I noticed Neha does not apply make-up.
1)
Corgi was glad to have her best friend Neha back in college. She was excited to share the outline of her summer and even more to know Neha's side of the story. During the first few hours of her arrival, Corgi heard her friend blabber about how exciting yet fun her summer was. She saw her beaming with victory and triumph. And although Corgi was not accustomed to imagining things, did she see an extra flush of red in her best friend's cheeks or the excited yet nervous glint in her eyes? Corgi had known Neha for a long time now and she knew that Neha might not look too splendid but guys generally fell for her due to her vivaciousness. Over the years she had seen men reject pretty girls to be with Neha- she was smart and sassy, enriched with a sunny disposition. But wasn't Neha immune to their charms? And as Corgi so often liked to tease, "You're looking for a magical and dramatic love story, aren't you Neha?"
So, undoubtedly, it was rather alarming for Corgi to see Neha talk about a certain boy called Stuart in a way she'd never talked about a boy before. She was completely baffled to find her lost in thoughts during lectures or remain quiet during spicy girl talks. Was this love, Corgi pondered. 'Cause if this was the case, she knew Neha well enough to know that she won't be able to find the courage to confront Stuart about her feelings. Although Neha was an extrovert, say-it-all kind of person, when it came to relationships, she actually managed to conceal her feelings. Would Corgi play the matchmaker? No, she'd rather like it if Neha handled things on her own. "This is going to be even more challenging and fun, Neha," she proclaimed quietly.
Time is fleeting. Corgi and Neha didn't realize that in two month's time, they'd have their final exams and would go separate ways.
It was the next summer and Corgi was tanning her body in the sun, playing soccer in a camp in Mexico. And when she headed back to the changing room after three consecutive hours of practice, she saw her phone whine about '7 missed calls' of Neha.
So Neha was tensed up about an upcoming party at the Google Headquarters.
"You've no reason to be apprehensive about that," Corgi was about to say just as the words sank in. And she realized, saying softly, "Stuart." She felt Neha nod reluctantly.
"Is it a casual or formal event?" Corgi asked.
"Formal. It's an award ceremony," Neha answered, "Oh and it is actually tonight…"she trailed off.
Corgi could never trust Neha enough to let her dress herself for a party, especially for a formal one. The last thing she wanted to hear was that Neha went to the event wearing a bright, flashy dress backed up with some funky accessories. Almost driven by a motive, Corgi mumbled "Call you back in a few minutes," into the phone.
It would take her approximately three and a half hour to reach San Jose. She Google searched to find that the next flight was leaving the next hour.
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Corgi chose a beige-coloured tiered dress for Neha which complimented that brownness of her skin. The dress offered embellishment without adding glitter or sparkle. Tiers are a bold fashion statement and need almost no jewellery. However, to bring attention to details on the top of the dress or to the face and hairstyle, Corgi selected a pair of large hoop earrings. Her hair and make-up was explicitly done and Corgi knew that there was no way Stuart could divert his attention from Neha even for a split second.
Neha blinked at the stranger in the mirror. The stranger blinked at her with her mascara-fed eyes.
The make-up and hair was impeccable. The lipstick was not too glossy; it picked out the boldness and softness of her scarlet lips. Her skin was wrapped in a layer of Bobbi Brown foundation cream, making her look paler. The mascara over her eyes was dark and defined and the large loops dangling from her ears accentuated the black of her eyes.
Her posh dress was yet another story. The neckline showed off a little extra cleavage than Neha intended. Her curves looked more defined and she definitely looked less fat.
But something was not right with her attire. Neha was confused and felt uneasy. After all, she failed to recognize the person staring back at her.
She tittered and then looked too serious. "I can't do this." She backtracked.
" I can't believe my hands could work such a magic, " her friend laughed, "Girl, just take some fashion advice from me and you'll be the star of the evening every time." Corgi said with a flourish, sipping her sixth cup of coffee.
"I can't do this." Neha repeated.
"Nervous, yeah? When I dressed up for the sophomore prom, I was so nervous. I didn't think I could handle all the atten-"
"Corgi," Neha cut her off, "I can't do this," she pressed.
"What do you mean by you can't do it?" Corgi asked.
"Corgi, this is not me," she sighed, "I appreciate you and thank you for transforming me into a Hollywood diva. But originally I don't look like this. This is a result of layers of make-up and an expensive dress." Corgi remained silent, puzzled, which encouraged Neha to continue, "I do want Stuart to like me. But if he's attracted to me tonight, I know it's not me but the make-up." She took a pause. "OK, let's say he will like me tonight. Let's say we'll get together. But, shall I wear all this make-up everyday to make him continue to like me?"
"So you want to remove it all?" Corgi said. She strongly needed a negative response.
"Look, I'm sorry," Neha ventured, "But-"
"What do you mean by you're sorry? Do you even realize what you're saying? Neha, I had work to do. I flew down all the way here to help you out. And now you say you want to erase my efforts?" Corgi bellowed. "And also you look great. You look…" she groped for the right word. "Bootylicious!"
"I want to look natural, not artificial."
"You could have said that on the phone and saved me the trip."
