Together

It was a normal day like ever. I and my friend Naval were out for a stroll. I have been working for 8 months now and he is preparing for higher studies after completing college. We were roommates in college and now share a rented flat. We both work hard and once I come back, we go out for a stroll and have some snack. The cool evening breeze and random people doing things which often turn out funny are our source of entertainment. We cross the park where the elderly are taking laughter therapy and that always bring a smile on our face. I hate when I get late from office and we have to miss it.

“1 rupee.” A small child kept uttering it and following us. We walked for seconds and then I scolded him to make him run away. I hate beggars. This is the worst thing one can do for a living. People are even ashamed to send kids for begging and spoil their future. It’s already frustrating to handle the demands of the manager at office, keep being pestered by society of having a job with minimal salary when most of my friends are earning almost twice than me. All of the frustration came out on that harsh scolding. It scared the kid enough to run away. Naval didn't say a word and kept walking.

“We have never seen beggars at this place, I just hate them.”

Naval just nodded and went to the patties shop. We had our patties and went back. Three more days have passed and we would always find someone begging. A lady with a small child, a small boy with a half pant and green dirty t-shirt. A girl in a pink frock holding a doll with a missing eye. They generally catch couples or elderly because they are more generous. However, we were always approached but never followed. Guys are emotionless, is a universal accepted phenomenon.

It had been a bad day for me. My friend gave me the good news of his new job, I congratulated him and felt disappointed. While I was still busy mourning, my manager came and ask about the work. I was late on schedule so he took out all his frustration on me. The laughter therapy was also not making me smile. The kid came and asked us for money, he had no hope of getting it so was already searching for a potential target. Naval took out a small box of biscuit and gave him. He ran away almost snatching it.

“You shouldn't promote begging.” I was not angry but disappointed, and he was even challenging my beliefs.

“They are kids, it’s not their fault. It’s their parent’s fault, why to hate them for it. I never give them money but biscuits or chocolates. Just look at them.”

I turned and searched for him. He was right there beneath the banyan tree with his sister. He was pointing at us and trying hard to open the biscuit wrapper. He used his teeth to open it. They both were more excited than what I would have been on getting a salary hike. Yes, it was worth it. I knew naval very well, we would now be having veg patties than cheese patties to compensate it.

I walked back home and I was happy. May be money is important but being happy with yourself and sharing happiness is even more important. I have always kept few toffees in my pocket since that day.

Housing.com shares this spirit of optimism and being together.

Stop Laughing

Richa was coming from the front. A drop of sweat trickled down Raj’s face. He stopped his hastening to and fro movements and stood still like the statue in the nearby park. 

Blue salwar, white kameez, a flick of kohl in the eyes. 4 metal bangles on each hand, beaded earrings, a thin nose ring and a smile on her charming face. She was dark, not chocolate dark but enough not to be called fair. She jerked her head to let the strip of her hair flow back behind her ears. It would however come back any second.

They have been in the relationship for 3 years. Anyone would have fallen in love with her queer prankish personality. She came and proposed and he immediately said yes. The couple was a symbol of love and trust.

“You are sweating. Did I make you wait very long?” Richa held her ears with a tensed cute look.

“Naah, I came early. Need something to drink. Let’s go.” They took the last seat of the restaurant to maintain their privacy.

“You know, my mom is taking me for shopping today. It’s my brother’s marriage after all. I will leave in an hour.”

“I wanted to say something.”

“Since when did you start asking permission from me? You are the bossy one here.” Richa smirked but she felt the awkward silence. She kept her palm over his.

“We need to break-up.” Raj said for the first time looking straight in her eyes.

“What?” Drops of cold coffee spread over the table as she coughed. A pool flew out of the glass with the jolt and successfully landed on the red carpet. The straw took 3 merry go round trips and preferred to stay in the glass.

“I don’t like golgappe but eat it to keep you happy. We don’t have anything more to talk about at our night calls. You started lying to me about your friends. We are not so excited to meet each other like earlier. You talk more about your family than us. You would not miss classes anymore to go out for a movie with me. You have started scolding me for things you don’t like.” He said it all in one go. Every excuse he had thought of giving her.

She was gazing him right in the eyes. He couldn’t take it anymore and lowered his head. He was well prepared for a slap in the public and he deserved it. He was ready for it all.

“Ok.”

That was a calm reply. He was shocked and lifted his head up in amazement. She was walking away whistling. Instead of being enraged, she left him in astonishment.

“Wait, STOP.”

She halted and turned.

“Would you not say anything? Are you not mad at me? You would have been hurt but you are happy. I just can’t believe it.”

She stood there laughing. The laugh was even more infuriating than the whistle.

“Would you really not do anything to save our relationship?” His frustration was catching more eyes. 

“Please stop laughing.” He screamed.

The laugh stopped but the smile remained.

