Anurakti

41: Just Classmates.

"Maybe you like her?"

"Don't be stupid Shubhu! There's nothing like that! That girl knows nothing but to play mind games and she has played with your mind too!"

Yelling Sahaj left without looking back.

Shubham's eyes widened .He called him by his nickname.

It took him 9 years to open himself up just enough to call his so called best friend by his nickname.

Sahaj loved Shubham to the moon and back but his walls never allowed him to get emotionally vulnerable in front of him.

Even though he used to treat him specially, like how a normal best friend would, but he still never talked about anything to him untill he poked him.

Sahaj would do anything for him, but he didn't allow Shubham to ever see him cry.

He hated it.

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Sahaj punched his boxing bag and continued punching it. He punched it till it tore.

"I like her? I FUCKING HATE HER!"
He yelled punching the wall.
He won't let anyone get near him. There were only two people in his life, Lata Maa and Shubham. He wouldn't let anyone come and replace them. He won't let anyone hurt him. He won't let anyone else break his heart like his father did.

He won't.

He left his house to go for a run at 9:00 in the evening. He ran till he couldn't but the feeling of unease wasn't going anywhere.
He shouldn't feel that way? Nobody hurt him. No-one was making him anxious.

"Or maybe you are scared someone will. Just like your father?"
He flinched at the sudden voice and looked up to see Lata Maa standing with a water bottle extended out for him.

He took it from her hand and made space for her to sit on the bench.

"Maa, what are you doing here? You should be sleeping."
He asked concerned as he knelt down in front of her.

Lata Maa smiled and caressed his face, red and shining with sweat. His clothes clung to his body because of the sweat and she couldn't help but see the resemblance between him and his father.

"Son, not everyone is going to hurt you."
She spoke softly and he looked away, not liking her words.

"People are different. Everyone is different and everyone has come into our life for different reasons. They are special."

"What special Maa? There are lakhs and thousands of people alike. Crores of people are better. Why would anyone be special to me?"
He questioned angrily and flared his nostrils.

Lata Maa smiled at her grandson and nodded.

"You are right. Do you know Mother Teresa?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"She helped the helpless. She fed the hungry. She did so much for our society. Didn't she?"

"Yes. But why?"

"Do you think she did a great job? How would you feel if you would've ever goten to meet her?"

"Maa............She did an amazing job. But why would I feel excited?"
He asked and Lata Maa smiled.

"How do you feel when you meet me? Do you feel happy?"

"Of course I do Maa. You are the most important person to me in the world. Why wouldn't I feel good about meeting you? And why are you saying it like this? You aren't going anywhere!"