Akash’s POV

Just like we don’t see the time when we are too happy either too sad, Tara has been avoiding me since she came to meet me here. For a girl, it's a quite daring thing to do, that to meet a boy at night. But Tara doesn’t care about anyone and what will people say if they see us together. God forbid if anyone sees us, it would turn into a big chaos. I wonder where such guts come in her?

“Is that it? Done talking and apologizing? I am leaving then..” She turned to go when I stood in her way and held her hand. She glared at me again but I kept holding her hand though I knew if I would get punched by her for doing it so.

“Don’t go yet, I want to tell you something” I said in my most dead serious voice.

“What is it now?” She snapped at me. I could sense she has started freaking out in nervousness.

I kept my face serious trying not to laugh at her.

“Hmm, I am listening’’ Her stern voice couldn’t hide the anxiety in her mind.

“Tara I…” I paused. She raised her eyebrow at me

‘’I what?”

“Tara I..”

“What.is.next.to.I?”

“Tara I love…”

I paused in the mid and bent down in my knee, she took a gasp stepped back from me, her eyes widened like horror. I couldn’t hold it anymore.

“To see your nervous face” I completed and burst into a burst of wholesome laughter. She let out a breath murmuring some incoherent words for me. I was too engrossed laughing at her, let go of her hand, and clapped my hands together mocking at her funny scared face as she kept her hands on waist and glared at me angrily.

“What the hell” She yelled.

“Shh, talk low, ghosts will wake up,” I said while laughing at her. She gave me that pissed look.

“Aww look at you Tara, how much you are scared, thisssss”

I pointed at my face mimicking her.

“This is not done” She warned me.

I huffed “Well what you were thought exactly? That I am going to propose to you? Hun? Firang (British) style, taking your hand in hand, bending down on my knees, I was just tying up my boots’’ I told her.

“Huh, propose, and you? Is that too firang style? Have you seen your face in the mirror?” She rolled her eyes at me.

“This is how I felt when you held my hand in front of Maa. Now you know how would I had felt” I told her sounding a little revengeful which she got it.

“So this is all revenge for that?” She asked me angrily. I nodded laughing at her. But that did other effects on her.

She turned to go, I instantly came in between her ways.

“Wait wait wait wait”

I said spreading my hands aside and blocking her way.

“Move out of my way, I don’t want to see your face,” She said.

“Neither I... but I will have to” I sighed. She exhaled sharply.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean we will have to see each other face because the talk I want to talk about is remaining,” I said.

“I am not interested in anything of your talks and pranks” She turned to the side, I moved to the same side.

“I swear Tara I will not do any prank further, really” I took a swear touching on my throat.

She stared at me warningly.

“I swear to the moon and back”

I said. She sighed and nodded at me.

“Say it fast,” she said.

“Why? You have picked a new job or what? You want to join the ghost gang at the midnight, ” I teased her. She gave me her ‘That’s final look’ before going away.

“Sorry, sorry” I muttered. ‘’Can we sit here for a while so we can talk better, my legs are paining for standing too long’’ I said faking the pain while holding my knees. I wanted to spend some peaceful time with her after what misunderstanding we had in the day time. She rolled her eyes looking frustrated and walked back to the tree. I and she sat under the tree, rubbing her palms together.

“Do you know sitting under the tree is dangerous at night?” I whispered.

“Why?” She hesitantly asked.

“ Because at night ghosts roam over the tree, they might catch you” I tried to scare her. I heard if one gets scared they don’t feel cold and sweats profusely.

She stared at me. I swore under my breath looking at her quiet. She cant get possessed in real or can she?

“AKASH!” She yelled.

“Oh I forgot you are the one of ghosts gang, why you will fear,” I said

“When you became serious last time?” She asked.

I looked in the other direction, acting to think something deeply.

“Never but now I will”

“Better” She nodded.

Her eyes looked puffy, her kohl was smudged, her eyelids swollen, its stains were still on her cheeks which seems like she tried to wipe them, it's only making me think how much she would have cried just not to be with me? That bothered me highly questioning myself am I that bad person to be with? But I don’t know what's going in Tara’s mind and how she looks at me. It only makes me curious.

