THE FIRST GLANCE
I was in Intermediate 1st year. My college was in Vijayawada, but I had relatives in Guntur, especially my cousin sister Teju. Teju had a friend in Guntur—her cute name was Maimmu, her real name was Kaja Sultana (she is a Muslim girl). Her beauty is like the moon, and the stars are nothing compared to her beauty. And the smile—that kills anyone with a heart. Her eyes are deeper than the ocean. Looking at her for the first time felt like I could die right at that moment. I saw the beauty of a goddess (I’m not exaggerating). I kind of froze there in disbelief. I might have frozen, but I decided that she can't be anyone’s but mine. I will never let her go to anyone. I was fixated with passion on her and true love. That’s how I knew about it. Not at first, but I got her number from my sister. But I didn’t have the courage to text or talk to her. So again, I asked God to show me a way into her life—and looks like the big guy heard me.
"He showed it to me."
One fine Saturday, I was on outing because I was a hosteller. I got a call. I said, “Hello.”
There was a sweet voice from the other side saying, “Is this Sai?”
Instantly I knew that it was her. That was the first time I talked to her. I called her by her cute name: “Tell me, Maimmu.”
She said, “I need you to pick me up. I am at Trends but I kind of got separated from my cousins. Can you help? I’m stuck here and I don’t know anybody in Vijayawada.”
I was like, “God... yes!”
She: “It’s not a problem for you, right?”
Me: “I’m very free. I’m on my way.”
Then I donated my movie tickets to someone I didn’t know and left with my friend’s bike. I reached Trends and called her like, “Where are yoooooo?”
That’s the moment I saw her the second time—and the first time without a hijab. I never thought the beauty I saw could be increased so much. I felt a rush of energy. I couldn’t understand what to do. Then she saw me. She was coming toward me, and I could even hear my heartbeat. She came towards me and hopped on the bike and said:
“Challo” in a cute, stressed voice.
I kind of woke up from my trance when she gently placed her hand on my shoulder and said again:
“Chaloo naa.”
I started the bike. We were on our way.
After some time, she said stop. I stopped the bike. She got down and was talking on the phone. She was discussing something very angrily with someone, but what do I care? I was just enjoying myself to the fullest by seeing her like that.
After she cut the phone, she came back to me and said:
“Can you please drop me at the bus stop?”
Me: “Why? What about your cousins?”
She: “They are already returning from a different route, so drop me at a bus stop. I will go back on my own.”
Me: “I am here with you. I can’t just leave you at a bus stop. So let me drop you at your home.”
She kept refusing, so I kept arguing. Now that I think about it, it was our first argument. Guess what? I won. Because she was just arguing, I was just admiring her existence and enjoying our argument.
So finally she said:
“Tumhari marzi marko aramse baithi hoon gadi ko toh tum hi ko chalana hai.”
I didn’t say anything, but in my mind I was like:
“If you’re the one sitting behind me, I’ll drive my whole life.”
It doesn’t have any meaning, but I felt like that.
I dropped her at her home. She got down and didn’t say thank you or anything. As she was going, she turned to me and just smiled at me.
It was like getting hit by a truck—like my soul got out of my body. Just as you said, it was an experience out of this world. That smile is like neurotoxin that won’t let me sleep, eat, play, study, or do anything—not in a bad way, but I was intoxicated by that smile.
I couldn’t do anything but think about it for a whole week. And you know how quickly I change from one topic to another—imagine the rush, the tension, the feeling I had been holding up just to meet her again, to see the smile one more time.
And the long-awaited weekend came again.
No, I don’t think the big guy is gonna help me every time. So I decided to make a way myself. I called my sister the night before and made a plan with her for a movie.
I told her, “Don’t say to anyone that I’m gonna be there until the last moment. And mainly, make sure Maimmu comes to the movie.”
Everything was set for me. I just had to be prepared not to freeze again or start talking nonsense because of the whole week.
So I was all set to meet her again, excited for what my life had stored for me. I was the first to be at the theatre and was making calls to my sister, asking where they were. But even though I was talking to my sister, my eyes were desperately searching for her.
My ever-longing patience came to an end. There I saw the light again.
Then I realized that even a hijab can’t cover her beauty completely.
Even though there was a crowd, my eyes only saw my queen.
She came to me and said, “Hi...” and passed by me. Her fragrance was like stardust that you can see even in the darkest time.
As I lost track of time, everyone gathered around, and we went into the theatre. I knew she was not sitting beside me, but still—the fact that I was in her presence made me feel almost unconscious.
