Love - A Guest Post

A challenge is incomplete without a Guest post. And that too from a friend who writes so brilliantly and with so much of beauty. So without much delay here goes…

*** 

Shristy’s whole world was falling apart; she always felt proud of being the happiest person. However, if anyone reads her mind now then they may come to know that there is not even a single ounce of happiness present there. The cool and calm girl now wanted scream, cry, hide, and above all she wanted to die. She however remained quiet, because at times when anger and frustration are at peak there is nothing else that could be done than gazing at the blank ceiling or a wall. The sky blue ceiling that she gazing at was blurring away, and she suddenly felt as if she was dying. Yeah, her vision was blurring, her heart was pounding. This is indeed death she thought, but unfortunately it wasn’t death. On the other hand, she lost her calm, and she was fainting. She was lucky enough that her fall was cushioned by her pillows and mattress.

“Shristy, Shristy…” – This was all she could hear, Shristy was her name, it was the bold and beautiful her. It was her roommate Priyanka’s meek voice that was more of a scared scream now. Priyanka and Shristy had rented a small flat in an apartment for themselves in the busy and beautiful Bangalore. Priyanka was now splashing water on Shristy’s face, after so much of water-splashing and few hard slaps Shristy regained her consciousness or at least she woke up. Priyanka gave her an awkward hug.

Shristy however didn’t reciprocate the hug; she was sad and angry that she was alive. The two most important people in her life had left her all of a sudden without any notice. All she wanted now was to go deep in to the earth and get buried forever. However, Priyanka’s fuming voice distracted Shristy’s suicidal plans. Girls are so persuasive especially in getting matters out of one’s mouth. Thus, Shristy got persuaded by Priyanka and she opened up the last half an hour events to her.

Speaking to someone whom you trust and who listens patiently always helps especially for the estrogen charged species. Shristy was no exception; she started to open up completely because Priyanka and she were best friends since High School. Priyanka is someone who knows all her worst secrets.

-30 minutes ago-

Nikhil had called Shristy. That was the trigger to Shristy’s bad luck and tragedies. It was an undeniable fact that whenever Nikhil called her heart skips a beat. He was the one and only love of her life, the apple of her eye, and all the cheesy romantic movie lines were as if it was made for him. They were the real life Cinderella and Prince Charming. This love was unique because for both Nikhil and Shristy, they were each other’s first and only love. They were until this very moment in relationship for almost 3+ years. They were classmates, best friends, and lovers, but now this call that was going to make them ex-lovers.

This time when her Lumia flashed his name she had an instinct that something was terribly wrong. She was hesitant for the first time to pick his call. “Shristy”, he said. It was a whisper, a warning which was on contrary to his romantic “Hey darlz, hey honey”. Of late, his calls were more formal and short. It was as if his calls were out of formality and habit instead of love. She replied back with her cheerful yet artificial “Hey Nick”. When you know the relationship is on rocks, you can’t be truly cheerful but Shristy was tactful enough to put up a cheering face. Immediately he said “It’s over Shristy, this long distance thing isn’t working anymore. There is no love and no magic at all” and he paused for a reply from her. She knew something was wrong but she wasn’t expecting a break up, she was still confident that he was joking. She collected all her senses and asked “Are you joking? Nick”. Her mind knew that he wasn’t joking but her heart debated that he was indeed. This time something happened which never happened before, Nikhil shouted; never in the past 3 years he had raised a voice against her. He was as cool and jovial as Shristy was. “CAN’T YOU GET IT? IT’S OVER FOR GODSAKE” and before she could respond he went on “Don’t call me again, let’s end this with this wretched call itself” and the line got disconnected with a beep.

She replayed the whole conversation, once, twice, thrice. He can’t be gone, he is all she had. He was her life. She wanted to call him back and explain but what will she explain when he didn’t put in front of her a question or reason? She reached for her Lumia but before she could call him, her phone beeped with her favorite “Ek main hoon aur ek tu” ringtone and she without seeing the name knew it was her sister Payal. In midst of this break up tragedy, she was glad because Payal was not just an elder sister but a best friend too. She always wondered exactly how Payal calls or meets when Shristy needs her the most. May be that is what is a Sister-Magic.

When Shristy swiped up and tapped the answer button, she was in for a surprise or is it going to be a shock? The hard yet breath taking male voice said “Shri dear”. Only her family members and Nikhil who she considered as a part of family called her as Shri. Shristy replied with a monosyllabic “Yes”. She then reluctantly added “Varun”. She called her brother-in-law by his name since he was Payal’s classmate and Shristy’s school senior. He was blabbering, half stammering, and posing her irrelevant formal questions like “how are you, had your dinner, et.al”, he didn’t even wait for her response. She asked him what happened. He paused and breathed heavily. Finally, “Shri, listen” came a well-known voice of Payal’s on the line. Shristy’s heart was pounding faster, faster than it was when Nikhil called. She brushed away Nikhil’s thoughts for a moment and finally tried to reply but before that Payal’s half sobbing and half stammering voice told “Dad is dead”. Shristy couldn’t believe her ears but she was neither ready for hearing it once more. All things were happening in a moment; Shristy’s Lumia felt down with a thug and she became stupefied as if she had been hit by a stunning spell. She was gazing at the wall and that’s when she had fainted.