“I would come running after you. Do every silly bit till whatever it will take, to get us back together. But first…”

She took the dramatic pause. How could she miss the expressions on his face. He was eagerly waiting for her to finish the sentence. His expressions changed 100 times per second from all fear, astonishment, worry, and what not.

“But first, Learn to live without me.”

She walked away laughing hysterically. 

He & Her Birthdays

Raj woke up and didn’t find her beside on the bed. The clanking of utensils from the kitchen signaled that she had woken up early today. He got up, took a big yawn and moved towards the bathroom to clean his teeth.

Richa was preparing a cake in the kitchen. She remembers every date that brought a change in their life. She loves celebrating each one of them. He however has to be reminded of them. He can’t even recall the occasion by mentioning the date.

But birthdays are always special. Why to ruin it if he doesn't remember it. A cake and the surprise would bring excitement to his face. We will go to a movie in the evening and dine at their favourite restaurant. No, we will do candle light dinner today. Richa had been thinking while applying icing to the perfectly baked cake.

It had been four years of their marriage. Not for a single time he remembered to wish her. She has now got accustomed to it. Birthdays are not so special for Raj. He wouldn’t celebrate even his birthday if Richa wouldn’t force him to. She forgives him now but celebration should not be affected.

“Good morning.” Richa came out of the kitchen.

Raj replied back with his face still inside the newspaper.

“Do you remember what it is today?”

Richa was very eager to find the same surprise look on his face. She would then let him make some wild guess until she lose patience and tell him.

“Oh yeah, I do. I have to fill this date in some documents every other month.”

Raj's face had a smile. He was confused and a little happy. The same look had started coming to Richa's face while her happiness was decreasing.

“It’s my birthday.” Raj exclaimed.

Richa brought out the cake hidden behind her and bumped it on the dining table. The cherry on the top tumbled down the floor.

Raj on seeing the cake, excitedly leaped towards it.

“You forget my birthday every year but remember yours. How selfish.” Richa slapped Raj, went inside the room and locked it.

Raj stood there perplexed holding the knife in his hand whether to cut the cake or not.

The best ones

“You are always chatting with him. You sure he is not your boyfriend.” Richa asked priya.

“I told you many times, we are just friends. The best ones.” She put extra stress on her last sentence to frustrate her.

“You are so close to him, don’t you love him?”

“Yes, of course I do. I don’t know what this love is but I like everything just the way it is. And I am sure that this will also be his reply.”

“Ok, what’s your favourite hangout place?”

She looked out of her laptop screen and to her, for the first time. Even she was not looking at her and busy combing her hair. She smiled thinking about her answer.

“We don’t have one. We never hung out much.”

“WTF”, the comb dropped and both of them got full attention.

“How did you both got so close and all those trust on each other things came up?”

“I don’t know. We were totally different from each other and we both just got better friends with time. We did meet occasionally and talked. May be that’s why this friendship is so special.”

“I get it. That’s why you don’t have a single gift given from him. Every one of those dumb head friend I made have always hit on me. And girl you are way prettier than me.”

“I haven’t got your attitude.”

“How come he never hit on you? Is he gay?”

Priya punched her lightly.

“No, seriously. Are you the only girl he talks with? May be that’s why you are so special for him.”

“He is a big time flirt. He would have dated more people than you have. But he never flirts with me. Although he calls me his girlfriend and promise to pester me till I find someone.”

The smile with occasional laugh about the memories made Richa feel so jealous.

“Yaar, make him my boyfriend. I need someone like him.”

“It is better you don’t. That’s the only bad thing about him. He will date you, flirt with you and then 

leave without any explanation. I don’t understand when he became like this.”

Richa saw her feeling sad and lost somewhere else. She needed to bring her back.

“Why don’t you both go in a relationship? You would be perfect.”

She looked at her and back to the laptop screen. He had been pinging her question marks for long time.

“That’s the reason I have a best friend and you don’t.”

Richa understood her friendship for the first time. 

Faith and Fate

Raj was listening to the preachings very consciously. Guruji was talking about the behavior of the heart at the time of death. The thumping and then the silence. He was so calm and peaceful. His charisma draw Raj towards him.

“Come here son.” Guruji called Raj after the lecture. He stood perplexed for a moment and then hurried to him, tumbling and managing his things. Guruji don’t talk to anyone much. He tried many times but Guruji never allowed anyone. Death was not something to be talked about like idiots. Guruji was a spiritual teacher but he had a special command when describing death. His followers believed that he has met with death more than once.

“I have seen you here often. They tell me that you are roaming around the Ashram and trying to learn from other people.”

“Guruji, I want to know the truth about death. I am scared of it but don’t want to be.”

“You look from a nice family son, must have a good job also. WHY?”

“Yes, I had a job which others dream of. I got bored of it. I want to understand what a relationship is. Why we are so much attracted and bonded with some people but not with others? Most of all I want to know, if there is an afterlife?”

There was a shine in Guruji’s eyes.

“How long have you been here? Your family knows about it?”

