Lucky was in a terrible mood that morning. It grew worse as the day progressed. By mid-morning, all she wanted to do was pack up and leave the academy. Valentine’s Day had brought back hurtful memories. Feelings she had assumed were interred, reappeared. Emotions of grief, loss and anger resurfaced with a vengeance.
Three years ago, she had fallen in love with a classmate. They had been together for two full years when he suddenly ended the relationship. No reasons were offered, no apologies made. ‘I am moving on’ was all he said. He left Shillong without leaving an address, but she knew he had found someone else to love.
She was devastated. It took her many months to recover, but traces of bitterness remained. Without fail, they re-emerged every year on Valentine’s Day because that was the day he had ended the relationship. It was a paradox. People declare love on that day. They don’t end their relationships.
‘Love is a bitch,’ she cursed. ‘Men are not worth wasting time on.’
Things were not going well on the Shiny and Aaron front, either. Their competitive streak had ruined their easy relationship. He resented the fact that she was racing ahead of him. Shiny, on the other hand, spared no opportunity to point out he was lagging behind. It was all said in good humour, but Aaron didn’t take it lightly.
Cupid had been hard at work as far as Nutty was concerned. She basked in the knowledge that GC Bose was besotted with her. ‘I don’t love him, but it’s flattering to know that someone finds you attractive,’ she confided in her friends.
Billi was focused on winning the Sword of Honour and had no time for a man. Her days were spent in upping her physical and academic performance. Cockroach was her rival, and she had no intention of being beaten by the girl. Even if she didn’t get the Sword, she would not go home without a medal.
That afternoon, when the girls went to fetch their bikes from the cycle stand, Lucky found a single red rose stuck on her handle bar.
‘Who could have put that here?’ she exclaimed, her eyes running around the place.
‘It has to be some GC. Today is Valentine’s Day, remember?’ chirped Nutty excitedly. ‘You are bloody lucky. GC Bose did not remember the day. Bloody bedbug could have got me some chocolates, at least.’
‘He’s not the only one. Aaron hasn’t bothered, either,’ said Shiny. She was rather disappointed by her fiancé’s amnesia.
‘That may be so, but I don’t have much respect for a guy who sticks a rose and vanishes without leaving his name,’ remarked Billi pragmatically. ‘The whole thing reeks of cowardice.’
‘Look, I have no intention of trying to find the name of the person who put this rose on my handlebar,’ said Lucky. ‘Frankly, I don’t care.’ She plucked out the rose and tossed it away.
‘Hello! What’s bloody wrong with you?’ asked Nutty, picking up the flower from the ground. ‘Why are you taking out your temper on the poor flower? I am taking it to my room.’
‘My dear Peanut, it’s meant for Lucky, not for you,’ reminded Shiny.
‘Lucky doesn’t want it,’ Nutty pointed out. ‘I love bloody roses and so I am taking it to my room. I will place it in water, so it remains fresh for a few days.’
‘It’s alright, take it with you,’ said Lucky. ‘It might be GC Mathur’s idea, for all you know, and I have no intention of leading him on.’
Back in Billi’s room, they had just settled down for a gabbing session when Nutty unwrapped the silver foil draped around the rose stem. ‘Hey, what’s this?’ she exclaimed, as she smoothed out a slip of paper that had been cleverly hidden inside the foil. Everyone craned their necks to look at the strip of paper. Written on it were a few words in beautiful handwriting. ‘Meet me at 12 noon, in the café the coming Sunday. Your secret admirer.’
‘Bloody hell!’ cursed Nutty. ‘The mystery man is asking you to meet him this Sunday.’
‘It must be a hoax,’ Lucky dampened her friend’s excitement. ‘Someone is trying to fool me.’
‘I think it is GC Mathur,’ remarked Shiny. ‘I have noticed the way he looks at you.’
‘So have I,’ said Billi. ‘One would think that a braggart like him would have the courage to declare his love in person.’
‘He might not want to declare it in our presence, so he’s called her to the café on Sunday,’ opined Shiny.
‘We bloody well will be there to watch his declaration,’ said Nutty. ‘What do you think?’
‘I think it is a splendid idea,’ Shiny rubbed her hands together.
‘I am not going to the café,’ announced Lucky. ‘The three of you can go and meet that idiot. It would be embarrassing to have him declare his love for me. I can’t stand the chap.’
‘What if it is someone else?’ Billi pointed out. ‘We are just assuming it to be GC Mathur.’
‘That’s right! It could be another guy,’ agreed Nutty. ‘GC Kale, for example.’
‘GC Kale!’ Lucky laughed loudly. ‘That glutton has just one love, and that’s food.’
‘The only way to find out is to be there. You will be there, even if I have to drag you in chains,’ decided Billi.
And so, that Sunday, the four of them made their way to the café. Lucky sauntered into the place, a kaleidoscope of butterflies flying inside her stomach, while her three friends loitered near the rear door. There was no sign of GC Mathur. Nor was GC Kale around.
