Stories

The Break-up

Silence has its own way of settling in. Quiet and lost, Neha sat on the bench. Significant as it has always been, it was that bench where everything started. Tears dried, she looked into the space. Besides her was Viraj. He looked at her, tensed, concerned. “You know we can’t do anything Neha” he said.

Tears started to roll again. Slowly she blinked and her forehead turned into a frown. Viraj tried to hug her by an arm but she pushed him away. Eyes red she looked at him directly. “At least we could try?” Viraj looked down in partial shame and part guilt. He had nothing to say. The night was settling in. Sitting on their favourite bench of Marine Lines Sea Face, the couple knew that this would be their last time.

The feeling was unsettling, uneasy and unbelievable. They were in a relationship for six years. It wasn’t just a relationship. They had given everything away for each other. Changed, moulded and compromised, they had taken a shape to fit each others’ needs and now all of sudden, they both knew that everything was over, only to meet a tragic end. Looking away into the dark sea, Neha said, “Can you even imagine Viraj, the good morning or good night that we said last was the last time after now?”

She looked at him, again crying, yet smiling in pain, she continued, “Can you imagine the last time we kissed was the final time after today?” Viraj couldn’t hold back his grief. He too began to weep. Their hearts ached. “Why…?” said Neha faintly. “There was no option baby…” said Viraj. “We weren’t destined to be together” and the silence paved in. “Six years Viraj. Six year and you suddenly decide to go?” asked Neha with agitation. Viraj tried to hug her again but Neha was firm. She pushed his hand behind.

Looking away from him she said, “Go away Viraj. Go away. I can’t look at you anymore or else it will destroy me forever….just leave” she said and held her face into her hands. She sobbed hard and then looked up after a couple of minutes. She calmed herself and looked besides her. Viraj was gone. Right into the thin air of the cozy night. He had left, leaving her all alone on the bench where he had proposed to her six years ago. The very place where they met for the first time, befriended and then set off on a new journey of relationship.

Neha kept looking into the blank and then faintly said, “I love you Viraj….” tears began to roll again as she looked into her phone. The infinity display glowed into the aching night. It displayed a news article of that day which read “Captain Viraj Naik and his team of 10 martyred in J&K during a Gun Battle with terrorists” Neha slowly rubbed her finger over Viraj’s photo in the news article and finally with a deep breath, she came to terms with the reality…

Stories

Blocked

A food blogger and an influencer, Reena was the best at her game. Known among many for her honest reviews, she was one of the most sought-after influencer. Always ready to collaborate, Reena believed in staying on her toes. Just like always, today too, she was burning the mid-night oil and working on her latest review article. That’s when her phone buzzed.

It was around 11.30 PM and was quite late for her to get any message. “Hi” said the message. An Instagram DM! @Bikeloverfoodie was the profile name. Display picture of a bike, the profile was neat and new. “Hello?” she replied. Instantly the “typing” symbol flashed and a new message was delivered. “I just wanted to say that I am a big fan of your work! Loved your Insta feed!”. Such messaged were common for Reena. Nothing seemed fishy. She checked her notifications bar and all her posts were recently liked by @Bikeloverfoodie. She smiled. Appreciations were always warm and blissful. ‘thank you” she wrote and kept her phone, but it buzzed again!

“You know. I went by your review and ate your recommended Pizza Dosa at the Ghatkopar Khau Gully. It was delicious! Thanks for the recommendation!”. Reena kept looking at the new message. Clearly this person wanted to have a small talk. “I am glad!” she wrote and then sent “You’re welcome”. She kept the phone aside and yawned. The link of writing her article was broken already and then the phone buzzed again.

Another message. “Can you recommend a good place for Sundae Ice Cream?”. Ice cream was her soft corner, she couldn’t ignore this one. She replied and then came another message. They both kept on talking and then when she looked at the clock, it was already 2AM.

Time flew by and the chat seemed never ending, while talking to this new person seemed interesting enough, Reena had to be up for her office the next day. “Listen. I have got office tomorrow. So bye bye for now” she wrote. In a jiffy came the revert. “One last question?”. “Go ahead” she wrote. “Can we meet once?”

Reena was little surprised at the request. She was talking to this person for the first time, didn’t know anything about him and now here was a request to meet. Before she could write anything, came in another text. “We can meet at the Vile Parle khau gully…At the famous dosa guy…he makes awesome paneer dosa!” @Bikeloverfoodie had hit the right chord. Reena shared a lot of memories with that place.

Thinking of them again, she smiled a little. A small smile that reflected more of pain than bliss, she looked at the screen. Something struck her and she viewed the profile. One of the pictures on the profile was familiar. She had seen it multiple times. She saw it and then she went back to the chat. Anger and dismay hovering on her face, she wrote “Viraj? You?”.

Moments passed by, she was growing anxious. “Yes…” came in the reply. “Why?” she punched in. “Just wanted to check up on you…” “So you made a dummy profile to talk to me???” “I had no option, you had blocked me from everywhere…I just wanted to see if you are doing fine….that’s all” “There is no need to check up on me after you have finished everything Viraj” she wrote, but didn’t hit then send button. She kept thinking.

The chat seemed cold now. The world around her was turning. She had never expected this. She then hit the back space, deleted everything. Hit the back button and went into the settings section. @bikeloverfoodie was added to the block list too…

Stories

The Hug

It had just rained. The sweet aroma of the freshly wet mud was settling in. Untimely though, a slight shower in the month of love was the perfect gift for every couple. Rajiv and Sneha sat in their favorite spot. Unlike others, they didn’t bother the commotion around. Sipping their favorite chai, this tea stall’s bench had become an integral part of their life. 

While they both never ran out of topics to talk upon, today was a different day. The always bubby Sneha was quite as moon and the always cheerful Rajiv was lost in his own world. A slight smile played on his lips and Sneha couldn’t help but blush.  

Rajiv has a peculiar way of smiling and Sneha loved it from the core of her heart. “I have never seen such a fresh smile ever Rajiv” she always said. “I have something to tell you” said both of them together.

They both gave out a sheepish laugh. Rajiv immediately asked Sneha to speak. To which Shena said “no no…men first!” They both chuckled at the joke and silence tore in. Rajiv took in a huge breath and let it out.

He looked at Sneha. His eyes soft. His face smooth and his gestures obvious. Sneha already was melted. “Was this the moment?” she asked herself. Almost blushing in joy she looked at him. He said, “Sneha…I think I am in love…”

Sneha was eager to hear more. There was a twinkle in her eyes. She continued to look at him in a single stare. “You know, after Tina left me, I felt there is nothing left in life…but now, now I don’t feel the same anymore”

Sneha smiled. She had played a very been back his side during his breakup with Tina. Rajiv looked down and looked back up at Sneha and said, “I feel wanted again Sneha. I feel wanted! I feel amazing, I feel loved!” Sneha couldn’t wait anymore. Her patience were running out! She wanted to hug him, that’s when he said…”I think I am in love with Tanya”

Sneha was taken aback. Her face still wore a smile but her heart sank. He continued, ‘I think, she is perfect. She is so understanding, loveable, accepts me the way I am and…she looks also a little line Tina”

“Yeah..Tanya…She is a good girl for you Rajeev” said Sneha with a heavy heart. “She is a good girl” she said, this time reassuring herself…Rajiv kept looking at her..”Thank you Sneha. Thank you for always being there for me” he said.

Sneha could do nothing but simply smile back to him. He came forward and hugged her. She too hugged him with one hand while the other hand which was in her bag let loose a ring box that she had got and pressed it back into the depths of her bag…