Weird and Wonderful

Chapter-12

Year - 2011

Swasti did not know what to do next. The worst thing in the love-life of the people of her age was breakup. No one had to go through the death of her crush before even seeing him. She should cry perhaps but it appeared that all her tears were lost. She looked at Kritika and Ami. They were also clueless. But Swasti knew one thing- her hope of meeting her love could never be alive again and the only things left in the empty room of her heart were memories and she must not lose them at any cost.

When Swasti returned home, her mother noticed a change in her. She was more absent-minded than she usually was. She had even forgotten to watch Painful Strings.

“Swasti, it is 8:30. Won’t you watch your favourite show?” Swasti’s mother reminded her. Swasti had never missed a single episode of Painful Strings earlier, so unwillingly she switched on the television so as not to arouse any suspicion.

The whole episode was dedicated to the flashback showing the love story of Akihito and Miyoko. It was a bitter-sweet feeling watching their love-story when Swasti’s own love story was brought to an end by fate. Swasti felt that she and Miyoko were undergoing the same pain; the only difference was that Miyoko was luckier than her as Miyoko had at least met Akihito.

It was ironic how Swasti’s life had become similar to Painful Strings; perhaps it was what is called as- What you think is what you become.  But there was a silver lining in this love story. Now that Swasti could not meet Rachit ever, there was no fear of losing him. Now she could love him without any fear. Now she could love him forever.

The crystal blue sea was flirting with the shy evening sun. Swasti could feel the tingling sensation caused by the sand beneath her feet. A boy was playing the tune of Memories on the piano.  He was wearing a black leather jacket and blue jeans. Swasti could not see his face. Bewitched by the music, Swasti went closer to the boy. “Rachit,” she said softly. The boy turned around...

“Swasti! Swasti!” Swasti heard her mother’s voice. She wanted to see the face of the boy but everything went black.

“Swasti! Go to bed. You have fallen asleep while watching TV. Get up from the sofa,” Swasti’s mother said as Swasti rubbed her eyes. Swasti went to the bedroom with clumsy steps. So, the only place where she could meet Rachit was in her dreams or imagination. But she could never see his face. Swasti felt a lump in her throat as she lay down on the bed. Rachit was a faceless dream for her and she would do whatever was necessary to protect her dream from the harsh real world.

“Are you all right?” Ami said to Swasti in school.

“I thought you would not come to school today.” Kritika said.

“Why would I have taken leave?” Swasti said, without any sadness in her voice, “I have loved Rachit without seeing him and I will love Rachit even if I can’t ever meet him. His death will not change my feelings for him.”

“But how can you love a dead boy, Swasti? This is insane,” Ami shouted at Swasti.

“What’s going on, Swasti? I hope that you remember that you have to beat me in Physics to win Singh sir’s challenge. I don’t think that you are putting in enough efforts to win that challenge,” Deepak said with a smirk on his face.

Deepak’s face was the last thing that Swasti wanted to see that morning. “Whether I win or lose Singh sir’s challenge is none of your business. Now better get back to your own seat,” Swasti hissed.

“Is that what people call loser’s frustration?” Deepak made a sneering remark.

“Who will win and who will lose is yet to be seen. Can’t you hear what Swasti said? None of us want to see your face,” Kritika said, charging towards Deepak.

“But I want to see Swasti’s face after she would lose the challenge,” Deepak said, taking a step back. But Swasti was not listening to him. She was thinking about Rachit’s poem God-given dare. With real world filled with people like Deepak and Singh sir, imagination was her only refuge. But now it seemed to her that both of these worlds had begun to overlap.