Chapter - 2

"The First Look"

'Why the heck u are watchin' cartoon network at this moment? Have u gone out of ur senses?', Sameer wishpered angrily in his half sleep mode.

Aakash avoided sameer's words as he was moreover busy in seein' the love & tricks played between

tom n jerry.. He loved them, he loved cartoon characters, as they described his naive part inside. Sometimes, he wondered, if he would fly like spiderman, superman or have powers of shaktiman(once he was crazy abt the show) he would have helped the needy and poors and have taught lessons to selfish & arrogant persons including his chemistry teacher.

Sammer worries were right at his place as it was 2:45 am on the clock which he noticed on his way back from loo. He repeated his phrase to Aakash but couldn't say much as he felt it would disturb their mom's sleep and she would definitely take Aakash to a phyciatirist at morning if she comes to know that her li'l son was watchin' cartoons at this age and at this hour. Sameer went back to sleep knowing that Aakash hardly listen to anyone when he watches cartoons and somewhere he loved Aakash for that as he felt how kiddish his bro have been when he already had a half a dozen countable girlfriends n Aakash was hardly in all these. Aakash didnt felt the need of having a girlfriend, actually he didn't understood the concept of boyfriend n girlfriend. He was moreover waiting for someone special, {unaware that his wait was about to over next day itself}. Aakash was too much bored. Afterall, he was sitting at home and not going to school from last 1 month. He didn't bothered anyone, teased anyone, n whole day watched television or waited for 1 PM(chutti time) when he can go near the school to meet some of his friends. He did felt bad sometimes but he managed with his smiles over the jokes of his friend who talked about the funny incidents happening in class. Aakash went to sleep at 4 am after completing Richie Rich and Popaye Show. He had freedom to sleep till he wished as his mom's voice won't bother at sharp 7am "Wake up, get ready for school else u will get five tight slap". That was the only liberty Aakash enjoyed over Sameer.

Next morning at 12pm he finally decided to wake up when his Mom was done with all her household works starting from 7am. She was such a hardworking women and a complete cleaniness freak. After cooking the lunch she was done and was left with the toughest job - waking up Aakash. She shouted every hour and wanted Aakash to give her company in her works or atleast just sit infront of her so that she can look at her kid's cute face. But Aakash was busy in his spiderman dreams. Getting out of bed, he started searchin for remote so that he can switch on MTV and listen to repeated songs daily. Founding remote below his pillow, he sat on sofa, tunning to MTV, [V], etc.

"Go n get fresh, i have cooked the meal, n please tune in Star PLUS, i missed Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki last night.. Om was about to come back in Parvati's life, he was found in some hospital......"

"Cut the crap Mom, it happens every month, some one meets with an accident, get plastic surgeries and again it's found another month that it wasn't him... How do u tolerate this all..."

"When u listen to same songs daily or those idiotic english songs who just shout at their maximum pitch, do i say u anything... n dese days actresses are getting sorts of clothes.. it would polute ur mind.. U can also watch discoveries or news channels like Sameer, but u have no interest.. i wonder what will u do with ur life..Go and brush ur teeth.. food is ready, it will get cold."

Aakash didn't had any explaination to the shortage of clothes in bollywood or hollywood, So he just switched to Star PLUS and said, "Happy!! Now keep watching this idiotic channels which polute every indians mind with everyone marring for more than 3 times and it's hard to differenciate between who is mother and daughter in law, i mean all look of the same age.."

"Just shut up and get ready, U have to go for ur tutions and today u have to start ur new maths tutions as well, i have talked to Sir, he is a bit serious sort of guy, so don't play pranks around him. U know how important these tutions are for you, U need to pass in all the subjects to attend classes, n the exam is just two months away."

"Stop it Mom, i know it, don't remind me.. I won't bother you or anyone due to my behaviour, i know everyone gets irritated of me..."

Aakash always played this trick whenever he get bored of anyone's lectures, and as always his mom would hug him tightly and kiss all over his chicks sayin', "You are the best son anyone can have, but try to understand our sacrifises."

"I do Mom, I love you, u r the best Mom in this world."

"Now just go n get ready, U r disturbing in my show, i have already missed 5 mins"

"C'mon mom, they wud repeat last episode for another 5 mins, n ur show is more imp than ur kid"

This time Aakash's trick didn't worked. As his Mom eyes started getting red, he left the room singing..."Kahani har ghar ki,Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki..."

He reached the maths tutions in Patliputra(old name of Patna and currently a area in Patna city). His few classmates were already sitting inside with other school students, Shilpa and Jai were also in those students. He reached at 4 pm when the class was getting over, as he was unaware of timing. He talked to his new sir who had some visiblity problem, i mean if he looks in north direction, he actually is looking in south direction. Aakash came to know when he was talking to him and he was answering looking at a wall opposite to him. He finalished the timing n narrated his situation to his weird(directions) lookin' teacher. He had to come at 3 pm every Mondays, Wednesdays n Fridays.

Coming out he met Shilpa and Jai. He shared some jokes about his boring routine and the new bollywood movies. Jai offered him a ride on his scooter to have chowmein at a near by market. Aakash agreed and they both waved a bye to Shilpa.

On reaching the Fast food corner Aakash heard a voice of a girl who was shouting at the cook for pouring too much salt in the chicken chowmein she had odered. Weird girl, he thought. Whats the need of shouting at the poor man. Jai told Aakash that this girl studies in the same batch with us. She is from another school and too much talked about. Aakash told what there in a girl to talk when she already talks this much (unknowing she was the only girl he will talk about for the rest of his life). Aakash just took his plate of egg-chowmein from Jai's hand when the girl took U-turn and faced Aakash. He got stucked. His hands weren't moving anymore and he was standing as a plain stupid infront of her holding the plate, eyes wide-open. Aakash had never seen something this b'ful, he was amazed by those eyes which were looking at him curiously. Something was different about this girl which forced Aakash to look at her constantly unaware of what she might be thinking. He never looked at any girl twice before caz he never felt the need to. Aakash was locked at the cuteness in her eyes, he saw a kiddish smile through the eyes.

Aakash was about to loose balance and drop the plate when Jai shaked him and said, "what happened? Are u alright..".

"Yeah, everything all right", changing his direction he uttered those words knowing nothing was gonna be alright now.

Sitting on the chairs of fully natural air conditionar fast food restaurant, Aakash was surprised by what he had seen just few minutes back. He couldn't control his curiousity and questioned Jai "You told that girl studies in ur batch in coaching, Right?"

"Which girl are you talking about", Jai had already seen him staring her like a fool, so he was pulling his legs.

"Stop Kidding! M serious, whats her name?"

"Serious!!!! R u nuts, She is not of ur type, many guys of the tutions are already after her and her brother often comes at the coaching... so stay away from all these complications..", said Jai who didn't wanted another competitor for himself as he had already many of them in tutions.

"Stop ur preaching and i m not asking abt her bio-data.. just tell me her name else u r gonna pay the bill", Aakash knew that Jai was too miser for that as he had the habit of using friend at these places.

"Ria", replied Jai

"Ria", Aakash loved the name. Actually he liked or rather loved her eyes, smile, inocent looks, infact everything about her. He got a feeling that his search was over somewhere. He started feeling some weird movements inside his heart, which he never felt before. He didn't know he was just on the edge of fallin'.... fallin' in love...