Dedicated to all those who have read my stories … and found it to have a heart .

THE STORY SO FAR…….

Prakarsh Tiwari is doing his MBA at the Indian Institute of Welfare and Management . He is the events co-ordinator of his batch , has got a cool gang Badmaash Company which has Preety , Vibha , Nitu , Ankita as its other members . Life is almost perfect . Only trouble is that he is in love with a Brahmin girl who studied with him in Class 12. He doesn’t realize this till the third year of his graduation when he has a chance meet with Rishika who was here to do a project at ISI . When she was leaving for Delhi after completing the project, she left with two things , her project report , and Prakarsh’s heart…………However things take an unknown turn when he meets Priyadarshini , the girl who studied with him in Presidency College . Prakarsh once had feelings for her , but soon they drifted apart because of misunderstandings and petty fights. Priyadarshini turns out to be a friend of Rishika too .

OF SOMETHING CALLED LOVE

The love story of a Brahmin boy ….. its complicated.

CHAPTER 4

THE PAST THAT HE NEVER WANTED

During the Managerial Economics class , Preeti looked at me and said , “ Is there a problem ?”

“Nothing ,” I lied to her and I knew she did not believe me.

In the canteen , Arobindo Haldar , my Presidency buddy and now my Bchool mate ,came to me “ Hey , Prakarsh , did you hear ? FIFA 2011 has hit the stores.”

I felt like kicking him .

“ Saale sab teri wajah se hua hai . If in Presidency you would not have pointed at her , I would probably never have noticed her .”

I explained to her my chance meet with Priyadarshini . Arobindo as usual was not ruffled.

“How was I to know she was in Rishika’s friend list ?” he asked me .” Don’t worry , tu sambhaal lega . Tu stud hai .”

The problem was I did not understand what was bothering me so much . Was it the fear that Priyadarshini would tell about ‘US’ to Rishika . Or was it some feeling that I had still left for her . But if that was so , I was not being honest with Rishika , was I ? Uff .. calculus was way easier than life’s problems , I thought .

After the last class on Portfolio Management ended , I went to meet Rishika . Three days more and she would be off to her college in Benaras.

I met Rishika at City Centre . After a quick chat , I messaged Priyadarshini .

“Can we meet at the Coffee House . Its important.”

For ten minutes , no reply came . But then my cell phone beeped .

“7.00 pm” Short and sweet . I looked at my watch . It was six. I went to the Kali temple at Thanthaniya . When I was in Presidency , I used to visit this temple every Thursday. But after getting into MBA , life became so busy that I just couldn’t find the time . As I looked at Goddess Kali , I prayed for some peace . Then I made a wish . The same wish that I used to make every time I visited the temple during my graduation days.As a child I never ever wished anything from God . When the time comes , I will , I used to say. I had only retorted to her when my sister in law was about to deliver a baby and the doctors had said that the pregnancy was critical . Goddess Kali had listened to my wish that time . Please God one more time , I told her . I promised that I would offer two garlands in the temple if my wish turned out to be true.

Fifteen minutes later , I started for Coffee House . Priyadarshini was waiting for me . She showed no reaction on seeing me . I gave her a faint smile .

“I didn’t think that I would be seeing you again .” I said .

She looked at her watch .

“Even I didn’t . I was here for a management training program organized by my company . Had I known Rishika was calling me , to meet you , I would never have come .”

Her voice was very shrill .She looked different , tired. Banks do that to you . Priyadarshini had cracked CAT in her first attempt itself and got a chance at IIM Khozikode. She was currently working as an equity researcher for Morgan Stanley in Banglore.

“Priyadarshini , I called you to tell , I mean .. ask …” words were not coming out . I was finding it difficult to speak . Three years ago I would have asked her anything . But today as I sat beside her she almost felt like a stranger.

“Prakarsh , I know what you want to ask . Let me put your fears to rest . I have told Rishika nothing . Don’t worry.” She replied.

“Actually I just met Rishika today and told her everything .”

She was a little taken aback.

“Yes , because I think she has the right to know .” I remarked.

She didn’t say anything. She just looked at her watch.

“I just want to ask you . I mean , I know I don’t have any right to . But are you … I mean is Sanjay ….”

Thank God girls have a good sixth sense . Priyadarshini understood what I was asking .

“I am marrying Sanjay next January .” she replied, her voice still very rigid.

Something inside me felt good. Infact it felt brilliant .

“Though I can’t see why that is any of your business.” she said and looked at her watch again .

