"So what if I'm getting married? You'll always remain my sweet, sweet friend" Shreya told Akshar on phone, announcing her engagement. He didn't want to remain just friends with her - it was either everything or nothing. He asked, "what were the shortcomings in me due to which you don't like me?" Shreya replied "nothing wrong in you, it's just that I like someone else". Akshar cried like a baby. He pleaded with her to consider him. She ended by saying "I don't feel for you and now you better stop else my parents will talk to your parents".
Once the phone was kept down, he wondered why didn't god listen to him? He always got from god what he wanted so why couldn't he get her? Everyone around him praised him at all times so why not her? Why didn't things go this way, why oh why? Why do they say that if you ask for something with all your might then you get it? Because now he asked for and didn't get Shreya.
Life no longer remained the same for Akshar. He lost interest in studies. He managed to graduate but failed to get campus placement. He sat at home, couldn't gather the will to study further nor could he get a job.
He sold his mobile, deactivated Facebook account and started preparing for government exams - only to miss the cut off every time. And yet he persisted because he had read in a book that if you ask for something with all your might then one day you will get it. This probably works well for all the other things in life but certainly not for a person you love.
One day, he felt as if a voice inside him was asking him to go to Mumbai. He didn't know why. Maybe Shreya was now based there, maybe her marriage was on the rocks, perhaps there was still a chance for him. He had a cousin staying at Mumbai, so he told his parents he'll be going there to try for jobs and staying with him initially. He packed his bags, went to station and sat inside a train without any reservation.
People go to Mumbai on a one-way ticket. He didn't want to take it. The last time he took a one-way ticket was his feelings for Shreya who rejected him. So he didn't want to repeat history now, come whatever happen.
Waiting for the train to start, he saw some guys teasing a girl. She knew something was happening but remained silent. His sixth sense asked him to go. He immediately got down and reprimanded those men not to do that. The guys backed off. He went inside the train to the same vacant seat.
The train started. TT came. Akshar asked for seat. TT sent him to another coach. Akshar got a seat. And saw the same girl there. Akshar dozed off. When he woke up he saw some guys teasing her. He scolded the miscreants. Things became normal. Akshar went back to his seat. And started wondering.
People have a past. He knew Shreya's past and accepted it. His father once told him that he knew some innate details of Shreya's father, which no one else knew but he knew, yet Akshar didn't have a problem with that. He had accepted her mentally, didn't want any dowry, and all he wanted from her was just a one-word reply - "yes".
And then he was woken up by someone. It was his friend Suyash from college. They began chatting. He was going to Mumbai to give an exam and then would be back in town. Akshar asked Suyash about college mates. He wanted to know where Shreya was. Turned out she broke off her engagement and recently one of her friends had tagged her in a photo on Facebook at Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Was it possible that she was still in Mumbai ? Is this why his sixth sense had asked him to go to Mumbai? Do they still have a chance?
"Do you have extra soap?" asked the same girl to Akshar, whom he had helped twice. He took out a pack from his bag and gave it to her. Suyash asked who she was, and Akshar told how he protected her. Suyash was appalled and questioned why did he do that, he could have been beaten up by the miscreants. Akshar replied that she too is someone's daughter, someone's sister.
He remembered his support of feminist movement. He remembered the progressive speeches he gave on stage when in college. If only understanding and accepting the other gender, the way they are, would get you one.
Time progressed and the train reached its destination. Both friends got down. They were about to get an auto when they saw the same girl being teased by guys. Akshar wondered why was the girl so demure, he took her aside and asked where she was going. She said she had nowhere to go and had come here to make a career. He insisted that she remained with him as the big city could be unsafe. Suyash asked Akshar to inform his relatives that he'll be reaching late and he said he'll do it once he had taken the girl to a safe place.
They couldn't book a room as no decent hotel would give space to unmarried people of different genders, so they chose to sit near the sea. It was evening already. Suyash took out his books and started revising for the exam. Akshar asked the girl, what was her name. "Naina", she said after a pause. He brought them Filter Coffee and Poha. Akshar and Naina began chatting, the latter speaking very little. There was indeed a sense of mystery around her.
