Story of likeness and trust! Chapter-27

After work, I met Devika at the Humayun's tomb. She really liked to visit monuments, and given it was a Saturday, both of us got free from work much earlier than on the usual days.

I found her, playing with puppies at the front lawn that led towards the entrance of the tomb. She had been there from a long time, I had taken time to reach there. Just because, it was her choice, she knew how to be a perfect host. I was glad, happiness painted on my face as soon as I caught her sight of me. Like, a person who had known me and with whom I was most comfortable, she had become that person to me, in my life. I was so happy to meet her, that my joy was visible on my face.

Devika: Hey, looking good! Anything special?
I was confused when she asked if anything was special.
Me: Yeah, we are meeting after a long time. It is special, isn't it?
Devika: Haha. That way! Yeah, why not! Special, indeed!
So, you like this place? Serene it is. Don't you find so?
Me: Yeah, I see. It's really pleasant, I love monuments too.
Devika: Oh, is it? You never told me. It was only I, who made you,
run on the mountain slopes. That was funny! But, the sunrise that day,
oh my God, I can never forget that sight. Beautiful it was.
Me: Yeah!
Devika: So, where am I getting the treat today?
Me: Which treat? Where are we going? You didn't have lunch?
Devika: Oh silly! Come on. I am talking of the rest of the story. Remember?
Dude, it's been just last night that we were discussing about it and now,
dude, you forget everything. Haha.

I was in many thoughts that moment. At the first place, I didn't catch much sleep the previous night, I had been thinking and thinking, until I was drawn by my dreams when I finally slept. When Devika said, "you forgot everything", at that moment I was really giving Shweta's words my thoughts, I was thinking about the Multiple Personality Disorder, which Shweta had suggested me, that she asked me to consult a doctor if I was suffering from that. Anyway, I didn't know what this disorder was actually all about. Just, that; like any other day, I had been thinking and thinking. I didn't stop, pause or breathe easy. But, sooner things settled in and the rest of the story started in its narration.

While describing my story, we were sitting on the grass; she was looking at my face and while I was recollecting my memories of the past days, she would move her eyes to the wonderful background behind me, the wonderful structure of the tomb. The garden, which was the first one of its kind ever designed, was in the Char-Bagh form. In between, she stopped me; calling it a theatrical pause, when I was taken as a storyteller, she termed my way of expression as very much dramatic, and she told me that she longed the day, when she would finally find me playing my guitar and singing along with it.

"My times with Dhreti were almost over, when one day I was sad and was provoked by a group of boys and girls; they used words for me, which were firstly very vulgar and secondly, they started to speak about me, my family and it was not cool. They were saying anything and whatever they pleased. I was annoyed, and that was what the boys and girls wanted. One boy, who was also the leader of that group, came to me and hit me on my shoulder with a tennis ball. When I stood up and went near to the boy, telling him to not do that again; he pushed me backwards. I lost my balance and fell on the floor, the same boy kicked me twice on my back as I was laying on the floor of our classroom. I was hurt, and I didn't say him anything that moment. I was embarrassed in front of half of the class in the recess. They just looked at me, some in astonishment at what had become of a situation, some of pride and yet again, some with smiles; as if, it was all they were waiting for. I left the class, with a sad face. "

Devika stopped me in between my story.

"Hey! Why are all your stories so sad? Dude, why don't you write stories in your life, with happy endings. Even once, I mean! I would be glad to see or hear any incident in your life, which gave you happiness? You are always grief stricken. That's annoying me, now. I think, it's your problem, that things are happening with you like this. You know, you should change yourself, be a man! Not a kid, Gagan."

When Devika, said these words; my reaction was;
"Hey, wait! How do you know, that this is what happens next in this story? Like, how? Dhreti had the same thoughts about me. Yeah, these are her thoughts. Don't tell me, you searched for her. Or, did you?"

