An Unknown Boy (Chapter 1)

Please consider reading prologue chapter before reading this chapter :

Click here to read "An Unknown Boy prologue" chapter

From Those Papers :

It was 9.30 pm. Still I was at the office. I was stuck. My three designs got rejected. My creative mind was not working anymore because these were my best attempts of all my creativity was involved in it. I referred to a couple of samples on various websites to get ideas, but nothing looked creative. I was just zooming in and zooming out a picture in Photoshop application in my system and thinking hard to get some creative idea. How can they reject my designs just like that, at least they would have given some feedback about it?

 

"Maja nahi aaya" What the hell was that. I was hired as a UI/UX designer not an entertainer. My mind was floating of thoughts of imaginary scenes like I was going to the reviewer and throwing my resignation on his face. I was about to walk out of the office in my imagination.

 

 My phone buzzed, I ignored it and continued myself in the world of imagination. My phone buzzed again and again. It landed me back to reality.

I took out my phone and checked, there were 3 missed calls from Dancy. Dancy was my cousin and a good friend of mine.

 

 

I thought of sending her message saying that I will call her later, but I already did that couple of hours ago. She was very sensitive and short-tempered. If she explodes. No fire-brigade on the universe can handle her.

 

 

I shut downed my system and packed my bag and did put my bag over my shoulder and left the office.

I dialed Dancy's number. She picked up the call in a second. She didn't even let it ring.

 

 

"Where the hell were you?" I heard her over phone

I wondered people greet by saying hi or hello when they call. But 

Dancy was an exception. Even the time bomb gives us a couple of minutes before exploding. But she exploded without any warning.

 

 

Her voice seemed angry. I could figure out that from the beautiful word 'hell' which she said.

 

 

"I am at the office, stuck here. You know all designs got rejected." I said calmly.

 

 

"I too working okay, 3 hours ago you said that you will call in 5 minutes. Still your 5 minutes didn't get over?" She shouted

 

"Arey! I was about to call you. My manager came. That's why I couldn't call you." I said

 

"Same old excuse Thomas. Grow up and find some better excuse" She said

 

 Though it was my best excuse from my creative mind. But in front of Dancy, it didn't fit. I was out of my mind now handling her, it wasn't that easy. I didn't find any option than surrendering myself.

 

 

"Sorry Dancy, Is everything alright?" I asked

"Yes, everything is alright. When the hell are you coming to Payyoli?

Do you remember or forgot huh?" She said

I opened the Calendar app on my phone and checked it was 12th March. Her marriage was on 15th March. I didn't plan anything. I didn't even book tickets.

 

 

"Hey, I do remember, I already booked tickets. How can I forget my best friend's marriage? I am curious to know who is that stupid who agreed to marry you." I lied about tickets.

 

 

"If you don't come on time. I will kill you for sure." She said and ignored my joke like nothing.

 I didn't say anything for a while nor did she.

"Bye, I have a lot of things to do" She added

 

 "Bye, see you" I said. I was about to disconnect the call, but she interrupted.

 

"Please take care and come soon. I miss you" She said

"You too, see you soon" I said and disconnected the call.

I regretted for ignoring her. She was an angry girl but very caring. She was sensitive but good from heart. In short, Dancy was the girl who can example of 'beauty with brain' type of girl.

 

 The first thing I did after disconnecting the call, was booked the tickets from Bangalore to Payyoli without even seeing the price to rescue myself. I didn't want somebody to kill me.

 

 8th March

 Bangalore

"Change tagoli sir" The shopkeeper almost shouted. I was lost in reading those papers. I closed those papers and looked around only to see that the shopkeeper lady was holding a change in her and looking at me. I took money from the shopkeeper and kept in my wallet. I noticed my phone was vibrating. I took out my phone and saw 6 missed calls:

 

 2 missed call from Chandan (Just now)

 2 missed call from Raaz (5 Minutes ago)

 1 missed call from Ritvika (10 Minutes ago)

 1 missed call from Lovjoy (10 Minutes ago)

 

 All were from the same squad. I took a deep breath and glanced at the time on the notification bar of my phone. It was 12.55 pm. I was very confused about whom to call first. I knew, all I would get was nice popular bad words. I was quite good at forgetting things. This Sunday, we planned for shopping for Suraj whose birthday was a few days away. Today was that Sunday, I was supposed to join them. But I forgot about it.

 

 

I dialled Ritvika, because she didn't know many bad words. Finally, I succeed in convincing her. I learned that they planned to visit the Titan showroom on the same route, and they were still on the way. It was about a 3 km drive from Mall.

