This is my 301st post. Another milestone!! Over 300 posts in 5 years and still going good. Thanks All!!
Disclaimer – All Characters are fictitious!!
Read Part1,Part2 and Part 3.
‘Arey..first tell me what promise..what ..,’ I was wondering what could be the promise.
‘We might just get a chance to talk to each other,’ She wrote.
‘Oh awesome! but what is the promise about yar? and give me your number?,’ I asked her.
‘Please don’t let Ankita Didi know that I am going to call you 🙂 and I am going to call you.You give me your number please 🙂 ,’ She displayed a smiley.
‘I want to surprise you,’ She continued.
‘Okay! Its 9892457##4,’ I typed her.
‘Thanks..I will save it :),’ She said.
‘Hey I got to leave right now..Got to do the packing and have to meet Ankita tommorow before leaving for Delhi,’ I wrote.
‘OK bye..Happy journey. 🙂 ,’ She typed.
‘Thanks..but I would be expecting your call soon.Do not disappoint,’ I continued.
Afreen was just another online friend of mine, but for some reasons I felt as if were both were chatting often. May be our friendship was blooming to the next level. Talking to her always invokes a smile in me. She seemed to me like an intelligent girl.She was simple and straight forward.That was the one character which distinguishes her from others.
By evening 8 ,I had completed all my packing. I had to settle with 2 big bags full of clothes and my laptop backpack which contained my Dell Inspiron.
‘I miss you Rahul!,’ a text message was received and later on I realized that it was Ankita.
‘I too dear…Will come to meet you tomorrow at 2 ..afternoon.. 🙂 gn,’ I texted her back.
‘Ok..I will wait for you then..good night,’ I received her reply.
It was 29th May and the morning wasn’t great at all. I bid my final good bye to both my room mates Jeet and Rishi.I had a chance to talk to Krunali bhabi, who was Rishi’s girlfriend. Krunali bhabi would definitely miss me for all the pranks which I have played on Rishi and her.I visited my neighbors and sought blessings from them as I was all set to leave the city. I took photographs with them.
A tear drop rolled down my cheeks as I was leaving the society where I lived for the last time. I hugged Chaman lal ,our watchman and handed him One Hundred Rs Note. It actually hurts leaving some one after being associated with them for ages. It actually doesn’t matters for few but for some it does. You share a special bonding with them and every time you look forward for those people in your life.It was disheartening for me to leave Brindavam Apartments.I took a snap of the place which sheltered me for over 6 years.
I was carrying my heavy bags and I clearly looked like someone who was vacating the town.Mumbai Rajdhani was scheduled to leave at 1640 hrs. My plan was to meet Ankita at her place and leave for Mumbai Central at around 4.
I reached Ankita’s house at 2 pm as promised. There was something unusual in her. She looked changed and for a matter of fact she was looking more pretty. She asked me to sit on the sofa.
‘Coffee or Tea,’ She smiled.
‘I am a Coffee person..and you always know that Anki..,’ I replied her.
She left for the kitchen and came back after 5 minutes with a tray containing 2 coffee mugs.
‘Ahh,I am amazed..you make good coffee…huh,’ I took a sip of the coffee which she had made.
‘I knew…even Abhishek would say that everytime,’ She added.
There was silence for over 5 minutes.I completed the coffee and her mug was still full.
‘Hello..madam..where are you lost?,’ I said to her.
‘Nothing..I am lost no where,’ She pinched my cheeks.
‘I want to tell you something Rahul,‘ She came closer to me.
‘Sure go on sweetheart,’ I said to her.
‘Promise me that you wont change your behavior towards me after this,’
‘Promise me you won’t hurt me by saying NO,’
‘Promise me even after this we would remain the best of friends,’ She continued.
‘Yes..but whats this promise all about?,’ I curiously asked her.
‘I think I love you..,’ She said. I was shocked as it was unexpected from her.I had never dreamed about this in my life.I had always seen her as a friend who was always there for me in my worst time.
‘What is this Ankita? Please tell me that you are playing a prank on me?,’ I turned serious.
‘No,I serious this time Rahul,’ She said.
‘Whats wrong with you Ankita? I vision you as my best friend.You are always there for me but I didn’t knew that you would love me. Please tell me that this is not true. Today is my last day in Mumbai and this is not good Ankita.I admire you,respect you.I respect you Ankita. If Abhishek Bhaiyya were here,he would have been hurted very badly,’ I said to her.
