The Guy in the checked shirt- 5

Chapter-5

I looked perplexed...’Need to take the Bus then…’ I said sadly. ‘So you have buses at 9.30 too?’ he asked surprised. ‘MTC buses run all round the clock’ I said. He paused to think for a moment. ‘Where do you stay?’ I told him where I lived and he grinned. ‘Just on my way back home. I can drop you if you want. I was confused. I had never been on a bike with a boy except my Dad, and I am not the conservative type, it’s just that all the guys in my previous team where married or complete bores who went straight from office to home and never bothered. To go with a guy on a bike was an alien concept to me then. So clearly I had a choice, Leave in MTC and reach late or go home faster on a bike and getting to travel with my thaadikaaran would be an added bonus. I was already excited in spite of my being tired. ‘Oooookay’ I drawled…’But only if it’s not out of the way for you’ I said not wanting to impose anything on him. He shrugged like it was something casual. ‘So if you’re done with the packing, we’ll start.’ I dutifully picked up my bags and followed him to the Parking Lot….only to see his beast of a bike. ‘It’s a Fazer’ he said…’But I had it re-modelled, good na’. I was too shocked to respond. My only thoughts were…How the hell do I climb this thing?? He wore all his face mask and gloves and helmet and looked at me. I am not a person of balance. I trip with the lightest luggage and to climb this thing would be a disaster. I was already beginning to regret my decision. He looked at me and asked me to sit. I feebly tried to sit on one side when he stopped me, ‘You don’t sit double side? I drive pretty fast and you will fall if you don’t sit double side’. What a tactful way to talk to a girl who is already scared! The way my already big eyes became even bigger should’ve warned him. ‘I can drive slowly for you, if you want to’ he offered. I became a bit relaxed and tried my best to climb his beast of a bike in my tottering heels without embarrassing myself. The effort was somewhat successful I would say, but in my haste to sit down I lost my balance temporarily and had to hold his shoulder for support. ‘You OK?’ he asked. I could not tell if he was smiling as he was wearing a mask covering his face but his eyes were alive with humor. How dare he smirk, the rascal? And with a jolt, he whirred alive his bike causing me to grip him once again (this time I was re-arranging my bag to a comfortable, position) I smiled sheepishly at him and he said ‘You can hold my shoulders if you want, I don’t mind’. Ha…As if I would…’Its OK, I’ll hold the railing here I said. ‘OK, If you’re comfortable’. To my utter dismay I found that there was no railing. Stupid bike. Why couldn’t they design bikes like my dad’s??