The resolution of conflicted feelings is an inside job that requires self honesty, all self delusions rescinded. Ever before she had seen him, his familiar deep husky voice arose havoc inside her. Unparalleled excitement made her spark-plugs roaring and her heart purr in anticipation. It was only for a moment, for when he walked inside the classroom, her blood woke up her brain, though she had thought herself to be awake already. Her smile grew unknowingly of its own accord and that was the moment of decision. She could either let him see what he had ignited or hide it, and in either way, she knew him to be the most exciting adrenaline coursing through her senses.
Bracing herself and taking a deep breath Bondita sat upright on her desk, as she heard Beena's gasping words.

"My... My... Who is this man!! I could totally fall for him any moment now..." Her hushed words made Bondita narrow her eyes at her, needless to say, making her blood boil a bit.

"He isn't that great." She hushed back faking an annoyance.

The buzzing murmure that had rose inside the classroom had stopped immediately as Anirudh opened his mouth to speak again. Professor Prathamesh Ganguly was standing beside him, silent, probably a little intimidated by the magnetic aura of his guest.

"This is a class of women studies I'm being told, and yet I see men and women alike, sitting here holding their attention on a Thursday afternoon." He paused to take a turn, walking up the gallary to connect with the students.
"You could have been anywhere today, attending any lecture, Mathematics, English, Philosophy,... but instead you chose to be here, in this classroom, and that tells me, somewhere... you all are intrigued or eager to know more about the topic I'll speak today, women rights. So what is women rights?" He looked at the eager eyes staring back at him with rapt attention.
"Don't scare me with that serious look on your face." He let out a soft chuckle bringing down the temperature of the class in a second.
"Women rights is basically human rights. And, in a society where the rights and potential of women are constrained, no man can be truly free, he may have power but no freedom."
He paused.
"We can't be truly free till the time even one woman is in shackles, even if her shackles might be different from ours."
Anirudh paused.

"But, Anirudh... How can a woman be free? Aren't they free already?"
A question came flying from a young man sitting infront.

"Are they? Truly free?" Anirudh threw the question back at the young man.
"I believe in a world of justice and human rights for all. A world where girls can grow up to be free... free from the fear of abuse, free from shackles, restrictions, inhibitions... A world where women are treated with respect and dignity that they deserve. And it is up to you... you fine young generation, to make this world yours", he smiled at the young boy brightly.
"And coming to your question on how women can be free? I would say it's up to them to make themselves free... to claim their freedom... it's high time that they speak up for themselves... and, remember when one woman speaks, she not only speaks for herself but for the entire woman folk." He paused to gauge the reaction of the class.
"A woman can only be two things... who and what she wants. And, as for us men, it's our moral and humanitarian responsibility to stand beside them. They aren't weak... they won't need our help, or guidance, so what all we can do is support them in every way possible."

"Anirudh", a soft feminine voice called his name from the back row making Bondita turn her head around.
"How can you say men and women are equal? I mean... look at your biceps! Are you saying I could ever win a duel with you?" She giggled. "So how are we equal?"

Anirudh's eyes quickly brushed Bondita's flushed face as he let out a short courteous laughter.
"What is your name madam", he asked her politely.

"Satarupa", the woman replied and smiled flirtatiously at him, a suppressed seductive undertone was evident in her voice.

"So, Satarupa..." Anirudh smiled back. "You don't need biceps to be strong... you don't need to be masculine to be a strong woman. Men and women are two different creation of nature... they have different sets of roles and responsibilities but their rights are equal... so again, coming back to same point, women rights are human rights."

Eighty pairs of eyes stared at Anirudh, some inspired and some in awe.

"Women are like teabags, you never know how strong they are until you put them into hot water." Bondita unknowingly murmured as Beena pressed her lips and smirked.

"Anirudh... My friend here has an interesting thought." She suddenly raised her hand as Anirudh turned towards them focusing all his attention.

"May I know what that might be." Anirudh walked towards the row where Bondita and Beena had sat.

"Well, she compares women with tea bags." Beena grinned in amusement as the entire class burst out into a fit of laughter.

"That's interesting, would your friend mind sharing her thoughts with the class." Anirudh looked straight at Bondita.

"I just... I mean... I didn't... " Bondita rolled her eyes at Beena and staggered to stand up.
"Well, I said, Women are like teabags, you never know how strong they are until you put them into hot water."

Anirudh smiled at her words as the murmured continued inside the classroom.

"Our Bondita has quirky thoughts and ideas all the time." One of the women raised her voice from amidst the crowd.

Bondita looked up slowly, her hands fidgeting in imminent embarrassment, as she found Anirudh staring directly at her, blatantly.

"That's quite an interesting thought actually." He spoke gently, enough to discipline the entire class into silence.
"Isn't that feminism all about? Acknowledging unapologetically the strength of a woman?" He walked a little closer to where Bondita was seated.
"Feminism isn't about making women strong", he continued, "they are already strong, probably stronger than us, it's about changing the way the world perceives that strength."

"What if the world, your own world, fails to perceive that strength? What should we do then?" Bondita almost hushed the question under her breath.

