The Mind Game

'It'll be ₹399, sir'

After a week here at Bangalore, It was time to head back to my city. A much-needed 2-day break from my exam preparation was worth it. And so I decided to do some shopping at Mantri Square.

'Oh yeah,' I said, I reached for my wallet and paid the person at the counter of the Crossword book store.

As I turned, my eyes met her. Like a black hole, she was bending all the light towards her. She was standing 5'6" tall, wearing denim and white crop top. Her dark brown eyes were well suited with round spectacle. Smooth hair flicked behind her ear was enough to make any man go weak at his knees.

She seemed confused about her choice of books at the desk, which was evident by her shuffling through the racks. Eventually, she picked my all time favourite 'The Immortals Of Meluha - Amish Tripathi'.

'Should I make the move?' My inner me questioned.

'No! No! No! Don't be an arsehole. Just because she picked your favourite book, doesn't mean she'll be falling for you right away' answered my logical brain.

'True, we know you better' my innocent heart corroborated. I felt the high-five inside me.

I paid another look at her and left to-be-my-love-story unfinished at the crossword.

                         ______________________

It was a 2-hour flight from Bangalore to Hyderabad and it got delayed by about 45 minutes. So while I was waiting at the airport, surrounded mostly by aged couples and sleepy travellers at 2 in the morning, my eyes suddenly met those of an exquisite personality.

She was dressed in a mix of pink trek-wear and nightsuit and was shuffling through novels in a nearby bookshop.

'Was she the same girl back at the crossword too?' my heart raised a question.

A gorgeous woman *Check* Book-lover *check*. Mesmerizing eyes. *Check*. Harry Potter glasses. *Check*.

'She fits the description alright' approved brain.

I had to put my courage together this time. I casually walked up to the bookstore, trying to make it look cool to anyone looking at me, and started dabbling in the opposite rack than hers.

She was shuffling through the pages of 'The Ministry Of Utmost Happiness - Arundathi Roy' and maybe she caught me glancing at it a few times that she spoke up.

'You like to read?' she enquired with her mellifluous voice.

Looking all around and controlling the urge to say 'duh', which my brain denied as a reply, and I went 'Umm… yeah. You too?'

'Yes. Maybe we should be reading then, instead of staring, no?'

'Darn' slipped my mouth. I made a note to my brain - Attitude *Check*

The gorgeous woman simply turned around and moved a little away, leaving me a little red and I don’t know why but I ended up buying that very book she was shuffling through.

I picked my bag, paid for the book and moved towards the terminal to board the flight.

Call it fate or luck, I sat at the window seat while she occupied the aisle one in the same row.

There was one problem though.

A middle-aged Uncle was a barrier between me and my love, and he was there to just sleep— he had his neck pillow on, a hand ready to unbuckle the belt as soon as the plane was airborne, and scratching his pot-belly with the other one.

After a few sneaky looks at her, the plane was up, I took out that novel and turned the reading lights on. I think she’d have seen it, so just a few moments later, she asked the uncle to switch seats.

He looked at me grumpily once but her sweet voice would have melted the hardest of hearts.

'Hi,' she greeted.

'Hey' as I said, my heart started pumping blood at a faster rate.

'You bought that book'

'Yes, I did'

'How is it?'

'Just started it actually. But in the seven lines, I’ve read, I felt the urge to open the dictionary at least ten times'

'Yeah, I can understand' she giggled.

My heart skipped a beat. I secretly hoped that she had no boyfriend.

'Also, I heard she's a good writer?' I continued. I wouldn't want her to stop speaking to me, right?

'Yes. But, not everyone gets her Point Of View'

'Well then, I hope I do' I corroborated and put up a smile'

She was quiet. Lost in her thoughts. I chose not to disturb her, and likely I dug my face in my book.

After a few minutes of silence. She spoke up.

'So why do you read?' She asked me sincerely.

'Because I like it?'

'Yes. But why? I do it to feel what these characters feel'

'Wow. That is actually a great perspective to look at it.'

'Sorry. Which one?' she asked. A bit confused.

'The entire feeling what the characters feel'

'Yes. But with me it is literal. I am not pragmatic, and I actually can’t have feelings'. She turned herself towards me.

'What!? My eyebrows shot up. 'What do you mean you can't have feelings?'

'Yeah. My mind cannot process empathy and a bunch of other feelings'

'For real?' I squinted.

'Yeah. It’s with me since childhood' She shrugged. 'My doctor recommended that I read good books' she continued. 'So that to train myself with responding to others and understanding the appropriate emotions'

'Is that why you were rude to me back at the airport?'

'When?' she looked puzzled.

'Back at the airport. In that bookshop?'

