Advait's Jheel || 18+

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It all started when I was seven years old....

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Baba was a PSC aspirant and Vitthal, Advait's father, was into politics. He wanted to be a bigshot politician. He and my Baba were schoolmates and best friends. Baba helped him in every step. Baba cleared the PSC exam and became a sales tax officer. And Vitthal, stepping on the political ladder, became Vidhayak of our small town. They both were happy.

It was the time of Vithhal's party elections. He was running his rally all over the town. That's when I saw Advait for the first time. Or I should say, Advait saw me for the first time and liked me. I don't know what he found in me because I saw nothing in him. My Baba was carrying me in his arms and Advait was in the jeep with his father, in the front of the rally. Vithhal, with my father's continuous help, became Vidhayak for the second time. Advait, barely seven then, saw me for the first time. He couldn't take his eyes off me. Whereas me, I was curious and a little envious of the privilege he had of riding in the jeep in the front. That day marked the start of my doom.

Advait and I went to the same school. I was in Advait's school. His father admitted me to Advait's school. Everyone was Advait's worshipper. All were chamche. Thankfully, we both were in different sections. During lunch breaks, he would look for me. And god, he was such a stroke of bad luck for me. An evil eye. Whenever he was around, something bad happened to me, always. I was in pain, every time. Once, I was descending the steps of the front gate, Advait called out to me from behind, "Jheel?" I stopped and turned. Misfortune fell on me. I twisted my ankle and fell face-first down the stairs. My ankle was in a cast for two weeks.

Advait brought me chocolates as a consolation. I ate it and immediately started growing red and itchy. I almost had an anaphylactic shock. Fortunately, I was given treatment on time. I found I was allergic to chocolates. Advait visited me at home, with a box of sweets, kaju katli. He apologized. My Baba, who trusted and believed in Vitthal, in my language he was Vitthal's bhakt, refrained Advait from apologizing, stating there was no need. My Baba cannot hear a single word against Vitthal and his family.

I was very happy when Aai bought a bicycle for me. I used to ride it every evening after school. Advait came one time with his cycle. The costliest of that time. My friends in the colony immediately became his fans. I didn't like that. Advait politely nodded at them, a mere kid he was and didn't have to act all superior, and he smiled at me. I was on my bike on that particular second, I lost my balance and fell in a ditch. I was injured and bruised all over my body.

I had decided to avoid Advait's eyes at any cost. I couldn't close his eyes so I closed mine. My best friend Shweta. I chose her to be my guide. But she was weak for beautiful things. And a handsome boy was no exception. She forgot to alert me, busy staring at the older boy, and I collided face-first with my class teacher. She scolded and slapped me. I frowned, angry. Shweta shrugged helplessly. I looked around. And sure enough, Advait was looking at me from a floor above.

I remember one day suddenly Advait came to me during lunch break. He gave me a box of sweets, rasgulla, and said, "Will you be my friend, Jheel?" I opened the box and stuffed my mouth with rasgullas. I looked at him and simply shook my head in denial. His friend? Never in a million years. I don't want any bad luck. The smile fell from his face and he left without a word.

After that particular day, I didn't see Advait. I was happy. Life became mundane and simple. No more buri nazar on me. After a month, I got to know that Advait and his family, except his father, shifted to Bhopal. God blessed me finally.

I topped every class of my school life. And then chose to give Neet. I failed continuously. I don't know why. I gave my hundred per cent but still. I was in Kota for two years. I was one of the top ten in my batch. Still, Neet was far from me.