Bikini and Me

This story has been published in Yourstory club for CWCI Competition-  http://yourstoryclub.com/short-stories-social-moral/short-story-with-moral-lesson-bikini-and-me/

6 October, Goa: “So, you sell only bikinis?” a young teenage customer asked me in an excited tone.

I smiled back warmly at her nodding my head. The girl seemed overjoyed and amazed looking at all the contents that filled every corner of my little shop.

“You ask for any kind and it is there. Different shapes, sizes, colours, patterns and prints. I offer customized designs too,” I said showing one brilliant piece of my work.

Tiger prints, beaded, multicoloured, backless, halter neck, strapless, printed and abstract prints. I got the craziest of ideas. I knew the choice of the girls who came in this area. In a place like Goa which attracted many foreigners and young bubbling girls, I started this as a small shop under a thatched roof beside this Kempu beach.

Seeing one girl spending more than 15 minutes in my shop her other friends followed. My happiness knew no bounds when they purchased in dozens. The same story repeated each day. I met new girls, spoke to them, took ideas from them and customized funky bikinis just the way they wanted.

I always roll into my past seeing the gleaming eyes of these girls.

I used to accompany my father when he went fishing. Afternoon school kept me occupied until I found time to play with girls I grew up with. The only sport known to us was swimming and diving into the cool blue sea that always seemed to welcome us. My mother decked me up in those beautiful swimming costumes that she stitched only for me. Those bits and pieces of cloth that she had named as my swimming costume are now the so called ‘bikini’.

Things were not the same always. Sitting by the beach I used to admire the girls who still went swimming without me. I sat on the warm sand at dusk noticing my friends who had grown up just like me. They played in the pool, enjoyed teasing other guys wearing the sarong or flaunting their sexy body with that beautiful piece of cloth which once used to be our swimming costume.

I was enveloped with fear then thinking I could never be one among them. My parents tried their best but I never found my confidence back. Negative energy seemed to have enveloped me. With time, the scars healed.

I just sat in one corner helping my mother with her stitching sessions each day. This fascination took over me and turned into public attraction in a short while.  My thoughts had a new dimension.

After years I can say I am contented.

***

The article read – Sherin is a Breast Cancer survivor from the past 40 years who has dedicated her life to brighten up the lives of young women.

 ***

I threw the last bit of the dry peanut skin, dusted the paper, folded it carefully and putting it in my pocket I headed towards the shop that had a big board “BIKINIS ONLY” written in bold over it.

My Blue Chocolate

The phone beeped loudly in the quietness of the lazy Sunday morning only to wake me up with a start. I struggled hard to open my eyes, fluttering my eyelids. I felt a sharp pain. My eyelids were stuck.

I rubbed my eyes with pain and forced them open. 

My phone read: 1 message received

Kaushik: Awake?

The digital clock on my mobile displayed- 8:46 AM.

Before I could think there was another message.

Kaushik: Awake?????

 “Just by sending more question marks you cannot expect a reply”, I mumbled to myself.

I was not yet out of the emotional hangover of the previous night.

Kaushik: I think you are deep in sleep. Let me know when you come to the canteen for breakfast. I want to meet you.

Now…….. this message got me curious.

“Why would Kaushik want to meet me on a Sunday morning for breakfast when he would never wake up until lunch time?” I asked myself.

It seemed strange. My brain refused to add on any thought process. I was mentally exhausted arguing with Rishi from the past few days.

I replied: “Yes, I am coming to the canteen. You know very well I will never miss breakfast when they serve Chole Bhature. Errr………..but why are you awake on a Sunday Morning? ”

Kaushik: Just to give you a special gift.

I replied curiously, “What’s that?”

I stopped brushing and looked at my cell phone eager to see his reply.

Kaushik: “A chocolate”. (It was accompanied with a smiley emoticon)

“What!!! You are awake only to give me a chocolate!!!” I exclaimed in the message.

Kaushik: “Yes this chocolate is especially for you on a belated b’day wish note. “

“Thanksssss, “I replied.

