" Miraaaa where's my tea ?? I am getting late "
" Ya i am bringing.... Here take it "
" Day by day you are becoming lazy. How many times i have to call you for tea. "
" If you were so desperate for your tea, then you must have come to kitchen and get it by your own. I was busy. I have so many things to do other then bringing you tea "
" Shut your smart mouth. Don't you have any shame. Its the duty of wife to serve husband. "
" Hmm... "
" What hmm.. ? I know you have changed a lot. Started speaking so bluntly to me "
" That's because i am tired of your taunts and shouts. Have you ever behaved like a loving husband. Always you behaved like an animal. "
" Because you do not deserve a human behavior "
" If i don't deserve loving behavior, then who else deserves it ?? Ohhh ... got it ... your other special one deserves it. You must have been saving all loving words and gestures for that bitch "
" DON'T CALL HER A BITCH. Otherwise i will hit you "
" Come on. Don't threaten me. She deserves to be called a bitch. "
SLAP. SLAP.
" Mooomm ", I woke up panting. But thank god my shouting didn't woke up fellow passengers. Slowly i sat on my seat and took a large gulp of water. Once awoke, i didn't felt like sleeping again. I tied my untidy hair in a pony tail. And glanced across the window. The train was slowing down. I checked the time in my phone. It was 4:20 in the morning. " Just few more minutes to reach my destination " I whispered to myself. I checked my phone again for any messages or missed calls. Few messages were there in the inbox. I checked them eagerly but all of them were from mobile company. Stupid roaming messages. I felt angry at myself for expecting the messages from mom and dad. But then i thought why should they message me at this hour. They probably wont know now where their daughter is. I haven't told a soul about my eloping plan to Bengaluru. Even if i told them they wouldn't have cared. They were always busy in their little fighting world that they forget what their daughter is upto. Shaking my head i tried to stop thinking about them. It was already 4:30. I have to get ready. Next stop is Bengaluru.
I freshened up. Then moved near the door with my bag and caught a glimse of approaching Bengaluru station. I took out my mobile and dialed his number. The phoned ringed for few minutes but he didn't picked up the call. Panicky, i called him three-four times , but he didn't answered. Worst thoughts floated in my mind. What if he is not there in the station to receive me, what if he never picks my call, what will i do alone in Bengaluru, i don't know any one here. But my thoughts were cut short as the train came to a halt at Bengaluru station. Still my mind was working continuously at every thoughts. I was confused whether I should step down from train or not. But i didn't had much time to think. At last, I decided to step down at the station.
The station was packed with people even at this morning hour. Pushing aside people i tried to search him and continuously called him on phone. But there was no answer from him. My heart beats were slowing down. My legs were going numb. I sat down in the platform chair. I was sweating even in the cool atmosphere. My throat went dry. I had already informed him yesterday about my secret journey , then why he didn't turned up at station, to receive me ? Did he forgot about my arrival, it can be possible.... It may be possible that he came late from office... It may be possible that he forgot to set an alarm ...... or or may be he deceived me ???? NOOOOOOOO... I shouted at myself for thinking about such a negative thought. Even though our relation had started from an internet chat. Even though i had never met him in our 3 months relationship. But I trusted him with all my heart and loved him like hell.
I closed my eyes to calm down my thoughts. And his beautiful face slowly came to view. His thick hair. Half shaved face. Brown eyes and an extremely double coated sugary smile made my heart beats fast. And I started reliving all the past events with him. It was a gloomy day for me when i first received his request on facebook. I accepted it without thinking much. He seemed genuine person to me. Eventhough I never accepted any stranger's request. But something about his profile made me make an exception for him. His timeline was full of poems and stories, that he wrote on his own. But all the posts were a year old. He didnt seemed to be posting anything lately. But slowly when we started chatting he used to send me short poems. He was working in an IT firm when we first chatted but later left the job to setup his own firm with his best friend. He was a very positive person and nothing in life seemed to upset him. And that was the quality which drew me towards him. I was an introvert from the beginning. Keeping all my thoughts locked inside me. But he seemed to unlock my thoughts by his affectionate words. He became a box for me to throw up my all thoughts. He became an addiction for me. A day without talking to him started to suffocate me. I talked to him about everything, my parent's fights, my loneliness, my longing for love and care..... everything. And he seemed to understand me completely. Consoled me with his positive words. But our bonding continued in chats only we never got a chance to meet each other. As he was in Bengaluru and I was in Pune. So he used to send his photos and videos to me. It was like a dream for me. A perfect fairy tale. A perfect relationship i could ever ask for.
