Title: Laherein
Story of one of my friend
I wish time had paused for us, so that for the one last time we could look into each other eyes, for the one last time I could hear you call my name and for the one last time I could say that I love you.
“Hey everyone I am Alia Mukherjee, age 25 and working as a intern at West Bank Hospital of Delhi, from a well to do family and status in a relation with Arav Mukherjee. I am here today to narrate you the story of my love. How I and Arav met, how we fought each other, how we fell in love, how we promised to never leave each other and how he broke all string and promises and left me tossed with pain for ever …..”
BEFORE SEVEN YEARS
The first day of college, heart is sinking as I am taking the steps closer to the enormous iron gate and butterflies are playing in my stomach as I see the pair of eyes gazing at me. A smile is playing in my lips as finally I made my dream come true, all the tuition, the test and the hard work spoke goldenly in the ISC result and
now I was a part of Tripati Medical Institute of New Jalpaiguri, the most famous institute of India. It had the best of teacher and the best campus ever, my parents were very liberal and they did not even for once objected to stay all alone in this alienated place for entire five year.
I stepped into the campus, and my eyes almost popped out from the socket by seeing the scene in front of me, the girl were very indecently dressed in shortest clothes with there hair colored in different weird colors as for the boys they were into their leather jacket with branded shoes. It was more like a fashion competition going on, I felt shelf conscious in my blue salwar and my hair oiled and tied into plate.
It was really an embarrassing situation for me as I tried my level best to ignore all the gazes and reach my hostel room and lock my up. But lady luck is never on my favor as I was held back by a group of seniors, they were all dressed in so stylish outfit I was ashamed to look at them so fixed my glanced down, suddenly a girl scornfully said
“I did not know this time the fresher batch will be so entertaining…”
I did not look as I was aware this was just the starting and yet more horrible thing would come up my way, I was aware of the RAGGING thing. As the girl continued with her comments
“So what is your name…let me guess charulata, lalita or something more typical”
I looked up as I knew this time I needed to answer or I would be digging my own grave as I said
“My name is Alia…….Alia Mukherjee”
The girls whispered among themselves and passed giggles I could yet not figure what was so funny about my name, just then my eyes was wandering about looking else where but not on the gang when my eyes met a pair of eyes, I felt myself rooted to the ground, his intense look send shiver down my spine, as he lighted his cigar and said turned to me, I could already feel my heart skipping beat as he said something that I never accepted
“Your dad ‘s name is Dr Anirudh Mukherjee right”
I shook my head in a yes as the other inquired from him
“You know her”
“Yes she is the daughter of my father friend. We were neighbor once upon a time but guess her mind had forgotten it”
I knew who he was as , we used to visit the same school and were the best friends never leaving each other sight, he was two years elder to me, I remember my tears on the day he and his family left Kolkata and never looked back at me. I was in class 5 at that time but my mind was mature to know that I loved him, I always waited for his call or his letter but he completely forgot me and we lost track and meeting him here that too ragging me was indeed the most weird situation I ever faced as all my fear drained away, my heart was filled with anger of separation as I said loud enough for the campus to hear my voice
“WHY shall I remember something that have so less importance in my life as for you”
I said turning towards the girl who was ragging me and making fun of my name, by now her mouth was shut by my rude tone
“My name is Alia and it is better you show some respect to my name and yes one more fact just because I am in salwar does not mean I am that behenji type of girl you should know by now I am more stylish than any other girl in this campus but the fact is I do not prefer showing my style in an educational institute but I think I should change my principle now”
I turned back and never dared to look back, I found a new confidence yes I spoke of my heart, this was my reality I was a bold and blunt girl just hiding myself for the sake of studies but maybe no more. That evening I came down with my levis short above my knee and my lee t shirt to watch the girl look amuse and envy while the boys drooled upon me. The seniors did not dare to come near to me after the encounter and I was made the hero of my batch as I dared to go against them.