“Look I know any girl would cry to be with me, but …’’ I was saying she cut me off.

“I can't be your wife Akash”

Well.

“This all cry face of mine you are seeing is because I don’t want to marry or be anyone’s wife but my fate has flipped on the day I was hoping for the best and instead of giving me worst”

She looked at me hopefully.

“I think we should better end this child marriage drama”

“Hun? YESSSS…”

Why am I feeling bewildered by her straight to the point words?

“Exactly’’ I squealed. She put her finger on her mouth telling me to talk lowly. I lowered my head to her level. ‘’You said my mind’’ I hushed.

Her eyes widened and lips parted in a smile.

‘’ I met you to say the same, look this child marriage is a hoax and completely nonsensible thing, I am also not accepting this drama at all’’ I said. Why I feel like assuring myself more than her.

She nodded agreeing to me.

“I am with you in this, we should not accept this drama at all” She showed her agreement with me in words.

“I love my freedom of being like this. I can be with any girl, woo any girl, roam the world, marriage not at all comes in all of this, that’s me you know, by the way, what's your reason to refuse this marriage?’’ I asked her curiously. She smiled silently and soothingly. The apple of her cheeks bobbed up.

“Are you in love with anyone else?”

I asked her. Hoping she would not be hiding it from me otherwise things won't turn up good. She smiled wider, and for the love of God, I saw her blushing red.

“What? You love someone and you did not tell me? Tara? I am your best friend right? How can you hide it from me, that’s it I am not only your best friend but also a husband! I going to tell my maa, I accept this marriage at least then you will not hide anything from me”

“Shut up AKASH!” She hits on my shoulder, I chuckled.

“I was just joking”

“Dare if you accept this marriage thing!” She glared at me.

“I said I was just joking”

NOT!

I was feeling ultimately confused because of her.

“And yes I do love someone more than myself”

I felt uneasy because of her words. Though I don’t care, and I kept telling that to myself.

‘’What whom? Who is that idiot trying to woo my wife?’’

“Shut up I am not your wife and he isn’t an idiot”

“Of course the one wants to be with you will be surely an idiot”

“That moon, who has been idiotically making me watch dreams of it, without missing a single night,” she pointed at the moon.

“This is my love, this is my dream,” she said. Her eyes glinting with joy, hope, wonder, and whatever emotion exists in this world.

I couldn’t help and started laughing at her.

“Tara, oh my Tara, you are not a child anymore, grow up” I held my stomach while laughing. It ached but I couldn’t hold the laughter. She Is still behind that idiot moon since don’t know when and I here thought it would be any other man. It was a sort of double funny thing that happened.

“You are so cliché Tara” I mocked at her.

She snapped angrily at me.

“If you don’t have any dreams doesn’t mean you have the right to laugh at my dreams”

Silence spread after that. The noise insects and leaves of the tree radiating calmness at the same time. Every time I glanced at her, those glinting eyes of her staring at the moon. What's so special in this moon that Tara hasn’t given up on dreaming about it yet?

“Tara, If you want to achieve your dream then you will take a tough stand against our past”

She looks at me with he defeated her eyes now.

“As a boy, you can say these words so easily but for a girl its hard to imply on it”

“When I said it's going to be easy? It's difficult to go against old rituals because it has already happened and old things often get rustic but you will have to break it anyways right?”

“I have told Amma so many times that I don’t want to do this, and I have a future to live for, the dream I wished for but she doesn’t even understand me once”

“Even I have told my parents that I refuse to accept it and Baba even have warned me to throw out of his house”

She gasped.

Our situations were the same but the consequences were different. Tara looked like thinking something deeply. Here I was so much wrong to expect from Tara that her refusal might twist the situation but even her words were going to fail.

“I just don’t understand what to do?’’ She said.

“Neither I,” I said.

“Why our parents can not understand us?”