My thoughts were interrupted with another train's horn. I opened my eyes. The sky had turned blue. The crowd swelled at the station. I again tried to call him. But it was now switched off. I panicked again. Some part of my brain asked me to get on to next train and go back to home. But I was determined. I would not leave Bengaluru without meeting him. I have come here to meet him so i will leave only after meeting him. I remembered once he told me about living in Red Bells apartment before leaving job. I took my bag and headed for taxi stand. I told the driver to take me Red bells apartment. Even though i didn't had any idea in which area it was located but the driver seemed to know that place. I got in the car. And driver drove it smoothly through many turns and curves that i didn't remember. At last he left me at the apartment's base. I stood there without knowing what to do. Should I call his name aloud or should I ask about him to someone else. It was nearly 8 o'clock in the morning. People were still in their houses preparing for or other activities. So I thought to ask the watchman. He seemed so lean to be a watchman. He raised his eyes from newspaper when he saw me approaching. He stared with a questioning look. I didn't prepared anything on how to ask ? So i just asked bluntly, " Do you know about Veer Raghav ?? He lived in this building few months before " The watchman looked at me confusingly. " I am his friend. We were together in college but after that we lost contact so can you please tell me where he is living ?? " I lied to convince him. After a few seconds he seemed to overcome his confusion. " He lived in the 3rd floor No. 11...... " he said and after a pause opened his mouth to stay something but I hurried towards the stairs to the 3rd floor. I knew that he didn't lived here anymore but i can ask his neighbours and could get his new residence address.
When I reached 3rd floor. My heart beat again slowed down. I knew he was not living there anymore but the thought that once he lived here. The mere thought of his presence in the now locked 11th room no. made my heart yearn for him more, overcoming my anger at him for not receiving me at station. As his previous room was locked. I knocked at the 10th room no. A woman in her thirties opened the door with a warm and confused smile. " I am Veer Raghav's friend. Do you know him ? ". " Ya I know him pretty well. He was our neighbour. Come inside " she replied. Even though I was eager to get his address as fast as I can but then I thought it won't be good to ask her directly about his new address. I would have to engage in some small talk and then I can ask. She took me to her drawing room. And gestured towards the sofa. I sat down immediately and put my bad aside. " So you are his friend" she asked softly. I was about to lie to her like I did to watchman. But instead I just smiled a bit. Then she said with mosit eyes ," He was a great lad. He was my favorite cousin. Was humble, modest and helping. Hope he lived a little longer. "
The last words caught me like fire. " What do you mean ?? " I asked her loudly.
She was surprised by my question, " Don't you know he died a year ago. He did suicide. God knows why he took such a tragic step. " I was shocked. " Are you sure you are talking about Veer Raghav ?? ".
" Ya i am talking about him only. " And at that moment my eyes fell on the different framed photographs hung in the room. My eyes stuck on a familiar face. He was smiling broadly and the lady sitting opposite to me was tying a rakhi on his hand. Catching my gaze, she said, " He will be always the best brother .....".
But I cut her shortly " Noo... he wont be dead. I have been dating him for past three months on internet. He used to talk to me daily on phone". My voice louder with shock, grief, frustration and disbelief echoed in the room.
" No dear you are mistaken he is dead. Why should i lie to you ? Someone must be messing with you "
" But if they are messing with me how come they got control of his account " I asked abruptly.
" This is Bengaluru dear. So many IT toppers and hackers are here. Someone might have hacked his account. Such incidents are happening nowadays. "
I was still not able to accept this truth " But he used to send his photos and videos to me "
" They must have been taken when he was alive. " Then after a pause she said "....It means the hacker must have been Veer's friend. Someone who knew him well. Oh my god how cruel people become by faking themselves under dead people's account."
I didn't replied anything. My lungs were swollen with pain. It was like my heart was ripped into several pieces. It would have been better to think he deceived me rather than believing I was dating a dead person. The person who never knew me. The person who was not knowing how much he was being loved even after his death.
The woman came near to console me. She pulled me to a one arm hug. " Its a cruel world dear. Where people dont care about others feeling. They just mess around. Trying to have some fun. But we have laws also. You should register a complaint at cyber cell. Then will find out who was behind it. "
" Hmmm... " was the only thing I was able to utter. I wanted to get out of there. I wanted some fresh air. I wanted to get back home. I wanted to get coiled in my bed. I wanted my mom to hug me tightly. Somehow I stood up and took my bag and hurried speedily. Few minutes before I had cherished his presence but now the thought of his presence burned me from inside, knowing that he never loved me.
I got to station. Took tickets. And got on the train. I took out the mobile. There were loads of miss calls and messages from mom and dad. I never thought they cared for me. But i was mistaken. Even though they fought amongst themselves they cared for their daughter. I called mom and dad and told them that I am on my way back home. Then I logged into my account and opened his profile. There he was smiling again, not knowing he just broke someone's heart.
And then I blocked him.