"No, Gagan. I did not. Maybe, she saw the same in you, what I can see. Like, I said; you should have some outlet to your grief. Any person, any friend with whom you can share your thoughts and feelings. Like I have my friends, who are there for me. Two friends of mine are my support system for that matter, whenever I am feeling low, they give me strength and confidence of who I am. If you say, that music is your outlet, your expression of your thoughts more clearly, then be it. Let music do what it does to you, but one thing I have seen and you know it too, that there is nothing like the human spirit. Care, concern, tenderness and love, a person desires all this. It's of and about love, that we live this life of ours. See, you may feel that I judge you all the way, but if I can see you missing on an essential part of your life, then its what  I need to correct to the best of my abilities. I wish the best for you, and Gagan, not meeting people and not conversing with them, won't give you peace and happiness that you are seeking. You are stuck, at only one point of your life; at one experience. The many other experiences in life, that you could have gained, those chances and experiences you have not cared for, start caring and living in the reality."

"Yeah, okay." I mumbled. Silence shook us both.

Then, I ended the prolonged silence. "So, Dhreti came up to me after that, and we were together for the first time, walking through the corridor. She told me to answer that boy back, but I resisted talking to her. At that moment, I had thought that she was a part of their gang and it was a part of their joke, given she had known it that I had liked her. I went to sit under the Banyan tree in the school itself, and she sat next to me. She kept on trying her best to make me speak, and I wanted her to go. I was silent for a long while, but then she was missing her class because of me. If we were found by our teachers, then it was nothing else than bunking a class. She told me, that it was right to answer the boy's group, of which she was a part somewhere as well, as I had noticed sometimes. For the first time, someone had communicated with my silence and I liked it. As if it was meant to be. We were back to the class, and there was no teacher in the class by then. The next moment, I was standing in front of that classmate of mine who had hit me. I tried to speak for the first time, my voice, I heard it so high for the first time and I had said it straight on his face, to watch his actions from the next time. This guy wasn't so easily understanding, he pushed me back again, and on finding me again in the same spot, Devika came as a peacemaker. She scolded him and he left that corner of the room where I was. Just think, she was my crush. The girl whom I loved. And, in front of her, I was so weak that she had to save me, from others. I felt that day, how least deserving I was for her, and yet I drew myself into inferiority complex. It was then, that the two of us started to talk daily. She spent time with me, in the library and we would discuss about books, that would tempt her imaginations. It was mostly about astronomy, love stories and sometimes magazines on cars, for a change. We had good times, in the library and in the recess time. Other times, she would be with her other group of friends. Then, one day she had disappeared, with all her memories. I knew, Dhreti must have told every other person to not tell me, about her whereabouts. Maybe, she had known, that in that while, in that one year of school life, she had influenced me, and been my first true love. Her parting words, as I remember were said without any cue that she was to go as far as I could not communicate with her. She had said, 'Gagan, this world is not that easy place as you see. Open your eyes now, or if it will be late, then you would be hurt even more. Meet people, understand people, live life, open up from these bars that have bound you within themselves. You have a long-long way to go, you have to fly and you will one day fly, my dear. Remember, the reality is different from the imaginary world. You are living in the imaginary world, but when you will see reality; and these two worlds would clash, then it will be pain dear. It will be pain. Take care of yourself, see you tomorrow.' That day, she had hugged me and she was emotional. I couldn't understand, that it was her last day in that school of ours. Where all my memories of her are stored forever and ever to cherish and to  celebrate. That's my story, Devika. Story of likeness and trust! If not love. She had done her work, what destiny had asked her to, to impact me. She did it!"

We kept gazing at the sky, as if it was our friend. Finding answers from life, that's why was it so beautiful, that even after all that, still there were reasons enough to smile. I was happy and so was Devika. I had expressed my heart open to her, believe me, it had felt peace and friendship between Devika and me.


To be continued,
Chapter-28
Next in--
8:00 A.M.


07/01/2015

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