Taking a deep breath, she walked up to a vacant table. Once there, she opened a book and began reading, her eyes darting to the door every few minutes. Five more minutes passed, but no one approached her table. From the corner of her eyes, she spotted GC Vedant Verma sitting at another table. Surprisingly, his girlfriend, the beauty queen, was not with him. He was also reading a book.
A few more minutes passed. It was now 12.15 p.m., and Lucky decided to leave the place. Just as she got up to leave, GC Verma moseyed up to her table.
‘Hi, waiting for someone?’ he asked. His eyes were twinkling with mirth, she noticed.
‘Yes, my friends will be coming in a few minutes,’ replied Lucky. Her heart was beating faster than that of a hummingbird. He affected her in a manner she had thought impossible.
‘May I have the honour of your company till they arrive?’ he bowed gallantly, before dragging a chair and sitting across her. ‘Shall I order a chocolate milkshake?’
Tongue-tied and nervous, Lucky found herself nodding. ‘Weren’t you waiting for your beautiful girlfriend?’ she asked petulantly. Noticing the gleam of amusement in his eyes, she blushed and stammered, ‘I mean, the two of you are generally together in the café.’
‘Just for your information, Urvi is not my girlfriend,’ he chuckled. ‘She is my first cousin, and we get along very well. I don’t have too many friends, neither does she, so we spend some time together on Sundays.’
Lucky heaved a sigh of relief and smiled.
‘Should I feel flattered by the assumption that you are jealous of Urvi?’ he teased.
‘Don’t be silly,’ she felt herself blushing once again. ‘I have no reason to be jealous.’
‘I am glad to see that you enjoy reading,’ he commented, glancing at the book on the table. ‘Not many people read these days. On the Double,’ he read out the title. ‘From the cover, I assume it has something to do with the army. What’s the book about?’
‘It’s a hilarious book about four cadets training at the Indian Military Academy,’ she smiled. Nothing pleased her more than discussing books. ‘Have you read it?’
‘Not yet,’ he replied. ‘I am reading The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. I would like to read the one you are reading. We could exchange our books.’
‘Isn’t it a tragic book?’ Lucky pointed at his book. ‘I don’t mind you taking my book, but I am not sure I will enjoy reading about the Holocaust. I like to read happy books.’
‘It’s a good one,’ he insisted. ‘Try reading a couple of pages. In case you don’t like the book, you can give it back.’
Lucky noticed her friends gesturing frantically. Fortunately, the GC had his back towards the trio. She didn’t want them to interrupt the tête-á-tête with GC Verma. She had wanted his attention for a long time.
It was impossible to ignore the three girls, who were getting impatient. Nutty strode towards the table, her eyes sparkling with interest. ‘Hey, haven’t you ordered any food?’ she began.
‘Have you met GC Vedant Verma?’ asked Lucky, and proceeded to introduce everyone.
He was at his charming best. Right from dragging chairs for them, to asking if they wanted a drink, Verma tried his best to be courteous. It cut no ice with Billi, who scowled darkly. Shiny wore a bored look on her face, and Nutty simpered.
It was an awkward situation. Much as Lucky wanted to continue talking to GC Verma, the unyielding attitude of her friends had a discouraging effect on him. Carrying Lucky’s book, he left without a backward glance.
‘What made you behave so rudely?’ Lucky turned to her friends. ‘You literally forced him to leave.’
‘We didn’t say a thing,’ retorted Billi. ‘In any case, why were you encouraging him to loiter?’
‘Firstly, I didn’t encourage him. He came up and asked if he could sit here, and I saw no harm in exchanging pleasantries,’ Lucky raised her voice.
‘Ouch!’ smiled Shiny. ‘I know you are soft on him, but we came here to find out about your secret admirer.’
‘Well! Mathur and Kale didn’t turn up, and I don’t know of any other GC who could be my secret admirer,’ snapped Lucky.
‘Could GC Verma be the culprit?’ a sudden thought struck Billi.
‘Don’t be silly. He has a girlfriend,’ reminded Nutty.
‘Urvi is not his girlfriend,’ Lucky warbled in a happy tone. ‘She is his first cousin.’
‘In that case, there is no roadblock in your path,’ teased Shiny.
‘Can we order some bloody food, before I faint?’ yelled Nutty, trying to be heard over Billi and Shiny’s laughter.
‘Yes, let’s order some bloody food,’ laughed Lucky, happy to change the topic.
Back in her room, Lucky lay in her bed, turning the pages of The Tattooist of Auschwitz. She ran a finger over GC Verma’s name inscribed on the first page, and began reading the book. And a piece of paper fell down. Curious, she opened the folded paper and began reading the note. It was written in the same handwriting as the note with the rose.
I don’t know if I will find the courage to tell you the things I want to tell you, so the note. I am your secret admirer, just in case you haven’t guessed already. When did I fall in love with you? It could be when I first saw you in the MI Room. I don’t really know. But, I have thought of you, every single moment of the day. Your face remains embedded in my mind. It keeps me going when the training becomes unbearable. I don’t expect you to reply, but it will be nice to receive one.
Lucky stared at the note, reading and re-reading it several times. It was too good to be true. Her day brightened. She began floating on cloud nine.