"Then you stand alone. You stand for what is right even if it means standing alone." Anirudh responded back.

"And what if you are all alone at the end? What if there is no one to love you?" Bondita hushed again as the entire class heard Anirudh let out a deep sharp sigh. Making half of the women gasp by brushing his fingers through his hair, Anirudh inched even closer to where Bondita was seated.

"If he truly loves you
He'll love you
when you are an ocean breeze,
but also when you are a summer storm.
You are not meant to be
loved in parts
you are meant to be
loved as a whole."

Bondita felt that same havoc rising inside her heart, her blood rushing in a wild ancient race, her heartbeat pacing, her ears ringing... and suddenly the entire classroom seemed to be obliterated infront of her eyes. It was only him and her, and the sound of their racing heartbeat, their hoarse breathing, their eyes melting into each other.

Anirudh's gentle yet husky voice broke her trance.
"If you are not a feminist in love... you fail to recognise someone who does not love you. Feminism makes love easier. Otherwise there is always a danger of feeling romantically drawn towards someone who does not see you as an equal."

Bondita's heart continued to flutter as she swallowed hard trying to take his words into senses. It was him, the same old him... her husband, but his words felt new. It was his words what had made her feel that strange attraction towards him that was unknown to her till now.
She had always seen him up close, heard his words in singularity. But today, hearing him amidst eighty others gave her goosebumps. It was as if seeing him for the first time in long ten years, not as her husband, but as the true revolutionary that he was!

The class had ended with Professor Prathamesh Ganguly sharing his concluding speech and thanking Anirudh. It was all burry to Bondita, as the entire time post their word encounter, she had sat silent on her seat, her head low and hands kept still on her lap.
Beena had sensed her embarassment.
"Sorry Bondita... " She had apologised.
"I didn't realise..."

"It's alright."

The students were leaving in herds, all bedazzled by their experience. With a sharp sigh Beena too, got up to leave as she saw Anirudh walk up to their seat and smile.

"Hello... Sir... Err... Anirudh." Beena flashed an awkward grin.

"May I speak to your friend." Anirudh smiled back.

"Who? Bondita?"

Anirudh smiled again.
"Yes. Her. I'd like to discuss a few things with her... Her thoughts are very interesting."

"Well... Sure Sir... Err... Anirudh... I'll take a leave." She turned towards Bondita and spoke in a low voice.
"Don't blow up... And you know where to find me."
Bondita didn't respond. She sat in her designated seat quietly without even looking up as Beena let out a sigh and started to walk down the gallary stairs.

The classroom was empty, Beena's steps reverberating through the enormous walls of the hall. And, as she reached the door, Bondita looked up and called out.
"Beena... Wait..."
She got up quickly from her chair and ran a few steps down...
But, it was too late. Beena had already left, and even before she knew, Anirudh's strong arms had pulled her aside, pinning her against the wall beside the wooden frame of the open door.

"Shhh!!" His mouth was in dangerous proximity to her ear, his warm breath caressing the nape of her neck, as she felt his index finger lightly pressed against her slightly parted lips.

Bondita didn't shout, nor did she tried to move from his entrapment. He hadn't held her, it was just his body and it's intoxicating closeness pressing against her petite frame, in perfect alignment, as her heaved breast touched his chiseled chest with a magnetic affinity.

Bondita swallowed.
"What... What are you doing here?" She looked at his thin red lips and gulped again, hushing the words under her breath, his warmth slowly overpowering her rational judgements.

"I told you we'd start from the beginning." He whispered back, his nose touching her left earlobe.

"How did you..."
Bondita couldn't complete her sentence as she felt his hands slowly touching her waist and moving infront caressing her midribs with his feather touches.

"I was invited to guest lecture long back, I just accepted it last night." He brought his face infront of hers, bending a little to align their eyes together.

"I want us to fall in love again... And again... And again... For as long as we both shall live, and even beyond that." His breath smelled like fresh mint and clove, making her gulp yet again.

"But, I won't force you... As always."
He made his long eyelashes touch hers as his nose moved down her face touching and smelling her lips. He inhaled her scent with an erotic urgency making Bondita feel that familiar wetness in between her thighs.

"Please..." She begged.
"If anyone..."

Anirudh needed no more warnings.
He simply smiled at her, stood upright and moved a few inches away, setting her free from his bewitching magnetism.
She pressed her eyes shut and exhaled the tension. The desire impulses originating in her core made her acutely aware of her emotional defeat.

"I don't..." She opened her eye to confront him.
But...
Where was Anirudh?
Where was his sensuous gaze piercing her soul?
All that remained was the oscillating hinges of the classroom door and the remains of his alluring cologne, enough to make Bondita lose her senses.

'Why was he doing this? Making her weak like this!' She asked herself and then she knew the answer too...
"I'd love you anyway Anirudh." She murmured.

.............................................

I'm looking for your inline comments here.
I actually ended up researching a lot to write about Anirudh's lecture.
Let me know your views about the chapter.
Give me some honest review about the philosophy and the romance.