Just another Love Story

Chapter 6

2017

'Finally! I thought you are going to take forever to come! What took you so long?' 

'Nothing bud. She is coming back tomorrow, hopefully. So...you know..preparations and all...' he sighed, looked down for a moment and then looked up and smiled at me. 

'I can't see you like this dude. This is too much! She has made you anticipate her arrival since the last two months! I see you every week, making preparations and then it's just....'

Raj suddenly pulled me into a hug. He was shaking....sobbing.....

'Bro....it's...hey! hey!...grab yourself together Raj....what happened...?'

'Its...' he sobbed, 'Nothing...just....five years....I waited.....you know....five years.....for her....and when I finally got her....she....left....'

I stood frozen there for a moment. Raj, as I have known him, has always been calm and composed. Even back then, seven years before...he never used to cry in front of anyone else...he always gave us a smile. He looked grim all the time, but when anyone talked to him, he smiled at them. A guy like that, crying in front of me...this was really taking a toll on him.

'Get yourself together bro! She will return. Soon. I promise. Come, show me the town! Your favourite places!'

He let go of me, wiped off his tears and nodded. "Okay...'

'But I will drive!' I declared. He won't be able to drive well, being this sad.

'So...where too, first?'

'Let's start with the library! It has got such awesome books..'

'God! You know what they say....once a nerd, always a nerd!'

'Haha. And who says that?'

'Nobody. Just me. Anyway, if you will for it, to the library shall we proceed. And luckily enough, I know the way.' I grinned at him as I turned the keys. 

'Huh? You don't say! What were you doing at a Library?' Raj awed at me.

'I read books too, bro! Just rarely and of different genres! Also, the library has had a new arrival...' I smirked at him.

'What?'

'I won't name it here. Look at it yourself when we reach there. I am sure you are going to love it!'

His amazement would be much more profound when he would see for himself the mangas that had arrived at the library, I thought. Actually I was driving back from my office one day when I saw a car filled with lots of mangas driving into the library. I pulled up there and asked about it. When I got to know that they were being put up there, and that too in a whole section of their own, I signed up immediately for membership. 

'They 'r' quite in demand aroun' here ya know....every other chap asks for 'em!' the Librarian had said to me.

'Yes, now keep driving straight from here bro! Turn right at the T-point...' Raj directed.

'That's the long route dude. I know a shorter one.' I veered right and then left. I had discovered this route in my initial days when I was late for my office. I knew the direction, and one look at my watch and then at this lane, and I ran for it. Being on foot has it's advantages. But for now we were in a car, so I couldn't run so freely.

I turned right. Just two miles or so, and we would be there. But maybe I was judging too fast. 

As soon as I turned, Raj shrieked. He grabbed my arm. I almost lost my grip on the steering.

'What?!' I managed to look at him out of the corner of my eye. His face suddenly changed, from upset to utterly horrified. He was stupefied and his forehead was filled with sweat already.

'Not....this...way...please....' he managed to whisper. I felt his grip tighten on my arm. 

'What? Why! What happened? Raj?...' I admit. I was frightened. Quite frightened.

'Please....turn...around...now.....ARGH!!' He suddenly let go of me and took his head in his hands as if it throbbed with pain.

'Okay...hold on...I am turning....' I saw the first U-turn and took it. 

'Alright now?'

'Drive me back home...please....'

'Raj....what...?'

'Nothing major...I just....suddenly....don't feel well.' 

I still couldn't understand what was happening, but I took the road back to home. I parked the car and we got out. He took the keys back immediately.

'Go home Jheel. I am going to take some rest. Okay?'

'But....will you be fine? What happened?'

'Nothing bro! Chill. Go now. Let me rest!'

'Okay.....okay...if you say so.' I turned around and walked away. After a few steps I turned around. He hadn't moved. He just stood there looking down and...shaking. Then his head rose a little and maybe he saw me looking at him. He turned around and started walking towards his apartment. 

***

If  only I hadn't listened to him that day and not left him like that. If only I hadn't been such a dummy and tried to understand what had suddenly happened. If only I was a better friend, my friend would have been much better....

***

2015 

Anidhya couldn't stop crying. She was a nurse alright, but this was her friend! Her childhood friend. Sure, they hadn't talked in such a long while, but they hadn't ended up on bad terms either. It was just that both of them were a little busy in settling things in their own lives....and now? Look at how cruel the way they reunited! She wanted to talk to her. And she stood in front of her. But alas! she couldn't. 

'Anidhya....?' She had groaned when she had regained conscious, suddenly, just before being operated upon. She had grabbed her hand and whispered in her ear..a message. 

But now the operation was over. She stood in front of her. She wanted to talk to her. But Alas! She could not. Never again. 

Meanwhile, she was summoned to a nearby ward. The man had regained conscious, but he shook with fright. He won't say anything. 

'We won't be able to contact his family this way...' Seema was telling her. Anidhya turned to look at who he was. She opened the gate and....

'Oh. Dear Lord.'

*** 

Liked it? Vote please (tap/ click the star icon at the bottom or top right so it turns orange).
Don't like it? ? By all means, criticise your heart out!

Thank you, so much.
Keep reading!