“They only care about their reputation that’s it”

“There is a world beyond marriage too, Amma just doesn’t understand it”

“My maa thinks of you some witch” I blurted.

She looks at me, with unfazed expressions. Again silence took the chance to be with us.

“Tara, don’t spoil your relation with Amma because of this marriage stupidity”

“Eventually it will Akash”

“No, you will not, you have a word from me, she doesn’t have anyone except you”

I said.

“I know Akash, I also don’t have someone expect her”

“Hey who am I? A potato?”

“No idiot not like that.” She hits on me. For the time, she laughed a little. I felt relieved.

“I am not going to give up on this marriage fiasco and she will also not understand me and my dreams, eventually a crack is bound to go to the pot because of too much heat’’

“Why are you taking tension? I will handle this problem, no worries, you just keep calm with your mother, otherwise, she will might house arrest you remember in childhood how we were…”

“Oh my god I did not even think of it”

I gave her a nod.

“And you, keep your angry bulls in control, tackle with your Maa and Baba smartly. Not every time you can fight with them’’ She said. I couldn’t agree anymore. Baba has already warned me to thrash me out.

“What? You got it”

I shrugged at her, She became irritated. I chuckled.

‘’Thank you, Akash, and sorry”

“HUN? There's no use of proposing me now, I got my laddoos”

“Idiot”

“What?”

“For this”

She showed me the binoculars I gifted to her. Which looked broken!

“I am sorry it broke by mistake I know it's expensive and I don’t know how to pay for its repairment”

So she took out all her anger on it. I chuckled. Thank god I wasn’t in front of her.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Nothing I will repair it don’t worry”

“But I don’t have money for it”

“Ahh... it's cheap, I bought it from CHOR BAZAR” I lied.

“WHAT?”

I bit on my tongue. She hits on my arm again.

“But you wrote that its expensive”

“Oh did I? Well, it's not like that I am first time lying to you”

“Youuuuu” She started hitting her fists on my shoulder. I got up grabbing the laddoos and moved away. She got up too and ran to hit me when suddenly she stumbled. I tried to catch her but instead, she fell taking me with her.

“OUCH” She squealed.

“ARGH” I winced.

“Idiot” She snapped.

I snapped back.“Mental”

"CROOKED’’

“FATTY”

She was over me. I felt her heavy enough. What does she eat? I felt choked up under her weight.

“BUBLA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?”

I heard Maa. Our heads snapped in the direction and there was standing my maa. Tara immediately got off from me.

“Aunty it's nothing like what you are thinking we were just...” Tara said ignoring my help for a hand.

“Someone please give me a hand,” I said. Tara and maa looked at each other. While I was still lying on the ground gathering my painful muscles.

Maa was holding her plate which ultimately made Tara come forward and help me. I held her hand and got up with a crackling sound in my body.

“Tara, is this what your modernity hun?”

“MAA” I whined.

“And Bubla, come home I will see you there”

“What are you doing in the night?”

“Night? The time has passed the night, and Sun will rise in any minute”

Maa said. I and Tara looked up and saw the sky color isn’t darker anymore.

“I have to go’’ Tara said,

“Wait I will drop you,” I said. Maa held my hand.

“Bubla, she can go alone too, you stay here”

Maa said. I saw Tara walking away from me, not before giving one glance to my mother, and then went away. I was looking at her when maa held my ear.

“Aaaarrrhh, maa, it's paining maa” I squealed.

“Don’t you feel ashamed? Meeting her sneakily, playing hide n seek under the tree" Maa shouted on me.

“Maa leave my ear I am not a child anymore” I whined.

“Exactly that’s what makes me worry,” Maa said. To the whole way, maa did not leave my ear. Everybody walking past by watched us, especially gave me a mocking look.

After coming home,

The thing happened which I don’t want it to happen. Maa created a scene of a little incident.

”But what happened Anjali?” Baba asked her.

“Don’t even ask me, I feel ashamed even to talk about it” She said.

“Maa, it was nothing like what you saw” I tried to say.

