Net Buddies

A Short Story by G.S.Vasukumar


"Hi! Priya, 


How are you ? I am fine and hope the same from your side.I would like to be your friend? I hope you will accept my friendship and reply."


Bye,
Rohan


"Hi!Rohan, 


Thanks for your mail and I'm fine. I accept your friendship. Tell me something, what are you doing by the way, Rohan?"


Bye,
Priya


"I'm studying in eighth standard. How about you?"


"Well, I'm studying in seventh standard."


"Which School?"


"Hey! Are you thinking to come and meet me at school and see how do I look like? Is it that's why you are asking me?"


"No, no, I just asked you out of curiosity. That's all. No problem, even if you don't tell me."


"Well, I am studying in St.Mary's. How about you?"


"Myself...in St.Xavier's"


"I heard about your school."


"I heard about your school too."


"What are your hobbies, Priya?"


"Well, I like to do gardening and singing.I like to watch television and reading. That's it, I think. How about you?"


"Well, I tell stories, reading, watching television, going for a walk with my dog. That's it, I think."


"What's your dog's name, by the way?"


"Tracy"


"Is it good at tracing things or what?"


"No...It is good at hiding things rather."


"That's contrasting to its name. Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow same time, bye."


"Bye, Priya."


***


"Hi! Rohan, Are you there?"


"Yeah, Priya, I am here....waiting to hear from you? Tell me don't you like dancing?"


"Me...? Like dancing? No, I am not good at it. If I try then I might end up breaking something. How about you do dance?"


"No... I just asked you, that's all."


"Tell me, whom do you tell stories to? to Tracy ?"


"To the four walls of my room. Come on, to whom else my friends, who else."


"Don't you write stories? I mean, how do you remember them?"


"Yes, I do write them down and then narrate it."


"Is it your own stories or you take them from else where?"


"How do I look to you like?"


"Come on, I haven't even seen you as yet."
"Oh! Well, I write my own stories."


"That's great!"


"Tell me, Priya, How do you look like?"


"Does it matter, Rohan? Are you going to marry me?"


"No, I just asked, that's all. Let's talk something else...what's your favourite colour?"


"Pink and White."


"Mine is same too."


"Who is your favorite actor?"


"Tom Cruise. How about you?"


"Same."


"Your favorite movie?"


"Titanic. Well, I had been the director then I would have given it a happy ending."


"Well, it did have a happy ending. They did meet in the heaven."


"Yes, after so many years. If I remember, she was seventy or eighty when she finally went to heaven."


"But love never dies...."


"That's true. Tell me do you have a boy friend?"


"You first tell me whether you have a girl friend?"


"I asked you the question first!”


"You answer it first!"


"Ok, fine, I don't have any girlfriends."


"Me neither."


"So, should we meet?”


"Do you think it is necessary?"


"I am not sure?”


"Me neither."


"Bye."


"Bye."


"Hi! Rohan,


Shall we meet?"


"Meet? Really?"


"Yes."


"Fine, when? Where?”


"How about in Elephant Park at 5.30 PM?”


"That will be fine. How can I recognize you?”


"I will come with Tracy."


"Will you be the only girl with a dog in the park?”


"Oh! I didn't think about it. Idea! I will come with a sign board, with my name written on it."


"That will be fine. I will do the same."


"See you in the park, bye."


"Bye."


Later, in the Elephant park, at 5.25 PM:-


"Hi! Priya," Said Rohan, coming.


"Hi! Rohan. Nice to meet you." She said shaking his hand.


"Why are you holding that ten rupees for ?" He asked.


"Oh! Someone saw my sign board and thought I should be dumb and so they gave it to me." She said, smiling.


"What ? very funny." He laughed and she joined him.


"Rohan, I have something to tell you." She said.


"That you love me, right?" He asked.


"Chi! All boys are the same. You talk a little and they will jump to this conclusion." She said.
"Hey! I was just kidding! Tell me what it is?" He said.


"You know, it was not me who was sending you those mails and chatting with you." She said.


"Then who was it? Your grandma?" He asked surprised.


"Yes. You’re right. It was my grandma, who was sending mails and chatting with you using my name." She explained.


"Then I have a surprise for you too." He said. "It was not me, but my grandpa sending mails to you grandma."


"What?" She cried, surprised.


"May my grandpa and your grandma come out from their hiding places please?" Rohan cried.


"Hi! I am Rohan's grandpa. Nice to meet you." said his grandpa coming from behind the tree.


"Hi! I am Priya's grandma. Nice to meet you too." said her grandma coming from behind another tree.


"Tell me why you don't like dancing?" He asked.


"I already told you that I might end up breaking something." She said.


"You know, all the while I was thinking that you may break the flower vase or something." He said.


"No. I meant my old bones!" She said. "Tell me, who were the friends to whom you tell stories to?"


"Whom else? my grandson, Rohan and his friends." He replied.


"Rohan, It's nice that we met because of these two old guys, who wanted to have some fun chatting with each other using our names. Shall we be friends?" Priya asked extending her hand.


"Sure." He said shaking her hand.


The End.