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.
