and asked, “What is it?” Jignesh told him the whole event line-up, the library, the yawn, the coffee and the cockroach and his desire to wish her on her birthday and how he had just opened his mouth to wish her when she spotted the cockroach. Siddharth understood the matter.
Jignesh: “I just can’t handle it anymore. She thinks I like flaunting my biology knowledge on her, but you know it is not like that. I really want to talk to her, but whenever I see her I just get so nervous, I end up committing a blunder. Now what do I do?”
Sid: “Call her up and apologize first and then wish her and do not give stupid and idiotic justifications and explanations. Just do not make it too long on the phone. Keep it short and simple. JUST APOLOGIZE AND WISH. And this time I will sit beside you in the call. If you make any mistake, I will handle it thereafter.”
Jignesh: “Never, I will not be able to speak a single word in front of you and if she comes to know that you are with me, she will consider me a real moron who can commit blunders independently but needs a friend to apologize. Please, I will not talk in front of you. I will update you.”
Sid: “You are talking sense, for a change. But be careful, do not be nervous and do as I have told you. I hope to hear some good news after this, no bad news. Please.”
Jignesh was all smiles; his brother had boosted his confidence. “Thanks bro. I will do it this time, do not worry. Call you soon after calling her.”
He gathered himself for the call, cursing himself for having landed in such a situation. Reluctantly he dialed the number. Tring Tring. Jignesh Calling. Jahnavi was very sad. She knew Jignesh had not intended the cockroach debacle as she was well aware, how truly he loved the subject and was a champion at that too. But she was saddened realizing that Jignesh was not able to gauge the situation before opening his mouth. Stupid girl was finding her MAN in Jignesh. The rings were going but she did not want to talk to him now. She muted the phone and sat there, keeping her head down in a lonely classroom. Jignesh got the message. It is more serious. He called up Sid and apprised him. Sid pondered over it.
Jignesh: “She does not want to talk to me anymore I guess.”
Sid knew Jignesh was right but this was not the right time to confirm his fears. He told him something. Jignesh was all smiles again. Jignesh knew of three places to look for her - the library, girls’ common room or the top floor which had empty classrooms. He searched for her everywhere until he located her sitting lonely in a classroom with heads down. He sincerely prayed to the HEAVENS above – God she should not cry.
Jignesh: “Wish you a very very happy birthday.”
Jahnavi looked up. She was in a fix.
Jignesh: “Now look before you forgive me; let me say I AM REALLY SORRY. Actually I just wanted to tell you that you are not at all boring. I had been studying since 2 hrs, so was feeling a bit drowsy. And I had not forgotten your birthday. I had actually come there to wish you over the coffee but the creature appeared from nowhere and I did the same mistake again. I know it is hard for you to digest all this, but please believe me; I just wanted to spend some time with you. That’s it”
He spoke all that Sid had told him to gobble out with a single breath stroke. Jahnavi was listening, dumbfounded. Am I dreaming? She could never expect Jignesh could speak so nicely and tell her all that she was dying to listen. Birthday wish, apology, acceptance of blunder, clarifications. She just wanted to go back in time and listen to it all over. She feared asking Jignesh to repeat it, as that would mean re-inviting the BIOLOGICAL MONSTER residing within him, who had been somehow sent to hibernation for now. She gave him a cheery smile. They shook hands, he wished her again and asked her, “Friends again?” Jahnavi giggled again, she was beaming with joy. Her happiness knew no bounds. She said, shyly, “Yes.” Jignesh managed a grin. Seeing this she burst out of laughing. “Oh Jignesh, why do you land yourself up in so much trouble?” She managed to speak between intermittent laughter bursts. Jignesh saw her laughing like an innocent baby. She was indeed happy. And seeing her happy, he was very happy. He thanked Sid a zillion times for the idea of seeing if she’s around in the college and then also suggesting him what to say. Sid knew the art of handling girls very well. Slowly he realized how he treasured Jahnavi’s happiness. He wanted to enjoy this moment. Jahnavi also wanted to enjoy the moment.
Jahnavi: “Still I cannot believe that you can tell me all this!!!” She was still smiling.
Jignesh: “Actually even I had not believed I could tell you all this. It happens; we are ourselves not aware of many things. There is a layer of sub-consciousness residing in us beneath the conscious layer. It is just like a recorder. It records and stores everything. Moreover it has got processing powers as well and knows which tape has to be played when and which tapes are never to be played. It is all those gut feelings that we get, those are the sub-conscious voices. Sometimes we listen to them, sometimes we don’t……”
Now Jahnavi was exasperated. The MONSTER had awakened. Jignesh was in a fix as usual. He had smartly avoided it so far, but the slightest provocation was more than enough for him. But he had learnt his lesson today. Before Jahnavi went out of sight, he rushed towards her, caught her by her hand and just looked straight into her eyes. She melted. He smiled, she smiled, they both smiled.
Jahnavi: “I am not going to forgive you for this without a sorry.”
Jignesh:”Do you mind adding coffee to the list?”
Now the real Jignesh was showing up slowly and gradually. Jahnavi liked it.
Jahnavi: “Only if you promise me not to start the BIO again.”
Jignesh laughed and both of them headed towards the canteen. Sid was stunned seeing them sitting together and enjoying coffee. But he was happy. Cupid Struck. He thought.