I ignored Arav and sat with my batch boys we were exchanging a conversation but soon after I was dragged away by them it was Arav, he took me to a dark corridor and pinned me the wall I tried my level best to escape but it went it vein. I tried to speak but he placed his index figure on my lips and hissed
“ssshhhh… I am here to speak not to hear ok ANGLE”
I was taken away by the last world that he spoke, this was the name given to me by him during childhood as he continued
“I do not want you again in this attire never from tomorrow dress decently and I will tell Sristti to apologize to you but you will not dress this way ever again”
“why shall I hear to you? it is my life and I will wear whatsoever I want OK”
As i said those words I felt him taking my left hands and twisting it behind me I cried in pain as he whispered huskily in my ears sending a weird sensation to my mind
“because I am telling you and you will not be over ruling my words ANGLE is that clear to you”
I nodded in a yes as left my grip and walked away smiling, it continued my life was completely under his control, none boy dared to flirt with me as Arav would beat him black and blue. After college I was to be dragged to his room for studies and most importantly I was to wear nothing more than the salwar. I grew close to his friends and realize they were actually a good people, soon things turned like before we were always together, and I could feel myself going weak in his love all over again.
Even during holidays we were connected through phone and so was both our parents they were glad to meet each other Time flew it was the end of the second semester and Arav was spending his last some months as after this he would shift to Delhi for his internship. It was the last day of my exam after that I would be going back to my home, he had called me in his room to revise my lesson, but my mind wandered elsewhere. I knew now the time had come for our separation and I knew he would again forget all about me as snapping through my thought he asked me the question for the tenth time and I failed to answer, he outburst in anger and scolded me
‘ WHAT THE HELL ANGLE? WHY CAN’T YOU REMEMBER A SIMPLE ANSWER! TOMORROW IS YOUR EXAMS”
“I do not want to study you got that!! I do not want to give this exam”
I said with tears flowing from my eyes, he knew that I needed pacification as he took me in his embrace, I felt safe and protected as he asked me while running his fingure through my hair
“what is it angle?”
“arav I am scared ”
“of exams”
“NO I am scared that you will again forget me and through me out of our life the way you did before”
“I know angle I was really mean to you but you do not know the reason behind it”
“Then tell me arav what is the reason?”
“I had shifted to a new place…I was ragged and tortured for years I missed you I cried at night thinking about you but I did not want you to see me broken as I knew that you will have an urge to accompany me and that would ruin your life and later when I began to adjust here I disconnected myself as I never wanted to be with a person like me you might not know Alia but I am not a good person . I started to take drugs and now when I want to stop I cannot as I have become an addict that is the reason I want to protect you and not walk on the same path”
“but why do you care so much about me ARAV?”
“cause I love you since the first time I met you….I love you but I do not deserve you angle”
“can you just shut up I am to convey my heart feeling I love you too and I give a damn as I am here to speak and not to listen I love you arav please accept me I really love you a lot…”
I said wetting his shirt by my tears and that was the beginning of our love after that we were a couple, he shifted to Delhi but we never lost touch but the drug never lost his sight, though he tried yet he could not stop himself two years passed but there was no improvement thing grew worse now he could not even stay a signal moment without it. He was kicked out from his job due to this, he was broken , his parents abandoned him and only I was by his side I promised to never leave him.
I applied for inter ship of Delhi and I got it and plan to shift with him in a living relation as I knew only by my love I could cure him. When my parents got aware of my plans they decided to get me marry but I eloped from my home and stayed with a friend till the time I could get the letter and I did get I packed my bags as the next evening I would be leaving for Delhi. That evening was Valentine Day though he remembered as we spoke over the phone
“I am so happy that you are going to join me tomorrow angle”
“yes and we shall celebrate our valentine day tomorrow”
“sure angle from now thing will be set right I will go to doctor stop taking drug and apply for a job again and once I am set I will apologize to my parents and then to yours, and ask them for your hand”
“I am so happy arav I love you baby”
“I love you too angle”
The call was disconnected, the following day by afternoon I reached his apartment as I went inside I saw crowd of people and him lying down I even saw shristti, I went and sat by his side caressing his face and asked him softly
“Arav get up baby see I am here Arav get up na now don’t play games get up please I beg you please”
As Shristti got hold of my shoulder and said me
“He is dead Alia, last night he died while having his dinner but the police said actually drug had weaken his organ ”
I froze I could not believe what she just spoke I did not want to believe what she said all I want was my Arav . How could he sleep so peacefully leaving me baffled? How could he break all his promises?
“We got this ring from his pocket maam and here is his diary”
I took the ring and slipped it in my fingure kissing it and I read his last entry
“Dear Angle,
There might be a day when I will not be by your side holding your hands but I want you to be strong enough to face the storm
There might be a day when I will not be able to lighten your world but you should be able to find your way in the darkness
and there might be a day when I will not be by your side but you should be strong enough to find me in the thousand million stars”
The End.