Love and Lust

By Ravi Ranjan Goswami

By the evening, the film was completed. Kavita started missing Rajeev very much. She felt a kind of craving for seeing Rajeev. A strange uneasiness was bothering her mind. She got up and stood in front of the dressing table. She looked herself in the mirror and felt that she needed a little touch-up. She went to the bathroom and washed her face, changed clothes and then again stood in front of the mirror. She combed her hair slightly, did some makeup, ran to her mother, and in-quired, "Mom, how am I looking?"

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ravi Ranjan Goswami
• Release date: Mar 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9780463014127

Ravi Ranjan Goswami

The author is a science graduate,a revenue officer(IRS) by profession,writes poetry in Hindi and fiction in Hindi and English,lives in Cochin,Kerala,India.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

2004 , Lucknow

Rajeev was a student of the tenth standard. A new girl student had joined the class of Rajeev. Her name was Rajani. Rajeev found her fine at first feel. In a few days, she turned his favorite girl. Perhaps it was because she was very good at studies. In the internal examinations, Rajeev stood first and Rajani second in the class. When the class teacher announced the examination result and specially mentioned the names of Rajeev and Rajani, both of them looked at each other. Rajeev had loved her since that day. She started appearing in his dreams and seeing her every day became necessary for Rajeev. He wanted to talk with her. He was not a timid boy, but to take up a conversation with a new girl was very difficult for him.

Annual sports were nearing. Beside the physical sports other competitions such as dance, quiz, singing competitions were also going to be held. Considering them to be the best in their class at studies, the class teacher registered their names as a team to participate in the quiz. The teacher simply informed them about this and asked them to be prepared. By this Rajeev was glad. Now he got an excuse to talk to her. Rajeev's confidence had increased. Same day during the lunch recess, he approached Rajani and asked, Do you have any general knowledge Book?

Rajani said, Yes, I have one, but I need to have some new book on the current affairs.

Rajeev, I have some books. I'll give you one.

Rajani, Okay.

The contest was a week later. Rajeev and Rajani became friends while preparing for the competition as they daily discussed this.

On the day of competition, in the auditorium both sat side by side as a team. Four teams participated. Many other students and teaching staff were also present at the audience. The English teacher, Miss Rose, conducted the competition. Miss Rose was Rajeev's most beloved teacher. Miss Rose was a new age modern and trendy woman. She had arrived there wearing a sari as usual. Rajeev had seen her several times in the market with her friends in jeans and sometimes, wearing skirt and top. She looked like a film heroine to Rajeev. When she taught in the class, Rajeev felt hypnotized by her beauty.

That day there was no limit to the happiness of Rajeev. Rajani was sitting next to him and Miss Ross was standing in front of him. The competition started. In all, ten rounds were played. Rajeev and Rajani topped by answering almost all questions., Rajeev extended his right hand toward Rajani congratulating her. Rajani shook his hand and greeted him in return. Miss Ross also congratulated them. A team of two girls came in the second position. One of them lived in the neighborhood of Rajeev. Her name was Kavita. Several times, he had noticed her in his neighborhood, but they had no introduction and never talked. She came forward and congratulated Rajeev and Rajani and introduced herself. She mentioned the fact that she lives in the Rajeev’s neighborhood and knew Rajeev. She was also a student of tenth standard and studied in a different class. That day passed on the fun. Rajeev and Rajani were treated as a hero and heroine of their class. Kavita was also very happy that day as she had won a prize and got the opportunity of talking with Rajeev. She often saw Rajeev in her neighborhood. She started liking him. She found Rajeev different from the other boys. Often she noticed many boys gazing her in such a way, which made her ill at ease or at least self-cautious. Rajeev did not even bother to look at her when she was around. This was strange and caused a craving in her heart for his attention.

Lying in bed that night she continued to think about Rajeev before finally settling to sleep. 

On the closing day of the annual sports, there was the distribution of prizes. On that day, all the students were allowed to wear dresses of their choice instead of the school uniforms. All were wearing colorful dresses. The atmosphere was very colorful and full of excitement. Rajeev was dressed in the cream-colored silk shirt and brown pants. Rajani was wearing blue jeans and a shirt. She had left her hair loose and tagged a blue hair band. Kavita came wearing a new red silk Salwar suit.

Kavita’s eyes were searching for Rajeev in the crowd. She wanted to be noticed by Rajeev in her new dress.  All students saw each other more often-in Uniform so they were keenly looking at each other with eyes full of admiration.

Miss Rose took up the microphone on the stage and requested  all to sit down. Everyone sat down. Principal, vice principal, and the chief guest, who was a senior police official were seated on the stage. Principal and the chief guest delivered speeches, in which hardly anyone was interested. After the speeches, the awards distribution started.

Kavita, meanwhile, saw Rajeev was sitting in the third row from the front with his friends. Some girls were sitting in the next row. She found a chair next to those girls vacant. She got there and sat with them.

Foremost, the prizes for sports were distributed followed by the prizes for other contests. Rajani and Rajeev went together and received the award for the first position. Kavita and her partner took the second prize. Kavita felt a little jealous of Rajani for being close to Rajeev.

Now Rajeev and Rajani