 

 In no time, I boarded the bus and went to the Titan showroom. The bus was full of rush, that's why I couldn't read that guy's story. It took around 20 minutes to complete the journey of 3 km. That's how Bangalore's traffic is. Still I reached before them and a little later my squad joined me and went to Titan showroom. After struggling about half an hour to select a watch, we ended up with a choice of salesgirl. We stepped out of the store. A part of the mind was stuck on those papers.

 

 

"Damn, how one can say no to that beautiful g.," Chandan said but I cut him short.

 I knew very well what he was about to say. I noticed Rivitika's expression, whose eyes and attention were to Chandan. I didn't want this beautiful couple to fight on this beautiful day out.

We guys except Ritvika meet almost every weekend to have fun and freshen up our mind from tired working days. Though Ritvika is Chandan's girlfriend, but at this time, It looked like he forgot that. He was too busy with his wittiness.

 

 

"Beautiful gift, Agree Bhai" I said

Chandan looked at Ritvika and me. He shook his head and took a breath of relief. Ritvika was a bit extra sensitive. Both are in love for the past 6 years and still counting. I wish to God that their love story lasts forever, so that I can have a story for my I-don’t-know-when-coming debut novel.

 

 We all were standing side of the road. Then Chandan, Raaz, and Lovjoy went parking to bring their two-wheeler. I and Ritvika were pavilion riders, so we stood there, we didn't exchange any words. Both of us were busy in staring vehicles on the road. I could see, three persons on one bike without helmet taking traffic rules and their lives granted. One rider in his Duke bike in zig-zag mode, as if he had an urgency to reach his destination. A couple of girls were gossiping while ridding. I could see a BTMC AC bus was coming slowly, as it was peak traffic time. When it crossed the bus, I saw a gang of girls sitting on fronts seats of the bus were enjoying their traveling time.

 

 

Most seats on the bus were empty. A guy sat on the last seat, all alone. I couldn’t see him as it was covered by a book he was reading. All I could see was his tapori lookalike hat. When that guy closed that book and looked around. I could see a glimpse of his face. Damn, he was the same guy which I had seen in the mall. I was chaotic, what to do. I thought of returning his papers, but I didn’t complete reading yet. I was curious to read. It looked like; it was his story. If it was his story. Then how a UX/UI designer was roaming like this and his look had different stories. I had an urge to talk to him.

 

I decided to follow him. I looked here and there. There were no nearby bus stops. I was too busy with thoughts. In no time, that guy was out of sight. All I could see was a bit of a bus from a distance. I looked for auto. I was interchanging glances between on empty autos on the road and that bus. I was a bit tense. Ritvika took no time to learn that.

 

 

“What happened Muku” She asked 

“Hey, nothing. I saw my childhood friend on that bus. I need to talk with him. I need to go. Please inform to Chandan. I will join you guys soon” I said in one breath, got into an auto, and bid a goodbye to Ritvika. 

 

 

“Anna, aa bus follow mad beku” I said to the auto driver indicating to the bus, by now the bus was far away. Auto started moving. The driver raised the accelerator, trying his best to overtake vehicles. But the road was full of vehicles, it looked like it wouldn’t be easy to overtake the bus in this traffic. 

 

 “Shalpa bhega hog beka Anna” I said

“Sari sir, we will overtake that bus soon, chill madi sir, Ello hogla bus” He said in his calm voice and focused on his driving.

 But I didn’t why, I heard him like as if he was shouting and saying “Le tu Chala le”.

I didn’t say anything. 

“Sir, there is a shortcut, we can reach to Gopalan mall bus stop before that bus

 Shall we?” He suggested

 

 I nodded my head; he saw me nodding in the rear mirror of the auto. In no time, he took a left. As he assured. In a couple of minutes, we were at the Gopalan mall bus stop. He stopped the auto on the side of the road. 

 “See, that was a bus, coming” Driver said in his broken English and pointing to the bus from distance.

 I settled the bill and thanked to auto driver. I boarded that bus. The first thing, I did after entering the bus and checked the last seat. But unfortunately, that was empty. I scanned all the seats and he was nowhere to seen. I asked a guy who sat on the second last seat. But he had no idea about that guy and continued playing PubG on his phone.

I looked outside the bus and again scanned all the faces inside the bus, but he wasn’t there. Then I asked the conductor. 

 

 “Ohh Gunda guy, some girl waved at him, he got down at Vega city signal to meet her” Conductor said 

 I said thanked the conductor and got down at the very next stop and took an auto to Vega city signal which was only half a kilometers from there. 

 

 I searched all over the signal and nearby area and bus stops, but he was nowhere to seen. 

 I went inside the Vega city to no avail. I felt irritated. In no time, I headed back home and continued reading those papers.

To be continued...

"An Unknown Boy Chapter 2 " is coming soon.

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This was the "An Unknown Boy Chapter 1"
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An Unknown Boy (Chapter 2)