Off lately, I was too much carried away in trying to write my own novel. Few months back, I wrote this incomplete first chapter and never got time to update or finish it out. Initially, I was very skeptical about publishing it to everyone but now I felt, to improve myself, certainly I need a general overview feedback from others. Due to lengthy content, i'm breaking it into two halves and first part is here :-
“Did you keep all necessary documents?” a distant voice of Swati’s aunt panted across hall. Swati was in hurry and shouted back “Yeah, I have” and left home. It was Swati’s joining day at her new company named ASM Technologies Ltd located in Richmond Road, Bangalore. It was her first company after graduating from a reputed engineering college from Hubli. The reporting time was 09:30AM and it was already 8:45AM.
The bus stop was at a distance of five minutes walk from home. Swati reached bus stop and looked at several others who were already waiting for bus. Even if the bus arrives, she was not ready to board into crowded bus. She had struggled to get her Salwar Kameez ironed all by herself yesterday. At her native, Hubli, she use to get her clothes ironed from shop and in case of urgencies, her father use to get it ironed for her. But in Bangalore, being new to the place, she didn’t know where the iron shop was and she didn’t have her father to help. She had ironed all by herself and realized the hard work needed to iron a dress.
“Auto” screamed Swati by waving her hand but due to busy hours in Bangalore on Monday morning, none of them were free or ready to stop. She was getting a bit tensed.
“Keep calm Swati, nothing begins at sharp 09:30AM. A delay of 10-15mins is acceptable” she consoled herself.
She looked into her mobile and clicked on Uber app. The surcharges were high. “Oh man” she exclaimed and opened Ola app. Even there, it was nothing different.
She was running out of options. Furiously, she turned over her hand to take a quick look at time. It was already 9AM.
Suddenly her phone started to ring; “Mom” was getting displayed. She always feared of her mother since childhood. Swati’s mother was an associate manager in reputed Bank and was very strict, while her father was working as a lecturer in nearby PU College. Swati was more close to her father than mother. Due to ongoing tension of how to reach office in-time, she ignored the call thinking, “Let me call her back.”
A guy on a bike, stopped in front of her and said “Hi Swati”.
She looked up at this random person and couldn’t recognize but responded back in hesitation and said “Hello…”
The guy knew, she didn’t recognize him and opened his Helmet and smilingly said, “Hi again”.
Swati, with a bit of surprise, exclaimed “Hey, Satwik, Is that you!!! I thought, some random guy trying to ask address”. Both chuckled for a short moment and he asked, “Can I drop you somewhere?”
Swati needed the drop very badly but didn’t wanted to sound desperate. Satwik was her senior from college and an old friend from Hubli who was not in contact off lately. He was fare, tall guy. From his Facebook profile, she knew that he is working in some company in Bangalore.
“No, its ok. I was about to book a cab now” – Swati said not looking into his eyes.
“Where are you working? Are you sure, you don’t want a drop?” – Satwik casually queried before leaving.
Swati realized that he might leave and she wanted the drop badly so immediately to keep the conversation going, she told - “I got selected in ASM technologies on the Richmond road. Today is my joining date”.
“Congrats, great to hear”
A moment of silence followed.
“What time are you supposed to be there?” – Satwik asked her again before leaving.
“Actually I am already getting late. I have to reach in half an hour” – she said it honestly with bit of disappointment.
Satwik realized that she is hesitant to ask for ride by herself, so he only invited yet again.
“It is difficult to reach Richmond road on time all by yourself in this terrific traffic. So hop on, I know shortcuts and will take you on time” – Satwik said with confidence.
Swati listened to it carefully and smiled a bit and hoped on to the bike. She was running late already and she can't take any risk of going late on first day.
“Where shall I drop you in Richmond Road?” – Satwik asked as he started to drive.
She told him the nearby location. Swati’s phone again started to ring. She was sure, its mom again and saw the phone. It was displaying “My Hero”.
She happily picked up the call and cheerfully said, “Hello pa, Good morning” but the other side was her mom’s voice.
“Why didn’t you pick up my phone earlier” – her mom furiously asked
Swati was taken aback and immediately said, “I was late getting to office and in hurry I missed it. Sorry ma”
“Why didn’t you leave early? You know it’s not Hubli. You must get up early and leave soon”
“But ma, I was--” Swati was about to say something but her mom kept on talking, giving her no chance to talk and said - “From tomorrow onwards, make sure you wake up early and get ready soon. Be on time. College days are over.” Swati simply acknowledged “hmmmm…”
“How are you going?” her mom suspiciously asked as she was hearing lot of disturbances over the phone due to travelling on bike.
Swati lied, “In an auto” and quickly changed the subject asking about her father – “Where is father? What is he doing?”
“He is getting ready to college. I am ready waiting for him from past 10mins. You and your father, both are lazy persons” – She exclaimed.
Swati was happy that she got compared to her father and smilingly replied back, “Ok, no problem. Tell him, I’ll call once I reach office. Bye ma”
“Bye putta” – her parents use to call Swati with nick name as “putta”
“Was that your mother?” – Satwik questioned as he heard the lie told by Swati that she was travelling in an auto.
“Yes” she calmly replied.
