Not-So-Girly-Girlfriends #MissionDesi #YourStoryIndia

Stories..

Myra
As our breakfast ended, chief decided to take us on a trail deep into the nearby forest. I'm so ready with my camera and a pair of backup charged batteries. He led the whole group. I stood just behind him so that I don't miss out on any bird. Plus these people won't stay shut. They will definitely scare away a bird.
"So, I suppose, everyone over here wants to know the story of this place," said the chief not even stopping to look at us. People exclaimed at my back. He nodded knowing the approval.
"Long ago, there was this beautiful young lady. This story is from the days before independence so keep up with me. This lady, she might be as young or even younger that you are Myra, she was strolling down in this very forest with her cattle. It was her daily errand, nothing new for her. She had a melodious voice. No voice in Mussourie was comparable to hers. So whenever she was out here she used to sing songs to pass her time.
"One fine day, a Britisher, a Sergeant in British army, was out here for a walk. He heard a mesmerising voice humming a beautiful song. He followed the voice as if he was hypnotised and there he saw this even more gorgeous lady singing and playing with her cattle," he stopped on a clearing almost on top of the hill, "right here. And here he confronted the stupid Cupid by what you people call nowadays, 'love at first sight'.
"The man was so in love that he could do anything to get married to this lady. It wasn't really a custom in those days to marry off your daughter to a foreigner. Neither is it now but those were the harsh days. And since this man was from the army her father seemed to have no choice. He agreed for their marriage. After all what he wanted to see was his daughter leading a happy married life. That's probably every father's wish.
"So this man, before confronting this lady asked for her hand directly from her father and after a while the father agreed. They both got married and this whole property was given to the soldier as a form of dowry. And as fate had it, he built this beautiful cottage for him and his wife, which now is the main cottage at the Cloud End's. Never did he let the beautiful nightingale, so was his wife known, suffer.
"They had around three kids, or so I recall. None of them stayed here unfortunately, soon after independence everyone was gone, the Britisher left with our dear nightingale. But before they left they sold this whole land to man who wanted to start a business of his own. My grandfather. And he gave this gift to my father and I got it from him.
"I have met that woman's daughter, when I was a child. She had come here to spend some time in the house her father had built. She was a woman with two children then. And let me tell you, she had a melodious voice herself. My grandfather said that her voice was exactly like her mother's. No wonder they had nicknamed her nightingale."
"Do they still visit? Their current generation," asked a guy in the back.
"Not really. Her daughter was the last person who came here to see this place. She was beautiful person inside out. Shared many stories from her childhood spent at Cloud Ends. I wish I could tell u a handful of them but I was too young to remember the details. "
"How a single place can make a thousand stories come to life!" I said softly.
"Indeed.. Indeed. That's why they say every place has a story," I heard him reply. This man's ears are really sharp. "Some stories die with time. Some stories are said aloud so that people may know. And some stories are so close to heart that sharing it with someone feels like your cheating on the story."
"Have you referred to the fault in our stars?" Asked Vicky from somewhere at the back.
"I suppose I have. Sweet story isn't it?"
"Indeed," she and a few other girls said.
"So what are your stories?"he asked as he sat on a small rock.
We all either sat on the grass or the rock. I find grass more comfortable.
"Well we are 12th graders. We wanna pass boards with good marks so that we can accomplish our dreams," said Alisha's favourite guy.
"Not these stories. Not the studies or occupation. Stories which define you. Which make you who you are or changed you completely as a person. Something you have hidden the whole of your life.  No better time than this to unveil yourself. And trust me, this forest doesn't have ears. It's a good exercise. And by the end of this discussion I'm sure a burden will be taken off your chest. So who wants to try?"
Okay. As interesting as this sounds, I'm not sure how anyone can confess their deepest secrets.
"No one up for it? Well I'll go first then," he said. "When my wife left me all by myself, I was completely devastated."
"Awe, how did she pass away," asked a girl.
"Oh she didn't pass away. She left me over 15 years ago. Ran away with a man who was a chef in the kitchen. No wonder she liked spending her time there. Anyway, once she had gone, I was devastated thinking of how someone could do this to me. I was sincere, honest, loving, compassionate and devoted to her. And that one single day changed everything. Your other half, the perfect one, can also not be trusted. You can be cheated by anyone, anytime. That's something you cannot change. You just need the courage to face the consequences and trust your instincts. The world does not end there. So, anyone else?"
"I'd like to share," said guy named Akil. "I lost my mum 2 years ago. She was a single parent. And never had she given me a chance for me to say that I felt the need of my dad. She provided me with all my necessities. Made sure I went to good school. Even after working for eight hours, she used cook food at home so that I need not eat anything from outside. She had always given me whatever I wanted. I wish I had the chance to tell her how grateful I am. How honoured I am to have her as my mother."
"Someday you will have your chance dear boy. I'm glad you shared," he said.
"I'd like to share," said Vicky. What's it that she wants to share? Does she wants to talk about Aarav? Maybe.
"This is something that should stay in family, but I just don't want to take it anymore. I'm tired of it. I need to let it out. My dad is the most amazing and perfect man in the world. I wish I could mean that sentence in the whole of it. Everyone tells me how great my dad is and how much he loves me and pampers me. How he could do anything to make me happy. No doubt in that, he does care a lot about me. And I am happy to have him but I cannot forget the fact that once upon a time my father cheated on my mother. Had an affair with a woman with two kids. Loved her son and daughter more than us. Took them on vacations and didn't even spend a holiday with us. All of it behind our backs. I felt cheated. I was in 7th grade. My dad was my hero for me. That moment on things did change. The whole concept of relationships, it just changed. I stopped believing in men. And when I found one, who I thought could restore my trust. Who could love me for who I am unconditionally. Who would love me and only me, I was proven wrong again. This just don't workout for me I guess. Or maybe things are coming the hard way out for me. But hey, me and my father are cool now. He has done very single thing to make our bond the way it was before. And I am glad that he took so many efforts, but hey, can our bond really be that strong ever again? Can he be my hero again?"
"I cannot tell you much about it. I was myself cheated by my wife with some other man. And it hurts when your beloved cheats on you. I wonder what your mother might have suffered in that cruel phase. I'm sure she is a strong woman who still stood by his side even when she had the authority and the right to leave him. I'm glad she fought for her love. Give him a chance. He needs to forget his past himself. He needs to get over that phase just like u do. And if he is making efforts then why do you want to back away? He deserves a chance doesn't he?"
"He does. I gave him one without any questions asked. It has never been the same though. I can never look at him the same way..in the corner of my heart, he will be the man who gave my mother the most humiliating and embarrassing three years of her life.
"That won't change , Vicky. It's going to be hard. A part of you will always remind you of that incident until you truly, whole heartedly forgive him."
"I can't, that's it, I can't."
"Id like to Share," I said to remove everyone's eyes off Vicky.
"Back when I was in tenth, my father suffered from a kidney problem.. Regular dialysis was a necessity. After a while, the  doctor said that a transplant was needed. None of us were a match to him so we headed to his brothers. He had five of them, him being the oldest. 2 of them ready to donate three of them not. The worst part was two of them weren't a match while one of those three was. And no matter what, he wasn't ready to give that kidney to him. It just made my mind stir how even your own blood brother could back out on you when you actually need him. Even when it's a matter of life and death."