My eyes burnt in jealousy and helplessness looking at the sight in front of me. The glass filled with a scotch in my hand suffered more than the guy whom I mentally murdered in a million ways. His words made her laugh. The laugh was only reserved for me. His words made her cheek get tinted with blood.
But whom am I kidding?
She knew it will break the insides of me, seeing her with any other guy, yet she has the guts to do the things which provokes me. Swara, Oh my sweet little innocent Swara. I still remember the first time I saw her. Our family is a sophisticated, well settled with money that could feed generations. Our mansion is kind of situated near the Swaraswathi colony which is near Kolkata Airport.
I was 10 years old playing in our mansion garden with my cousin Laksh, when my ears picked up the sound of a truck, and I along with Laksh went near the fence which separates our mansion from the colony. A new family arrived at the colony with lots of goods. That's when my eyes fell on her. She was wearing a green floral printed jumpsuit with two pigtails and a small polar bear in her hand. I think she was 5 years old and she walked inside the colony, holding her mother's hand, looking at the building with happiness and innocence oozing out of her eyes.
The next day I met her along with my mother who came to enroll my sister Uttara in our school. She also came with her mother to get admitted to the school. I felt a sudden wave of relief wash me over knowing that I will get to see her at the school; every day. Whenever my mother asks her something, she first looks at her mother, and then she answers. When we came back to our mansion, my mother couldn't stop herself from gushing about Swara to my Badi Maa.
"Jiji, you should have met Swara, she is so cute and sweet, I felt like to take her with me to our house and keep her with us. Oh my God, no bad eye should fall on the child even mine."
"Is it Sujata? Then I should meet her," Badi Maa said serving me and Laksh our snacks. I acted like their conversation didn't make any sense to me, but the whole time I was thinking about only one thing-
How to get close to Swara?
"They are staying in the colony only, Jiji. Swara's father Vasu is a government official, they are South Indians. Due to work, Swara's father has been transferred here. Her mother Anu told it's the first time in his whole 10-year career they have transferred him. Anu was worried about not knowing anyone here. I told her she can come to our house anytime they want" That last sentence caught my attention and I went back to the boys' room to do my work, but her thoughts invaded my mind.
Swara finished her kindergarten back in South India, so she was allotted with the 1st-grade kids. Uttara just now joined kindergarten, Laksh in 3rd grade and me in 5th grade. When I got down from the car, I saw Swara looking at her mother and father with longing eyes standing at the gate of our school. My Dad who came to drop us all saw them as Laksh pointed at Swara identifying her.
"Hello, Mr. Vasu, I am Ram Prasad Maheshwari, Co-Founder of Maheshwari Enterprises, yesterday my wife Sujata met with your wife and daughter" After a few greetings exchanged Dad asked them why they are waiting outside?
"Mr. Ram, Swara is afraid of going alone inside the school and the watchman said we can't go inside to drop her. She is adamant of not going alone, so we don't know what to do" I was holding Uttara's hand while Laksh was cooing something in her ears, but all my attention was on Swara whose lower lip was out with unshed tears swimming in her eyes.
"Laksh and Swara's class are on the same floor only, he can drop her till her class. What you say Laksh?" Dad's statement came as a shock to me. I wanted to drop her till the class, but why is he suggesting Laksh?
"No problem Chachu, come Swara" He went towards Swara while she looked at her mother.
Don't give your hand
Don't give your hand
I mentally prayed, but alas her mother asked her to go with him. Laksh and Swara walked in front while I followed them with Uttara. Laksh tried to speak to her, but she was silent and walked looking at the ground. At least one thing in my favor. I followed them after dropping Uttara to her class and saw Swara holding Laksh hand tightly not letting him go.
"Please don't go" Her pleading voice reached my ears. I wanted to go and comfort her, but something inside me restricted me to do so.
"Hey Swara, don't worry. See your new friends are waiting for you. I will come and pick you in the evening, Ok." he said and made her sit in the class and went to his classroom. The whole day my mood was off because of the closeness between Laksh and Swara. As he said, Laksh picked up Swara from her class, and at the gate, she saw her mother and ranted like a bullet train about Laksh. Anu Aunty gave us all chocolates and took Swara with her.
That moment I hated my brother like anything. She should speak about me right, but she was speaking about Laksh to her mother. I thought it's a one-day thing, but it continued every day. As a 10-year-old I don't know why I felt like that as years passed, I realized I developed an irrevocable attraction towards Swara. Like the burning Sun, she burnt my insides day and night, for a long period, leaving me breathless with her thoughts invading my mind every single day.