Inside the Bus

It was a really hot day. The bus stop was crowded and there wasn't any bus in sight. I was sweating profusely and my shirt had already become wet. I was praying that a bus should come soon, when I saw her crossing the road from the college gate towards the bus stop.

Anjana was my classmate and the prettiest girl in my college. Though we were classmates, I hardly spoke to her and she could, at best, be classified just as my acquaintance. But I harbored a big crush on her and though I tried to keep it to myself, some of my classmates came to know of it since I drooled at her quite openly. As it happens always, they started to tease me with her in class. Anyways, I somehow felt that she knew that I was drooling at her.

She came and stood at the bus stop a few feet away from me. I had to try hard to control myself from looking at her, because she was wearing my favourite black and brown salwar. She looked absolutely stunning. She affected me so much that I didn't notice that a bus had come at last and all the people who were waiting had already got into the bus, including her. I cursed myself for being such an idiot and got into the bus the same entrance through which she entered the bus.

The bus was jam-packed to say the least. I decided that I should stay as distant as possible from her since I could then look at her without her noticing it. I saw that she had somehow managed to get a seat in the front, so I chose a place way behind her near the conductor's seat. But the view was not proper from there and I had to strain my neck to see her. I was still trying hard to get her view when a voice spoke from very close to me.

"Searching for someone?"

I turned to see who it was. Oh my!! It was her!! And she was standing right next to me!! I started to blush very badly and words failed me completely.

"Er..no...i mean ya...the conductor." I managed to blabber something.

I was flabbergasted. Then who was the girl sitting in the front? Just at that moment, the tall guy who was so far, blocking my view, moved away from his place. It was then I realized that it was some other girl wearing almost the same dress.

"But he's right behind u. Just turn back and see." she replied with a knowing smile on her face.
"Ya. I just realized that. How silly of me!" I felt that I was gonna shrink into myself with embarrassment.

She smiled at me. I smiled back sheepishly. How lovely she looked when she smiled!! Once again, I had to prevent myself from drooling at her. I had a feeling that she was enjoying my embarrassment, but I didn't care as long as she smiled. I got myself a ticket and prevented myself from looking in her direction. I chose to look in the opposite direction instead. I wondered whether she knew that i was drooling at her. I assumed finally that she was smart enough to know that. Then something unexpected happened.

I had rested my right hand on a bar of a seat near her, and I felt a soft hand grip it. I was stunned. Was it Anjana's?? I turned and looked at her, and she smiled at me, the same knowing smile. My heart skipped a couple of beats. So, it was her! I felt myself blushing openly and turned away from her, but her hand was still rested on mine.

I started to sweat more. What does this mean? She has a crush on me too?? I felt like I should take her hand in mine as if to assure that I was in love with her too. What would she think of me then? I somehow managed to collect all my guts, and gripped her hand softly. I then turned to look at her face to see her reaction.

Just at that instant, she looked into my eyes and gave a hearty smile, almost a laugh. I was on cloud nine! I wanted to throw out everyone from the bus so that we could romance alone. Maybe I could text her "I love you". Or "I love you sweetheart". I wished the journey could go forever. It was then I realized that she would get down at a stop before me, since her house was a couple of minutes before mine. And she was due to get down at the next stop.

Sadness engulfed me as her place approached. I let go of her hand so that she could get down. I slowly turned to watch her climb down the stairs of the bus. I watched as she turned back towards me, and gave the same smile. I smiled back eagerly and thought of giving her a flying kiss, but decided against it at the last moment. The bus then started as she disappeared from my view.

I kept my hand back at the same place.How I wished that she could come back into the bus and keep her hand back on mine!! How i wished that we could continue our romance!! Then suddenly, I felt the same hand on top of mine. I was astonished! Was she back in the bus?? But that was impossible! I had just watched her get down from the bus! I strained my neck as much as I could, and tried to see who was holding my hand. Then I saw her.

It was a small girl who was sitting on her mother's lap in the same seat where I had kept my hand. She had obviously found my live-strong bands amusing, and was playing with them. I realized my stupidity. But why had she smiled at me? That too every time I looked at her?? I didn't have to wait long for my answer. I got a message on my mobile as I got down from the bus. I opened it. It was from Anjana.

"Hi karthik....sry 2 hav laughed at u inside de bus...cudnt contrl myslf...ur hair luks really pathetic...pls hav a hair cut... :) bye...sry again..hope u dint mistak me!"