College days are the best days of life. Or so they say. You make friends for life, you live a carefree life, you could give anything to go back to that time. I didn't even want to think about my college. I pushed back those memories to the remotest corner of my mind. Each day I walked further away from those thoughts. So far away that I thought it would never come back to me. Not in this lifetime.
That afternoon, I sat by the window watching the patterns the rain made on the glass panes. It was that hour of the day that I had to myself. That precious time which I used to ponder over the simple joys of life. To look at the lush green that adorned my garden, to feel the wind in my hair, to smell the roses I nurtured. It was in those moments of simplicity that my mind wove complex tales. Tales which when turned to paper earned me my bread and butter. It was ironic how that professional college churned out a writer.
"Mummaa, see what I installed!!" my son came running from his room. This gadget freak son of mine! My smart phone had apps that I had no idea about. I would fidget around with basics of the phone and he would master it in no time.
"No more games! Did it charge you anything?"
"It's a free app Mumma. Its WeChat. Didn't you see the advertisement? Now you can chat with anyone, anywhere. You can even leave voice messages." He started explaining how the app worked.
"You know I don't chat with anyone. Let me delete this." I said
He looked crestfallen and I had no heart to delete it looking at his face.
I was working on the weekly column when the phone beeped. It was a voice message on WeChat. It was my dear husband sending me a "I love you". So my son had installed it on his phone too. I quickly typed "I love you too" as I didn't have time to figure out how to send a voice message. I saw some notification on that app. I clicked to see what it was. The names made me nervous. They were recommended friends. Friends? No way!
" I think you should talk to them." My son Daan was peeking over my shoulders
"What did I tell you about not reading other's messages Daan?" I tried to ignore his remark.
"Oh come on Mumma, you never talk to any of your old friends. Start now."
Before I could think of anything, he quickly clicked the "Add" button. There it all started!
"OMG!!! Is this you Maithili?? Really!!" Manasi pinged the very next second.
"Hey Hi.." I replied, my hands trembling.
She started Live Chat.
"Heloo! Where are you?" She asked in her usual chirpy tone. We used to often tease her about her voice. I still remembered the way she sang the Vicco turmeric jingle as a part of our first year introduction challenge.
"Right here. How are you?" I mumbled. It was strange to start a conversation like that. We never really asked anything like that as friends!
" I m good. You became a writer I heard. Not that you had to "BECOME". You always were. But I was kind of hoping that I would get to know it from you. You know I always thought we were meant to last till the end. Have those girly parties and keep talking for hours and hours and hours" She kept on blabbering.
"Manasi make sure she hasn't slept." A soft velvety voice intervened. Instantly I knew it was Akshata. The singer in our group. The years hadn't taken away the charm of her vocal chords.
" Why did you not come to the reunion?" It was one person I could not bear to hear. Nupura. She joined too when Akshata added her.
"Isn't it clear that she didn't want to keep contact with you guys?" a male spoke. Vihaan..
"Or maybe she didn't think we would ever forget that night." Karan joined the conversation.
No matter how much I replayed this scene in my mind, I could not keep from crying. The 5 people I loved so much. The 5 people who took away everything from me. The 5 people from whom I hid for 10 long years.
"Why are you guys asking me where I was? Did you ever care? Did you all even think about the consequences of your actions?" I shouted in fury. How dare they blame me for evading them?
Nupura: Did you care about what you did to me?
Me: I have told you a million times that I did not do it purposely. I was drunk! Don't you get it?
Nupura: You kissed him right in front of me. What do you expect me to say?
Karan: That entire wild night before the farewell was a bad idea. It was my fault that I got her drunk Nupura.
Nupura: That guy was a jerk. He wasn't drunk to do that. But you were my friend. It hurt me and you of all people should know that I don't talk until I have healed.
Me: Not just you but the entire gang isolated me. Why? Because I confessed, in my drunken boldness, what I thought of him? I fancied him alright. With Manasi and Akshata being so close and Vihaan and Karan being like peas in a pod, I just had no one I could talk to about it. I could not confide in anyone and then you all get me drunk and I spill my heart out. What do you guys do? Leave me all alone.
