Turning back he drifted towards his bike,staring at her in disbelief and amused at the thought that she was trusting him.

Still rooted in her spot, she was smirking at him. He mounted on his bike asking ,"So where do you live?"

" Parili,"she mumbled shyly.

Seating herself in a side saddle, she maintained a small space between both the riders,feeling extremely flushed, embarrassed and uncomfortable holding onto her bag with her left hand, placed on her lap. She hardly knew anyone in the town, and he seemed to be a nice guy from what she had perceived in the shopping mall. In case, he tried to do something wrong, she had a strong belief that she was capable of defending herself.

Holding her right arm he placed her palm on his right shoulder and with a jolt started his bike. She was about to withdraw her hand from his shoulder when he calmly said, "Hold on tight, here we go" and sped up.

She held onto her breath and clasped his shoulder tightly, persistently whispering, " Please slowdown!"

Prabir however, was in a mood of SHOWDOWN and not Slowdown. He pressed on the accelerator doing the reverse of what was told.

When they reached an area with a lot of traffic and Prabir had to finally slowdown, he asked, " Will you be staying alone in a single rented room?"

" No...the house owner Mr. Mathur, has requested us to vacate the place within a week. His relatives will be arriving next week and he has offered them to stay in his house replacing us. Though he cannot force us to leave within such a short time span,he has already done a lot for us and Maa doesn't want to put him in more trouble," she informed.

They had completed the three hours long journey by bus in just one hour.

When her house was in sight, he halted the bike at some distance. She jumped off the bike in relief that the ride was over, but at the same time had to admit that she did enjoy the ride.

Unmounting he said casually, "Go pack your things and bring along. You won't be carrying a lot of stuff for a week right? I am waiting."

She couldn't believe what she had just heard.

Wait! What?? What does that mean?

It was not like he was commanding her, his tone was very pleasant and soft.

Was he having pity on her for staying in a place like Parili??

Or ,was he having doubts that she could shift to the town with her luggage all on her own??

As if he could interprete her thoughts, he replied solemnly, " I know what you're thinking about. But trust me, I don't want to drive all the way back to the town alone without any company. Ah! I am in a way concerned solely about myself. "

"How long are you willing to wait?
I could take up some time. Come with me I'll introduce you to Maa," she said pleading.

"You won't take a lifetime? Will you?" he replied with a silly grin, "Take your time ...I'll be waiting."

She did not feel like arguing with him and rambled towards the huge black gate.

Hurriedly, she packed up a huge dark amber trolley bag with possibly whatever she thought was important, replying simultaneously to the queries and concerns of her mother.

" I have kept my friend waiting outside Maa,"she informed.

Her mother chided her, " Why didn't you invite her? "

She replied thoughtlessly, " I invited him Maa, but he chose to wait outside."

Her mother blurted out amazed at her reply, " He? A boy is your friend? So this is why I have been sending you to college?"

She glared at her mother and said, " I'll be staying at his house...."

She was unable to even finish the sentence, as her mother slowly sank down on the sofa, with dismay in her eyes, slapping her hand on her forehead.

She knelt down in front, her mother and said softly, " Maa, I have never lied to you and I never will.

Please don't be so scared, I'll be sharing his sister's room, only till I find a place for the three of us.

He has assured me that he will help me find a place."

"Why do you trust him so much?" her mother quipped.

She retorted, " Maa, he is my friend", and then as an instantaneous realization hit her that she did not even know his name, she paused searching for words to convey her mother that she need not worry about her.

Luckily, her mother stopped any further interrogation and said sternly, " Bhargavi, I won't stop you from leaving now, if you trust him so much but just be careful."

She gulped hard and said, " I will be careful Maa, don't worry ."

In a haste, she had completely forgotten to even ask his name in college and her mind was filled with thoughts of surviving the ride on his bike, as he drove at an immense speed making her heart skip a beat. Fatigued and tired, she had been going through a lot of trouble lately.

Around 25 minutes later, she was approaching his bike, dragging the huge trolley. He gazed at her and strolled in her direction to help her.

The thought of getting an ear full for bringing such a big trolley as if she was going to stay for a minimum of two months at his house, made her prepare some quick retorts in her mind to counter herself if needed.

Her mother had insisted her to take a smaller one, but she had refused,as it would have taken her longer to pack her stuff in an organized manner in that smaller one.

Lifting the trolley he placed it on his bike. Diving into his backpack, he took out something from a chain and placed the backpack again on his shoulders.

He secured the trolley with the help of bungee cords, he always carried in his backpack.

Before mounting on the bike, he said cautiously, " Would you mind sitting with your legs swung on either side of the bike...I ...I know you might feel uncomfortable but...there is no other way out."

She nodded in agreement with a warm smile on her face.

The trolley covered some part of the seat and was left hanging above the rear guard. She had to sit almost glued to his back.

Now she was left wondering, why had she ever agreed to this, as they were on their way to the town.

Then she softly muttered, " What is your name?"

He replied astonished, " Bhargavi! I hoped better,"shaking his head gently as if she was a lost case.

"Wait! What? How do you know my name?"she asked.

He replied with a grin, " You still have your ID dangling around your throat like a medal."

Clutching her ID tightly with her left hand, she realized that it had been piercing in his back.

"I am Prabir.. Prabir Banerjee. I thought you at least knew my name...the way you were gawking at me in the mall,"Prabir said playfully.

She shyly muttered, " I was not..I felt that I ..I..had seen you somewhere.

I wanted to purchase something for Maa's birthday next week, then my eyes fell on you.

Had I seen you in college or in a bus?...I couldn't recall."

He was riding at a snail's pace now realizing that, she was soundly asleep with her face resting on his back, not even holding onto him or the bike.

After two hours, they were passing their college and in another fifteen minutes, they would be at Prabir's house.