IN LOVE WITH MY BEST FRIEND

PUNIT'S POV

I'm gay.

Well, not really. That's what the others think. If you ask me why, then, let me tell you, it took me a couple of years to figure that out.

Apparently, people have this notion that guys into fashion designing or the nursing profession are by default gays.

I know, right? Crazy! I don't even know where they got that idea from! And maybe I'll never find out. But hey, you don't see any of them hitting on other boys. At least the majority of them. And even if they do, so what? That's their choice. That doesn't make nursing or fashion designing the official course for gays.

Okay, I know you must be wondering why I brought this up. For one, I'm frustrated that people think I'm gay. I'm not. Now let's get that clear. I'm happily married to a woman for God's sake. And two, I'm a nurse. A male nurse.

There, I see some of you scrunching up your faces already.

Whatever! I'm a nurse. Whether you like it or not. And to be honest, I hated my job too. Like, who wants to go around asking old-timers, "do you want to pee?" "Do you want to take a dump?" "Are you wet?" "Come, let me change your diapers." "Ooh! Now that's a big load!" It's... well, tiring and... weird. I'm kind of used to it now.

I never wanted to be a nurse, to be honest. I've always wanted to be an actor. But then, my mom was like, "acting? Is that even a subject of study? Go do something worthwhile in life, something that will help you stand on your feet instead of making faces a profession."

So, I took up nursing, because apparently, male nurses were in demand. And at that point of time, it was the standard protocol: wrap up your studies and get a fucking job in the US, or Australia or UK, blah-blah-blah!

Oops! I cussed. I don't usually cuss. But blame it on her. Now that I'm with her 24/7/365, I'm sort of soaking up a lot of her. Swearing comes to her so naturally. Irritate her, and the first thing you'd hear is an F.

You must be wondering who I'm talking about. Who else? Anki.

Ankita Agarwal. Anki. We've been, well, 'best friends', since the 5th grade. And then, one day, it happened, for her. For me, well... (chuckles) I guess I've always been in love with her.

Okay, I got to make a move now. The jam is finally clearing up. Traffic here in the US sucks big time. Getting stuck up on the highway for hours is the last thing you'd need. Oh yeah, and I'm driving.

I know, you want to know more about her, right? About us? Then stick close, I'm taking you back to where it all started.

***

PUNIT'S POV

Hang on, I need to stop by this store. Anki wanted me to get some stuff for home. But that doesn't matter, we can keep talking. Ok, wait. Let me just find a parking space.

Talk about luck, all spaces have been taken up, as usual. Now finding one is going to be a pain in the ass. Oh damn, here we go again with the language. Oh, thank God! There's one.

At the store now. Man, I love the blast of cold air from the air conditioner on my face each time I walk through this door. Is there anyone else like this or is it just me?

"Good evening, how are you today?" That was the store manager. He kind of knew me pretty well as I stopped by often.

"Awesome like always, you?"

"Wonderful day here!"

"Perfect!"

"Enjoy your shopping," he said.

"Thanks, I'll see you around!"

I'm at the pulses & legumes section now. I didn't have a list with me, didn't need one either. I knew exactly what we needed.

Okay, where was I? Yes, Anki... where it all began.

Our first meeting wasn't so... well... pleasant. I was in the 5th grade and she was too. When she walked in on me, I was standing on the grounds somewhere under a big tree and sobbing like a girl. Two of her classmates were already around and trying to console me, but it wasn't working, I just wanted to go home.

"What happened? Why's he crying?" she asked curiously.

"That bully Sibal beat him up," said one of the girls named Rachel.

"What? For what?" she was irked.

"Does he even need a reason? He's the son of the chairman, isn't that enough? Who's going to question him?"

"The other day he and his cronies beat up that boy Ankur," spat Vaidehi, the other girl, "and now he's at home. Apparently, he suffered some ligament or muscle tear!"

"Why do they even allow it!? It's bullshit!"

And that's the first time I set eyes on her. Thanks to all the tear build-up in my eyes, my vision was a bit blurry. She was a little chubby, kind of cute, had pigtails and a guitar strapped over her back. She was a little tall for a girl, in fact, she was way taller than the other girls. Oh, by the way, did I tell you that I was a newcomer there? I'd just joined that school a week or two ago, whereas, she was there for years. And I was already hating it. I don't even know how she was getting along! But maybe, she wasn't being picked on much. Good for her!

I missed my old friends, all the fun and the jokes. Whereas over here, all I could expect was teachers who wouldn't even care sixpence about you, snooty classmates, and bullies like Sibal Mukherjee! God, I hated him like anything!

In just a week, I had become his favorite target. His justifications for picking on me were silly like he found me funny? Too tall and lanky? Or because I had pimples on my face? Or he thought that my shorts were too short? That's ridiculous!

Anyways, I was crying. Like really hard. And I wonder if I'd looked funny to her because I was in a pair of shorts and had knobby knees.

The girls just stared at me helplessly, not knowing what to do.

"Don't cry, yaar," said Rachel pitifully.

"Yeah, you're a tough guy, you don't have to cry over his silly jokes." That was Vaidehi's share.