“Yes, they know. They tried a lot to convince me to come back but have left hope now.”

“Ok, go out and wait in the meditation room. Someone will come and tell you, what needs to be done.”

The smile of joy changed into that of victory. Guruji had accepted to teach him. He waited for more than an hour but no one came. His phones had already been taken at the gate of the Ashram so was very bored. But he knew, every great achievement needs a lot of patience.

A man in a saffron cloth wrapped around his body, came to him. He had never seen him before. He took out a straight razor and signaled him to sit straight. His head was shaved and was given a saffron Kurta. It was too wide for him but he didn’t raise a single question. He knew the silence meant that he was not going to be answered. The guy then rolled the carpet and showed a hidden path. He followed him. The dungeon was quite dark and creepy. He was not scared. He had stayed hours in graveyard trying to understand death.

“You are now ready.” The voice of guruji echoed. The guy disappeared.

Guruji came infront of him and started to roam around. The dungeon was dark enough and he was finding it hard to follow Guruji’s movement, standing few feet away from him.

“You wanted to see death right.”

Raj just nodded. He didn’t know he was too excited or scared but he couldn’t turn back now.

“Have a good look then, you are standing with death.”

Raj looked around trying to understand the dungeon for the first time.

A knife swiftly touched his ribs leaving a stream of blood. LED lights flashed in the dungeon.

“Next lecture, I will tell how eyes behave at the time of death.” Guruji said in his calm voice, pleasantly resting Raj’s head in his lap. 

Dream - I forgot mine

Raj let his hand drop without any effort. Claps and claps, followed it. What a pleasant voice he had. His hands moved so swiftly over the guitar as if a rider was caressing his horse. Everyone came and praised him. Some suggested him to go for auditions at various competitions. Some just compared him with great singers. He was the star of the party for the next five minutes.

Everyone got busy in themselves and started to talk about their family and how frustrated they were with their job. Raj was packing his guitar in the backpack. 

"Would you mind if I can have a hand at your guitar?"

Mithun, his mentor was standing right infront of him. He got hold of the guitar like it was a baby. His eyes were shining as if he had met a lost friend after decades. Raj had never seen a man in 50’s with such love towards a musical instrument.

“How often you play it?” asked mithun, feeling the guitar strings. He then gave a gentle stroke to it.

“Not much, the office hours are too hectic to spare time for it. I used to play it in my college life.”

“You are good with it. You should spend even more time with it or you would regret it later.”

Raj knew what was going to come next. An old man finding his college love again but he knows they have to part once more. He is now tied to bonds of family, children, worrying about future and everything else.

“You know I always wanted to be a singer. We even started a band and won at many college fest. But money is too important in life. Just a single dream to became a rockstar, but I had to give up mine.”

“You are young kiddo, you would be 25 or something right.”

“26 to be exact.”

“You can make your own band, go play at weekends. Join music enthusiast clubs.”

“I would surely do, but almost every weekend you give some work to do from home. Spare me this week and I will give it a try.”

Raj smirked, he knew it was going to be a tough call for Mithun now.

“Why don’t I give you a leave this Friday?” Mithun raised his eyebrows and then laughed.

Raj stood there confused.

“There is a small club of around 50 members, all IT professionals. They organize a competition every quarter. It’s happening in the Red Clubhouse this Friday. Go and give a shot. The winner gets to perform his piece with one of the reputed bands.”

Raj couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Mithun was a very serious kind of fellow. He was the last person he expected to say these words.

Mithun who had walked few steps away halted and turned back.

“I forgot to tell you, Practise hard. I have still not given up on my dreams.” 

Broke-up - Still friends

He held the screen fixed infront of his eyes. The green dial option was shaking and teasing him to use it. Seemed that it finally lost hope and the screen went off. Raj had been trying to call her. Her name was pressed from the contacts books in more than two minutes. It had been 10 minutes since he had not pressed the call button. His screen timeout had reached.

The phone vibrated. ‘Richa calling’ flashed on the screen. He forgot to switch from vibrate to ringtone. The mobile kept vibrating and he kept blankly looking at it. No feelings, no thoughts. He picked up the call and slowly brought the phone to his ears.

“Helllooooo. Raj?”

“Happy Birthday, Richa.”

“Aww, thank you. But you forgot na. You forgot my birthday. You were always the first one to call.” A very cheerful, excited voice was coming from the other end.

“Oh no, I didn’t.” his voice was heavy than usual. “I must have lost track of time.”

“You didn’t. Leave. Where is my gift?”

“I can’t do this.” Even heavier voice mixed with pain came out.

“Raj.” A pause followed. “We broke up but that doesn’t mean it will end our friendship. We will still remain good friends right.”

Silence was there and both needed it.

“Ok, where do you want the treat? Let’s meet at the Tikki wala, I haven’t been there for a long time. Don’t be shocked, we will then go to a good restaurant and have proper dinner.”

He was listening and breathing.

