Kanta was all of 16 when she fell in love. At 16, she had not shed all of her puppy fat, had a cute face with a hint of dimples whenever she smiled, and was quite attractive in her own way. Kunal was a young fighter pilot, about 25 years old, fair with an aquiline nose and an impish smile. He was a frequent visitor to the local club. It was here at the club where Kanta and Kunal met for the first time and sparks flew all over. Kanta’s father was in the Army. Her mother was a very attractive lady. The family would be at the club almost every evening. The knowledge of her parents drifting apart and seeing her mother attracted towards this ‘uncle’ made Kanta’s heart cringe. She was around 15 years old. It wasn’t too long before her parents got divorced. Her mother married the ‘uncle’. All this made Kanta a sad person, though she never showed it. She wasn’t sure what was the real cause of her parents’ breakup – Dad’s drinking habits or her mother’s promiscuity. Unable to come to terms with this internal conflict, she yearned for some friendly company. And then she met Kunal. Kunal was a flamboyant young fighter pilot and resembled the matinee idol, Dev Anand. Kanta had recently seen the movie Hum Dono in which Dev Anand played an Army officer. She was smitten with him. Enter Kunal and she was instantly head over heels in love with him. She didn’t hesitate when Kunal walked up to their table and introduced himself to her mother and requested the ‘pleasure of having a dance’ with Kanta! With a wave of her hand, her mother accorded her permission. Soon, it became a daily affair of meetings between Kunal and Kanta. Kanta poured her heart out to Kunal, escaping from her internal loneliness. Kunal didn’t realize that slowly he was getting much closer to the girl than he had bargained for. It was no surprise when one evening as both sat sipping their drinks at the club, simultaneously they blurted out, “I love you!” One evening, Kunal came home and met her parents. He confessed his love for Kanta and asked their permission to marry. “But Kanta is only 16,” her mother protested. “I will wait till she turns 18. But let us get engaged,” Kunal said. This was agreed. After a not so elaborate engagement ceremony, it was official now and the lovebirds were seen together often. A few months down the line, Kunal told Kanta that he was selected for a course abroad which would be for a long period, and would like to get married before he left. Reluctantly both sets of parents agreed. The marriage was solemnized and a fortnight later Kunal left for his course abroad. Kanta was heartbroken. The few days she had spent with Kunal as his wife had been beautiful. They were more often in bed than out of it. One day, a colleague of Kunal came home to check on her well-being. Kanta’s parents were not home. One thing led to another and Kanta ended up in bed with him. And the saga of cheating began. Kunal never found out, or if he knew never mentioned it to her. Her marriage did not break up. They had a son together. She still lives with her husband. When Kanta confessed her story to me I was a bit confused. Was it lust or the cry of a fractured heart that turned the innocent-looking and beautiful Kanta into a sex-seeking machine?