-Now-

Shristy felt relaxed after narrating the tragic story of hers to Priyanka although she wasn’t less worried but she felt more confident. Without any warning, Priyanka took in charge of the situation, she took Shristy’s phone from the ground, removed and replaced the battery back and switched it on. The blue monster sprang back to life. While she was hunting Payal’s number in one hand, she offered a water bottle to Shristy with the other. Priyanka called Payal and informed that Shristy is shocked and that she will reach Chennai as early as possible. Priyanka opened the laptop and checked for flights and since she could find tickets till next afternoon which was obvious she dialed to KPN travels number and asked the dealer to keep two tickets for her to Chennai (it was a routine which they do in case they don’t get flight or train). She gazed at her friend who was sitting still like a statue. Just that she was a sad, beautiful, tragic statue (even at this moment she could correlate a Taylor Swift song). She checked the time it was 7:45 PM exactly 45 minutes left for the bus. She picked up few essentials, dumped it in the bag and pulled Shristy out of her stunning spell and made her wash her face and wear some fresh clothes. Finally by 8 PM they managed to leave the house and head to the nearby KPN boarding point in a taxi. Shristy finally asked “How will you go back Prinkles?” Priyanka was happy that Shristy at last spoke something and hiding her smile she replied “Go back where?” to which Shristy replied “back to our apartment after dropping me in bus stop” and Priyanka smiled naughtily. They have been friends for so long that even a smile makes them understand the meaning of the situation. Shristy screamed “You are not coming with me to Chennai. Are you?” and before Priyanka could finish nodding her head Shristy kissed her on her cheeks much to a huge gasp by the taxi driver.

After they boarded the bus, Priyanka tactfully gave Shristy a single sleeping pill and some Tropicano which she gratefully accepted and after some minutes she slept peacefully. This time it was Priyanka who felt stupefied she was in deep thoughts about Shristy. The way she met her, the way Shristy stood up against the whole world for Priyanka, how Shristy helped Priyanka after every single of her past three break-ups. Priyanka knows better than anyone else how hard this should have been for Shristy for Shristy doesn’t have a mom – Shristy’s mom had eloped with someone shortly after Shristy was born, Priyanka had asked Shristy only once to which she got the true reply. That was Shristy – frank, bold, never hesitating. Priyanka even knew how much Shristy loved her father and Nikhil. Shristy was not one of those girls who changed boyfriends; she was dedicated for past 3 years, and she never had a casual fling too. Thinking about all these, even Priyanka fell asleep.

At around morning 4’o clock, Shristy and Priyanka reached CMBT and they reached Adyar in another 20 minutes. While on the taxi, Shristy gathered courage and called Nikhil and informed of her father’s death half sobbing and half pleading. She wanted him back now more than ever. He replied rudely that “What you want me to do now? The maximum I can do is put a R.I.P Sanjay Verma in Facebook”. This time it was Shristy who disconnected the call. Now, she realized what Nikhil meant when the magic was gone.

When she reached home it was already full of guests and relatives. She couldn’t bear to see her father that way. She hesitated, but somehow she pushed herself to see him. He was calm, serene and handsome as always just that this time he was sleeping in an ice-box, and he is never going to wake up. She wept, cried, and screamed fully; no one stopped her, but Varun, Priyanka, and Payal were hugging her. Her scream was more wild and heavy. Finally they got composed finished all the days rituals and when they happened to sit alone just four of them Payal asked “Nikhil – he knows?” Shristy hid her pain and asked “Who is Nikhil?” Payal understood, that’s what she does – she understands Shristy without a need for additional explanation.

Epilogue:

After two years, Payal and Varun had a baby boy “Akshit” to whom Shristy is the God Mother. Shristy and Payal started a venture “Shriyal” – an all women boutique. Priyanka is engaged to her recent boyfriend after Shristy’s persuasion and advice. As of Shristy, she is Single at 25, a successful entrepreneur, a lovely aunt, a sweet sister, caring best friend, and a naughty sister in law. She is not waiting for Mr. Right but she is open to accept even a Mr. Wrong who can set things right. Time made her realize that loving and cherishing is her life more important than anything else.

About the Author:

Srilakshmi Indrasenan aka Stri is a freelance content writer and editor. She writes technical, creative, fiction, motivational, fashion, and relationship based contents. She has 4+ years of experience in content writing and editing and also she is open to jobs like EmCee and Wedding planning. She blogs at http://www.iamstri.wordpress.com/ and http://www.strilishtalks.wordpress.com/ where she writes on categories like fashion, social issues, short stories, memoir, and humor.