“You will come right?” The voice was a little concerning this time.

“Yes, I will surely come.” Raj said in a confident voice.

He removed his finger from the doorbell. Kept the mobile in his pocket. Placed the bouquet of flower on the doorstep and left.

HeadPhones

“Sorry, baby. I was stuck with some work. I hope you didn’t wait for long.”

Raj smirked. “Don’t worry, I have now got used to it.”

Richa hugged him and held her ears till a smile brightened his face.

“What did you do all this time. Must have been looking at those cameras and mobiles and other electronic junks.” 

“Yup, I actually bought one.”

“Ahhhh, ok, I am hungry, let’s first get something to eat.”

“Hmmm, you go and take a seat I will order two coffee and some snacks.”

Richa opened the purse and checked her looks while raj went and ordered.

“So what did you buy today?”

“I got a very good deal. I purchased these headphones at a very low price.”

“Oh wow, how much?” She took the headphones and struggled to find the price tag.

“It was just for 2000 bucks and it got a very good surround sound…”

“2000 bucks!” her loud voice just surprised him. “And you say it’s cheap.”

“Common, it’s SkullCandy. SKULLCANDY.” Noticing she had never heard the name before, he felt disappointed. “You atleast try it for once.”

“Yeah, whatever candy it is. I don’t understand you guys. Why do you waste so much money on these electronics items you actually don’t need? You got earphones with your mobile phone. You could have used it. Why not spend on something more useful like clothes.”

Raj just stared at her for few seconds. He then loosened his grip, took his hand out of his jeans’ pocket and signaled to leave the topic. They chat there for some time, had dinner at a good restaurant and left.

Next day Raj gifted his sister two beautiful earrings.

Status

"I love you Richa."

"Raj, you are a nice guy but we can’t be together."

"Why, we work in the same company. We spend a lot of time together. You don’t have a boyfriend and you even like me. Where does the problem lie?"

"See, there is a large difference in our status. I don’t want to break your heart but I don’t want you to feel humiliated later. My whole family is very rich. I own a sedan and you come to the office in the bus."

"Just wait for a year and even I will get a car of my own. Even I have got big dreams and I will fulfill them."

"You really think that in the meager salary we get, you would be able to buy a car. Even if you get a displayable car in installments, it would just dig so many holes in your pocket that you would not be able to get any other comforts of life. My family members are very rich and you can never match their status with this job."

"Is status everything? Yes, I might be a little poor but I am a self-made man. The car would be from my own hard-worked income and not inherited from my family. I love you a lot and I will always keep you happy for sure."

"Don’t behave like kids Raj. We are not in college that love is the key source of being two people in a relationship. We have to take care of the future. Status is the key feature in the professional world. You are a very good guy but we just can’t be anything more than friends. My friends spend thousands for just partying one night. We go adventure sporting once a month and I don’t want you to be left out each and every time."

"But…"

"No, Raj. You have been saving money from 5 months to buy a sports bike. I know its harsh but I don’t want you to keep any hope later. We belong to a society where money is the most important factor and if you or I were so intelligent to get a huge package then we would not have been in this company. We can’t be together and just accept it. I am sorry but its better that we meet again tomorrow when we are nothing but friends."

Raj smirked as she closed the door behind her. He moved out of the office and dialled a number.

"Hi dad, I understood now what you meant to say. I don't want to prove anything now."

A week later, Richa introduced Raj, her boyfriend to her friends at a pool party. They all were jealous of his luxury car.

An act, an Actor

He had been waiting for the lead actor to arrive. It had been 2 hours and everybody was silently cursing the star. He wished he had been at his place.

He came to Mumbai with a dream. The dream which brings thousands of people here every year. He was the star of the theatre circle at the Delhi. His average looks and simple physique never let him dream of stardom but he knew he could do great in supporting roles. He didn’t lack in talent to shake his belief.

Three years had passed and he was yet to get a decent role. He got in some films but he had to point out his presence in them. He couldn’t go back, he had already brought enough shame on his family.

The spot boy called him. The director was set for the scene.

“Cut”, the director shouted.

Everybody started praising his acting. The emotions, the expressions were just excellent.

He looked at them and smiled within. He went and took the small amount for the small role. He came out and started laughing. He didn’t act for them. They were praising his acting but he hadn’t given them anything. 

He was doing the role of a beggar not eaten anything for many days. 

Air-crash

The meeting had been over. The flight from bangalore to Delhi was in 2 hours so he rushed to the Airport. Raj quickly made with the check-in and the security, once again troubled him asking to open his small suitcase. The branded stationary these days can be used as dangerous instruments with slight modification, given the metal content in them. He took a light snack and waited for the boarding to start.

He took out his i-pad and checked for mails and sent his reports. The important works need to be completed on the journey to save him some time for his family dinner. Life goes hard as you keep climbing the stairs of success. The flight attendant announced for the passengers to board and he made his move.

