Women's Day : A Flash back

Its women's Day today (March 8)
And the write-up should have got something to do with a
female character..

Hence I decided to re-wind to year 1998. I must be 16 yrs old
Having passed the Grade 10 with flying colors, I was
offered free coaching classes for Engg Entrance Preparation.
Entrance Coaching is a craze those days..
(And its no different these days too..)

Travelling 21 kilometers (one-side) in the good NEW private
buses was fun. I would carefully select the right bus for my
45-min travel - A bus which has speakers on its roof...
If it has speakers, obviously, it would have a cassette player.
(CD was not IN.. its not yet year 2K, you see...)

More often than not, I would be left disappointed by the driver.
He wont switch on music at all..

The first year at the coaching center went on fine..
I was at the book-worm best..
Rarely talked to any one other than N.
I talked to N, only coz he (yes ,its HE) would force me into
a conversation..

And it was N who said - "Do you know H ? "
I said "There is no H in our class"
N "Oh Yeah?!! And I thought you dint know any gal's name in our class"
I smiled..

He continued "H is a nice girl.. She told me Ratheesh is so nice.
He is very studious but never shows any kind of head weight. Very
helpful person"
I gave him a stare. He is an expert in making up stories..

A confrontation with H revealed the truth..
She DID say so..
I remember the day when we talked for the first (and last) time.

It was at the corridor.
High up - 3rd floor..
She was standing near the staff room..
Alone..
I approached her (accompanied by that idiot N)

She had her hand bag in her hands..
So the smart(?) way of starting the conversation "Going somewhere?"
H flashed her million dollar smile..
With the head slightly tilted to the right, she said "Yes. Going home"
I looked at the wrist watch in an animated fashion and asked "Now?"
Its just lunch time. And half day's classes still remain..
She said "I have to reach home early. I have to start now"

In the following 5 min discussion, it turned out that she comes from very
far - 2 hours journey in bus.. We bid her adiue..

That was the last time I saw her.
My curious eyes looked for her smiling face in the adjacent class..
But never found her..

N never put across this topic into our discussion.
I found that VERY strange and unusual of him..

And faithful to my shy self, I never made an attempt to ask anyone about
her where-abouts...