Amor Fati - Our Love, Our Fates [COMPLETE]

Part 16 - Desolate

Part 16

Rohini's Apartment, Bengaluru

"Barkha came into our lives when I was in Class XI" Nikhil stated, the coffee mug warming his hands, his eyes fixed at a distance. They were now both comfortably seated in two slim jute bottom chairs that Rohini had mustered into the balcony. The rainfall was now heavy; it was clear that it would take some time for it to stop. The balcony was already partly wet from the sprays of rain that blew in it's direction, once the wind changed course, ever so often.

Nikhil continued

"We met at the Music School, where I was learning playing violin. And saxophone. And piano. My Grandfather had sought for tutors at home, but I wanted the human interface with other students as well, especially since Ajji passed away a few months back.

Barkha was in the same class as I, she was smart, beautiful, extremely gregarious while I was the quiet kid in the class. We were however in the same group and we got along well, though she had scores of other friends as well.

Over years, we got to know that our parents had known each other, though they were not family friends. Her family had shifted to Bengaluru from Ludhiana decades ago, and the city was now their home.

She was extremely talented; and our teachers obviously loved her. We were six of us in the group - Barkha, Anoop, Ritesh, Sneha, Veenu and I. We all dreamt touring Europe one day, and visiting the cradles of European civilisation, and of course go to the London and Vienna Philharmonies.

While money had never been an issue for me, and Barkha - she came from an extremely rich family, the others were from middle class families. So we all waited and persevered, till we could all go together. I could have easily offered loan but I didn't want my friends to feel belittled.

Luckily for us, we finally got a chance to fulfil our dreams; the dream which had kept on growing within us for years and we were all extremely elated when we got a chance to visit the Vienna Philharmonic. Our joys knew no bound when we reached Musikverein."

"And Roshan?" Rohini asked.

Nikhil looked at her, a strange gleam in his eyes

"Oh Roshan has always been my best friend, since we were in our kindergartens. But well you could say, he had no particular proclivity for music, though he encouraged me from the sidelines. I don't know what I would have done without him though.

He never resented my growing friendship with the gang, and had always been there to support me. But he had a legal bent of mind, so he pursued what he loved best. Further, he never gelled much with the gang, especially with Barkha and Ritesh. He called them show-offs"

Rohini nodded.

"Let me get some more coffee" she rushed inside, hoping that there were no missed calls from her father. Her phone had been charging in the bedroom, and with the rain clattering all around, she could have well missed a call or two.

She returned some time later with coffee and cookies, to find Nikhil still sitting in the same position.

"Nikhil?" she asked, as she settled down in her chair. Nikhil looked at her for a moment, lost in thoughts, wondering about his next words.

He almost whispered

"And in between, things were changing in our personal lives as well, I fell for Barkha. When the gang was formed, I had decided that my sole passion would be music, and nothing else. But things changed. You know it does, suddenly, when you least expect it to happen.