‘No…Abhishek would have felt happy for both of us. And I know he is happy listening to all this at some place in heaven.He must be smiling and wishing for both of us…You know how lonely my life turned after I lost Abhishek…you colored my life with beautiful colors Rahul..Your brother won’t be hurt at all,’ She said wiping the tears from her eyes.
‘Don’t cry Ankita…I will call you once I reach Delhi. I need to rush now,’ I said.
‘I hope I didn’t spoil your day…This is an emotional outlet and I always wanted to tell you how much I adore you dear..I can’t think of a life without you for all the love and support you have given me,’ She said.
‘Thanks dear,but I need to leave right now..Please don’t get me wrong,’ I said and left for the door.
‘I am sorry and Please keep in mind that I will be waiting for you,’ She said and I left for Mumbai Central Station.
Abhishek Meher was none other than my elder brother who was drowned to death in a tragic mishap in Goa.Ankita ,Abhishek and I studied in the same school till Ankita was in class 7.Ankita and her parents relocated to Mumbai because of Sharma Uncle’s Transferable Central Govt job.Abhishek bhaiyya and Ankita liked each other. Ankita loved my brother. They both always looked as if they were made for each other. Bhaiiya had plans of getting married to Ankita during later stages of life. They would talk for hours on phone late night. He cared for her. He was some one special for Ankita and was her dream.But her dream was shattered when she came to know that bhaiyya had drowned to death in a Visit to Goa.I was in class 11 and Ankita in class 10. Bhaiyya was studying 2nd year of Engineering.Abhishek’s death came out as a shock to my family as well as Ankita. She went into depression for some period of time. How will you react when you get to know that your loved one won’t return back. She wept for days and weeks. She would look at his picture and tears would automatically flow through her eyes. Sharma Uncle knew about their relationship. After 3 years,they had to leave for Delhi as Uncle had got transferred to Delhi.Sharma Uncle and Aunty insisted Ankita to join them but she opted to stay in Mumbai.
That was the time I realized that Ankita’s life was getting lonely and meaningless.For how long would she think about bhaiyya and waste her entire life doing nothing. I supported her and did my best in bits to console her. I tried to make her happy in every possible way.During this process, I transformed into a caring and an over protective friend.I was the only support structure in her life.It took me days to make her forget bhaiyya and the special memories that he left behind in her life. Its my affection which made her love me.It was my mistake. But I saw her as a respectable person especially when I got to know that she would be marrying my own brother at some point of time in future.
‘I am sorry…dear..please forgive me,’ Ankita had texted me.
‘Oh Shut up! you should nt be sorry …you didn’t do anything wrong my dear…’ I texted her back.
‘Thanks and call me when you reach Delhi.Ok ? Happy Journey!,’ She replied.
‘Ok’ I replied her back.
Few minutes later my phone rang and it played the usual Nokia Tune as my ringtone.
‘Hello,’ I greeted.
‘Hey..we talk as I promised…‘ the person said. It was a female voice. It sound to me like some mature voice.
‘Afreen… Is it you?’ I said.
‘Who else it could be Rahul jii? Hahaha,’ She laughed.
I was in no mood for jokes.Perhaps I was thinking about what Ankita said to me. I was deeply immersed in those thoughts. I had never imagined that Afreen would call me at the wrong time.I was not in the best of my moods and could not be the usual me and I never wanted to disappoint her.I admit I am a loquacious person but for some reasons I didn’t want to talk to anyone.
‘So..how are you?’ She asked me.
‘Ok,‘ I replied.
‘Sad kya…since you are leaving Mumbai..Haha’ She laughed.
‘No,’ I said.I was confused for a moment and I didn’t want to continue the conversation.
‘Is this your number? Can we talk sometimes later please?,’ I asked her.
‘OH ok …sure ..we can..save this number..bye,’ She said and cut the phone. It wasn’t the best conversation to start with. The day was not good at all. I was wondering what made Ankita fall for me.
Few minutes later I received a text message.
‘You are such a sadist…sad soul..Count me..I am seriously not going to call you again in my entire life…damn..you don’t even know how to talk to a girl…God..why the hell you even asked for my number Huh.. X-( 😐 ,’ Afreen had texted me.
(To be Continued…)
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