Sunday, August 16, 2015

Hope

Before you start reading this blog I would request you to also play the music in the background. You will find the controls for the music on the right hand side of your screen. For a slow connection the controls might not work properly. I would suggest to keep the volume on low or mute.

In this world everyone dreams, everyone has a wish, that one wish which matters the most in their life. Some people work hard all their life just to see that dream come true. Some people are lucky to get their wishes fulfilled, for others who are not so lucky life is just about compromises which they make with the next best thing.

   “Hope is not a dream but a way of making dreams become reality.”
                                      - L. J. Suenens

Today I am not going to write about myself or write some unrealistic story which in today’s world can never happen. It’s about my friend Prateek, who had his heart broken so many times that even time may not be able to heal his wounds. Don’t know usme kuch kami hai ya sach mein luck kharab hai…

It all started after his college studies were over and he was back to his home. There was this cute girl, Nidhi, near his place and he had a huge crush on her. He enquired about her through her friends and all. After gathering all the information, badi mushkil se he sent facebook friend request also. Trust me it’s not easy to send facebook request to your crushes. Surprisingly the Nidhi accepted the request. Chalo request accept hogayi ab what’s next? My friend was still looking for a job at that point so he was basically at home most of the time. So like every teenager he was also online most of the time. Ek din woh online dikh gayi… After a lot of hesitation and thinking, he finally pinged her and the girl responded back quite normally in fact in quite a friendly way. Seeing her response Prateek’s confidence had grown a bit more. In no time they started talking to each other on daily basis. The girl could literally talk about anything to this guy and they grew a lot closer. Apna Bhai kush tha… I could see the glow on his face.

  Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to    do, something to love and something to hope for
                                      - Joseph Addison

Nidhi used to go for classes to a nearby place, he used to wait for her near the bus stand and walk her till home at times. They were close for long time and then jab mere dost ne socha ki dil ki baat bol dete hai… BOOOOMMMMMM!!!

The girl threw the bomb and on chat showed the pic of her crush…
Yeh mera crush hai… Raj. Meri na isse daily baat hoti hai… I like him a lot…” girl said.

Acha… Sahi hai.. Good” same thing which every boy says when he realizes his crush has a crush on someone else…

Soon daily casual talks became counseling session for Prateek where his crush used to talk about her fights with her crush… and my poor friend had no choice but to be the shoulder for to her to cry.

FRIENDZONED!!!

Woh Ch***ya crush uska hamesha uss per shaq kar rehta hai… aur ye rote hue aajati hai mere pass… Console karo thoda and rona chup karwao… Thode dino baad phir wohi kahani… Every time it’s the same shit… After every fight she goes behind him wagging her tail, and if anything goes wrong main toh hoon hi as her shoulder to cry upon… Ch***ye baithe hai hum yahan hai na BC.” said my angry drunk friend.

This went on for a while… and it was time for the second bomb. “Shall I propose him?” asked Nidhi to him one day. Prateek was taken aback by this, not knowing what to do or what to say? He kept quiet. 

After few days the topic came up again. “Batao na… Shall I tell him about my feelings?” the girl asked Prateek again. Against all his wishes he said “If you really like him then go tell him… From the looks of it he also likes you…

He told me about what all happened that she is interested in someone else and she is planning to propose him. “Abey Ch***ya hogaya hai kya?” I asked him. The glow on his face was no more… it was all just dullness now. “Woh agar uske saath khush hai toh acha hai na…” said my friend. “Ye lo… karlo baat. Bhai do you know if she likes you or not… Bolke toh dekhta ek bar… Chal chodd ab… Acha ye bata propose kar diya usne uss ladke ko?” I asked. “Pata nahi yaar…” said my friend. “Time rehte bol de chahiye toh… Baad mein don’t regret it.” I told my friend.

Hope… Sometimes that’s all you have when you have nothing else. If you have it, you have everything
                                -  Anonymous

Something didn’t feel right to my friend, perhaps my words got to him and he decided to tell the girl about his feelings anyways. He was sitting in front of the computer thinking about how to tell her when he saw this update on facebook.

IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH RAJ!

He hit the like button, turned off the computer and went to sleep. After few days he was leaving the city in search of job. He decided to tell the girl anyways about his feeling before he leaves. “I love you…” said my friend to that girl. “What?” asked the girl, “Pehle kyun nahi bola? Poocha bhi tha tumse ki usko propose kar dun? Tab haan boldiya… Ab kya karun main? I can’t leave him now…

Prateek: It’s okay; I just wanted to let you know before I leave.

Nidhi: Kahan?

Prateek: Another City. In search of job.

Nidhi: Wapas kab aaoge?

Prateek: Pata nahi…

After few days he left the city. Few months later he got a job also, after that day only few times they spoke to each other. The daily talks were now monthly talks. Couple of years passed and Prateek was well set in his job.

So hows it going with Prerna?” asked one of his colleague.

Shut up dude…” Prateek said with a smile “Kuch nahi chal raha hai… Theek hai?

Acha theek hai… If you say so…” his colleague replied back with a grin face.