I wasn't sure why exactly I was crying. Was it because it hurt where he hit me? Or because I felt humiliated? Or because I was scared? Or because I wanted to run away from there? All that I knew was that I didn't like it there. Not at all.

As for Anki, she just kept staring at me. Even through my tears, I could see the inferno in her eyes. She wanted to kill. Like a terrorist.

"Where are you going?" asked Vaidehi as Anki whipped around and marched away.

"Principal!" she answered. "Enough is enough!"

***

PUNIT'S POV

Okay, got what I need, and now I'm headed home!

We're planning to cook some khichdi tonight. And she's a great cook, have I told you? Give her any ingredient, she'll make something great out of it, and one look is all that she takes to get ideas.

So, where were we? Ah, yes! That day, she headed to the principal's office to complain. Well, it didn't work. Ask me why I'm not surprised. That guy was a chicken and didn't have the spine to lift a finger against the chairman's son. Well, I can't blame him. He has to save his ass. He and he alone must, because, no one else will save it for him.

So, one afternoon, as I was taking a cautious stroll in the school grounds, (cautious because, you know... this bully Sibal would be lurking in the corner waiting to bash me up) I chanced upon a ruckus. There was a hell lot of noise and all the kids had gathered around to see what was happening. And now, I was curious too.

"What's going on?" I asked and stood on my toes, craning my neck to peer beyond the sea of heads.

Being tall and lanky had its plus points, I could reach anywhere. Well, not everywhere. And I could take the backbench or be the last in a row. It was a blessing considering that Sibal was a shorty and had to stay in the front of wherever he went, be it a bench or a row.

He was chunky, like a piece of meat, had man boobs, and was shorter by a couple of inches. But that didn't make his punches any softer. God, I hate him. Guess I said that already?

So, when I peered over, guess what I saw? I'll give you a hint, whatever I saw out there made me utterly happy.

Sibal was getting mauled!

By Anki!

Can you believe that?

I have to admit, I was happy. I could break a marathon hurdle record. I was THAT happy! He deserved it! Sucker used to taunt me a LOT for no reason at all! I'd always dreamt of watching him getting butt-caned in full view of the school or at least get into the most humiliating moment of his life, but alas, it never happened, until now. My joy knew no bounds!

I wondered why he was getting bashed up though!

"Kick his ass!!!" someone cheered beside me. I won't lie, that startled me so bad that I almost jumped out of my shorts.

But wow! Looks like I wasn't the only one who loathed this guy? There were many others. Why else would they cheer on this? Some were even hooting for God's sake.

It was deafening. It felt like I was in the Roman Colosseum watching a fight to the death between gladiators. NOT. More like a bullfight, rather. And this little matador was getting gored to death by Anki. She was literally kicking him around like a plastic cup. I had no idea what got her so possessed.

At one point in time, he was exhausted, so much that he trembled when he tried clambering to his knees. But one kick to his side made him bite the dust yet again.

There was a hell lot of oohs which stopped when out of nowhere the teachers charged with their canes. All of us scattered like bullets. Thanks to Sibal, I was great at sprinting, so it didn't take me long to cover up the whole ground in one stride.

When I'd found a safe hiding spot behind a tree, I saw Anki being dragged away to the Principal's office. I was scared. I really hoped that they didn't hurt her. I was damn sure that she'd done nothing wrong.

So, I inched closer and hung around.

Mr. Shah, our chicken poop principal was about to hit her with a cane. But man, talk about defiance and guts, she just crossed her arms and refused to give in. And that's when he grabbed her by the skirt and tried to whack her ass.

"Don't touch me!" She snarled like an angry cat and knocked his cane away. "I've done nothing wrong! If you dare, go and pick on that mutt, Sibal. If you have issues with me, talk to my parents about it!"

I just blinked. Like seriously, what creature was she?

Even the teachers were taken aback. Some of them looked embarrassed.

"How dare you!!! HOW DARE YOU!!!" Mr. Shah was trembling in fury. The guy was so huge and flabby that he looked like a giant hippo.

I wanted to hang around and know more, but unfortunately, I had to get back to class.

A while later, I saw her dad for the first time. She was with him too. They were having a chat as they walked past our class. I really wanted to know what happened.

I remember fidgeting in my seat to get a better look at him. After all, he was Anki's father and I wanted to know everything about her.

Ratan Agarwal. That's his name. He had salt and pepper hair, glasses, and sharp, piercing eyes. On the first impression, he looked like a very hot-tempered, no-nonsense guy. Maybe that was where Anki got her fury from?

That was the first time I felt a strong pull towards her. I don't know what it was. Admiration? Curiosity? Or attraction? I felt like a helpless fanboy. I wanted to get close to her. Grab her attention. Be her friend. Be everything!!!

I ended up thinking about her several times in the day.

My eyes were quick to spot her almost anywhere, even from amidst a crowd.

My ears were eternally up to listen to what she had to say, or what others had to say about her.

I found myself defending her when anyone spoke shit about her. Not that anyone did, she was so rightful in all her ways.

I followed her. Secretly. Um... is that stalking by the way? I refuse to believe that. I wasn't stalking her. Um... was I?

***