Nishi’s father, at the breakfast table in the morning, said to Nishi,
“A boy stands in front of the house all day and night with a car. Have you noticed?”
Nishi: “Yes, I’ve seen him. He follows me everywhere—college, tutor’s house, practice sessions, everywhere. It’s really annoying. Even my friends are laughing about it, and I don’t like it at all.”
Father: “What do you want to do? Should I inform your Nazim uncle? He is the officer-in-charge of this police station; let’s see what advice he gives.”
Nishi: “Dad, after every event, so many people follow me around. Don’t worry so much.”
Father: “Following for a couple of days and persistently stalking are two different things, dear. Besides, I used to drive you everywhere, so I never thought much about it. But now, with my hand injury, I can’t drive, and you have to travel alone everywhere. Of course, I’m worried about you!”
Nishi: “Dad, if you ignore them, no one follows for too long. Just wait and see—he’ll get tired and leave eventually.”
Father: “But what if he starts harassing you on the way?”
Nishi: “Dad, don’t you know your daughter? One tight slap on his cheek will be enough.”
Father: “You used to play rough with the neighborhood boys when you were younger, and I was active back then, so you never felt scared. But now, I’m sick. I don’t know how many days I have left. Don’t do anything reckless. The world isn’t a safe place anymore.”
Nishi: “Dad, I can handle it. Don’t worry.”
Father: “Whatever you do, think carefully before acting. Making enemies isn’t wise.”
Nishi’s mood turned sour. She started thinking about what to do. She decided to confront the boy and make him understand that he needed to stop following her.
The next day, after leaving her tutor’s house, she saw that, as usual, Abul was standing there. As Nishi started walking, she sensed that he was following her. When she stopped, he stopped too. When she resumed walking, he did the same. It felt like a scene from a horror movie. Nishi thought, “What if he’s a serial killer?” But then, realizing she was overthinking, she laughed at herself.
When she reached the corner of the alley, she stepped into a stationery shop, pretending to browse random items to pass the time. She was only waiting for her friends to clear the alley so they wouldn’t see Abul’s obsessive behavior and start teasing her about it. Most of her friends were in relationships, and two—Bijoya and Tuli—were already married. Many had confessed their feelings to her, but she had decided she wouldn’t respond to any proposals until she finished her studies and became independent.
Even though she had planned to tell Abul off, she couldn’t risk her friends seeing them talk and then making a big deal out of it at college the next day. So she waited.
Once the last of her classmates left, she stepped out of the shop and walked straight up to Abul. Adjusting her glasses firmly on her nose, she spoke in a serious tone,
“What exactly do you want?”
Abul: “I just want to have a cup of coffee with you.”
Trying to suppress her growing anger, Nishi’s face turned red. She told herself that if she wanted this nuisance to end, she had to stay calm and handle it tactfully.
Looking directly at Abul, she said,
“I can have coffee with you, but you have to promise that you’ll stop following me.”
Abul: “I’ll think about it—after we have coffee.”
Nishi: “Fine. Let’s go now and get it over with.”
She was determined to end this chapter today.
“Where do you want to go?” she asked.
Abul was shocked that she had agreed so easily. He looked at her in disbelief and silently vowed, “I have to make this girl mine. No matter what.”
Abul: “There’s a café I really like. They serve my favorite coffee. If you have no other preference, let’s go there.”
Nishi: “Wherever you want, just make it quick.”
Abul: “Then get in the car.”
Nishi: “Just give me the address. I’ll get there on my own.”
Abul: “That means I’ll have to wait for you to arrive.”
Nishi: “That’s your choice. But I won’t ride alone with a stranger.”
Abul: “The rickshaws and taxis you take home every day—do you personally know all those drivers? You ride with them alone, right? Just think of my car as one of those taxis.”
Nishi: “Fine, but I’ll sit in the back seat like I do in taxis.”
Abul: “I’m not actually a driver, so don’t insult me like that. And I’m not a tiger or a bear either. Just sit in the passenger seat quietly, and I promise I won’t disrespect you.”
With no other option, Nishi finally got into the car. She just wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible.
As soon as Abul started the car, he glanced at Nishi’s bangles and unknowingly smiled. The car speakers played her favorite singer Srikanta Acharya’s song—
“Taar churite rekhechi mon, shona kore…”
Nishi was stunned. How does he know this is my favorite song? Is this some kind of magic?
Abul stole glances at her while driving, smiling to himself. The intoxicating scent of Hugo Boss’s “Just Different” cologne filled the car, a fragrance Nishi found irresistible. Scents had always been her weakness; a good fragrance could melt all her anger, making her feel almost hypnotized. Adding to that, her favorite song playing in the background only made things worse. The fierce determination she had brought with her started fading.
Trying to remind herself of her goal, she put on a serious expression and said,
“Your destination seems endless. Are there no cafés around here? Is your favorite café outside the city or what? This is ridiculous!”
Abul wanted to sing in his completely off-key voice,
“Ei poth jodi na shesh hoy, tobe kemon hoto?”
(“What if this road never ended?”)
But after attempting a couple of words, he realized it was a disaster. Quickly, he tried to turn it into a poetic line, but that also failed. After his third attempt, he just coughed awkwardly.
At first, Nishi wanted to laugh, but then she felt a bit sorry for him after watching him fail so miserably. Meanwhile, Abul made a silent vow to never sing in front of anyone again.
Finally, they arrived at his favorite café.
Shortly after sunset, they sat at an incredibly romantic table outside, under an umbrella.
Nishi, who had come here prepared to be strict, found herself caught off guard by everything that had happened so far. The soothing car ride, the AC breeze, her favorite song, the mesmerizing cologne, and the effort Abul had made—all of it had changed her mood.
Abul: “Order something to eat first, then we’ll talk.”
Nishi: “Why would I eat? I only agreed to coffee. Food was never part of the deal.”
Abul: “But what’s the harm? After a long day at college and tutoring, you must be tired and hungry.”
Scarborough, Canada