"Will remember that the next time." Neha muttered and left for the bathroom.
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Corgi had her handbag packed but the next flight wasn't until the morning. She glanced at her wrist watch, it was ten past nine.
Despite herself, Corgi decided to go to the ceremony. She kicked off her jeans and her Calvin Klein blouse to put on the least flashy/fancy dress Neha had in her wardrobe.
Before leaving, she fetched the coupon Neha had offered before to her into the party.
By the time Corgi reached the venue, the venue was over. Light music filled the hall. People were dancing and drinking alcohol.
She spotted Neha standing with a few co-workers of hers. She was wearing the same dress which Corgi had picked but there was no trace of make-up on her face. Her hair was done in a neat pony tail. She didn't look as appealing as before but she looked very pretty. She had a natural and beholding charisma.
Corgi met Neha's friends- the big, funny and friendly Billy. Equally funny and charming Nick and his girlfriend Dana. She was very beautiful and very, very sophisticated. Lyle was too cocky while Yo-Yo was quiet and very reluctant to drink champagne.
Corgi wanted to know what Stuart looked like. She had indeed seen a group photo of the friends but it was too small to judge. The way Neha had described him, it was handy to have Stuart built up so much. When she'd see him he would certainly be disappointing. Since he was not standing with the group, she looked elsewhere, trying to spot the boy with glasses and a beanie.
She followed Neha's eyes.
So Stuart wasn't disappointing. He wore a simple tux and looked sober. But disappointing was the pretty blonde pressed against him.
Such an artificial beauty, Corgi thought. She suddenly smiled to herself, realizing that her friend had actually been correct. Make-up is indeed magic. It can transform you within seconds. But it can never compete with the natural glow of your skin.
Neha was so young. Desires of youth were burning inside her body. And her beauty, which was neither splendid nor plain, was blossoming to its zenith. That ecstatic energy which flowed through her nerves flushed her cheeks red. She looked refreshing.
So, it was naturally disappointing to see Stuart all over some girl he'd just met. But even more disappointing was the hurt feeling in Neha's eyes.
The evening continued. They had such a great time, laughing and sharing embarrassing stories about one another.
And, blushingly, Corgi admitted to herself that she came to adore Yo-Yo's quietness. She'd laughed so hard when Billy told her about how Yo-Yo had plucked his eyebrow. And she promised to show him a salon where he could get it all right.
It was ten past twelve and in spite of the wonderful time she was having, Corgi asked Neha if they could leave. She had a flight to catch the next morning.
Corgi saw Neha see Stuart leave with the blonde chic he was with. Neha looked utterly upset. For the first time in her life, Neha doubted her actions, her ideologies. And for Corgi, it was the most disappointing.
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Four miles away, Stuart was lying on his bed, lost in thoughts. He didn't notice the little strip-tease act the blonde girl was performing. His heart and mind was fixed on a certain raven-haired beauty. And when the girl fell with a bang next to him, he couldn't help but wish it were Neha.
2)
An year after his employment, Stuart goes to visit his parents in England. It is September and summer is in the air. Leaves are spiralling around empty branches and flowers are wearing an invigorating fragrance. The country is hot and humid, sheltered by a copper sky. Stuart makes a stop in London, before heading for his hometown Elway, embedded in the valley of Corin. Unlike the rest of the country, Elway never has summers; its coolness is supported by an array of lakes and a dense forest. It is a really small town, but it does not miss any institution of necessity.
When Stuart steps out of the train, he's met by the chilly air of Corin and the embracing arms of his mother. During the first few days of his arrival, he's treated like a guest. Although later he has to receive an hour of lecture from his mother at not waking up early or walking on the carpet with muddy shoes and endure the stern gaze of his father when he mockingly asks about the sexy daughter of his parents' friends. His mother prepares his favourite meals: lemon roast chicken and treacle tart. It's almost a ritual for his father and him to go hunting in the mornings and fishing in the evenings. It is the lake Corin, after which the valley itself is named, where they like to go fishing. Sometimes his mother comes along, carrying a basket of Stuart's least favourite fruits, stuffing them into his mouth as he scorns, insisting that they're good for health.
About two days before Stuart's parents leave for the much awaited trip to Salaria, an island in Pacific Ocean, which contains the best beaches of the world and is the Twomblys' favourite travel destination, Stuart received a mail from Neha.
Though Stuart is the kind of person who is always neck deep inside his phone's screen, he admits to prefer the peace and calm of Elway over technology. Or that's what he told his parents, who secretly seem to know that the real reason is that they live in a low internet connectivity region.
His days are remarked with indolence and nothingness. And although there's a lot to discover in the depth of lakes and density of the forest, Stuart finds his activities limited. So, out of random, he picks a day to visit the cyber café. He sardonically smiles at the keeper who tells him proudly that the speed of internet is high that day, referring to mere 5.7Mbit/s.
Stuart's inbox is accosted with a hundred mails. 'I'm in London.' – The mail from Neha states. She mentions some unfinished business and he can immediately guess that she wants him to read between the lines. An even more immediate reaction of his is to invite her over his parents' place. Now that she's made the trip to London, it wouldn't take too much to visit his hometown, where all his childhood memories live. He stared back at the screen for tow full minutes, which reads: Your message has been successfully sent.
