Dipped in oil

I was waiting at the bus stop. it had been 25 minutes past 6. I was thinking, "Have you ever seen people who don't think about the person who is waiting amongst 35 others on a bus stop? I didnot even have to take the bus. It was disgusting smelling people at the end of the day, when all you want is to sit and enjoy caffeine. It was high time all these people stopped having a nonstop party in their college and realised that some people have long tiring days and standing at a busy bustop can be very annoying. There I saw Akanksha and her friends walking lazily towards me

I still remember I was wearing a black kurta and jeans and had completely forgotten I had left my hair they way it was in my live sketching class. Akanksha came and gave me a big hug and whispersed, "I've gotta tell you something" Can it be anything new?, I thought.

"Anki do you ever have anything new to tell me?"
Anyways so are we walking to Crunchy corners ?

All the others nodded. Seriously i wondered if these guys could ever think without the smoke in their heads. As usual seated at crunchies we are cribbed about how our teachers sucked big time and we would be so much better off if we had just been working somewhere. Little did I know i would miss the day i sat on a round wooden stool and stare at a nude lady. The smell of charcoal that would not wash away after the bath i had at night. The joy of dipping my brush in turpentine.

Akanksha was getting impatient about people taking so long to order, she snatched the menu from Vinny and said, "Everyone will have a cappucino, Thanks!" I patted her, and said come tell me what is it? - Stop sccaring people with whats boiling inside you! She snarled back at me. She gets very irritated when she knows someone know what's going inside her head. She looked at me and said, "It's interesting, you have to hear how it all started. He's not even someone i would want to talk to or would like to know more about. Can I stay at your apartment tonight?

She stared back at me. But I was too lost. I felt I should have paid more attention to her, But I was too busy thinking about this design I had to submit. I looked at her with a vague smile and said, Sure you can stay with me. Akanksha and I knew each other since Class 9, when her family moved to Mumbai. We had spend nights togather studying and mostly discussing how people changed everyday. How we were changing as well, but we tend to stick around each other everytime one of us needed to talk. One more such night. I had a feeling I was going to let her down tonight by not giving her my 100%. It had never been so difficult talking about fear to her, Never been so difficult to tell her, I need to tell you something much more important that what you are going to talk about?"

The others were gladly arguing which movie they will watch the next day being a lazy saturday. As we all walked out of Crunchy's and said our good bye's I felt a detachment, a disconnect from them. Reh' looked at me and I felt the pressure to tell someone but today I didnot feel like talking to anyone. I looked back at him with a tired smile, and he teased back" I am telling you all this turpentine seems dope you too much"

How did he know it's the turpentine? - I smiled and thought it was just a coincidence.