Solace

Have you lost it!

( Coming back from my thoughts I move towards our class. As I was approaching I heard two people talking. I couldn't hear the entire thing but what I heard was 'YOU ARE A CHEATER, PLAYBOY, WOMANISER, GET LOST, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO TALK TO YOU FORGET ABOUT WANTING TO SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN. DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME AGAIN. I HAVE MOVED ON.' 

I froze in my place. I barely had any sense left, I couldn't figure what to do. Should I be going inside or would it be intruding into his personal space. For him I was just a friend that too just a new one. No, but this is the time when we actually require our friends to stand by us, I should be there for him: …… came a voice from within me …… 

This was it. I decided to be there for him. My mind was constantly hurling questions at me ……. Will you be able to hear the accusations on him? Can you see him hurt and break? Will you be there just as a friend? Can you keep a check  on your feelings? ........ I just pushed all of the questions, doubts and my feelings all under the carpet …….

I moved to the room and what I saw there was way worse than I had thought of ……. I went numb …… I came back to my senses when I heard a thud sound. The man who stood strong and erect as a mountain just collapsed on the floor as if he were just a heap of pebbles ……. 

The accusations hurled at him, the trials he must have been put through and the insensitive mocking of the society he must have been going through …….. seems to have weathered the mountain to pebbles …… 

The sight was heartbreaking. There he was on the floor, sitting on his knees, in one hand was the phone in which a recording was being played ….. what I heard was a part of the recording …. The other hand,he had a big empty bottle of hard drink ….. His eyes were red due to the alcohol effect and constant tears rolling down. The dried tears had left marks on his cheeks. His eyes although swollen …. still one could see the pain, the hurt, the helplessness and a certain deep longing in them …. 

He was as silent as one can ever be, no sniffles, no cries, nothing at all. He took the bottle back to his lips, sensing it to be empty, he threw the bottle at the wall ahead of him, shattering it to pieces, just like his heart at the moment ….

Before I could make it to him the receptionist came, maybe she too heard the sound of the glass bottle being shattered to pieces. As she came, she seemed to be pale, worry was clear on her face, I gave her a questioning look and she informed me that the media was there outside the main gate of the club. 

I thought this was it. This is what the media, his ex and his haters wanted. The thought that this would tarnish my own reputation that I had been very cautious of until now, never crossed my mind. 

It was strange, till now I stayed away from all actors or rather say men from the industry in order to not have these media scrutiny and dating rumours and now all of my rules are just lying somewhere in the trash can. 

As today, I am guarding the most rumored itv celebrity by putting my own reputation at stake. At that moment all I knew was that the media was standing just a few meters away and I had to take him away from here without them being able to spot him. 

I called my driver Ajmal bhai to get the car in the back gate without getting noticed by any media person, I knew this wouldn't be difficult as my car would come directly from home as in the morning I came by a rickshaw and paps didn't know I was here. It would take five mins for my car to reach here. Meanwhile, I decided to wind up here. 

I asked the receptionist to hand me her, his parents and his manager's phone number.  She obliged. Then I asked her to get the room cleaned as soon as possible and assign this duty to only a trustworthy and loyal employee. I warned her of not letting any information of the events that have taken place get leaked. Also I told her that if paps ask for Karan, tell them he left and if asked about his car standing in the parking. Tell them there was a fault in it, it had to be taken to the garage and his driver would do the needful……

I had packed both our bags and taken them on one shoulder and was supporting Karan with the other shoulder as he was too drunk to walk without support. As soon as we reached the back gate, Ajmal bhai helped me make him sleep in the backseat of the car and put the bags in the boot.

We then drove off to my house, as it was the nearest place I could think of taking him to. My parents were to leave just an hour after I left. They were heading to Nashik for a wedding of a distant relative's son. My house would be empty and there would be no media there ……. oh God, how could I miss this, what if the neighbors see us they would call aai. I think I should inform her, she'll handle everything ……. ya that would be the best thing to do …… 

I called up aai. I told her that one of my previous costar and now my friend is not well, he stays alone so I got him home. Aai was initially reluctant but then she agreed. She told me to call her after every three hours and let her know what the status is …… 

We reached my house. Giving a key, I asked Ajmal bhai to open the gate and take the car straight inside the parking. He did as I said. We took Karan inside and then A.B( Ajmal bhai) got the bags also inside ….. A.B got a call from the house due to a family emergency. He had to go, so I asked him to help me take him up to my room and then he could leave ….. 

Now I was a bit relieved. My room was soundproof, no voice would go out. Also, nobody saw me getting him in. Media didn't pap us either. All was in control now. 

I looked at Karan. He was too drunk but yet hadn't passed out. He still was in the same condition as he was in the club. As I had to inform someone from his side, I thought I should call his manager first as calling his parents might just alarm them.

Thankfully, the receptionist had his number. I moved out of the room and gave him a call. He picked up after 4 rings. I suppose because it would have been an unknown number.

Omi: Hello.

Teju: A…hi….. is this Om? Karan's manager? ( I asked hesitating)

Omi: Yes, how may I help you?

Teju: Umm …. Actually ……( then I told him who I was and what happened at the club, the entire thing till the present where he was sitting in my room and on my bed…..)

Omi: Ma'am, thank you. Thanks alot. Aapne bhai ke liye jo bhi kiya uske liye. I don't know how to thank you…..

Teju: It's alright. I did it as a friend. A …. yeah …. Can you come here ….. A …. Actually ……

Omi: Sorry ma'am ….. The thing is I've come to Delhi for Bhai's work ….. the earliest flight from here is tomorrow  evening …… so I will not be able to make it until tomorrow night ….. 

Teju: If not you …. then …. Is there someone else who I can contact or could come here to help me ….. 

Omi: Ma'am I know aapko aur aapki family ko bohot inconvenience ho raha hoga …. But at present there is no one in Mumbai who could help …. 

Teju: The thing is actually my parents are also not home ….. I'm alone ….. and he too isn't responding …… I cannot understand what to do …..

Omi: Oh …. I'm really sorry ma'am ….. I assure you bhai will not do anything …. 

Teju: It's not that. I know he is not what he is portrayed as in the media ….. I trust him on that …. It's just that ….. in this condition ….. it will be really difficult to handle him alone …. 

Omi: I have a humble request, please take care of him till I return ….. I will come to you as soon as I reach Mumbai …..till then please …. Please do not let anyone know he's there ….. 

Teju: Okay…. Okay …. Calm down ….. I'll take care of him till you come and also not let anyone know he's here …. But what's the matter ……

Omi: You don't know how grateful I am ….. Thank you so much ….. rest I'll tell you when I come back …..

Teju: Okay …. You please stay calm ….. don't panic ….. I'll manage everything over here …..

Omi: Okay bye …. 

Teju: Ya bye….

Now that I was done talking to Om …… I came back to the room to see the thing I dreaded the most ….. 

I went running towards him …… I slapped him hard and the only words that slipped out of my mouth were, 'Have you lost it…….'

Precap: Emotional breakdown