He took his seat in the Aisle. Family and kids often ask him to exchange a window seat so he hated it. He kept doing his work until the pretty air hostess forcefully closed it. He wished to reach home sooner. His son graduated today and would have been home by now with his degree. He so wanted to attend it but couldn’t.

A sudden jolt and the i-pad fell down. The oxygen mask dropped down before the announcement could even start after the beeping noise. The jolts continued. The airhostess was terrified and didn’t know how to react. The thud and the plane started losing altitude. Everything happened in an instant. The mind was still working but it had accepted a very hard reality. Raj knew his life was important but he didn’t even try to save it. He started viewing everything in slow motion. The havoc and the screams just deluded away. He could see the every strand of hair of the lady sitting next to her flowing slowly and effortlessly. He for the first time realized that there were co-passengers in the plane who were just like him. Liquid coffee was floating in air and made shapes like he used to make in clouds. The plane in which he had travelled for infinite number of times now attracted him with its architecture. The shape of dome and the yellow lines everything seemed to be new for him. Unlike others he didn’t had even a single wrinkle on his forehead.

He saw a young girl sitting in the seat infront shouting his name. He could see his daughter trying to hold him in his arm. His son just went on stage to get his degree and he was there sitting with his beautiful wife. His wife, the most beautiful women he had met in his life. He regret for the first time that he would not be able to tell them how much he loved them.

He extended his arm to console and comfort the girl infront. Something hit his palm and SMASH. Raj stood up and picked up the broken pieces of glass. He needs not to get so lost in the stories he is writing.

The Proposal

“You mind your words.” Richa shouted on the top of her voice.

The debate competition had turned into a heated argument between two people, each trying to satisfy their own ego. An influencing topic like corruption had been out of the league and each of them was blaming for the other’s mind to be corrupt. Richa had been the champion of her school debate team but Raj’s swift talk drove her mad. Even he was not ready to behave or think logically. The debate had to end with both of them being asked to leave the stage.

Ever since, they hated each other. A glance of the other on the streets of college would turn the fire in other’s mind. They competed in each and every event the other was taking part into. Their hatred could not become as famous as when they were spotted being together. Their rivalry grew and they realized that they need each other even more. The event of them walking on the sidewalks, holding each other’s hand spread like a forest fire in the campus.

Richa was a happy-go-lucky girl.  She was arrogant, rude but good from heart. She had big dreams and worked hard for it. Raj on the other hand was a calm and introvert person. He found happiness in small things.

Their love story had been quite dramatic till now. Different people used to quote different movies which resembled them. It was not just them but their love story which had been a part of people’s talk. Richa felt good to hear it and wished to let it remain like that forever.

They had been dating for sometime but Raj hadn’t proposed her yet. It wasn't that he didn’t want to but because she wouldn’t let him do it. She wanted him to propose her in a way to make it memorable. She would often google ideas and ask him to propose her that way. Raj would often let it go off with a laugh and sometimes get into planning the events with her. She had clearly stated that either he has to make the proposal a cherished one or be ready to take a NO as the answer. This would irritate Raj the most.

One night, they were chatting as usual. They would chat till 4am usually but today the clock had stroked 5 and he was still not ready to hang-up. He suddenly asked her to meet and go for a stroll. It was still dark outside and they were walking all alone. He was holding her hands tighter than usual and he was not paying attention towards her this time.

“Wait.” He moved a little far from her.

There was complete silence. The sun has just risen and she could hear the movement of the sun going up. A ray just touched her and she could feel the warmth. She looked up and the reddish sky with golden shades was nothing like what she had seen before. As if a painter had just poured down the colours and let them find their own path. It was even better than her imaginations. Just then a huge flock of birds passed over chirping the most beautiful song ever. The cool breeze made her wish to fly along with those birds. She was mesmerized by the beauty so she took few minutes to look down.

She stayed there, calm and speechless. There he was right in the front. Bent on the knees holding a single rose in his hand. He looked at her and said the magical three words. A sweat tickled down the ear of Raj. He didn’t know what she would say now.

She ran and hugged him. It was perfect.

Unveiled

There are very few people in this world that you care about not because they are your good friend but because you are a fan of their personality. They are not perfect in any sense yet a complete individual. They are manipulative, selfish, yet they give you moments which you cherish much more than any other. This is dedicated to one of those. A story of a very powerful girl.

I am a girl. Now you would expect me to shout my problems on you. The problems I am too scared to say in public so I prefer to scribble and outcast my anger with it. No, I will not keep calm and stay quiet. I have self respect and I will fight for it. If you don’t let me live with honour I will gift you your rules and make my own.

I am not scared of the so-called society. The society is nothing but 1% of those who thinks it is manly to suppress girls and 98% of those who are too scared of those 1%. I love to be unpopular and called names and things than to live with fear and scarcity. This scarcity is not of love or money but freedom. The freedom of flying like an eagle, irrespective of any boundaries or boundations.

