Nilay days-4

Walking along the streets of downtown always made Janvi very happy. The west main road that forms the crux of the downtown is a broad cobbled street with shops and restaurants on either side .The road was closed to the traffic and the middle of the walk way had hawkers selling stuff from Nepal to Mexico. Janvi and Subha started looking in at some nice earrings that a hawker from Nepal was displaying. Subha was so taken by it and was haggling with the hawker to lower the price.
“So you come to downtown often??” Nilay asked janvi
“Huh..oh ..well once in a while ..people in my lab like to eat pizzas at Christian’s pizza..so I come whenever we all come here..” janvi replied “ what about you.??”
“ I come here once in a while too…with friends ..but sometimes I just like walk along the street..u know just look at the shops and people it makes me happy…”
Janvi looked at him and smiled “I do that too sometimes..in summer only ofcourse..So which department are u in nilay.???”
“ Computer science..and before u think iam one of those ppl..let me tell u iam interested in lot of other things too..i was a premed student in my undergrad days here..but when I declared my major I decided to go where I saw the money was…it was then..” he laughed.
“I did not say anything at all..do u feel the need to justify what you do..??” janvi asked
“not to everyone..” nilay said “with you I feel very much that you are watching my every move like a hawk and also judging me based on that…” he trailed it off…
“sorry did not mean too..i guess it is my inborn scorpion trait..”
“ iam a scorpion too..” nilay said “ when is your birthday..that is if u don’t mind telling me..i don’t need to know the year too..”
“November 19th “ janvi said “ now its only fair that you tell me yours..”
“November 18th..can u believe it..it is so much of a coincidence..” nilay said
“ wat coincidence are you two talking about???” subha asked when she joined them both.
“well me and janvi are born in the November and are just a day apart..” nilay announced.
“Hmmm..interesting..so u are elder to her hena…??” Subha asked..
she is definitely up to some mischief janvi thought and before nilay could say something his cell phone rang..nilay excused himself and went a little distance away to pick up the call.
Subha turned to janvi and asked her “ so madam u both are born in the same month..interesting..”
“wat is so interesting about that ma’am ..iam sure there are many people who are born in and around my birthday.” janvi replied
“bummer..” subha replied
Nilay joined them and all three of them started walking to the open air theatre where the fancy dress party is held.
“so wat are u r interests janvi??” nilay asked
“well it all depends on my mood..” janvi replied
“oh she has a huge collection of novels ..and she is so much in to all this science fiction stuff..” subha quipped in
“and wat about you subha??” Nilay asked
“ well as I have already told u iam not in to those things..” subha replied
“hey is that abhay..” subha asked and before either of them could reply Subha called out to Abhay.
Abhay saw subha and waved back to her..” subha will forget that we both exist “ nilay quipped “ Now that Abhay is here” and batted his eyelids. looking at him janvi giggled.
Subha scowled at him..
“ Nilay you did are not tell us that you are coming to downtown” raja said..as he clapped nilay’s back.
“bas aise hi aagaya..” Nilay mumbled.
“hey janvi..” Abhay said
“hey Abhay”
“let me introduce you to these guys they are staying in the same building as me..” said abhay
“this is raja” he said pointing to a slender guy with a moustache who was talking to nilay “this is Anil..” referring to a guy who was overweight “both of them are in computer science department”
“ nice to meet you both “janvi said politely..
“well there is no need to introduce you..they all know about you becos subha always has something to say about you..” said abhay
“all nice things I hope..” janvi smiled.
“ So wat were you people planning on doing in downtown??” raja asked
“we came to see people’s constumes..”subha replied enthusiastically..
“well we were about to leave “ said abhay
“I would like to see costumes..” raja replied “ if subha and janvi don’t mind me tagging along with them “
“ok…then let me and anil bid you people ..Bye” said abhay
nilay who had been quiet so far said “ hey do u guys want to join us for dinner ..may be later say after another hour or so..we can meet at that new mexican place they have opened in the corner..also If the girls don’t mind joining us too..”
“sounds ok to us “ said Abhay and Anil nodded
“well iam sure I will be hungry by then” said subha “if Janvi will come then I will also join” she said “ chalo na janvi..it will be nice to eat out today..”
“ok” said janvi
“so Mexican ok with all “ asked nilay
“yes so far I think..” said Abhay “ see you people in an hour or so ..at baja beans..bye”
Abhay and anil walked off to the trolley bus stop.
Raja turned to nilay and said “ well u need not have invited those two..they are just trouble makers..”
“well they don’t make any trouble raja..they just like to play pranks..thats all “ said nilay “anyways u need to stand up for urself sometimes …but lets not talk about this now..ok”
“ok..” raja trailed
Both Subha and Janvi did not want to intrude on the conversation so they walked a little farther away..
“hey u girls iam sure raja does not carry any plague..inspite of his appearance he is nice a guy..u girls can come closer..” nilay joked.
“well how do we know that ..Huh??” Subha asked mock seriously..
“well subha u know me …I don’t eat girls..” said raja “ by the way I have “main hoon na” burnt in a CD for you”
“oh great..SRK is so such a cute guy he is my favourite actor and such a good one too…don’t u agree janvi “ subha squealed.
“I guess it depends..” replied janvi non commitally” I don’t have any favourites..i just go by the performances in the movies”
“ same here..and may I say it is good to meet a girl who finally does not swoon at the name of SRK..most of my good friends in opposite sex do..”replied Nilay
“well I like SRK a lot too..” said raja.
“great I have someone who is on my side..heheheh” laughed subha
“ so wat kinda movies do u watch nilay??” janvi asked
“well I think it depends on the company of people I watch the movie with “ replied Nilay
“hey there is an ice cream shop..” subha pointed out” want to eat a small scoop before we go down to the costume party.”
“sure..wat about u janvi??”
“iam up for icecream anytime..”janvi replied
“me too “said raja and smiled
They went in to the shop
“can I have vanilla icecream with strawberry on top please” janvi ordered at the counter
“make that two..” said Nilay..”so we share the same taste in icecreams too”
“ I guess we do..” replied janvi and when she turned around to find a seat she saw raja looking at her very peculiarly.
Janvi shrugged that off and then took a corner booth and pretty soon subha and the guys joined her there.
“ I was just telling raja how much you liked reading books…” said Subha
“yeah..what kind of books you read..” raja asked
“this and that..”janvi replied “ depends on what catches my fancy at that time..right now iam reading this fantasy series called “ the wheel of time” by robber Jordan” she said
“ now that is very interesting “ replied raja “ nilay is also reading that series..”
“is it so..?” janvi asked..
“yeah..” nilay said “ we have a lot in common. I think we are gonna be great friends..”
Something made janvi look at raja at that moment and he did not seem to be happy...not happy at all.