The sun opened his eyes, and started kicking out the little traces of darkness all over. His rays tried to lick up the moisture over the surface of the grave of Srika. But the effort was futile. The drizzle, an hour ago , dented the hopes of the sun. The gravestone seemed as if it was erected the day before, and the vibration of the erection might have disturbed the sleeping, restless soul.

Just then, six pair of shoes entered that campus of cemetery, each hiking below a wreath, clasped by aged hands. They tried their best to imprint on the ground below ,and their success was evident. The shoes parked themselves around a very old grave. One of the aged hands placed a wreath on it. While other aged hands were following them, the first pair of hands pulled out a old diary from a new black coat. The pages of the diary were flipped; a gush of wind pushed a pink paper out of it. The paper fell on to the ground; the wind kept it rolling on the ground. The little water over Srika's grave stopped the paper and welcomed it. The paper began to have its first bath, and the letters--red inked letters-- began to spread on the paper, into the water over the grave.

This was the moment the silent soul of Srika was waiting for--to express her unexpressed feelings and express them in any form. But few miles away , the heart, for whom the heart of Srika once thumped for and now aching for, was getting ready to tie the three knots to his girlfriend of five years. That was Rovan--a monobrowed, good-at-heart and skilled-at-everything guy. He had completed his fine arts programme and just ventured into a freelance project.

This day--the day of his marriage with Ellora was very special to him. It was special not because of his marriage; it was special because of that day--the day of his first night.

That was the day he had been waiting since his biology teacher explained about human reproduction system and its operation. He wanted to see a girl naked. Now it was just 3 days to go; he could not only see his girl naked but he also can show his assets to her. He could mesmerise her with his masculine power. It would also be the day when he could finally bid good bye to his mastrubation habit which he practised imagining every beautiful poster girl. At the same time, he was worried about his physical performance on that day. He didn't want to be a mascot of mockery before his girl of his dream. He heard someone saying, " Even Hercules or He-man can't  satisfy women." He wanted  to be the one and only man to satisfy woman. So,it was like world cup of his life. He didn't want to underperform.He selected 16 sexual poses and hid them in the interior folders of his mobile. With destination wedding  didn't materialized ,he planned destination honeymoon as well.With his marriage just 3 hours to go, he sat all alone in his room, lost in thoughts.

He thought about Ellora and wondered what she would have been thinking-- her first night  or her make up or her apparels.

He was right she was thinking but not about her physical involvement but her mental involvement. She was wondering how she would adapt herself with some known to unknown people. She was wondering about her parents who always treated her as their inhalation. They were her eyelids, obscuring the unwanted and  exposing the wanted. For the first time, every cell in her body was in tears. She was closing her eyes and wondering what thoughts would be screening in their minds.

A big bang at the door brought Rovan to his five senses. He got up from the chair and approached the door to answer it, " Yeah! Coming, just a second." But the banging continued till he opened the door. No sooner had he opened the door, he found his friend ,Barky ,standing with a small package wrapped in all pink.

"Fuck ! Can't you wait for a minute?" Thundered Rovan.

There was no reply.

Barky went inside the room and placed the pack on a chair.

Turning around, he explained with an expressionless face ," You guys always mocked me that I am only an incoming call and I don't have outgoing facility. But on the most important day of your life, I am giving you a gift for the first time in my life. I never give anything to anyone. I am a cousin of selfishness. From now on..."

" Come on ! Don't be senti !"

Barky continued his way out of the room without any expression on his face.

Shaking his head, Rovan drew near the chair and wanted to check what his always-funny friend brought for him. As he lay his hand on the pack, he heard his friends babbling something and flocked around him.

" Where were you till now, you assholes?" Barked Rovan.

" We were looking after the arrangements." one of them answered.

" What arrangements?Everything has been taken care of yesterday only. And look here, Barky brought me a gift for the first time."

"When?"

"Just now."

" Are you sure?"

"Why would I lie, guys?"

All the visitors were shocked and glanced at the pink pack.

Why wouldn't  they be shocked when Barky not only met with accident but also met his death last night.

(5 years back)

Owing to his financial ups and downs, Rovan enrolled himself in a crash course which aimed at cracking a government sponsored programme. He was late by three days as he was busy pooling up the required admission fee. Finally ,when he arrived on the fourth day, he was led into a classroom of 52 students, after the admission formalities. Out of 52 students, there were 32 vaginas and 20 penises. Out of 32 vaginas, one  vagina illuminated his eyes, and he decided to ask her the notes of the last three days. He couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Mensuration is a branch of...." the trainer shouted at the peak shake of his throat. He made the best use of his vocal cords for 3 hours.

" Take a short lunch break and come back soon." He ordered all the trainees

All the students rushed out of the room. Rovan went after the only girl he zeroed in. She went past three rooms: classroom, office room and visitor's room; he followed her all through. There was only one room left--the restroom; he followed her there too. Becoming cautious of someone following her, she turned around and confronted him, pointing to the female toilet mark.

"Why are you following me?"

"I--I--I was on my way to boy's restroom."

" It on the other side, beside our classroom."

" Oh! My apologies, miss."

A sweet, short, stretched smile ran through her lips. He turned back and covering his face with a single hand made his way to the empty classroom. He sat there and glanced students leaving the classroom after their downloading at the restroom. The girl ,too, returned and  glanced at him. When she took her bag and tried to make her exit, he interrupted her " This is Rovan."

"Ellora."

" Rhythmic name"

"Thank you ."

" I want the notes of first 3 days"

"There are almost 50 students why are you asking me."

" Because you have got a perfect symmetrical face."

She crease her brow, fished out the notes from the bag and handed over to him.

" I want it by tomorrow."

He nodded his head and shoved  it into his bag.

"But I didn't like you asking only me ,out of 50 students"

" Why?"

"Because I am a girl and it is due to boys, girls always face troubles"

" Please,miss, don't mock boys."

"Why?"

" Because we are the  sincere since times immorial."

"How?"

" See miss, every creature in the world is naked. They flaunt their assets openly. But boys never flirt them"

She crinkled her nose.

" Have you ever seen any boy flirting or at least ogling at a buffalo or a bitch,even though they don't wear a bikini,even though they are naked?He sincerely tries only girls who always cover their entire body as if someone would snatch away their body organs"

"Do you have any sense what you are talking?"

" Yes, there's lot of sense in what I am speaking. Only great souls will understand."

" I am an ordinary soul."

"Don't worry ,miss, I will upgrade you system. " He began distancing from her and shouted ," Check properly your notes tomorrow, you will have a surprise."( Part-2 ..to be continued)