I party out with guys, and have a night out with them. I drink, booze and smoke. I wear short pants, show off my legs and try hard to steal the attention of my crushes. I have got friends. A lot to say and very few to count. Some say they are my friends and would spend a lot of time with me. Every occasion they would be the first ones to wish and would even bring gifts. But I know they are only with me because I am a pretty girl and also because I am of the weird types. They can boast about in their circle to have booze and night out with me. They love to upload pics on facebook with a hand on my shoulder which would make them look like a dude. Some of those had even higher expectations. Some days it’s really tough to find a real shoulder for a drop of tear.

But I never cared. I am a strong girl, a brave one. If girls are below men then they can also take the benefits of these so-called men. I have used people and I am not ashamed of it. I try my way out of the rules and the boundaries. The names and negative fame works in my favour. I might not be the happiest person on this planet but I am one of those to have really lived it. I have walked alone at night on the streets of the rape prone city. I have hit boys straight on the face when they harassed me. I have got only male friends as girls can’t take a rebellion like me. I have been the inspiration of many girls who still don’t dare to take my path.

I was me until few days back. I lost the smile from my face. I was never very happy but atleast I had a genuine smile of living my life on my terms. It was Monday evening. The sun was still bright on the sky. I was there walking alone on the corner of a market place. It was not very crowded but still had a lot of people. A car stopped by my side and an unknown guy grabbed my hand. I shouted and people looked at me. The guy left me and the car rushed away. I didn’t know if they were trying to kidnap me or were just eve-teasing. I was not even able to have a good look at that guy with the sudden events. It left me scared. I had dealt situation with boys but no one tried to abduct me before. The people who stayed stunned now came running to me when the car was out of the sight. It went even more humiliating when one of the consolers tried to feel me rubbing my back.

I cried. I didn’t remember the last time if I had ever cried in public. It broke me. I couldn’t come out of my hostel for 4 days. I know it was my ego of being strong that I found it hard to share it with others. My friends gave a lot of strength and accompanied me everywhere. I needed faith but all I was getting was pity. I would have gathered my courage back but lost when you asked me to behave like a girl. I loved you primarily because you are smart but mainly because you understood me. Atleast I felt it till now. May be you even did, but you lost the fight with the society. You gave up on me and even stole my spirit. It was the last day when I had felt the fire in me. It has been some time and you must know that I love you even more than me. I would change myself to be with you. I thought for a long time and I think I should say it to you.

Being a girl is too tough in this society and life would be too boring without it. I know you can’t always be there to protect me and I don’t expect you to. All I needed was a belief on me. If you can’t give it to me that’s all right. We can break-up and I will take all the credits. It will even help me forget you sooner.

I am a girl and I know how it feels like to be one. If you can’t try to feel my pain just don’t give me your goddamn suggestions. I am not here to leave quotes or tell people how to live their life but I am sure of how I wanna have mine.

A photographer in love

Priya was an exceptional photographer. She had an amazing talent of capturing moments. She didn’t captured just faces but feelings. Every photograph of her clearly shouted the state of mind of the person. The silence of the painful and the joy of the laughter. She had many admirers but one was her personal favourite.

Raj was his name. A tall, dark guy with broad features and a double chin. He was not just a fan, a friend but her love. She felt immense pleasure clicking him. He would make faces and do weird stuff to let her experiment with him. He had a lot of friends still managed to spend time with her.

The only thing she hated was if she had to click him with a girl. Everytime a girl used to get closer to him it would burn her from inside. Every moment he placed his hand on a girl’s shoulder she had to face the agony of hitting the girl right on the face. She would let them take as little time possible and click the pictures within seconds. When he would praise the pictures her mood would brighten up. He had a weird sense of praising her. He would pour his feelings and grammar while praising her.  It would even make the writers steal his way of praising a skill. His almost every picture contained her name as the picture credits.

She had often thought of proposing him but never dared. He was always surrounded by the bunch of pretty girls trying hard to lure his attention to them. She knew she was beautiful but lacked attitude to compete with those dumb Barbie dolls.

Like every other night she was going through his photographs. She cried. She cried her heart out. It was just her pillow who felt the pain and got wet shedding the tears.  The moon was shining bright but was unable to erode the darkness.

Every picture of his had her name written in bold letters but none contained her in the frame.

1st Interaction

When I entered in my college life, like every other guy I also had two dreams.  Get some good friends and impress some beautiful girls. This story is about my 1^st interaction with a very beautiful girl of my college.

A class of 30 students, each trying to make his first impression the best one. Girls with prefect make-up seemed like they just came out of the shehnaz beauty parlour. Guys dressed like gentlemen, naah they did come the way they dressed everyday (why are we boys like this? :P ). Guys finding places to sit near beautiful girls and girls secretly looking at the well built guy from the corner of their eyes. They however managed to take a seat behind him to get a better look at him (girls are much more clever).