'I… umm, I didn’t visit any bookshop at the airport'.

She was kidding right!?

'Wha… you did. I saw you reading that book, this very book. And you told me to scuttle, more or less. Ring a bell?'

'Umm… I didn’t. I’m literally just meeting you for the first time'.

Why is she doing this? Am I dreaming all of -? Wait. This might be a trick. Was she trying to make me recall the bookstore back in the city? So she noticed me?

'Oh. Do you mean to say at the crossword?

'What do you mean?'

'Wow, girl. You’re totally messing with me, aren’t you?'

She chose silence. Really? Messing with my mind and now loss at words? But, I wouldn't give up without a proper explanation from her.

'You literally started this conversation by asking that I really bought this book'

'Did I?'

'Yes madam, you did.' I exhaled noisily.

'Which book are you talking about?'

'This' pointing my finger towards the book. 'Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy'

'Wait! But you’re reading Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie'

'Yeah right,' I scoffed. Turning the book to throw the cover at her face, only to be shocked to see Satanic Verses written on it.

'This isn’t happening. I didn’t buy this book. Satanic Verses is banned in India. It doesn’t sell on airports'

She kept a poker face.

'What the eff is happening?' I was starting to flip out.

At this point, the girl was simply staring into my brown eyes with her hazel ones; a strange vibe of something sinister crawling over her face.

'I didn’t buy this book at the airport, I swear'. I said. Pinching my Adam's Apple.

'Umm… you were at the airport?'

'Woman. If you have to fly on a plane, you catch it from an airport' I retorted.

'Uhhh… we are not in a plane, Satvik'. she said, as a matter of fact.

Now, this was stupidity. I laughed, only to flip out as I looked to my left and instead of a classic oval window of an aircraft, I found myself looking out of a cafe’s window.

'Seriously. WHAT THE EFF IS HAPPENING!? Grabbing my hair, I screamed. 'Wait! How do you even know my name?'

'What nonsense are you blurting. And stop screaming, I’m your girlfriend and You’re not gonna bail on me again, I like this cafe'

'What the… I was on a plane.' I would slip into trauma any second now.

'That was two days ago, Satvik. Please stop it. You are embarrassing me' she glared.

'No I was just there. Reading a book. And then I started talking to you. And I don’t even know you. What the hell is happening?'

'Is this some new kind of breakup technique? Or more of your "I-can’t-feel-emotions-my-brain-is-missing-the-empathy-center" non-sense?'

'Wait!' I said. 'You said that. In the plane' I pointed towards the sky.

'I never said that, and I haven’t been on a plane in a month. Stop effing with me Satvik. We are barely spending time together and you wanna bail out on this?'

'I… I… Wha… ' I stammered. ' I don’t even know your name'

'That’s all the insult I can take. Eff off. Call me when you grow up'

I was gasping for air. What on earth was happening to me? Am I seriously dreaming all this? How can she be my girlfriend, whom I met just hours ago? And how the hell did I end up in a cafe?

'I’m leaving' she ordered, trying to get up.

I was at a loss of words this time. What do I tell her? To stay? But for what? I didn't even know her name'

'What was your name, again?'

My self-proclaimed girlfriend slapped me, and all of a sudden, I found myself in the plane again. She was reading 'The Immortals Of Meluha'

'What just happened?' I asked, trying to feel my face with my palms. 'And where did you get that book?' pointing towards her book.

'One, you kinda slept. Two, you buy books at a bookstore'.

'Wait! First thing first, You’re my girlfriend?'

'Nope'. She said, smacking her lips. 'But full marks for the confidence'

'Clear. And which bookstore was it?'

'Is this some kind of a flirting, which I'm unaware of?

'Just answer the question, woman!'

'Wow, calm down. It was at Crossword, Mantri Square, back in the city'

'You denied me when I asked you earlier, girl' I questioned, raising my voice.

'Are you alright?' she frowned.

'And I saw you there a couple of days ago'

'You got some good pick up lines, Mr Stalker' she moved, turning the reading lights off.

'Wait, and I didn’t buy Satanic Verses.'

'Of course, isn’t it banned in India?' She replied, facing away from me.

'I JUST EFFING SAID THAT!' I screamed.

'Are you what..?' she said, giving a pause. 'Delusional?'

I sat there, gazing at her. And then it hit me.

'Slap me!'

'What?' she turned her face.

'I said slap me!'

'I think I should go back to my seat' she said, trying to get up.

'Hey, please, slap me' I begged.

She looked around for a second in confusion, before lifting her delicate palm and smacking it on my cheek.

All of a sudden, I was back to square one, I found myself at the crossword again. Waiting at the counter, to pay for the book.

'It'll be ₹399 sir'