Copyright © 2012-2013 Renu. All rights reserved.
CHAPTER ONE
It is a nighttime. My parents are sleeping in their room. This is the correct time to run away from my home. I have left a letter in my parent's room and informed them not to worry about me. But I didn't tell them the truth. The fact is if I tell them that I left the house for searching a vampire, they would be the first one to send me to the mental hospital. They will think I'm mad, but I'm not. I know they do exist; the only thing is you need to search them at right place at right time. That is the reason; I'm leaving at right time, but right place? I doubt if I can meet a vampire at right place.
I still have no idea from where should I begin. I've seen in the movies and television shows, they like lonely place and far from the crowd.
My first hunt begins from here. I've a navigation software in my Nokia touchscreen mobile aswell as map of Mumbai city, which you can get at any local market.
I took my backpack, a cone-shape water bottle, clothes, and most important money. I'm wearing my favorite yellow sleeveless t-shirt and blue tight jeans.
Did I mention I had robbed money from my mom and dad's room? The wooden cupboard was half-open, I just took it from the drawer, while they were sleeping on their bed.
I know I was doing wrong by robbing, but do I've an option? I don't do job, just last year I finished my graduation in mass media and it's not easy to get jobs in Mumbai. Most of the time they ask for the experience and I don't have it. It is not that I never tried for jobs. But it was my bad luck, I never got right job.
However, I could have used my parent's name for influence purpose, but I wanted job for my degree and not for my parent's namesake.
I even had applied at several job sites, but all offers I used to get was for call centers and I don't like call center jobs. Therefore, I gave up on searching any jobs. Now I'm depended on my parents.
My mom Madhu Dobriyal is a social worker aswell as own the big event management company. She likes to organize events; actually, that is her hobby, which she converted into big business.
My dad Arnab Dobriyal owns the Dobriyal empires. Yes, it is true I belong to rich family and I'm the only daughter to my parents. Maybe that's why they pamper me a lot. I wish I had a sister with whom I could share my feelings, than I would have told her the truth that where I'm going.
But anyways, that's enough of my family introduction.
I'm walking on the road with a backpack on my shoulder. The traffic in Mumbai, even at nighttime is terrible. The car engines roars in my ear. I wish I would have taken my car, but unfortunately, I don't know driving. I know it sounds stupid that at the age of twenty-two I still don't have knowledge of driving. But the fact is my driver drives the car and he is the one who knows everything about my car. I didn't thought of learning car, because I never thought to run away like this for searching a vampire.
This idea I got it from my college friend Ruhi. She is a half-brained girl and she just brainwash me too. Now I don't find any difference between her and me.
*FLASHBACK*
We bunk the college as we have planned to go for the first day first show movie. It is a romantic vampire movie.
My friends and I went in the New Excelsior theater. Well I won't name that movie. But you can guess the name of that movie, in which vampire sparkle. That movie didn't just made me crazy, but my friend Ruhi, who was already crazy, became more crazy after watching that movie. Misha was half-crack too and she became full-crack when she uttered, "haiye! Kash yeh vampire hero mera boyfriend hota."
We were sitting in the theater when she blurts out those words from her mouth. At that moment, I really wanted to slap her, because I already had reserved that hero for me.
In theater, all the time Misha and Ruhi were drooling over the vampire hero. I didn't excluded myself from drooling. The only difference is I hide the side of my face while drooling, and they didn't notice me. Infact, they were so much busy watching the movie and both had their eyes glued on the big screen. I felt relaxed and yeah I even send flying kiss towards the big screen, while watching my vampire hero.
As soon as the movie got over, Misha and Ruhi were busy chatting with each other while walking out of the theater. I felt like side-lined as they didn't talk to me at all and probably didn't noticed too.
I was about to slip due to the wetness on the road. It was raining outside and we didn't had umbrella. Misha grabbed my hand and pulled me on her side. She screamed, "Watch out� kar kya rahi hai? Din mai hi daru pee liya kya?" I shockingly stared at her.
"I don't drink." I fortunately spill those words from my mouth and for a moment, I felt relaxation.
Misha and Ruhi drinks beer, wine, rum and every kind-of hard drinks, but I'm goodie girl. I don't drink and neither my parents will allow me to drink. It is a different thing that my dad always needs an excuse of partying and drinking.