Prerna was my friend’s colleague who was quite fond of him. There were pretty good friends, sometimes people might even think they were in a relationship but they were not. I mean they had soft corner for each other but never really expressed their feelings for each other. They were sitting and talking when Prateek’s phone buzzed. He looked at his mobile and was puzzled.

“I MISS YOU… :’(“ was the text he received.

Prerna asked Prateek, “Who is Nidhi?

He locked his phone and after a pause he said “No one…

  Before you give up, think of the reason why you held on so long
                                      -  Anonymous

All his efforts to forget her and move on in his life were undone by just one message. Everything he had almost forgotten about them were all back in a flash. All of it was fresh in his mind as if it all happened yesterday. He took his phone and stared at the message for a long time.


“Hi”, he replied.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Ram Bhaiya ki Akhari Chai

6 months have passed… I have now moved on, though still at times I wonder what happened that day. Still not able to figure out if she had any feelings for me or anyone else or she just confided something personal to a stranger. These are the things for which I might never get answers but then that’s life you don’t get everything you want.

These things, feelings they just come in between for a small time and then go, don’t really affect me now. It was just a usual day, we were on our way to office and we made a pit stop at Ram Bhaiya’s place for breakfast. We were almost done with it when my usual day turned into an unusual one. It was Akansha with her friends in the same white dress when I was saw her for the first time, she was walking towards the college. First I thought I was just imagining things but then I was not, it was her. She looked at me and looked away, I think she didn't recognize me. I wouldn't blame her… it has been 6 months and we had hardly seen each other before that. But then it was an unusual day, so she turns back and looks at me and smiles.

Haiiiii… by god hassi toh kasam se itni pyari hai na poocho mat…

She walks towards me and says “Hi”.
    
      Me: Hi… How are you?
    
Akansha: I am good… What’s up with you? Long time…
    
Me: Ya… long time… What brings you back to 
Bangalore?

Akansha: Nothing… had few papers to submit and collect mark sheets and all… So on your way to office?

Me: Yes… Came here for breakfast. How’s your fiancĂ©, when are you guys getting married?

I don’t know what I was thinking but I had to ask. She wasn’t pleased to hear those questions.
    
Me: I am sorry did I ask you anything wrong?

Akansha: No No… It’s okay… We broke up about 2 months back…
    
Me: Sorry to hear that…

Akansha: Don’t be… I am not… Rather I am glad we broke off… That bastard was cheating on me with his girlfriend.

Me: What a jerk… I don’t know what people think when they do these kinds of things.

Akansha: Exactly! At least think of the other person. You don’t have any rights to mess with other person’s life by lying to them.

I should be feeling sad for her but itna kamina hoon main ki I was happy that her engagement broke off. I was like yes!!! abhi bhi chance hai…

Me: It’s okay… everything will be all right. You will find someone better.

Yah obviously that someone better is me… Girl don’t look anywhere else I am standing right in front of you. These were the happy thoughts going through my mind…

Akansha: Okay I am getting late… I will see you later.

Me: Can I have your number? I will give you a call sometime if it’s okay with you.

We exchanged numbers and we went our ways. I called her few times after that… We met outside at few places for lunch or casually… We grew close to each other in a short while. Yes we liked each other but admitting it was yet to happen. Hours would fly by over a cup of coffee… just sitting and talking to each other. Jab saath mein na ho tab bhi staying in touch through one or the other app. It was like a dream come true we were both in love with each other. We didn't express our love to each other, yes, but then we will do it when the time is right.

So Akansha was heading back to Mumbai and we decided to meet for the last time before she left. I don’t know the thought of her leaving saddened me. I didn't want this to get over and the fact that we haven’t actually told each other about our feelings. It can be I am just assuming things, maybe she doesn't have the same feelings for me, maybe she just considers me as a close friend I don’t know. All these thoughts clouded my mind.
Of all the places we decided to meet at Ram Bhaiya’s place, where all this started. We reached there and bought ourselves a cup of tea and sat around a corner.

Me: So you are leaving?

Akansha: Yes… Unfortunately I have to go.

Me: What plans after going there?

Akansha: Will be working for a while… have to look for a job. Will you be coming to Mumbai any time soon?

Me: Not sure. I will definitely give you call if I am.

Akansha: You better…

We settled the bill for what might be our last tea at Ram Bhaiya’s place. We looked at each other, smiled and said “So? This is it huh?”

I said “Let me walk you till home…

We started walking… None of us was saying anything… Silence was scaring me more.

Something compelled me from inside and I broke the silence… “I love you…”, I said. I had to say it. It was now or probably never.

She didn't say anything… and just kept on walking. Her house was nearing and her silence was making things more awkward for me. I was feeling embarrassed. A tear drop in my eye, thinking I have lost her forever. I didn't want things to end like this, I wanted happiness for myself, and yes I was being selfish. I was about to cry when she said “Thoda aur late karte toh I would have been in Mumbai…

I had this puzzled look on my face when she held my hand, smiled and looked me in the eyes and said “I love you too…




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