Anita hugged herself and leaned against the window. She was glad to have made the last train home. She would've spent quite a bit of money taking a cab, otherwise. And, these days, when you're living in a single bedroom apartment in Bandra, every rupee you save makes a huge difference.
She put her headphones into her ears and settled down to listen to some music. It had been almost three months since she had taken this train home, and she remembered it being a little more crowded. There were just four other people in the compartment besides her. Two government-types older men who were farthest away from her and were talking together in low voices; a young, yuppie looking boy who she normally saw in her morning train was standing by the entrance, and a creepy middle aged man who was in the seat across from her and kept staring at her. She closed her eyes to avoid his stare and tried to reassure herself that he was harmless.
"There are tons of women who take the train at this time, Anita," she reminded herself, "maybe, they aren't here today, but they normally are."
Besides, Bandra was just another five stops away. And, that yuppie type and her used to smile at each other once in a while when they took the same train in the mornings. She had always thought he was cute but had never worked up the courage to talk to him before. Today, opportunity presented itself. She lived five minutes away from the station, she'd ask him to walk her home. It really isn't too out of the way.
Creepy middle-aged moved to the window just opposite her and smiled.
"Hello madam, your good name?"
Anita cleared her throat, got up and walked over to yuppie.
"Hi, I'm Anita. That man over there is giving me the creeps. Do you mind if I stand next to you?"
Yuppie took out his headphones and looked at her quizzically and saw her gesturing at creepy man.
"Oh, is that guy bothering you? Do you want me to talk to him?"
"No, no," said Anita "I thought I could just stay here and pretend that I'm with you. If that’s ok with you,” she added.
Yuppie smiled. Anita swooned in her head.
“That’s totally fine. I’m Naveen,” he said and extended his hand.
“Anita,” she smiled in return and shook his hand.
“I’ve seen you board the train from Bandra a few times in the morning,” Naveen said while wrapping his iPod headphones around the iPod and putting it in his bag. “Do you live close to the station?”
“Really close. Less than five minutes away,” answered Anita.
“Well, in that case, I don’t mind walking you to your place as well,” Naveen nodded towards creepy. “If it will make you more comfortable.”
“That’s really sweet of you,” Anita grinned, “in fact, I was just about to suggest it.”
Naveen laughed and Anita joined in. The remaining five stops rushed by. She was barely aware of the two older men getting off in Khar. She wished they both lived further away, the conversation with Naveen was just getting interesting.
“I can’t believe you prefer the American version of ‘The Office’ over the British one. It’s the original!” Anita said stepping out the train when it pulled into Bandra.
She looked into the compartment when she walked by. Creepy was still staring at her intently. “Weirdo,” she muttered, “I can’t believe he gets his rocks off just looking at women in night trains.”
“Steve Carrell. That’s all I’m going to say,” Naveen was saying next to her.
“Oh, come on,” argued Anita “the original version is always better.”
“Well, not always,’ countered Naveen.
They continued their discussion while Anita directed Naveen to her place. Finally, they reached her apartment building.
“Oh, what is this? No security also?” Naveen asked.
“He must be sleeping somewhere. Or gone for a break,” said Anita looking around. “You know, I hardly see him around even during the day, he doesn’t do a very good job of guarding the place.”
“What about the other people in the building? Don’t they complain about this?” Naveen asked again. She was touched by his concern.
“Actually, only some five of these twelve flats are occupied right now. The rest belong to these NRI types who are never here. I’ve hardly ever seen the other tenants though. It’s pretty quiet,” said Anita.
“That sounds nice,” said Naveen. “I’m jealous.”
They stood in silence by the gate for some time.
“Well, I suppose this is it,” Naveen said reluctantly.
“You know,” started Anita, “I think it’s a shame that you’ve made judgements on the British ‘Office’ without actually watching a full episode. I have the DVD with me upstairs.”
“I suppose it is a shame,” agreed Naveen “I don’t really have to get up early tomorrow, I don’t mind coming up to watch a couple of episodes.”
“If it’s ok with you,” he added quickly.
“I was about to suggest the same thing,” smiled Anita “it’s not a problem at all. Come on up.”
For some reason, Anita didn’t feel scared at all. She trusted this guy. She felt like she knew him after the amazing conversation that flowed between them. I can’t believe I’m inviting a total stranger up to my place at 1 in the morning. Mum is going to be so upset when she finds out.
They walked two flights of stairs till they reached her apartment. She opened the door quickly and switched on the lights.
“Welcome to my place,” she announced grandly.
“Wow,” said Naveen looking around “This is really nice.”
“Can I get you something to drink?” asked Anita.
“Maybe some juice if you have some,” replied Naveen.
“Great, just make yourself at home. I’ll get some juice and we can start watching the DVD,” said Anita walking towards the kitchen.
She removed the juice from the fridge and was looking for the glasses when the lights went off.
“Oh no,” she yelled “Bad timing…”
Suddenly, she felt a hand around her mouth cutting off what she was about to say. She felt something sharp against her throat and could feel his breath against her neck. Strangely, all she could think of before she passed out was "Why do all the cute guys have to be psycho?"