"haan. Haan. Pata hai. Tu toh apni maa baap ki eklauti pyari beti hai." Misha teased by holding my neck from back and squeezing it softly.
"kya kar rahi hai, Misha?" I said in suffocated voice, as my dry throat didn't allow me to speak louder.
"Barish mai bheegne ka maazaa hi kuch aur hota hai na?" Ruhi said by spreading her arms in air.
We all were getting wet in the rain. Since we were in crowd, some were inside their umbrellas and some were getting wet like us.
My long curly hair was not just wet, but when I ran fingers on my hair, I felt knots everywhere on my curly hair.
We crossed the lane and went towards the parking lot where Misha parked her car. She knows driving and don't allow anyone else to drive her car.
"Yaar Misha, baarish ka mausam hai. Woh movie mai bhi baarish wale town mai hi woh heroine rehne gayi thi na?" Ruhi said in her sugary voice. She was sitting in front with Misha. I was sitting at the backseat, looking at both of them and hearing their conversations.
"haan toh?" Misha teased by making her eyes widened.
"zara soch na. Agar Mumbai mai bhi aisa koi jagah ho jaha jada barish aata ho aur waha hum jaaye toh?" Ruhi again spoke in sugary way. But this time there was an excitement lined in her voice.
This was definitely a good idea to visit such place where it rains more.
But coming to reality, made me realize that it was just a fiction movie, not real.
I wanted to take notes from Miss Das Gupta as I had missed today's lecture. Therefore, I told Ruhi and Misha to stay in canteen.
Miss Das Gupta was very angry on me for missing her lecture, but I lied easily giving an excuse of Misha not feeling well and so we rushed to the clinic due to which we missed the lecture. Well, she didn't created fuss about Misha's health and maintained silence in the staff room with a condition that Misha, Ruhi and me will get punishment for bunking the lecture.
I had no idea how Ruhi and Misha will react, but I was sure that they would over-react or probably they will skip themselves from their punishments. Misha is smarter than me in designing all new fake excuses, which still I failed to do it in front of Miss Das Gupta.
Ruhi and Misha were discussing about that movie in the college canteen. When I heard Misha saying, "yaar, real mai bhi vampire sparkle karta toh? Kitna maazaa aata na?"
Ruhi uttered sugary, "Sparky vampire mera boyfriend." She winked and became wild. She hopped on Misha's lap saying, "fhir toh mai sidhe uss ke godh mai jaa ke baith jaati aur uss ke aankho mai kho jati." She demonstrated by sitting on Misha's lap and blushing with the imagination of vampire hero from that movie.
Misha was a tomboy and she was wearing a blue half-pant and tight white shirt. When Ruhi was busy dreaming and blushing in her own world. She just threw Ruhi from her lap and made her felled down on the ground.
Misha said, "mai kya teri vampire hero hun jo tu mujhse lipat rahi hai?" she tucked her two fingers in her mouth and teased Ruhi.
Ruhi glared and stood up, "Misha ki bachi, mujhe agar woh vampire hero mila na, toh uss ko keh dungi. Sab se pehla tera hi khoon peene ko." By saying this she was about to leave canteen but as she saw me, she smiled and waited there. She started wiping her pink short dress from back, near her thighs.
Maybe she waited to complaint about Misha to me. We three were best friends but Misha and Ruhi fights like a best enemies.
I was just few inches away from them and so I could hear everything. I just stepped closer to them. When Misha looked at me and said, "Dekh, kaise usse aaj mast gira dia maine."
Ruhi yelled at Misha, "tu khud ko kya samajhti hai, Misha? Mai iss ka badla zarur lungi. Dekh lena."
I laughed and stopped Ruhi to behave like kiddish. But at that moment, I felt I was the only one who was mature enough to handle their fights over a vampire hero. I wish I could tell them that I'm in a queue too.
Well, I took a risk and honestly for the first time I confessed being obsessive lover of vampire movies and vampire heroes.
The reaction was a shocking from Misha and Ruhi's side. Both had their eyes widely opened and mouth too.
Misha closed her mouth and first thing she did was slap me on my arm, "dude, are you serious? Tu sach mai vampire hero ke piche pagal hai?" I could not react anything more than nodding my head. I didn't even smiled.