He wishes that she's decline his request; he does not want to cancel he trip with his parents that he's supposed to join. Yet, somewhere in his heart, he thinks it was nit such a bad idea after all. He would have asked her to come to Salaria, but it needed a pre-booking. And he doubts that she's willing to make such a long trip with him.
She accepts the proposal. He cannot go to Salaria now. Stuart makes that dreadful trip to home and he feels like a teenage boy, returning home late at night, ready to be questioned.
His parents are clearly disappointed. 'A trip to Salaria is not so easy and inexpensive to make.' His mother says. But they are more disappointed by the fact that it is a girl (they've never heard of) who poses as an obstacle. Stuart thinks that maybe they'd always pictured him with the aforementioned daughter of their friends.
He gives them a wave as they climb the bus to Port of England. He has finally persuaded them to go without him.
It is six in the evening when Neha's train arrives in the railway station. Stuart is waiting impatiently, a half-filled can of Diet Coke and a neatly folded shawl in his arms.
When she steps out of the train, she's immediately struck with Corin's air, which is even colder now. The wind sways her hair harshly and she has to fetch a band from her purse to tie it up in a pony tail.
"I thought it would be hot," She says, indicating the sundress she is wearing. He quietly offers the shawl in his arms and she smiles adorably, "You knew."
They enter the silence of the empty house in uneasiness. 'Cause although they're always at each other's apartments, it is very new for them to have such a big house to themselves.
That night when Neha comes out of the bathroom, she is shivering. She accuses him for not demonstrating the tap controls. They argue and laugh it off; it is a light-hearted moment.
But the next morning, Neha is about to step into the bathtub when she realizes she has yet to learn the tap controls from Stuart. She calls him and after five minutes she can hear him making his way down the stairs. She is half-naked and does not want to look lewd in front of him. She searches for a bathrobe and manages to find nothing but a towel- she wraps it over her Victoria's Secret black bra and panty.
He tries to appear as unnerved as possible and silently curses the genes which make men so naturally attracted to nudity.
And suddenly a thought strikes him, almost a rehabilitating thought. He has decided that no matter how aroused he feels, he would want to have her in all places but the bathroom of his parents' house. She deserves better. He doesn't want her to think that he's attracted to her naked state.
There's a knocking at the door. Stuart watches Neha make her way to the heart of the room. She perches lightly on the bed. She's wearing no make-up, as usual, and has put on a baggy morning gown. But for Stuart, she is the most beautiful girl he has ever seen.
"I want to tell you something." He notes that she's nervous.
Neha takes a deep breath before she starts again. "I didn't have any business in London. I lied. I wanted to…I just wanted to be with you for the summer too."
Stuart is flattered; he knows that the trip to London must have cost her a lot. And even though it is not, it seems like a confession to both Neha and Stuart.
He knows it's his chance now, he can't delay anymore.
He looks into her eyes and begins, "Salaria is a very beautiful island in the middle of the Pacific ocean..." He tells her about the island, about its lush, green shrubs and tall coconut trees, the white sands and clear blue waters. He tells her about the amber-pink glow of sun in dawn and the countless stars dancing in the night sky. His description is solely based on the stories his mother used to tell him as a boy. He tells her about how his parents saved to make the trip of their lives; their plans included him. "They left four days ago. I was supposed to go with them."
"But you didn't go."
Stuart wants to use a good pick-up line. He wants to say something which will make him look neither desperate nor indifferent. But it is of no use, she is waiting and he can't think of anything good. He decides to go for honesty and says: "I couldn't leave an opportunity to be with you."
They are silent now, wondering what to say or do next. Silence is peaceful and comfortable now. Neha glances at him, amazed by his good looks. He wears a boyish charm with the sensibility of a grown-up man. She is appalled by the tickling sensation running down her body in his company. Although their friends say it was inevitable, it is hard to believe they've come so close. Suddenly, she wants to touch him and be touched. Suddenly, she asks him: "Would you mind if I…" she doesn't complete her sentence as she removes his beanie and run a hand over his hair. It is matted, but she likes the feel of it. This is something that she'd wanted to do since the day they'd met.
"I always wanted to know how this feels like…" she explains. They are just a few inches apart now. If Neha thinks that his gaze can melt ice, she is instantly water as he slides his arm around her waist and leans forward to kiss her, after saying: "And I always wanted to know how this feels like."
3)
It was the summer Corgi turned 29. She was tanning her body in the sun, in a camp in Mexico. She's a coach now.
"Four rounds of the track," she yelled and the young players started to run fervently.
When she pulled out the phone from her bag as she sat on the grass, she saw her phone whine about '7 missed calls' from Neha.
Corgi's surprised and excited to hear from her friend.
Neha blushed when she said, "I'm getting married."
"Wait-WHAT?" Corgi shouted on the phone.
"Do you want to be the maid of honour or shall I ask someone else?"
-Finish-
Reviews are welcome.