He could understand exactly how I was feeling from the past two days. It was more than 24 hours since my birthday had become a belated one still there was someone who could understand that I didn’t enjoy myself so much. It was Rishi’s presence that I missed which couldn’t compensate for anything.

Suddenly, I got reminded of the previous day’s argument that I had had with Rishi. We just couldn’t strike a chord for this note called coordination. Ultimately he made me cry even on my birthday by just not reacting at all.

In this thought process I had swallowed a bit of the foam formed by my paste. I spat it out in disgust, splashed cold water on my face and looked in the mirror only to find my eyes swollen with two small puffed sacs seen on my reddened face.

It was a terrible feeling but I smiled only to keep myself normal. The excited was gripping me more and more and longed to have that special chocolate.

I had reached half way to my canteen when I received another message from Kaushik.

“What kind chocolate do you like?”- Indian or Imported?

Now that the excitement was adding on I was very eager to get my gift. I wasn’t fond of chocolates neither did I have a specific choice if someone gifted me some. It was a funny feeling to be excited for a belated birthday chocolate. After all it would be just a small gesture to make me feel happy and brighten up my mood.

Girls love surprises and gifts. To start a day with something to look forward to was the best feeling that could act as a balm to my aching heart and mind.

Kaushik: Do you like Ferro or do you like Cadbury Dairy milk silk or Bournville?

I replied: “Anything would do as far as I am getting the chocolate to eat. I hope you are not trying to fool me.”

Suspicion crept in as Kaushik was very capable of fooling me. I didn’t want to have any more high hopes or else I would feel even more terrible.

Kaushik : “ Chill!! I won’t hurt your sentiments.”

“One last question from my side and I will be there in 10 minutes to join you for breakfast”, Kaushik messaged expecting I will be calmed down.

I had reached the canteen by then and was devouring those delicious hot Chole Bhature. I felt contented having a good breakfast.

“What is that,” I replied sitting and staring at the empty plate in front of me.

Kaushik: Would you prefer a blue wrapper or a pink one?

“Blue,” I replied with disgust in my face and put my phone down.

Sipping tea slowly I looked around and observed the crowd in the canteen. None seemed as worried as I was then. The excitement of the morning was subsiding down and it was being replaced by worse thoughts of those arguments again.  I was sitting in one corner and thankfully not in the notice of many of my classmates. My puffed eyes would have been surely a reason for unnecessary questions that I always wanted to avoid from gossip mongers.

I couldn’t wait anymore. I dialed Kaushik’s number.

He cut my call after 2 full rings.

I felt irritated because I was sitting there in a terrible mood doing nothing but waiting for some special chocolate that he was probably manufacturing for me.

The next moment I felt some positive energy creeping in. The soothing ginger tea was having its effect on me.

I wanted to forget everything and be normal.

I typed a message to Rishi. On one hand I wanted to share my happiness with him, make him feel I am normal and on the other I also wanted to show him how special my friends were. They could do small gestures just for my happiness.

“You know Rishi I am going to get a birthday surprise from Kaushik…….”

I hadn’t completed typing the message when my phone rang and this message was automatically pushed to drafts.

It was Kaushik.

“Look up girl,” he shouted on the phone. That was all I could here in the chaos.

 I looked up and strained my neck through the crowd and waved at him. He waved back with a smile. That moment I felt so glad that I waited to meet someone with whom I could smile and have a chat at any point of time. I felt lucky to have such friends.

I was back on my seat waiting for him to peel through the queue at the food counter and come towards my table.

The very next moment I was seen cupping my hands on my face just as I had won a beauty pageant.

The canteen crowd was looking in my direction.

There he came along with Kaushik holding a beautiful bouquet of colourful roses in his hand. I was in trance not able to realize what was going on.

Wearing that blue kurta that I had gifted, Rishi walked towards me confidently. He stood there with a triumphant smile. I knew it from the look in his eyes. It was entirely his plan.

Kaushik chuckled and said pointing towards Rishi, “This is your blue chocolate madam.”

 This story has been published in Yourstoryclub.com for Creative Writing Competition 2012- http://yourstoryclub.com/short-stories-love/love-short-story-my-blue-chocolate/