She put her headphones into her ears and settled down to listen to some music. It had been almost three months since she had taken this train home, and she remembered it being a little more crowded. There were just four other people in the compartment besides her. Two government-types older men who were farthest away from her and were talking together in low voices; a young, yuppie looking boy who she normally saw in her morning train was standing by the entrance, and a creepy middle aged man who was in the seat across from her and kept staring at her. She closed her eyes to avoid his stare and tried to reassure herself that he was harmless.
"There are tons of women who take the train at this time, Anita," she reminded herself, "maybe, they aren't here today, but they normally are."
Besides, Bandra was just another five stops away. And, that yuppie type and her used to smile at each other once in a while when they took the same train in the mornings. She had always thought he was cute but had never worked up the courage to talk to him before. Today, opportunity presented itself. She lived five minutes away from the station, she'd ask him to walk her home. It really isn't too out of the way.
Creepy middle-aged moved to the window just opposite her and smiled.
"Hello madam, your good name?"
Anita cleared her throat, got up and walked over to yuppie.
"Hi, I'm Anita. That man over there is giving me the creeps. Do you mind if I stand next to you?"
Yuppie took out his headphones and looked at her quizzically and saw her gesturing at creepy man.
"Oh, is that guy bothering you? Do you want me to talk to him?"
"No, no," said Anita "I thought I could just stay here and pretend that I'm with you. If that’s ok with you,” she added.
Yuppie smiled. Anita swooned in her head.
“That’s totally fine. I’m Naveen,” he said and extended his hand.
“Anita,” she smiled in return and shook his hand.
“I’ve seen you board the train from Bandra a few times in the morning,” Naveen said while wrapping his iPod headphones around the iPod and putting it in his bag. “Do you live close to the station?”
“Really close. Less than five minutes away,” answered Anita.
“Well, in that case, I don’t mind walking you to your place as well,” Naveen nodded towards creepy. “If it will make you more comfortable.”
“That’s really sweet of you,” Anita grinned, “in fact, I was just about to suggest it.”
Naveen laughed and Anita joined in. The remaining five stops rushed by. She was barely aware of the two older men getting off in Khar. She wished they both lived further away, the conversation with Naveen was just getting interesting.
“I can’t believe you prefer the American version of ‘The Office’ over the British one. It’s the original!” Anita said stepping out the train when it pulled into Bandra.
She looked into the compartment when she walked by. Creepy was still staring at her intently. “Weirdo,” she muttered, “I can’t believe he gets his rocks off just looking at women in night trains.”
“Steve Carrell. That’s all I’m going to say,” Naveen was saying next to her.
“Oh, come on,” argued Anita “the original version is always better.”
“Well, not always,’ countered Naveen.
They continued their discussion while Anita directed Naveen to her place. Finally, they reached her apartment building.
“Oh, what is this? No security also?” Naveen asked.
“He must be sleeping somewhere. Or gone for a break,” said Anita looking around. “You know, I hardly see him around even during the day, he doesn’t do a very good job of guarding the place.”
“What about the other people in the building? Don’t they complain about this?” Naveen asked again. She was touched by his concern.
“Actually, only some five of these twelve flats are occupied right now. The rest belong to these NRI types who are never here. I’ve hardly ever seen the other tenants though. It’s pretty quiet,” said Anita.
“That sounds nice,” said Naveen. “I’m jealous.”
They stood in silence by the gate for some time.
“Well, I suppose this is it,” Naveen said reluctantly.
“You know,” started Anita, “I think it’s a shame that you’ve made judgements on the British ‘Office’ without actually watching a full episode. I have the DVD with me upstairs.”
“I suppose it is a shame,” agreed Naveen “I don’t really have to get up early tomorrow, I don’t mind coming up to watch a couple of episodes.”
“If it’s ok with you,” he added quickly.
“I was about to suggest the same thing,” smiled Anita “it’s not a problem at all. Come on up.”
For some reason, Anita didn’t feel scared at all. She trusted this guy. She felt like she knew him after the amazing conversation that flowed between them. I can’t believe I’m inviting a total stranger up to my place at 1 in the morning. Mum is going to be so upset when she finds out.
They walked two flights of stairs till they reached her apartment. She opened the door quickly and switched on the lights.
“Welcome to my place,” she announced grandly.
“Wow,” said Naveen looking around “This is really nice.”
“Can I get you something to drink?” asked Anita.
“Maybe some juice if you have some,” replied Naveen.
“Great, just make yourself at home. I’ll get some juice and we can start watching the DVD,” said Anita walking towards the kitchen.
She removed the juice from the fridge and was looking for the glasses when the lights went off.
“Oh no,” she yelled “Bad timing…”
Suddenly, she felt a hand around her mouth cutting off what she was about to say. She felt something sharp against her throat and could feel his breath against her neck. Strangely, all she could think of before she passed out was "Why do all the cute guys have to be psycho?"
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