Page 35 - Love Story of a Commando

Thank God Gaurav had chosen Masala Kraft! I instantly fell in love
with the restaurant. The flowers, the music and the ambience made it all so
dreamy. Gaurav, Dipti, Swami and Nidhi looked equally awestruck. We had
this huge discussion over what to order and what not to, but finally we
settled for our typical paneer, mushroom, naan and daal. In the meantime,
we were served cool sugarcane juices.
Life for once, felt surreal.
I had this huge sense of satisfaction that I had chalked out my life
plans well, executing it even better at that point of time. I was happy to be
with them and celebrate my success, achieving what I always desired and
ultimately to live life on my own terms.
Nothing would have been better than this. Life was all black and
white for me at that moment and my chest was filled with pride. For once, it
felt like I had complete control over my life.
But I wish I’d known that we were mere pawns in the bigger course
of universal plans. No matter how much enthusiasm and enticement we
muster, the universal forces maneuver us in a manner that we don’t quite
understand, at least until it is too late.
Chaos is the ultimate truth and control is a myth!
Once we were done with our soup, we started clicking selfies to
share on social media. Dipti’s floral maxi against the backdrop of the Taj
gathered hundreds of likes on Facebook and she fluttered her eyelashes like
a diva. Nidhi and I tagged people on Facebook in order to push them to like
our pictures, setting aside the bouts of guilt and embarrassment rising within
us. Gaurav did not even try. He just WhatsApped his pictures to his close
group of school friends who in return filled the group with comments like
‘Cha gaye guru, launda jawan ho gaya hai,’ which encouraged him to try
some more of his silly poses while some sophisticated-looking folks seated
next to us laughed at us.
In short, everyone knew we had never been to a five-star hotel
before.
After a few more drinks, I got up to use the restroom. I could see the
Taj was glowing with the liveliness of the most affluent and acclaimed, who
gathered there to celebrate their entrepreneurial success and indulge in the
dreams and hopes that this city has to offer to them. After all the Taj was just
not any hotel but the iconic identity of this legendary city and a symbol of
opulence.
I smiled without realizing that it was going to be my last smile for a
very long time.
The restrooms were located in a relatively quiet corner, separated
from the central dome area by a corridor. When I got back from the
restroom, I could sense a sudden uneasiness in the air.