It was a moment of realization: that I can’t live without her.
I thought of confessing my feelings. Then my heart started beating even faster.
Self-doubts crept in—what if she rejects me, and completely avoids me after that?
I was thinking all this nonsense when there was an interval. I didn’t move a muscle. I was just there, lost in my thoughts.
The break was completed. Everyone came back to their seats.
I was feeling thirsty, so I drank my sister’s beverage, and I heard a voice:
“Hey, mera hai voh, naya laa ka do mujhe!”
I realized she was sitting beside me after the interval, and I drank from her hand. I was in shock for a second, and she said:
“Jao, mujhe jhoota nahi peena, jao!”
Me: “Okay, ja raha hoon.”
I got out to buy snacks for her. I was in shock. I was as red as a tomato. I couldn’t control my excitement because of the way she talked to me.
I brought everything—chicken strips, nuggets, cola, popcorn, everything. As I was doing that, my brain asked me a question:
“What if she already tasted the drink before? Doesn’t that mean it’s an indirect kiss?”
GODDAMN IT.
Now I couldn’t even go in because of this question. I waited for ten minutes and at last entered the theatre. Looks like I brought so many snacks that everyone who saw me was in shock.
And my brain was like:
“They all know about your indirect kiss.”
Now I couldn’t even look at people.
I got to my seat and gave her the snacks.
She: “Itna kyu laya ho?”
Me: “Tum hi na bola tha drink laao, mujhe laga drink ke saath snacks bhi achha lagega, toh maine laa diya.”
She looked at me like, “I know what you’re doing.”
She was trying to be angry, but trying to control her smile at the same time.
The movie continued. I enjoyed the experience of sitting beside her.
The movie came to an end—but honestly, I never wanted to get out of the movie theatre. It felt like sitting in heaven with an angel.
We got out of the theatre. Everyone was on their way. I didn’t go to our relatives’ home because they would make me stay the night. So I was going back to my hostel.
Maimmu: “Where are you going?”
Me: “I’m going to my hostel.”
Maimmu: “I can’t let you leave like that. My mom asked you to come home.”
Me: “Me? Really? How does your mom even know about me?”
Maimmu: “You dropped me at my home, remember? My mom wanted to know about you after I told her about the whole situation.”
Me: “What did you tell her?”
Maimmu: “I told her something... so come home and have some lunch. After that, you can go wherever you want.”
Me: “Okay.”
I couldn’t bear the fact that she was inviting me to her home for lunch and that I’d get to meet her parents so quickly. I was excited and had cold feet.
Both of us went to her home. As I entered, her mother welcomed me warmly. She told me to have a seat and feel like it was my own home.
Maimmu introduced me to her parents and her siblings.
Her father is a military man, and her mother is a homemaker.
She has four siblings—three elder sisters and an elder brother.
Her mom liked me so much. I didn’t talk much with her sisters, but her brother is a decent guy, and her father is also not much of a talker. That’s a nice family.
Everyone liked me. I might not be a good-looking guy, but I have charm for elders—they like me for some reason.
Her mother force-fed biryani, kebabs, and even desserts.
I was like, “I can’t eat anymore, aunty!”
But she was like, “You kids should eat a lot!”
Maimmu and her sister were giggling at my sorry state.
After a whole hour, the food war was over.
Her brother, sisters, me, and Maimmu became a team when we played carroms.
I clearly got into everyone’s good books and scored my marks.
I made Maimmu laugh multiple times. She even had tears from her eyes because of laughing.
It was evening now. I said I had to leave.
Maimmu offered to drop me at the bus stop.
I said my goodbyes, and aunty said to come whenever I get a chance.
Maimmu dropped me at the bus stop with a lot of memories and laughs.
I was very happy. I was dreaming—if I get to marry my Maimmu, I will have multiple days like this.
I was in a dream of good food and a beautiful wife when the bus conductor said:
“Ticket! Ticket!”
And I was shocked—because I didn’t have any money on me. I had spent everything at the theatre.
I got down from the bus thinking about whom to call.
Then I heard a voice:
“Paise nahi hai na?”
I was shocked to see Maimmu there. I didn’t even speak a word.
Maimmu handed me a 500-rupee note and a biryani box from home.
She smiled and said:
“Next time when I ask something for me, get only for me—not for the whole theatre.”
I felt like that wasn’t the talk of a girlfriend but of a wife. It was literally like a conversation between husband and wife.
As she was walking away from me, I felt like she was getting closer to my heart.
I got on the bus, thinking how to meet her next weekend.
