❝Live a life of Lies, die a death of Truth.❞
The one thing fate is good at is spinning dangerous turns and planting deathly bogs in the stream of life. When you are stuck in the eye of the storm, the truth can't set you free; but the lies can give y...
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August 1, 2017
Hansika. My mind repeats the name again. Her name is Hansika Chaturvedi. That's how Madhuri introduced her during breakfast. Vinodh was badly hungover from the previous night and so the two women were waiting in the deserted lobby trying to find the manager, who was probably in his own cabin, hungover as well. That's when I saw them and took them to a nearby restaurant for breakfast.
Hansika is Madhuri's cousin. The little boy is Aayush, Madhuri and Vinodh's son. The four of them are on their way to Agra. I couldn't ask them anything else, for I can only ask what I can answer if I'm asked back. All through breakfast, I kept stealing glances at her. But she was always looking down, not once looking up to me. I can't decide if she just doesn't like my presence or if she's scared of me. It's not like either of them makes sense, I'll tell you that.
Time fleets by and breakfasts are soon over. The waiter comes with the bill and I insist on paying the bill, but Hansika cut me off by saying, "Thank you for the kindness, but I need to take my responsibilities on my own shoulders. Sorry." The table falls silent for the next minute. I stare at her face, trying to judge where the words came from, but it's difficult to do so because she's staring right back at me. Right into my eyes. There's a spark in her eyes. They're not a spark that induces disastrous vibes, they're not a forest fire. The spark in her eyes are those that entice me and long to know the truth behind them.
Madhuri tries to speak to her, but Hansika quickly takes the bill from my hand and pays for it. Madhuri looks at me and mouths a sorry, but I shake my head.
Smiling, I say, "I know a lot of people in my life who wouldn't even dare think about taking responsibilities on their shoulders. So much so that they'd do anything to get away from it. It's good to see someone who wants to suit up and take responsibilities."
Hansika looks down at the glass on the table as she smiles with a tight lip. "If there are people who really get away from it, then they're lucky. It isn't so easy to run away from life itself, is it?"
Those words pelt at my heart a little harder than I thought it would. I do have it easy, I realize. Images of my never-empty credit card, my classy Unicorn and the freedom ahead flash in my head and along with it the perspective of not having the options I have with me right now. And I wonder what options Hansika had. In a little corner of my heart, I hope she has better ones, like the ones I had. She deserves it more.
"I hope you have a good life, Hansika." Our eyes lock once again as I see them widen. I smile and blink in reassurance. But she quickly drops the contact before excusing herself and leaving.
As she walks away, Madhuri turns to me and says, "I'm sorry about her attitude. She's been through a lot and it still getting over some bitter experiences in the past. So, please don't keep in mind what she said."