Misha actually laughed on my face. It was unbelievable for her. She had always seen me as a bookworm but she never knew other side of me, because I never confessed this before.
Ruhi too joined her and her laugh had a sign of confusion aswell as frustration. She caressed my arm and said, "Piya yaar, aisa heart-attack dene wali baat mat karo. Tumhe toh pata hai, mai toh kitni choti hun. Abhi tak ek boyfriend bhi dhang se nahi bana paayi mai. Aise mai abhi maar gayi, toh bhoot ban ke tujhe pareshan karungi." She tried to scare me with her voice and her hands motion.
But that was really not enough to scare me. Both of them had a hard time to believe me. I'm not a crazy lover of that vampire novel, but movies definitely made me obsessed towards the vampire hero.
I didn't understand why Misha and Ruhi couldn't believe that I could be obsessed for someone whom I never met.
Misha and Ruhi are superstitious like me. They too believe that vampires do exist in real too, but they were not willing to believe that I could be one of them too. Infact, I must admit I'm over-obsessed for vampire hero.
They both are my best friends and still they don't believe me. It is a heart aching for me. But I tried to convince them. At that moment, Ruhi asked me just one question that made me questioned my own destiny.
Ruhi asked in her sugary voice, "Agar tumko insan boyfriend aur vampire boyfriend mai se kisi ek ko chunna padta toh tum kis ko chunti?" This question was not tough to answer. I know what my answer would be. But the thing that disturbed me was, will I ever get a vampire as my boyfriend?
Ruhi screamed, "mai tere jawab ka intezar kar rahi hoon. Jawab de jaldi?"
I smiled and replied, "vampire boyfriend."
Misha again slap on my arm and said, "agar vampire hi boyfriend chahiye toh Kabir ko mere liye kyun nahi chod deti?" My mouth widely opened in shock.
I growled, "tum kehna kya chahti ho? Maine kya uss ko pakad ke rakha hai?"
Misha laughs and replied, "yaar tu jab uss mai interested hai hi nahi, toh uss ko bol dena mujhe date pe leke jane ko?"
Her words were aching my heart. I didn't understand why she was talking all these things with me. She knows I'm single. I've never dated anyone, neither I was ever interested in any college boys, than why she raised such questions towards me.
Kabir is closer to Misha than me. I had told him many times that I like him as a friend. That's it. No other relation he should expect from me.
Misha passed her look above my shoulder towards my back. She screamed waving her hand, "Thakur." I tilted my head on the other side; I saw Kabir standing next to me. He was in his usual brown leather jacket and red t-shirt inside visible, along with his black tight jeans. A smile on his face always visible. Though, I admit his smile is a killer for any girls.
"Kaisi hai?" He winked looking at me.
"Achi hoon." I replied casually.
"Kya chal raha hai yaha?" He glanced at Misha and asked smilingly.
"Kuch khas nahi Thakur." Misha's eyes hinted me her evil plan.
Is she planning to leak out my secret in front of Kabir?
That is not a good idea. I saw her evil smile when she looked at me and then her eyes glued on Kabir. She said softly, "pata hai Thakur, Piya ka ek secret abhi humko pata chala."
At that moment, Angad makes his comedy entry. He disturbed Kabir and Misha's conversation by saying, "yaar Kabir, koi bula rahi hai tujhe." My mouth was fully open.
What was that now? Was Angad trying to save me from embarrassing situation? On the other hand, it was just a co-incidence?
Kabir didn't bother to look who was calling him. He simply avoided Angad.
"Kabir!" Someone screamed like a loudspeaker behind my ear, and that voice was coming from my back. As soon as I turned behind, it was none other than Miss Das Gupta.
I completely shuttered. I had lied about Misha and if her eyes pass my way and meet Misha at my back, I will be dead. I would get double punishment. First punishment for bunking and Second punishment for lying.
I motioned my legs in a reversed way and moved towards Misha's side. I hinted her to come closer to me. As she came closer, I whispered in her ear, "maine Miss Das Gupta ko bataya ki teri tabyat kharab hone ke wajah se Ruhi aur mai tujhe clinic leke gaye. Isliye lecture bunk maara. Aage tu sambhal lena." She nodded and gave me a hope that she will handle the situation. Looking at her, I sighed.