I was a little shy or maybe I didn’t get a seat vacant except at the 1^st bench so I moved to the very last bench. The teacher was such a lady and what a pleasant voice she had. But who pays attention to her on the very first day. The mind was all around surrounded for searching the playground, sports room, gym and the swimming pool (especially the girl’s one).

I soon made a friend and was playing Angry Birds on his costly smartphone, he had been showing off from some time when a voice made me raise my head. With bowed head she walked to a seat on the empty 1^st row. A pretty girl had entered and I waited for the violins and guitars to be played. Instead my heart did beat like a drum. She was sitting there clam and idle. Her eyes unlike others were not busy judging her colleagues. She didn’t care if someone noticed her or not. She was very beautiful but lame to utilize this talent to impress others.

“Now pay attention here everybody.” The teacher shouted and took my attention. The loudness and the firm look in her eyes stopped me from all distractions. “We will break in group of five, 3 guys and 2 girls. Then each group will sit in a circle and being the 1^st class you have to know as much you can about the person sitting to the left of you.”

Ohh, did I waste time, not at all. I clearly remember of pushing few guys, arranging the chairs swiftly just to get a seat to the right of her. The heart and breath, both were pacing hard but the 1^st step to victory had been taken. I gave a gentle smile to everyone in the group and turned towards her. I was a little conscious and out of breath.

“Hi, I am Raj. Tell me something about yourself.” I was dying to hear the most pleasant voice. Every second was ticking in my mind.

She calmly replied. “Basically I hate boys.”

PS: That was her only reply. We became good friends later and forever.

This post has been written as a part of the competition #ConditionSeriousHai! by the Cadbury 5star.

Phone-call

Richa had been moving around the house. She was tensed and worried. But more than that, she was angry on him. Couldn’t he spare few minutes to make a call? Why wouldn’t he just call her and say that he is alright. That would bring peace to her and she will sleep calmly. May be she should not call tonight. He will feel this odd and will call her tomorrow morning to apologize.

She was firm for her decision but her impatient heart was still struggling. Finally the brain lost the war and her hand reached the telephone. She picked the receiver and pressed the buttons.

Her 10 year old son, Amrit was watching her mother and knew the usual routine. He knew that she would go on speaking and shouting and complaining. She would only stop after she would have cursed him for marrying her and spoiling her life. Complaining about Amrit and his lack in studies. She would then complain about neighbours and the inflation. At last she would again scold him for not calling her and making her worry about his well-being.

This had been going on for almost three years now, everyday without fail. She would wait for his call and then call him and fight with him.

He went to the kitchen and brought a glass of water for her. He knew she would soon keep the receiver and will feel thirsty.

Today again there will be no reply from the other end.

Friendship and Love

Richa had been calmly reading in the library. The exams were still far away so she was the only one to give company to the librarian. Soon, even he left her to go for a tea break.

Raj came in and sat in the bench beside her. “I knew I would find you here only. You are becoming a better book worm with every passing day.”

“What happened?” asked richa, still reading from the books.

“Why can’t be a guy and a girl just be friends?” The librarian would have thrown him out for the high decibel sound he had made, had he been there.

“Ankita proposed me. You know that I am concentrating on my career and don’t want to get in a commitment and distract my attention. I explained her that and asked her to be my friend. How hard is that to understand?”

Richa blankly turned the next page of the book without paying much attention.

“She said that either she will be my girlfriend or else we would never talk again in life. Is she proposing me or threatening me? Why didn’t she bring a gun along with her then? I asked her to wait for some time till I achieve my goals.”

He looked at her, she was still deep in her books.

“We both have been friends for last 12 years but never fell in love. We remained friends and the best ones. Why can’t she or everyone be like that? Why is it necessary to get into a commitment? If you really love the person then just wait for that person to achieve his goals. He will surely come back for such a kind of love.”

A short pause, she was not responding.

“You tell me. Is it really that hard to understand?”

Richa lifted her head and looked straight in his eyes.

“Well, I understood that.” She smiled and left.

White Rose

Raj was in a good mood today. There was nothing special but he was feeling happy. He went for the morning walk and met almost all of the people he liked. The nature was being gentle and a calm humid breeze was blowing. When you feel good, it seems everything around works in your favour.

He stayed in the park for some while. It was not his regular schedule. He had lived his life with full discipline. Everything was done in a proper sequence and except Sundays you would not be able to discriminate others days in his daily life. Kids used to be at home and the office used to be closed which made all the difference. He never had big dreams and was satisfied with whatever he had. A small house, a beautiful caring wife and three lovely children. What else could someone dream of?

Just then a football hit his head. Ahh, it was a plastic ball not a real one. A four year kid was playing along with her mother. He was mesmerized by his innocence and the excitement the kid showed for the ball. He for the first time was regretting that his children grew up so fast. He stayed there for some time watching kids and other elders. Life seemed different today.