“Shut up Bubla, I know what I saw, What that witch Tara was doing over you?”

She said. Baba’s eyes widened at her words.

“What is your maa saying Bubla?’’ Baba asked me sternly.

I gulped. “Maa has some misunderstanding baba, it was just an accident.”

“Accident?” Baba looked surprised.

“Tell me Bubla, which mantra she blew on you?” Maa asked.

“What? No maa.” I rubbed my temple. How can maa think from one dimension to another.

“She was on top of him, and our son was under her” Maa told Baba

“Don’t you feel ashamed doing this before marriage?’’ Baba asked cursing me. One thought popped up in my mind and even before I could hold back, it spilled out from my mouth.

“But you said my marriage has been done!”

This only raised the fire.

“Bubla, now you will talk over Baba’s words” She said.

“This boy has lost his mind, make your son understands better” Baba said.

“What to understand when only misunderstand” I murmured.

“I don’t get you Bubla, you were so against to be with her till yesterday, now what changes suddenly between both of you” She said.

“Nothing has changed maa, I still don’t want to be with her” I stated.

“Oh, and you were with her for taking benefits of marriage then?” Maa blamed me.

“This is what we taught you?” Baba said,

“I had this doubt from the beginning, Tara isn’t a good girl,” Maa said.

“Please maa stop with this your nonsense” I said.

“Yes now you will find my words nonsense now because you have Tara ” Maa continued.

“Maa stop it maa, you are not controlling your tongue’’ I shouted.

Baba came forward to slap me.

“Baba” I moved back. “Yes we met for a while but’’ I said in a low tone “ because we are best friends and that was an accident, we both fell by accident, despite this my decision is still the same about her ’’

“He fell by accident then someday he will say he fell for her by accident” Maa commented.

“Oh maa please, I don’t believe in such stupid things” I begged.

“I don’t trust him anymore, you just bring Tara’s mother here, we have to talk about it” She looked adamant.

“Why Tara’s mother maa?” I asked.

“So she also gets to know what you both are up to” She glared at me.

“That’s a good plan, we will also decide the venue for the remaining rituals,” Baba said.

“Yes then do anything whatever you want to do after marriage at least we will not feel ashamed” Maa said.

''Yes decided everything as you want and when you will not find me then start finding for another groom”

I said. Baba glared at me and so Maa. I walked into my room and angrily shut the door.

The one incident between me and Tara has changed the whole game. I need to do something big otherwise they will seriously bring me and Tara together!

---

The morning breeze was still in the air,

I have also skipped football practice because of all this ruckus. While lying on the bed, I couldn’t sleep either come to the explosive idea while doing my morning chores! I don’t know what Tara could be doing, but before Baba reaches her mother’s place I need to stop him and change his mind.

When I came out of the room, I saw Baba sitting at the table and Maa serving him food. So he hasn’t gone yet. I walked at them, showing that I don’t care what they do. I sat on a chair in front of Baba. We gave a serious look at each other. The one gives to other enemies. When the war is going to happen. But my mind wasn't ready for the fight. I have decided not to talk with them until they ask me first. I picked the biscuit from the plate. Baba and Maa were not giving me attention it was just failing my plan.

“Baba, I don’t want to accept this marriage”

Baba put the cup down and folded the newspaper in his hands, giving me a heated glare.

“BABA, I am serious, you can not force on me” I shuffled in my chair, getting ready to take a hit from him.

“Let him eat,” Maa said. I have an idea. I kept the biscuit back on the plate.

“I will not eat until you agree with me’’ I said.

“Fine, don’t eat. It will save some week of groceries” Maa said.

“After all you just sit at home and eat from whatever I earn” Baba taunted me. I looked at maa to say something in my defense.

“He is our son after all, why he will earn”

“I don’t want to go on that way, Bubla..” Baba moved his focus on me ignoring Maa. Plan two failed.

“Yes Baba” I said.

“Tell me the proper reason to not accept your marriage with Tara after getting caught in the act” Baba coughed and looked away while murmuring the last line.