The night was getting cold. They went for a walk. Mumbai was still very alive, no one seemed to be sleeping. They went past a building where the guard asked them what they were doing there. Akshar told he came to the city in search of a job and if the guard could tell anyone who could help. The guard made him meet Kaushal Sahib, who stayed in the building and was talking on phone near them. Akshar introduced himself to him and was informed of a job opening for fresher in Java development at his company. He was asked a few questions and surprisingly he could answer all of them, even though he hadn't done Java for some time. Kaushal Sahib promised him a job on the spot. Akshar was elated and said he'll join once he had settled the girl next to him. She was a commerce student and not eligible for corporate jobs until her degree was completed. Akshar wanted that she get some work immediately.
They walked for some more time, asking random people for a job. Then they met a guy outside a dingy restaurant, who promised job to Naina, and told her to meet Mr Venu at Sukhija Sagar restaurant the next morning. Elated, Akshar and Naina reached back to their spot and instead of sleeping they continued to chat. Naina told very little about her except that she was from Almora, left college midway and nursed a career in modelling or movies, working behind the scenes. She had fought with her parents to come here but didn't want to become an actress or model, she would do anything except showing herself to the public.
Akshar wanted to tell her that there's some goodness in her personality which is why good things will happen to her in future. He wanted to assure her that she's a bundle of immense potential and happiness will come to her soon. But his sixth sense told him to remain silent on this.
The sun rose. Suyash left for the examination centre. Akshar took Naina in metro to Sukhija Sagar for job.
As they were walking to the venue, Akshar was wondering about unanswered questions. Why is Naina so silent? Why did she run away before completing degree? Why doesn't she want to show herself to public? Will she too remain a mystery like Shreya?
When they reached, they were surprised to see the place. It looked very shady. Akshar wasn't getting a good feeling about it. The owner came and asked to take Naina inside a room. Akshar said no, you won't go alone, you leave this place now. Naina asked why, I want to be here, I've left my family and can't go back. Akshar grabbed her hand and ran outside.
They reached station. Having not slept the night before, Naina was tired and sleepy, yet had the energy to say that she didn't want to go back to her family. Akshar made her sit inside a train and went to buy tickets.
When he returned she wasn't there. He looked around and found her in another train. He held her hand and took her to the right train. She insisted she didn't want to go back but he said you can't be in this city, you go back to your parents to complete your degree first, and she won't go alone as he'll go with her. The train started and they both dozed off soon. When Akshar woke up, Naina wasn't there. He looked outside. Train was at New Delhi station. He saw Naina at the platform, ran towards her and got her inside. "Let me go, I don't want to go back!" "No, you will go back to your parents".
They sat down in the train and Akshar didn't sleep until they reached Almora. They got down and Naina kept saying she didn't want to go home. As she hadn't told her address, Akshar was wondering where he could take her, when suddenly there was a tap on his shoulder.
"Where have you been hiding her? You bugger - come with us to police station!"
"No sir - you're thinking wrong - I haven't ran her away, in fact I-"
"Give your explanation at the station!"
The police put them in jeep and they reached station.
When they reached, Akshar pleaded innocence. He told how he rescued her from miscreants thrice, kept her safely in an unknown city, protected her from landing up in wrong hands, and got her back to her hometown so that she'll complete her studies. The police was astounded. They called Sarpanch of the village Naina hailed from. He listened to the story and said "Sahib, this guy sounds genuine, he is not a culprit".
Akshar emphasized "Sir, please believe me, I haven't ran her away".
Police asked Akshar "Do you know why this girl ran away?"
Akshar responded "She wanted a job in Mumbai".
Police replied "She ran away because she is a murderer!"
This was followed by pin-drop silence.
The policeman told rest of the story. She was in college when she developed romance with a classmate. They ran away from home and got married. When they returned, her in laws didn't accept them, so they started living separately. It was all good in their small world, and within a year her son was born, after which her biological parents accepted her. Just when things were beginning to look fine, they turned sour. Her husband would abuse her, harass her, and even threaten to get violent in front of her son. She tried to make amends but things didn't improve. She along with her son started living at her parents home and she soon found job as a receptionist with a travel agent. Her husband kept threatening her on phone, and when blocked he started using spies. Once, he even stopped the auto rickshaw in which their son was going to school. He wouldn't divorce her, nor would he mend ways. He used political influence to ensure police won't take action against him.
And then, one day, he was found murdered at home. The police arrested Naina on the spot. She spent few months in jail, and was out on parole for her sister's wedding, when she boarded train to Mumbai, seemingly under pressure from her parents.