Manasi: It was weird. We didn't want to take sides and mess up but we couldn't handle it either.
Me: You all ignored me on the farewell and I was kept aside. No one even noticed me walking away. My friends just dumped 4 years of friendship for one mistake.
Vihaan: We could have come around Maithili. We would have. Didn't your walking away make it worse?
Me: What would anyone do if they were blamed for the suicide attempt of their best friend? There was contempt in your eyes. I felt like a murderer. My friendship was hanged without any trial. I had no chance to justify or defend myself. I endured my punishment in silence but did that help? No! The entire college treated me like I had blood on my hands.
I could hear her sobbing as soon as I completed my sentence. There! I was the bad guy again.
Nupura: I admit I was weak. I shouldn't have taken that extreme step. I could have reacted better but I wasn't the tough one. I broke down emotionally with that heartbreak. I did not have it in me to accept it and move on right then. That relation kept slipping through my fingers. I could see that he was hitting on you. I could see he was no longer into me. I could see his wandering eyes and yet I chose to IGNORE it. You having feelings for him was the last straw. It blew away that secure shack or whatever it was.
Me: I m relieved that you at least see now that I did not steal your guy.
Nupura: I m glad that I walked tall and didn't go behind him. I m in a much happier place now.
Manasi: Oh! How could I forget to tell you this? Do you know that I m married?
Me: Haha I did not hope for any less. Who did you marry huh? (Trust her to ease the tension!)
Manasi: You know him already. Make a guess.
Me: I hardly remember anyone other than the 5 of you. Oh wait! Are you telling me he is among us?
Manasi: Yes!!!
Vihaan: Its me, Vihaan!
Me: What??? Vihaan? Seriously? How? Why?
Manasi: What do you mean why?
Me: I mean why did he fall in love with you so late :P
Vihaan: Correction. I just told her late. I thought I had no chance. What with all her dreamy notions!
Me: Well this is a huge surprise. What about the rest of you?
There was no response and I understood that the idiots were all trying to press the talk button at the same time. Some things never change.
Akshata: I married Pratz last year. We stay in Mumbai. I work in Andheri now.
Me: Wow! Why am I not surprised? Its just how you always wanted. Well done and congrats!
Karan: I m still single and working in US. Pretty chilled life here..So yea going good.
Me: You know I always thought Vihaan will land up like that and you will become a professor.
Vihaan: Destiny swapped. Our college has the coolest professor ever.
Me: I need to pinch myself now. You and professor! Wow, now this is a shocker.
Manasi: I almost fainted when he told me he is going to stay with me. We studied together in US and came back to work in academics.
Me: Aha! Noble deeds!
I hesitated to ask her. Someone had to break the ice, but who?
Nupura: I married a chef! His name is Nirav and he works at Trident. We have a daughter.
I was thankful that she initiated this conversation. After the havoc that broke out last time we discussed relations, I could not muster the courage.
Me: That is..that is just mind blowing. Chef's wife.. wow.. What's your daughter's name?
Nupura: Mili
There was an awkward silence. Mili was my pet name... within the group... and she kept her daughter's name after me! My emotions choked me to say anything further until Akshata broke the reverie.
Akshata: What about you? You took every body's interview. Where have you been hiding?
Me: The hills. Like I always wanted to.
I knew they would understand what hills meant. It just meant I followed my passion and became a writer.
Nupura: Married?
Me: Umm yes. Right after two years out of college. I have a son. Daan.
Manasi: You know this whole thing is great but I would prefer us all siting face to face. You all know how bad I m with technology. I must say this app is much better to use.
Me: I m talking to you all sitting in one corner of the world and that is just awesome right now.
Manasi: Listen, I m carrying twins.
Me: I just cannot believe this. All those conjoined strawberries you ate! They worked!!!
Manasi: You can say that they are fruits of our labor. Well jokes apart, next month is the baby shower. Karan is coming home for holidays. The rest HAVE to be there. You better bring yourself and your family here.
Me: I will try my best.
Daan shouted in the background, "We will come!"
