Campaign on Love And Other Stories..

Campaign on love

A couple arrive with a young lady and wish another couple, "Happy Anniversary Mr. and Mrs.Ghosh!"
"Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Suri. How are you beta?", says Mr.Ghosh.
"I am good uncle. Where is Sid?", the young lady asks.
"He must be here somewhere. You go and call him.", Mrs.Ghosh says with a smile and the girl goes inside.

The girl finds a young guy in a room in front of his laptop.
"Hey! You are here? Uncle and Aunty are looking for you outside.", she says sitting beside him.
"I have no interest in their useless party. I am better here. Me and my laptop are happy here.", he says.
The girl looks at the screen of the laptop,"You know I only came because this was your party. Otherwise.."
"You know this virtual world is far better than the real and fake world.", he replies, closing it down.

Mr.Ghosh opens the door and looks towards his son,"Why are you still here? Everyone is asking for you."
"Why do you expect me to be there? I don't like to smile and answer their stupid questions."
Mr.Ghosh pulls his arm to face him,"Just shut up. Why can't you be normal like others?"
Mrs.Ghosh comes in, "What is happening here? Come out. Everyone is asking for you. Sana come out with Sidu. "

Sidu aka Sidharth Ghosh, the only son of Anirban and Kaushiki Ghosh, is a 20 year old boy, studying Computer Engineering. Standing tall at 6 feet, he has good looks and a sharp brain. He wears thick rimmed glasses, keeps his hair messy and puts on loose clothes. Instead of going out with friends, he spends most of his time inside in front of computers, books or playing guitar. However what makes him a proper misfit is the way he talks. Straight forward talks, without seeing who is in front of him makes him an outsider in any normal group.

Sana, another 18 year old misfit is the best friend of Sidharth. Sana aka Shehnaaz Suri is the oldest daughter of Prakash and Priya Suri. She studies with Sidharth in the same college, in 1st year of Civil Engineering. Both have been together since she was in class 6, studying in the same school. Unlike other girls, she prefers spending her time in books and writing than make up and phone. She is beautiful but doesn't bother to groom herself. Hair is coloured in pink at the ends, eyes have black eyeshadow and she has black nail paints and lipsticks. With black leather pants, black tees and jacket, she adorns a rock chick look. She sings in the band Outcasters with Sidharth as the lead guitar player.

Both enter the college the next day to find couples together exchanging roses. Sidharth parks his bike and says,"What the hell is going on here?"
Sana blowing a bubblegum replies,"It's Rose day today.."
"What rubbish!", he screams.
"Of course you will term it rubbish as you know very well no one is going to take any rose from you.", they hear a voice.
It's Shruti, the most popular girl in the college. In a long dress, high heels and face covered in makeup, she stands with a group of her followers with lots of roses in her hand.

"I don't want to give any rose to any girl, especially someone like you. Fake.", he says with a smirk.
Shruti laughs,"Yes grapes are sour for you. You both should actually date each other. No one else is made for you."
"Hey you don't have to think about me. I am a happy to be single and Sidharth is my friend.", screams Sana.
Before Shruti could say anything, Sidharth said,"She is worried for everyone. She will open a matchmaking agency as engineering is not her cup of tea. And Valentine's day? Love? There is nothing called love. It's all fantasy that people like you create to get gifts from boys or buy a rich husband. So take all these roses and get lost from here."

"I hate this thing called Love. It's all a big lie. These girls and boys fall in love, go out on dates, celebrate this Valentine's day, exchange gifts. And then next year they find someone else. Love my foot..", he says sitting on the edge of the railing on the terrace.
"You are right. It's all bullshit. First it's puppy love then one becomes dog barking at each other. Like my mum and dad. Theirs was a love marriage and today they have everything but love.", says Sana leaning on the wall near the door to the terrace.
"You know why I was inside the bedroom that day. They were celebrating their 22 Anniversary but they don't even care to spend 22 minutes in a day with each other. Love? There is no love in this world.", he adds.
"We need to stop people from celebrating this Valentine's day. Can't we make them realise..", Sana's words were left in mid air as some else spoke from behind.