Akshar was stunned in disbelief. He took one last look at her stoic face, and then went out of the police station.
On the bus, Akshar got lost in thoughts. Why did his sixth sense asked to help her? He was on verge of getting jailed. His life could have taken turn for the worse. Surely there must be a reason.
It's been 3 years since that incident. Akshar worked in Mumbai for some time and then switched to another company in Hyderabad, as a Senior Java Developer. But he still hasn't forgotten "Naina" or her face. He didn't like her but he didn't dislike her either.
He has finally come to terms with Shreya leaving him, as he uploaded the following status on Facebook.
"Some people appear good only when we don't know them well enough. It's perhaps better that some mysteries remain a mystery and some dreams remain unfulfilled. Maybe you should not be upset if someone didn't accept your proposal. There was something shady at their end which they knew but didn't want to tell you about. You were actually too good for them and they knew that you deserved someone better. She didn't reject you because she hated you - she rejected you because deep down she liked you."
--------
(Thanks to my friend Mr. Rohan Marwaha for giving me the motivation and base for writing this article based on a conversation we had).
Once the phone was kept down, he wondered why didn't god listen to him? He always got from god what he wanted so why couldn't he get her? Everyone around him praised him at all times so why not her? Why didn't things go this way, why oh why? Why do they say that if you ask for something with all your might then you get it? Because now he asked for and didn't get Shreya.
Life no longer remained the same for Akshar. He lost interest in studies. He managed to graduate but failed to get campus placement. He sat at home, couldn't gather the will to study further nor could he get a job.
 |
| Photo by Arjun Suri |
One day, he felt as if a voice inside him was asking him to go to Mumbai. He didn't know why. Maybe Shreya was now based there, maybe her marriage was on the rocks, perhaps there was still a chance for him. He had a cousin staying at Mumbai, so he told his parents he'll be going there to try for jobs and staying with him initially. He packed his bags, went to station and sat inside a train without any reservation.
People go to Mumbai on a one-way ticket. He didn't want to take it. The last time he took a one-way ticket was his feelings for Shreya who rejected him. So he didn't want to repeat history now, come whatever happen.
Waiting for the train to start, he saw some guys teasing a girl. She knew something was happening but remained silent. His sixth sense asked him to go. He immediately got down and reprimanded those men not to do that. The guys backed off. He went inside the train to the same vacant seat.
The train started. TT came. Akshar asked for seat. TT sent him to another coach. Akshar got a seat. And saw the same girl there. Akshar dozed off. When he woke up he saw some guys teasing her. He scolded the miscreants. Things became normal. Akshar went back to his seat. And started wondering.
People have a past. He knew Shreya's past and accepted it. His father once told him that he knew some innate details of Shreya's father, which no one else knew but he knew, yet Akshar didn't have a problem with that. He had accepted her mentally, didn't want any dowry, and all he wanted from her was just a one-word reply - "yes".
And then he was woken up by someone. It was his friend Suyash from college. They began chatting. He was going to Mumbai to give an exam and then would be back in town. Akshar asked Suyash about college mates. He wanted to know where Shreya was. Turned out she broke off her engagement and recently one of her friends had tagged her in a photo on Facebook at Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Was it possible that she was still in Mumbai ? Is this why his sixth sense had asked him to go to Mumbai? Do they still have a chance?
 |
| Photo by Arjun Suri |
He remembered his support of feminist movement. He remembered the progressive speeches he gave on stage when in college. If only understanding and accepting the other gender, the way they are, would get you one.
Time progressed and the train reached its destination. Both friends got down. They were about to get an auto when they saw the same girl being teased by guys. Akshar wondered why was the girl so demure, he took her aside and asked where she was going. She said she had nowhere to go and had come here to make a career. He insisted that she remained with him as the big city could be unsafe. Suyash asked Akshar to inform his relatives that he'll be reaching late and he said he'll do it once he had taken the girl to a safe place.
 |
| Photo by Arjun Suri |
The night was getting cold. They went for a walk. Mumbai was still very alive, no one seemed to be sleeping. They went past a building where the guard asked them what they were doing there. Akshar told he came to the city in search of a job and if the guard could tell anyone who could help. The guard made him meet Kaushal Sahib, who stayed in the building and was talking on phone near them. Akshar introduced himself to him and was informed of a job opening for fresher in Java development at his company. He was asked a few questions and surprisingly he could answer all of them, even though he hadn't done Java for some time. Kaushal Sahib promised him a job on the spot. Akshar was elated and said he'll join once he had settled the girl next to him. She was a commerce student and not eligible for corporate jobs until her degree was completed. Akshar wanted that she get some work immediately.