My boy was getting excited to meet the five people I thought I will never miss. I knew I had to make this trip for them and for us...
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This is my entry for Indiblogger's contest with WeChat.
That afternoon, I sat by the window watching the patterns the rain made on the glass panes. It was that hour of the day that I had to myself. That precious time which I used to ponder over the simple joys of life. To look at the lush green that adorned my garden, to feel the wind in my hair, to smell the roses I nurtured. It was in those moments of simplicity that my mind wove complex tales. Tales which when turned to paper earned me my bread and butter. It was ironic how that professional college churned out a writer.
"Mummaa, see what I installed!!" my son came running from his room. This gadget freak son of mine! My smart phone had apps that I had no idea about. I would fidget around with basics of the phone and he would master it in no time.
"No more games! Did it charge you anything?"
"It's a free app Mumma. Its WeChat. Didn't you see the advertisement? Now you can chat with anyone, anywhere. You can even leave voice messages." He started explaining how the app worked.
"You know I don't chat with anyone. Let me delete this." I said
He looked crestfallen and I had no heart to delete it looking at his face.
I was working on the weekly column when the phone beeped. It was a voice message on WeChat. It was my dear husband sending me a "I love you". So my son had installed it on his phone too. I quickly typed "I love you too" as I didn't have time to figure out how to send a voice message. I saw some notification on that app. I clicked to see what it was. The names made me nervous. They were recommended friends. Friends? No way!
" I think you should talk to them." My son Daan was peeking over my shoulders
"What did I tell you about not reading other's messages Daan?" I tried to ignore his remark.
"Oh come on Mumma, you never talk to any of your old friends. Start now."
Before I could think of anything, he quickly clicked the "Add" button. There it all started!
"OMG!!! Is this you Maithili?? Really!!" Manasi pinged the very next second.
"Hey Hi.." I replied, my hands trembling.
She started Live Chat.
"Heloo! Where are you?" She asked in her usual chirpy tone. We used to often tease her about her voice. I still remembered the way she sang the Vicco turmeric jingle as a part of our first year introduction challenge.
"Right here. How are you?" I mumbled. It was strange to start a conversation like that. We never really asked anything like that as friends!
" I m good. You became a writer I heard. Not that you had to "BECOME". You always were. But I was kind of hoping that I would get to know it from you. You know I always thought we were meant to last till the end. Have those girly parties and keep talking for hours and hours and hours" She kept on blabbering.
"Manasi make sure she hasn't slept." A soft velvety voice intervened. Instantly I knew it was Akshata. The singer in our group. The years hadn't taken away the charm of her vocal chords.
" Why did you not come to the reunion?" It was one person I could not bear to hear. Nupura. She joined too when Akshata added her.
"Isn't it clear that she didn't want to keep contact with you guys?" a male spoke. Vihaan..
"Or maybe she didn't think we would ever forget that night." Karan joined the conversation.
No matter how much I replayed this scene in my mind, I could not keep from crying. The 5 people I loved so much. The 5 people who took away everything from me. The 5 people from whom I hid for 10 long years.
"Why are you guys asking me where I was? Did you ever care? Did you all even think about the consequences of your actions?" I shouted in fury. How dare they blame me for evading them?
Nupura: Did you care about what you did to me?
Me: I have told you a million times that I did not do it purposely. I was drunk! Don't you get it?
Nupura: You kissed him right in front of me. What do you expect me to say?
Karan: That entire wild night before the farewell was a bad idea. It was my fault that I got her drunk Nupura.
Nupura: That guy was a jerk. He wasn't drunk to do that. But you were my friend. It hurt me and you of all people should know that I don't talk until I have healed.
Me: Not just you but the entire gang isolated me. Why? Because I confessed, in my drunken boldness, what I thought of him? I fancied him alright. With Manasi and Akshata being so close and Vihaan and Karan being like peas in a pod, I just had no one I could talk to about it. I could not confide in anyone and then you all get me drunk and I spill my heart out. What do you guys do? Leave me all alone.
Manasi: It was weird. We didn't want to take sides and mess up but we couldn't handle it either.