Miss Das Gupta was busy yelling at Kabir. Maybe it was a co-incidence that Angad disturbed Misha and Kabir. But, I was lucky enough to get saved from all such embarrassing situation. Though not for a longer time.
As soon as Miss Das Gupta finished yelling at Kabir. Her eyes met mine and then Misha, Ruhi. She angrily looked at us from inside her specs. I could say it was a bad luck for all three of us that Miss Das Gupta noticed us too.
"Piya, come here?" She shook her index finger and called me in front of her. Misha hinted me to go towards her. I know she already had planned something, but what was going in her head, I've no idea.
As soon as, Miss Das Gupta opened her mouth, I heard a loud screaming voice that was coming from my back. I turned to see who was screaming. It was Misha, full-on active with her drama. She placed her hands on forehead, and in a dramatic way, she fainted on the ground.
Miss Das Gupta, me, Kabir and Angad we all walked towards Misha. Others gave their worried look towards Misha. It was only Ruhi and me who were relaxed. Ruhi had already given me hints with her eyes that Misha is simply acting, nothing is real.
Well, I supported others and did my part of drama.
"What happen Misha? Are you alright?" Miss Das Gupta asked her worriedly. There was a tension rose in her voice. I guess, she actually believed in Misha's fake acting. Well Misha's fake acting definitely looks surreal that no one could say it was fake or real.
Miss Das Gupta was half-sitting on the ground and patting Misha's cheeks. But Misha didn't respond. She said Kabir to bring water. I could see sweat on Kabir's face. He was tensed for Misha, that means he don't know anything that Misha was doing drama to save me from double punishments.
Kabir sprinkle water on Misha's face. She opened her eyes slowly and again dramatically pretended to be ill. She woke in such a way that everyone got convinced that she was ill and her fainting was real. The other college students were whispering with each other.
"Misha tu thik toh hai na?" Kabir gave a worried expression towards her.
"haan.. thodi.. thik hun�" Misha paused in-between, her voice was cracking and she perfectly pretended that she is now fine. Her hands were still on forehead and her face had a pale expression.
Miss Das Gupta uttered, "Piya told me you were not well. You shouldn't have come to college."
"Ma'am. We have two more lectures for today. I'll attend that and go." Misha uttered softly. Her eyes narrowed and gave an aching look towards Miss Das Gupta.
"You are not going to stay here. You will go home right now." Miss Das Gupta looked at me and Ruhi. She gave us the responsibility to take Misha home and allowed us for not attending the next two lectures too.
By saying this, she left the canteen. But before that, she gave a warning look towards Kabir. I had no idea why Miss Das Gupta yelled at him.
"Hey Thakur, kya bol rahi thi woh Das Gupta tujhe?" Misha was now in her normal form. Looking at her casual talk, Kabir gave a shocking look towards her.
"Teri tabyat thik nahi thi na? Toh achanak teri aawaz ekdum normal kaise ho gaya?" Kabir confusingly stared.
"Kuch nahi hua tha meri tabyat ko. Woh toh iss gadhi ne mere bimari ka bahana banaya tha, lecture bunk maarne ke liye. Isliye natak karna pada." Misha pilled those words on my face, giving a sympathy kind-of expression towards me.
"Tune toh mujhe dara hi dia tha. Kya acting karti hai tu." Kabir said in such a way as if he has now become her fan. Well he already knows that Misha is a good actor and if she gets chance in movies or television shows, she will be fire on the screen with her stupendous acting.
"Sab sangat ka asar hai." Ruhi spoke sugary, trying to take credit for Misha's evil acting.
"haan. Haan. Aap ke bina mai kya karti maate�" Misha joined her hands and asked for Ruhi's blessings.
Ruhi practically gave her blessing by patting on her head. Misha still had her hands joined and forced Ruhi to give more blessings. Ruhi understood that Misha is pulling her legs and making fun of her. She escaped from that situation by running from the canteen.
"Arey kaha jaa rahe ho maate. Apna aashirwaad toh deke jaayiye?" By saying this, Misha ran behind Ruhi. Both were out of my sight now.
Angad too left the canteen. It was only Kabir and me who were still standing in the canteen. I was feeling awkward, because I know what Kabir feels for me. His eyes were looking at me in a romantic way and I tried to escape from his eyesight. I just didn't wanted to see his brown eyes which was filled with a lot of emotions.
"Piya?" Kabir finally spoke, breaking silence between us.
