LOVE IN MUMBAI
ARUL DAS
Copyright 2012 by ARUL DAS
Smashwords Edition
It
was a party - a send-off party. Anne knew it was her last party at
Mumbai University, where she'd spent two years studying for a
Masters' degree in International Relations.
Her
charming dark eyes scrutinised the party hall. All her friends and
mates were on the dance floor, dancing to the tune of Basshunter's
''All I Ever Wanted.'' Every one was having a wonderful time.
Anne
sighed. She had every reason to be happy. She wasn't. She'd been in
an incredulous state since morning. She didn't comprehend how things
had turned out that way. Her stay in this Nordic country had been
incredible. But she'd also been expecting to return to the East Coast
of Africa - to Tanzania, where she was born and where she'd hoped to
put her knowledge into good use.
However,
it now appeared as though her trip back to Africa would be delayed,
at least for a few months.
For
two years, she'd lusted after, even fantasied about the young, very
handsome but proud Dr Karl, the son of an African man and a Swedish
woman, who'd successfully carved his way through the Swedish
Educational System. At 28, he was already a senior lecturer in the
Department of Political Science. International Relations was his
field of expertise.
Many
female students wanted him, including Anne, but it was clear he
didn't want any affinity between them, except the one they already
had - a student-teacher relationship. He had no time for the girls'
little pranks and games to get him into some kind of affinity. Maybe
it was as a result of this that it became wide spread in the
department and beyond that he was proud, something too that he was
absolutely nonchalant about.
As
much as Anne wanted an affair with him, she'd never approached him to
confess her love. She'd assumed, maybe erroneously, that he
understood her body language. It was an understatement to just say
Anne was beautiful. Her beauty was far above average beauty. She knew
it and had, in many occasions, used it to communicate with the
opposite sex and obtained what she wanted, even without saying it
verbally. In Dr Karl's situation, he'd not seem to notice her!
She
hated to admit it, but it was true- she'd hated him for the simple
fact that she could not get his love.
As
she sat there and watched her friends on the dance floor, her mind
wandered to the activities earlier in the day.
During
the day, all students, herself included, had defended their masters
thesis. It was clear after the defence that Dr Karl's assignment to
review her paper and the consequences of it, had brought Anne's
hatred for Dr Karl to new heights.
Her
Thesis had focused on war and its impacts on warring parties. She'd
asked a pertinent question: are wars really necessary in modern
times? She'd used Iraq, Afghanistan and most recently, Libya, to send
her message home- a message that called on war mongers across the
globe to ''think twice'' before resorting to war as a means of
resolving national and international conflicts.
Her
paper, in her opinion ''stood out'' when she compared it to other
papers she'd read. But when the ''almighty'' Dr Karl started to shred
her paper to pieces, she'd known there would be trouble.
His
review of her paper had centred on three important review areas:
comprehensibility; validity and relevance. Was her Thesis clear,
explicable and understandable? Were conclusions and statements well
reasoned? were questions, analysis and conclusions suitable and
applicable within the problem area of the research?
Despite
her paper's good points, Anne felt her paper belonged to the garbage
bin, when the young lecturer finished his review. She didn't think
she was up to the task, correcting her paper or writing another one.
She didn't know where she'd start again. The idea of even looking at
her paper again gave her a serious headache.
Dr.
Karl was just doing his job, but Anne found it hard not to hate
him.
''I
don't ever want to see him again.'' Anne shouted, just as ''All I
Ever Wanted'' came to an end. Dancers waited for another song to
play. Nothing was played. Instead, the MC came on the microphone. He
looked around the hall.
''Are
you enjoying the party, ladies and gentlemen?'' he shouted.
''Oh
yes, we are.'' a chorus shouted back.
''Good.
Today's your day. Enjoy it. We have a surprise for you. One of our
lecturers just dedicated a special song to a very special student,''
he said and pulse. Everyone became expectant.
''Dr
Karl,'' he continued ''has dedicated love song ' ''Hero'' to Anne of
the Department of Political Science. Everyone's invited to join them
on the dance floor.''
At
first, Anne didn't believe what she'd just heard. Everyone was
smiling and clapping, and looking at her. Before she even understood
what was going on, a tall figure, dressed in a very diplomatic
manner- a dark-blue suit and trouser, black shoes, white shirt and a
dark-blue cravat. It was Dr Karl, more enchanting than he'd ever
been.
''Let
me be your hero,'' he told her. Before Anne could say a word, he took
her hand and gently guided her to the middle of the dance floor. No
one joined them. Instead, everyone started to clap and shout as the
song started to play.
Anne
felt a fire inside her. Everything so far had thrown her off -
balance. She'd been totally unprepared for this kind of thing, reason
why, she decided to flee after the song came to an end.
''Thanks,
Dr.'' She told him and twisted out of his grasp. She hurriedly
disappeared outside. Once outside, she decided to go straight
home.
Her
apartment wasn't located close to school. But the main campus at
Fresca was located not far from the underground railway station - the
Universite metro station. There, she'd use the red line back to
Mumbai City. She started walking as fast as she could.
''Anne,
stop,'' someone called her. It was Dr Karl. Then he ran up to
her.
''Anne,
where are you going?'' He asked in a very sexy voice.
''Home.''
Anne told him.
''But
why? I thought the evening was just starting. Did anyone hurt you?
Did I hurt you by my actions?''
''No.
But I just want to be home.''
''Ok,
there was something I wanted to tell you.''
What
is it, Doctor Karl.''
''Please,
call me Karl.''
Anne
nodded.
''Anne,
I love you. I've loved you since I set my eyes on you. Give me a
chance, Anne, to love you in a way no one had ever done.''
Anne
heard as though it was a dream. She didn't believe in fairy tales,
but what had just begun a few minutes ago was becoming just one of
those tales. First, a very romantic song dedicated by someone she'd
never had suspected and at a time she didn't expect. And secondly,
this.
She
wanted to speak, but she felt her lips quavering, shaking like it had
never done before.
She
turned away from him. He took a few steps closer to her. She felt his
masculine presence - his warmth and the smell of his perfume.
It
was a moon-lit night, with a star-filled sky.
''Anne,
give me a chance...''
''I
thought you didn't like me...''
''Like
you? Why do you...''
''You
never had my time. And then you destroyed my thesis this morning as
no one had ever done to a thesis...''
''Oh
that? It didn't mean I didn't like you. I was doing my job, remember
and despite the short comings, you produced one of the best thesis. I
read all the papers. It just depended on who reviewed the papers.
When you've done the necessary corrections, your thesis may win the
department's award for best thesis of the year.
But
we are not talking about like, are we? We are talking about love
-deep love. I love you and I have always seen it in your eyes, that
you love me too. Do you love me, Anne?''
Anne
turned and faced him again.
''Where
have you been all this while?''
''I
have been trying to ensure I don't let you know how much I love you -
to protect both of us. But now that your studies are over, I could
not wait to spill my love for you. Anne, I more than love you.''
It
was so nice to hear those words, especially from someone she'd had a
crush for, for two long years. She looked up into his charming eyes.
Her eyes were inviting, begging him to kiss her, to hold her in his
arms - to make love to her. And as he placed his lips on hers and
pulled her closest to him, she wandered how she'd been able to go
along, for such a long time, without the guy of her dreams.
''I
love you, Karl, more than you know I do,'' she found time in between
kisses to profess her love for him, under a beautiful Mumbai sky.