He stood and started walking to way back home. Just then he saw white roses. A road-side vendor had just taken out a bunch of full grown white roses and displayed it on the front. It was not his favourite, he liked red much more than any other color. But white rose had a much special meaning in his life. Memories flashed and he was there in his twenties. It was Valentine day and they were taking a stroll after the coaching classes. Today she was looking very pretty in her light blue suit with white dupatta. She stopped to pay her regards in the lord krishna’s temple. He ran to the nearby florist and asked for a red rose. It was shear bad luck that the number of romeos had grown so much that they bought out even the yellow roses. He knew that he would never get courage again so proposed her with the white rose.

It has been long since he gifted her one. He had been busy with his job and she with the kids. He didn’t remember the last time he said the magical three words to her. He bought the rose and rushed home.

On the way back he tried a lot to come up with some romantic words but a common person can only steal the ideas from the movies. He just went to her, gave the rose and said “you still look so beautiful.”

The woman in her eighties took the rose with trembling hands. Her wrinkled face lit up and blushed like a newly married girl. “White roses, they have been my favourite.” She paused.

“But who are you?”

Interview

The room was silent and calm and the only sound being produced was by the ticking of the small alarm clock. Raj laid on the bed all depressed and dejected. It was his 7^th interview rejection. Being one of the best programmers of the college, everyone had great expectations from him. Yet he was lying there without a job when 80% of the college had got placed. He never thought that all his hard-work would fail just because he was shy and lacked in communication skills. Making out till the last round of all the companies, he was rejected by the HR team. He had been trying very hard, conversing all the time in English but it was not yet sufficient. Every dream job had already rejected him and this was almost his last on-campus opportunity to get a job of his capability. He had been preparing all for the HR round from past few weeks.

The coordinator came to announce the result and his name was not there for the HR round. This time he missed to qualify the technical one.

Shouts and hustle coming from outside the room were signaling that the results were out. Few more can now relax and enjoy the rest of their college life. He hated everyone who had the placement for he knew, he deserved more than any of them. The door swung open and in came Ishant. He tried but faked a smile for him as he knew the reason for his shining face. He had not opened the mail to see the total number of people selected but he didn't even care nor did he ask. Ishant kept in-front of him the packet of sweets. He wished to throw them away. He was so jealous of him and cursed him to bring sweets in the flick of time just after the announcement of results. He tore a small bit of sweets and stretched his lips even more.

“Take more. Finally, the bro got placed.”

“Yeah, congratulations to you.”

“Oye! Idiot. I am already placed, it’s you who got the placement.”

He rushed to the laptop screen and clicked on the new mail flashing on the screen. There was his name on the top.

Thats when I realized

Today I complete the third month of my college life. It’s been total fun till now. Making friends, a lot of them, roaming around the city and above all having total freedom are all so wonderful. 

Yesterday was one of the most memorable days of the college. The whole afternoon was spent in celebrating the birthday party of one of the batch mates. We went to Adventure Park and had lots of fun with rides and games and a lot of clicks. The afternoon was so filled with fun and frolic that we even forgot to have our lunch.

We came back at evening by 5 pm. I was too tired to do anything so went and had a good nap of two hours. It feels good to sleep at any time of day and you can stay awake longer at nights.

8 o’clock, about whole of the college could be seen at mess or roaming around it. The number of people standing outside is much more than the number of people sitting inside which clearly says just one thing, one need to eat outside today.

I along with my friend Raj went out to try the restaurant nearby. The food was great and a vegetarian like me hardly finds food with a good taste. The day had been super awesome till now and only thing that could be better than this was a SRK movie. The latest had released two days ago so we bought two tickets for it and luckily got it in the heavy bookings for the last show. After spending an hour, window shopping at the mall we were able to spend the gap of idleness.

The movie had SRK so it couldn't have a flaw. I just loved it. It was too late to go back to the hostel so we planned to spend the night at his flat. This was going to be my fourth night out which was more than expected with just the beginning of the college. His 2 bhk flat was nearby and made me envy him so much. Many of my friends opted for living in flat/PG instead of hostel. I always preferred staying at a flat but my parent felt me to keep at hostel. I have spent a gala time at 3 of my friend’s flat and every time I get so jealous of them.

His flat was well furnished unlike my other friends and the thing I liked the most was that he had both the fridge and a TV. We took out two bottles of beer from it and had a little chat. The chat went from normal college talks to our childhood tales and our old friends. We kept on talking and suddenly he realized that it has been sunrise. Another night had been spent sleepless so I just asked him to drop me to hostel on his bike so I could get atleast a good 8 hour sleep, missing all my classes.

Its 2 p.m and I am awake now. I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I could see people looking at me with not a good sight and I knew that they were jealous of my coolness. I got ready and went out to meet my gang of Raj, Rahul & Amrit. While waiting for them I overheard some of my colleagues.

They were saying me to be characterless. I could not understand why. My friends and I, were all doing the same things but only I was the only one made the character less in all of them.

That’s when I realized that I was a girl.