“Baba” That’s enough, After telling him the truth they still think that I and Tara were doing something adult then let them think like that. I am done.

“I have so many reasons to not accept this marriage” I said.

“Tell me only one, proper, reasonable approach”

Baba said,

“I too have dreams to fulfill”

Baba chuckled.

“And what are those dreams?”

“I want to become something first”

“AHAN! Care to explain to me please?” Baba said. Maa has taken a seat beside Baba. Both of them stared at me which made me nervous. Come on Bubla Pati Sengupta, come up with some sassy idea. How can I change the way without getting them to know and my plan would also get work?

“I am listening son!”

“Baba I want to work in your shop” The moment I said Baba coughed. Maa gave him water. I finally shared my long wished desire. Everybody of my age is doing good in life, started working and earning some coins. And here I am, tearing off the free rotis just like Baba taunted me a while ago.

“What? My shop? Do you want to work in my shop? Look, son, I won't permit you to work in my shop as of now’’

“But why?” I asked

“Because you are still young, you will not able to handle such a huge responsibility”

“That’s what I am saying baba, I am not capable of handling the responsibility of the marriage either”

“That’s a different thing”

“How can it become a different thing?’’

“It's my shop”

“It's my life too”

“ANJALI make him understand stop fighting with me over the shop, he isn’t going to get it now”

“Why? I am your only son, some or other day when you will be gone, I will have to look after it”

“Anjali, stop your son right now”

“Maa stop your husband, . he is doing unfair with me”

My baba looked pissed completely. Maa tried to make him calm. I picked up the biscuit and took a bite of it. Well well Mr. Sengupta, has caught in the trap for the first time. Baba drank the whole glass of water. Maa blew some air to him with her scarf. I leaned back to the chair. Now he will never pin up the marriage topic with me again because I will bring the shop topic in front of him which he isn’t ready to accept. After a long pause of silence, two burps, and a cup of tea, Baba put his hands on the table and stared at me just like Hitler would have stared at his enemies.

“Fine” Baba said. I waited for him to talk ahead. After all, I couldn't wait to celebrate my happiness because I haven’t left any option at him rather than agreeing to me either this way or that way.

“You will get to work in my shop but”

I was about to jump on my chair when stopped after hearing BUT. He has more to say. Let's see what Sengupta says.

“You will have to accept my condition too,” He said.

“Which condition?”

I asked.

“The day Tara will come to this home, I will hand 50 percent shares of the shop on your name,” Baba said.

“WHAT?” I stood up in shock.

Maa looked at us both.

“You will work from that same day”

“This is not fair” I murmured.

“Son, if you accept this then all fine otherwise door is open for you,” Baba said wiping his hands to the towel and picked the teacup.

The way he looked at me said all, that he is the headmaster of all the plans. If blackmailing would be legal, then my father would have become a king of it. This ex-militant has now caught me in his trap. But he doesn’t know, I am his son only.

I got up and slammed my hands on the table.

“I am leaving”

“Bubla’’ I heard Maa saying something but I did not stop. I straight walked out of the door and went to the Azad ground.

--

After reaching Azad ground, I saw a few players were still on the ground. I took long strides towards the ground and walked through the gate. The afternoon heated wind smacked on my face. But this heat is nothing in front of the heat of the fire which took place in my heart. I went to the locker room, changed myself in sports clothes, and came out running.

“Akash oi”

Binoy called me. He waved his hands at me when I looked at him.

“You missed the morning practice! The coach went full hard on us”

“Is Coach here now?”

“No, he left, come we will practice,” Binoy said.

He put the ball down and I aggressively kicked it ahead. I ran ahead with a speed and so Binoy. There we have a few beginner-level players taking a part in round with us. I passed the ball to Binoy, he ran ahead, I matched with his pace, he passed me the ball. By dodging it with those kiddos I went ahead easily and gave a final kick to the ball towards the court. The player caught the ball and I missed the goal. It only angered me more. I tried to focus on the ball and kicks but I knew I wasn’t here with my mind. I missed goals and strikes at every chance. After playing for some time. Binoy announced a break.

