CHAPTER 6....... FATE

The phone got disconnected as soon has she spoke out the last sentence . God knows it was an intentional act by her or fate had decided to disconnect the network. I guess I won't be able to make it today.The sentence probably din't mean a thing to her but it had impact on Rahil's Life. Fate , destiny , can be cruel at times. First 50 shades and now new year plan got crushed, how can life be so unforgiving at times. Have you ever felt lonely? Have you ever felt alone? Have you ever felt like a puzzle with missing pieces ever? Have you ever felt so empty that darkness takes over?. The phases of life, and Rahil was exactly going through this. Nothing seemed same anymore.

The day got colder now. He had this great ability  of being able to be in a silent room for hours before. He have had break ups in the past. Few bad relationship phases. But this was not even a break up nor a bad phase in a relation for him, this was something he had never felt in the past. He wanted to be with her and watch at her dimples while she talked. He felt hollow, a vacuum was formed inside him. The sound of the ceiling fan sounded more infuriating as he laid down on the bed with desperation. The ever moving clock looked more irksome. Silently , he unfolded the newspapers and started reading them when the message notification popped up. 

"15 UNREAD MESSAGES" it read. Most of them had arrived at the middle of the night, wishing him " happy New Year" , which were all left out of his sight throughout the night. The excitement of meeting her for the first time had left him in an unsound mind all throughout the ungodly hours of the night. He decided to check them up and slowly replied them back with a demented face .

The last one he received  up to the minute was from Rohan.

"Happy new year buddy, sorry couldn't wish you at night as i was all wasted yesterday" read the message.

"Its Ok bro, I slept early yesterday, and Happy new year to you too" he texted back.

Rohan although had one of the fittest body around but had great appetite for beers or alcohol. He could go on and on, bottles after bottles. 

As Rahil replied back to all the messages he went ahead to the balcony of his second floor apartment that opened into the open world and a deep blue sky above. He felt the winter breeze hitting on his face. The sun was nowhere to be seen. The  sky looked clouded, and as far as his sight went, he could see buildings all around and a layer of polluted air above them. A city of more than 15 million seemed so silent and at peace. The balcony had been his creativity room for years now. Every night he used to sit there for hours and used to fill up his diary pages with poems, articles, stories, quotes and Ayesha lately.

Suddenly the ringtone took away his lost world stage and brought him back to reality. It must be her, he thought. Unintentional smile took over his downcast look . The mobile showed Prashit's number. How stupidly he expected every messages and calls to be from her.

"Hello, Happy new year brother" Rahil said.

"Same to you bro, and listen"

"yes, i am all ears, say"

"We are planning to come down to your room and celebrate today. So if its ok with you, I guess we will be there within an hour."

"I don't have any problem. I am ok with it"

"Ok then,i will pick up Rohan and we will be on our way now." saying this , he hung up.

He spent the next half hour, cleaning his small world, and putting the scattered stuffs back to their places. Half a year ago, the same get together in that small world of his would give him immense pleasure. Would bring immense satisfaction to him. The booze sessions, the never ending topic on Bollywood, Messi or Ronaldo, who is the best, all these seemed so much fun. The get together managed to take away his lonely life for the interim span of time. But now it din't. Crush made him numb, irrational and this time a little anti social too.

Everything around him was Grey. The new year plan din't help it enough for him. Why the hell did she cancelled the plan he thought cleaning up the astrays that was almost full. I used to be alone and i can be, i have been like this for 21 years now , he thought , negativity flowing all through his veins now. He had read somewhere " Even if there is no person left to love you in this world, there will always be one-yourself", but the quote din't seem to do the trick for him. Somewhere inside , he now wanted to be loved  by her,  caressed by her. Rahil din't want her to be his crush anymore as crushes can be confusing sometimes. After cleaning up the half filled astray, and folding the last sheet of newspaper lying down on his bed, he decided to call Prashit.

"Hello, guys where are you all?"

"Hello Rahil, actually Joy is getting beers for us, so we will be there in fifteen minutes." replied Prashit.

"OK"

Now the alcohol seemed to be the only cure left for Rahil. Quietly , he rested his back against the pillow, and again stared at the never stopping clock. This new year looked no good for him unless fate played some part in it.**********

*********

The doorbell rang. He opened his eyes and went ahead towards the door.  The fifteen minutes nap also failed to restore him. With his eyes half open, he slowly opened the door.

"Happy new year mate," Joy hugged him with a smile, as soon as he opened the door. His eyes held full excitement for the day. Time galloped away when they used to meet everytime before, but Rahil was still stucked on that phone call he had  received early morning from Ayesha. 

Meanwhile, Prashit and Rohan went inside and placed a bag, containing bottles of volatile liquid and some chips and packets of bhujiya on the bed. It was 1P.M and winter breeze had brought some rain with it , it was drizzling now. The cold wind managed to make its way into the room  through the only window.

Prashit made his way to the bathroom and Joy went downstairs to get some cigarettes for the day. The next half an hour was spent discussing life and the current college news , and how they missed college now. Even Ayesha was not spared from the topic and Rahil explained his current equation to all of them. Then usual Bollywood discussions ,followed up with football and politics. Rahil was feeling like a martian right now, he desperately wanted to be inducted into the group once again, but he couldn't. His new found zest for living , was what all he could think of.

The rain had stopped by now, and the boozing session kicked off .

"So you love her Rahil?" Rohan started the first topic for the session.

"Ummm...I don't know..but"

"But what, you like her right?"

"Yes" he cleared the mist of the confusion.

"Many guys like her Rahil" Joy interfered. This sentence from him evoked a strange feeling inside Rahil. Joy had this ability to sound irritating at times, though he was never aware of that.

" So, how can I help it?" Rahil asked Joy.

"Man , you must take steps towards her , I feel. Just sitting here and liking her won't create any miracle for you" Prashit said, sipping on his glass of beer. No wonder, they had no idea how unlucky he had been lately. He felt like a loser. He tried and was still trying to make a place in her world. The suggestions they gave seemed like those same college lectures, where most of the time was spent sleeping. He was not being able to get his thoughts in order.

The conversation persisted in a active manner ahead. All three looked full of life and enthusiasm, as the bottles emptied up and lined up beside them. Rahil was just there sipping on his part and lost in his own web of imaginations and philosophies. 

"So guys , who will win the IPL this season? Rohan shouted and a long discussion followed between the three of them. Rahil was out of words and out of thoughts today. He was silently staring at the three chirping personalities in front of him.

" Excuse me guys, just a sec" saying this, he got up from the conference and headed towards his creativity room, the balcony. The polluted layer had decreased by now. Drizzles continued, and the day grew brighter than before. He took long breaths standing there silently. The conversation inside the room had evolved to football now, but little did he cared to participate. He stood there, in the balcony,firmly, looking at the sky , birds flying up above. His eyes would follow them until they disappeared into the horizon. Everything was silent and held its own meaning at that time.

His head had started feeling little heavy now, a sudden warmth covered his body. The three bottles of beer inside had grasped him and started curing him for now.

He felt a vibration inside his left pocket . He took out the phone and it was a call from an unknown number, he answered the phone...

"Hello"

"Hello, Rahil ,Ayesha here".......

Fate could do wonders at times. One can control his destiny but not his fate. Most Gods throws dice , but fate plays chess. We all have the choices as to whether we fulfill our destiny, but our fate is sealed, and this was his fate. Her name was AYESHA.

*********************