I knew that it was time to leave . I stood up . I wanted to ask her a lot of things , because I knew we would never meet again . I wanted to ask her why she did not reply to my mails , why did she say the things that she said about my behavior towards her , I wanted to tell her how happy I was for her . But I did not .

As I was leaving , for just one final time I turned around . She raised her eyebrows.

“Believe me , if anything concerns you , it will always be my business.”

And then I walked away from her … forever……

Before catching the train I went back to Thanthaniya Kali temple once again. From the shop that stood near the temple I asked for two garlands.

“Bahut khush lag rahe hain bhaiya ?” the shopkeeper asked me as he handed me the two garlands neatly wrapped in a paper.

“Haan bhaiya ji , bahut din se Kali ji se kuch maang raha tha , aaj mil gaya .” I replied.

Now let me tell you a few things before I try to erase Priyadarshini from my memories forever. Whenever Priyadarshini and I had a fight , I would visit this temple and pray that Sanjay’s family accept her , because I knew that she would never ever be happy with me .Even after we stopped talking to each other I prayed the same for her . I have no doubt in my mind that Priyadarshini must have tried everything possible to make situations normal between us . I also believe that she must have had some compelling reasons for not replying to my malis or for that matter behaving the way she did . Whatever problems that did creep between us were probably due to my short temperedness and my hasty decision making . I have absolutely no regrets or complains from her . I just hope and pray that she finds happiness and success in her life and that Sanjay keeps her really happy and turns out to be a true friend , something that I could never be.

…………………………………..

At night before sleeping , I took out my diary and scribbled the following.

RULES THAT I WILL FOLLOW FROM TODAY.

1) Never allow your past to screw up your present or for that matter yourfuture

2) Always give more than hundred percent to any friendship , you may not get back that much in return , but then friendship in not equity where the real rate of return has to match the expected rate.

3) Never ever ever fall in love with a girl.

As I tucked my diary in my drawer , my cell phone beeped . Rishika ..

Rishika : Hero , problem solve hua ?

Me: Yes , I think , she will hate me a little less now . Atleast I hope so.

For a second we both were quiet . Then she spoke.

Rishika : Forget it . Ok , I just called to tell that my reservation has been confirmed .

Me: oh .. I almost forgot . Day after tomorrow na ?

Rishika : Hmm. Placements bhi start hone hai .

Again a moment of silence.

Me: Thanks for today . I really needed to talk to someone.

Rishika : No probs . I am relieved that you got to talk with her . I never knew so much had happened between you two.

What so much ? Nothing had happened between us , I wanted to tell her.

Me: Ya , but I could not say to her all that I wanted .

Rishika : And what was that ?

Me: I wanted to remind her that she still had my Jeffery Archer book . I wish she would have got that for me.

I could hear a roar of laughter from the other side.

Rishika : You know , after all these years you haven’t changed ?

For a moment I was taken aback . I remember , during one of the many fights that I had with Priyadarshini , she had remarked , you know what Prakarsh , even after all the fights that we have had , you haven’t changed .

Rishika’s last sentence kind of dumbfounded me . I could not speak anything .

As I was about to sleep , with a light heart , and some past memories , my cell phone vibrated again . A message from Rishika.

“Its true that you have never changed , but then that is what makes you so good. Don’t you dare change .”

I quickly woke up and took out the diary from my drawer . I just added another rule that I intended to follow all my life .

4) To rule number 3 there can be an exception under special circumstances.

And then I started snoring .

……………………

Next day , Arobindo , Shahid ( from the junior events team ) and myself were in the canteen . Shahid was showing me photographs from the Puja trips on his laptop. Suddenly Arobindo , tapped my hand and pointed towards the corner . A girl was standing talking to a few seniors .

“She is Rashmi Jalan . from the sports management department . Sahi hai na ?”

I didn’t reply . Shahid nodded and said , “Class mein sab ise JALWA bulaatein hain .” They giggled.

I turned Shahid’s laptop towards me , logged into my Facebook account , went into Rishika’s profile .

“What did you tell her name was ?” I asked.

“Rashmi Jalan ,” both replied , in chorus.

I typed the name RASHMI JALAN in the search option of Rishika’s friend list and pressed ENTER. “NO MATCHES FOUND.” I heaved a sigh of relief.

I looked at the girl ,turned to Shahid and Arobindo and then remarked , “Sahi hai boss .”

And then …. We laughed.

…………………………………….

A story by Pranay Tiwari.

The second last part of the tragedy … , next Sunday .. the beginning of the end will start next week.