I and he came to the shadow of the Banayan tree there.

“What is happening with you Akash? You are missing so many goals that too against beginners!” Binoy asked. I was breathing heavily as I gulped down some waters. When its coldness hits my chest I felt a little calm.

I looked at him sighing out, “From where should I begin?”

“Wherever you feel right,” He said leaning back to the wood of the tree.

I looked away kicking a rock. “How you will feel Binoy if you get to know someday that you have been married to your best friend in childhood but you took it so lightly, like a curry leaf in any curry, as a prank and then a time comes when you realize it isn’t a joke but you are!”

Binoy’s eyes widened.

“What are you trying to tell me Akash? Say it clearly”

“A few years ago, when British were in India, and we were still their slaves and I was a naïve innocent child and so she was, but because of some elder people and their elderly decisions we were tied up to each other forever in a relation of a husband and wife”

“WHAT? What is the god you are saying? You are married?”

I nodded.

“To whom?”

“My baba’s best friend’s daughter Tara,” I told him and his mouth fell open after hearing me.

“Tara? Our Tara? Really?”

I nodded though I did not like the fact that he said OUR Tara!

“Oh my goodness, this is the real good news!”

“Shut up it is not good news at all. Here I am stuck on a cliff, can't even jump because I will die and can't go back because Baba will kill me for sure”

I told him. He was still in the haze of shock.

“I still can't believe

“Believe it or not because it isn’t going to change the truth” Though I wish it could change somehow.

“So” Binoy hit on my shoulder playfully “ You have turned out a big thief, aren’t you? When am I going to meet sister in law?”

“Someone is going to get killed from my hands today”

“Sorry brother, but it's TARA! Like seriously TARA CHATTERJEE, What was her reaction on this?”

“Don’t ask about her brother, our parents have played very well” I told him.

“I have to say you got Tara as your wife, even though It wasn’t in your hand to choose a bride but if I would be in your place then I must get the luckiest groom on the planet,” He said. I suddenly wanted to punch him but controlled myself. I gave him a death glare.

“Seriously Akash, think about it. She is smart, beautiful. Mature for her age of girls, what a Bengali boy would want more?” he said it so easily I instantly felt irritated.

“She is too much Binoy. Too much morally right, too much smart, studies are her love and too strict. I can't even flirt with her, she gives me death warning through her kohl eyes” I told him and he started laughing.

“That’s because she thinks of you as a friend not as a husband now”

“I hope she doesn’t think of me like anything, I am not ready for commitments and stuff. I have a life and I want freedom in it”

“Well I can understand, she focuses on her studies a lot thought other Bengali boys in our college stare at her but she doesn’t even look up from her books.” Binoy started telling me how few boys have tried to approach Tara but she refused to talk with them. Whatever she does I don’t care.

“She is just exactly opposite of her friend Julia”

He told me.

“I am not understanding what should I do now? How to stop my wedding rituals?” I asked feeling nervous.

“Let's talk while playing”

Binoy said and again we started running in the ground. He whistled and other boys joined us too. Binoy kicked the ball, I started running ahead when Binoy threw a question at me.

“Blackmail your parents” He passed the ball at me.

“Done” I passed to him while running.

“Tell Tara to rebuke,” He said.

I ran kicking the ball ahead “Done, she also doesn’t want this”

“Warn parents to leave the house,” He said.

I gasped for breath. “Done, they are ready to throw me out”

“Runaway,” he said.

“Tara will face its wrath, I can't!”

“Do complaint”

‘’My uncle is a lawyer, he will back up my parents”

“Now only one option is left, accept the marriage’’ He said.

I passed the ball angrily at him. Other players tried to snatch the ball from him but he dodged them.

“GO DIE,” He said passing the ball at me for the final strike. I dribbled the ball ahead with my foot, thinking there has to be a solution for this one too. An idea surged through my mind, an explosive one which can even stabilize the world war to happen again thrice. I kicked the ball in a way that it straight went into the court making it a goal!

_____