Me: You all ignored me on the farewell and I was kept aside. No one even noticed me walking away. My friends just dumped 4 years of friendship for one mistake.
Vihaan: We could have come around Maithili. We would have. Didn't your walking away make it worse?
Me: What would anyone do if they were blamed for the suicide attempt of their best friend? There was contempt in your eyes. I felt like a murderer. My friendship was hanged without any trial. I had no chance to justify or defend myself. I endured my punishment in silence but did that help? No! The entire college treated me like I had blood on my hands.
I could hear her sobbing as soon as I completed my sentence. There! I was the bad guy again.
Nupura: I admit I was weak. I shouldn't have taken that extreme step. I could have reacted better but I wasn't the tough one. I broke down emotionally with that heartbreak. I did not have it in me to accept it and move on right then. That relation kept slipping through my fingers. I could see that he was hitting on you. I could see he was no longer into me. I could see his wandering eyes and yet I chose to IGNORE it. You having feelings for him was the last straw. It blew away that secure shack or whatever it was.
Me: I m relieved that you at least see now that I did not steal your guy.
Nupura: I m glad that I walked tall and didn't go behind him. I m in a much happier place now.
Manasi: Oh! How could I forget to tell you this? Do you know that I m married?
Me: Haha I did not hope for any less. Who did you marry huh? (Trust her to ease the tension!)
Manasi: You know him already. Make a guess.
Me: I hardly remember anyone other than the 5 of you. Oh wait! Are you telling me he is among us?
Manasi: Yes!!!
Vihaan: Its me, Vihaan!
Me: What??? Vihaan? Seriously? How? Why?
Manasi: What do you mean why?
Me: I mean why did he fall in love with you so late :P
Vihaan: Correction. I just told her late. I thought I had no chance. What with all her dreamy notions!
Me: Well this is a huge surprise. What about the rest of you?
There was no response and I understood that the idiots were all trying to press the talk button at the same time. Some things never change.
Akshata: I married Pratz last year. We stay in Mumbai. I work in Andheri now.
Me: Wow! Why am I not surprised? Its just how you always wanted. Well done and congrats!
Karan: I m still single and working in US. Pretty chilled life here..So yea going good.
Me: You know I always thought Vihaan will land up like that and you will become a professor.
Vihaan: Destiny swapped. Our college has the coolest professor ever.
Me: I need to pinch myself now. You and professor! Wow, now this is a shocker.
Manasi: I almost fainted when he told me he is going to stay with me. We studied together in US and came back to work in academics.
Me: Aha! Noble deeds!
I hesitated to ask her. Someone had to break the ice, but who?
Nupura: I married a chef! His name is Nirav and he works at Trident. We have a daughter.
I was thankful that she initiated this conversation. After the havoc that broke out last time we discussed relations, I could not muster the courage.
Me: That is..that is just mind blowing. Chef's wife.. wow.. What's your daughter's name?
Nupura: Mili
There was an awkward silence. Mili was my pet name... within the group... and she kept her daughter's name after me! My emotions choked me to say anything further until Akshata broke the reverie.
Akshata: What about you? You took every body's interview. Where have you been hiding?
Me: The hills. Like I always wanted to.
I knew they would understand what hills meant. It just meant I followed my passion and became a writer.
Nupura: Married?
Me: Umm yes. Right after two years out of college. I have a son. Daan.
Manasi: You know this whole thing is great but I would prefer us all siting face to face. You all know how bad I m with technology. I must say this app is much better to use.
Me: I m talking to you all sitting in one corner of the world and that is just awesome right now.
Manasi: Listen, I m carrying twins.
Me: I just cannot believe this. All those conjoined strawberries you ate! They worked!!!
Manasi: You can say that they are fruits of our labor. Well jokes apart, next month is the baby shower. Karan is coming home for holidays. The rest HAVE to be there. You better bring yourself and your family here.
Me: I will try my best.
Daan shouted in the background, "We will come!"
My boy was getting excited to meet the five people I thought I will never miss. I knew I had to make this trip for them and for us...
1 comment:
Is it true? Is true? did u go? did you meet them? how was it?
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