"hmm�" I could not speak anything else.
"Tumne kuch socha hai?" Kabir's voice had desperation. He wanted to know something. I tried to figure out his unknown words. But really didn't understand anything.
"Kis bare mai?" I wrapped my arms against my chest and waited for his words.
"Maine tumse hamare first date ke bare mai pucha tha?" Kabir excitedly spoke in one-go.
"Tab maine bhi jawab dia tha. Tum mere dost ho, aur isse jada kuch umeed mat karo mujhse." I replied aggressively. I felt bad to say in such a way, but I didn't wanted to give him a fake hope and neither I wanted him to wait for me. I knew what I wanted and so there is no chance to back out now.
"acha thik hai. Yeh sab chodo. Mujhe yeh batao tumhara aisa kya secret hai jo Misha aur Ruhi ko pata chala. Lekin, mujhe abhi tak pata nahi chala." Kabir didn't mused on my words. He simply tried escaping from rejection. May be that's why he just changed the topic immediately. But one day he has to accept this fact, that I could never be his.
I was about to open my mouth and speak, but I felt interruption from Misha, the Tomboy.
"Usse kya puch rahe ho? Mujhse pucho?" Misha continued with her attitude in voice, "woh tumhe kuch nahi batayegi. Mai batati hoon."
Kabir enrolled excitement in his eyes and looked towards Misha and ofcourse Ruhi too was standing with her, giving a big smile on her face.
"Toh batah na? Kis ka intezar kar rahi hai?" Kabir replied amusingly.
"Batati hoon Thakur. Sabar karo." Misha grinned and continued with her lecture, "Sabar ka faal meetha hota hai." Misha wraps her one hand in Kabir's neck and he leaned towards her cheek.
"Sabar kis liye? Koi aane wala hai kya?" Kabir said by pulling Misha's hand from his neck and standing straight, as earlier.
At that moment, Angad makes his usual comedy entry. His legs were crossed and it was pretending to dance and his body was shaking too. "Loo mai aa gaya�" Angad said by opening his arms in air and giving a wicked smile.
"Tujhe iss ka intezar tha?" Kabir taunted pointing index finger towards Angad.
Misha nods her head and replied, "arey sab dost rahenge eksath. Tabhi toh maazaa aayega Piya ki taang khichne mai." Misha's words literally embarrassed me and poked my chest.
I just tried to avoid the situation but my bad luck, Misha didn't allowed me to leave the canteen. She openly announced the fasciation I feel for the vampire heroes and as soon as she leaked my secret out, everybody in the canteen shockingly stared at me and then they laughed. Their voice echoed in my ear and my body felt an electrical current when Misha said that I want a vampire boyfriend, not the human boyfriend.
Everything she said was true, but really, I didn't wanted these secrets to leak out in such an embarrassing way.
Kabir was stunned hearing my secrets but he too joined others, laughing and making fun of me. Everyone knew the secrets of Misha and Ruhi. It was only my secret, which was never leaked, because I never confessed. But, when I confessed I knew this day would come in my life.
I don't care how much people make fun of me or think I've gone mad. The only thing that bothered me that will I really get a vampire boyfriend?
*FLASHBACK ENDS*
PRESENT
As soon as I came back to the reality, a small tear dripped on my cheeks. I'm in the local train, sitting in the ladies compartment, where only handful of ladies are travelling at late night eleven-forty five P.M. My plan is to go Karjat. I'd research on google and found Karjat place where it rains more heavily. Therefore, this place became my first destination.
I became impatient and waited for Karjat to arrive. So many stations just came and gone, but Karjat is just a half-an-hour away. It is dark outside the window. I could not see anything, except the moon in the dark sky, that showered his light towards my window and it caught my attention as I saw it is a full moon.
I remember in that movie franchise, the second movie mentioned about the full moon when heroine comes to know a secret of another hero who was an wolf.
If I believe in Vampire, I should believe in wolves too. That means if I ever come face-to-face with a vampire, than there is a chance of wolves entry too?
I became more excited while watching the full moon from the window. I inhaled as the air passed through my face and my open curly hair flew in air.
However, I do not like wolves, but I don't mind meeting wolves too.
Phew! Very long chapter. So did you like it?
Copyright © 2012-2013 Renu. All rights reserved.
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