They walked for some more time, asking random people for a job. Then they met a guy outside a dingy restaurant, who promised job to Naina, and told her to meet Mr Venu at Sukhija Sagar restaurant the next morning. Elated, Akshar and Naina reached back to their spot and instead of sleeping they continued to chat. Naina told very little about her except that she was from Almora, left college midway and nursed a career in modelling or movies, working behind the scenes. She had fought with her parents to come here but didn't want to become an actress or model, she would do anything except showing herself to the public.
 |
| Photo by Arjun Suri |
The sun rose. Suyash left for the examination centre. Akshar took Naina in metro to Sukhija Sagar for job.
As they were walking to the venue, Akshar was wondering about unanswered questions. Why is Naina so silent? Why did she run away before completing degree? Why doesn't she want to show herself to public? Will she too remain a mystery like Shreya?
When they reached, they were surprised to see the place. It looked very shady. Akshar wasn't getting a good feeling about it. The owner came and asked to take Naina inside a room. Akshar said no, you won't go alone, you leave this place now. Naina asked why, I want to be here, I've left my family and can't go back. Akshar grabbed her hand and ran outside.
 |
| Photo by Arjun Suri |
When he returned she wasn't there. He looked around and found her in another train. He held her hand and took her to the right train. She insisted she didn't want to go back but he said you can't be in this city, you go back to your parents to complete your degree first, and she won't go alone as he'll go with her. The train started and they both dozed off soon. When Akshar woke up, Naina wasn't there. He looked outside. Train was at New Delhi station. He saw Naina at the platform, ran towards her and got her inside. "Let me go, I don't want to go back!" "No, you will go back to your parents".
They sat down in the train and Akshar didn't sleep until they reached Almora. They got down and Naina kept saying she didn't want to go home. As she hadn't told her address, Akshar was wondering where he could take her, when suddenly there was a tap on his shoulder.
"Where have you been hiding her? You bugger - come with us to police station!"
"No sir - you're thinking wrong - I haven't ran her away, in fact I-"
"Give your explanation at the station!"
The police put them in jeep and they reached station.
When they reached, Akshar pleaded innocence. He told how he rescued her from miscreants thrice, kept her safely in an unknown city, protected her from landing up in wrong hands, and got her back to her hometown so that she'll complete her studies. The police was astounded. They called Sarpanch of the village Naina hailed from. He listened to the story and said "Sahib, this guy sounds genuine, he is not a culprit".
Akshar emphasized "Sir, please believe me, I haven't ran her away".
Police asked Akshar "Do you know why this girl ran away?"
Akshar responded "She wanted a job in Mumbai".
Police replied "She ran away because she is a murderer!"
This was followed by pin-drop silence.
 |
| Photo by Arjun Suri |
And then, one day, he was found murdered at home. The police arrested Naina on the spot. She spent few months in jail, and was out on parole for her sister's wedding, when she boarded train to Mumbai, seemingly under pressure from her parents.
Akshar was stunned in disbelief. He took one last look at her stoic face, and then went out of the police station.
On the bus, Akshar got lost in thoughts. Why did his sixth sense asked to help her? He was on verge of getting jailed. His life could have taken turn for the worse. Surely there must be a reason.
It's been 3 years since that incident. Akshar worked in Mumbai for some time and then switched to another company in Hyderabad, as a Senior Java Developer. But he still hasn't forgotten "Naina" or her face. He didn't like her but he didn't dislike her either.
He has finally come to terms with Shreya leaving him, as he uploaded the following status on Facebook.
"Some people appear good only when we don't know them well enough. It's perhaps better that some mysteries remain a mystery and some dreams remain unfulfilled. Maybe you should not be upset if someone didn't accept your proposal. There was something shady at their end which they knew but didn't want to tell you about. You were actually too good for them and they knew that you deserved someone better. She didn't reject you because she hated you - she rejected you because deep down she liked you."
 |
| Photo by Rajat Sharma |
(Thanks to my friend Mr. Rohan Marwaha for giving me the motivation and base for writing this article based on a conversation we had).
