Lahat ng Kabanata ng CROSSROAD: Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 15

“What? What is it?” asked Kamal curiously and followed his gaze to the backyard of the house across.  Standing on the kitchen veranda and checking herself out in the mirror was Bhoomika. She looked beyond ravishing in that jet-black salwar she was in. The fabric hugged and defined the curls and curves of her elegant frame. Flowing down her shoulder was a crisp red dupatta with a generously printed border.  Flashing his pearly white teeth, Kamal turned back to Dev who looked completely lost.Bhoomika tossed her luscious mane, allowing the sun to comb through her rich, copper strands.  How can anyone be this beautiful, crossed a thought in Dev’s head. It took him a moment to realize that her amber orbs were already locked with his chocolate brown ones.  Through the noise, there was an air of dead silence as they searched the depths of each other’s soul through their eye

As Dev’s train pulled into the crossroad that evening, the beautiful mouth-watering aroma of a delicious curry floated in through the bars, one that immediately reminded him of home and of his mother’s cooking. His taste buds tingled as it strongly brought to mind that divine, crispy, golden bhature and tangy chole masala he had two weeks ago when he had visited his mom. There were many households in that area and it was hard to pinpoint where exactly it was coming from, that is, until, the train stopped right across Bhoomika’s house.  The white lights from her kitchen’s veranda shone like crystal specks in his eyes as he caught sight of her in the garden, picking on fresh curry leaves and cherry red tomatoes.  He wondered what she could be cooking as he lingered on how the setting sun cast its orange hue on her hair, making it look like smooth, polished sheets of burnt copper.  He noticed that s

When Dev’s usual train pulled up at the crossing the following day, Bhoomika was in the backyard spreading wet laundry on the line. She peeked out from behind one of the sarees fluttering before her and eyed the door of the train, but he wasn’t there. Heart racing a little, she craned her neck further and scanned the windows, but he wasn’t there either. She stood there, waiting, hoping to get a glimpse of him and alleviate the fears that had been building inside her since last evening. But alas, despite the express train whipping past, and this train slowly chugging out, he was nowhere to be seen. With a sinking feeling, she retreated from view. There was a storm brewing in her mind. How come he never turned up today, could he be ill? Or, is he avoiding me on purpose?She was dead sure that he’d seen her getting hit by Anand last evening. Anand was one who never wasted an opportunity at that. He always made sure he put up an act before oth