While north India was freezing, Chennai was hit by a cyclone. Chennai’s people, being strong, were settling their life again. Cyclone had done its damage, and people were trying to get back to their normal life. Fallen trees were removed, people were reconstructing their shops, and pedestrians could be seen on wet roads.
There was still a cyclone, and it was affecting lives around it. He was trying to control that cyclone but always failed. It was a cyclone going inside Sujoy, and affecting lives around him.
In the morning he burst out on his elder brother, and even called him ‘biggest enemy’. After that fight he was broken, and despite of heavy rain warning he went outside.
He parked his bike in the empty parking area of phoenix mall. His eyes were dry, that morning fight affected him most. He took a deep breath, and entered into the mall.
“One ticket,” Sujoy said to the ticket counter boy.
“Which movie?” boy said.
“Anyone!” Sujoy said.
“Which one?” boy said.
Sujoy gazed at him, the counter boy got scared of that. The boy was in his late teenage and doing job as replacement of his brother.
“You want to see..,” boy said.
“Yeah sure give me one ticket,” he said.
He took the ticket without looking at it. He headed towards the screen 3, as directed by the security staff. He got seat in the middle but later switched it to upper seat, as theatre was empty, and he wanted to be alone.
He wasn’t interested in watching movie; his mind was stuck on what happened with him 3 weeks ago.
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It was 30th November; Sujoy was travelling to Delhi to meet his long time girlfriend, Anaya. He was travelling through air, as taking leave during his probation period could cause his job.
He struggled very much to afford that flight ticket. He walked office to his home, reduced his expenses, and didn’t go to office parties. He wanted to meet Anaya this time.
He also brought a present for her, was sure that she would like it.
He was sad for not finding Anaya on Delhi airport; he thought she would come to pick him.
“She might be busy,” he said to himself.
It was a condolence that he gave to himself.
He called Anaya to inform her about his arrival, and told her to see her soon.
He always called her once in every 3 hours; it became his habit since they were in relationship. He could not live without talking to her.
He booked a hotel room and dinner table.
He received call from Anaya. She said she would meet him near New Delhi railway station.
Sujoy hugged her tightly as he met her after 3 long-lasting years. Anaya like always gave him quick kiss on lips.
They booked an ola cab go to hotel, Anaya was resting on his thighs till they reach hotel. They checked in at 10:30p.m., went for dinner.
“I missed you, Anaya.” Sujoy said.
“I missed you too, Sujoy.” She said.
She was engaged in her mobile very much. Sujoy find it strange as they had policy of ‘not touching mobile on date’. Sujoy had ignored that
At 0000 they celebrated Sujoy’s birthday. Sujoy was telling, how these three years went without seeing her, but she was busy in her phone.
On the next day, they went to Ram Krishna math and from there they went to park and then Anaya took him on lunch. Sujoy was getting annoyed because her habit of checking mobile.
Their common friend Sneha met them at 7 pm. Sujoy cut the cake made by Sneha and after that Sujoy gave them treat at the same restaurant. After dinner Anaya went outside for few minutes.
“I want to tell you something,” Sneha said.
“What?” Sujoy asked.
“I know you since class 11th,” Sneha said “I watched both you growing as partner, but don’t do all this.”
“What you mean?” Sujoy said.
“Just be aware,” Sneha said “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Mea..” Sujoy said.
“Sorry,” Anaya said “it was something important.”
Sneha left without completing their conversation.
In the night, Anaya was having migraine problem and Sujoy asked her about why she was so much engaged in her phone. Anaya lost her control on that question
“What you mean by that? Don’t you trust? Do you think I am with someone else?” Anaya said.
“No dear, I was just asking.” Sujoy said.
“You always spoil everything,” Anaya said.
She went to washroom. Sujoy sat on the bed, his hand were on head, thinking about what he did. He took out the gift he brought for Anaya.
“Hopefully this will help,” Sujoy said to himself.
Sujoy was thinking about a song to please her, he got interrupted by beeping of her phone. He didn’t want to check it but Sneha words made him to check that.
That was the messages from a boy, her colleague. But before Sujoy could read the message Anaya came back and hugged him.
It was 3 am in the morning; Sujoy was shock to see Anaya engaged in the mobile.
He checked her mobile, when she went to washroom. Sujoy’s whole body was shivering, he feeled fidgety and tears dropped down from his eyes. He slept, wishing this would be a nightmare.
He woke up in the morning at 6 am, wishing it would be a nightmare, but it was a reality, a reality which going to haunt him for life.
Anaya came to drop him at railway station.
“Don’t come to airport,” Sujoy said.
“I love you Sujoy,” Anaya said.
He hugged Anaya and said “no need to lie to me.”
‘I liked our tonigth’s kiss, I liked your taste of lips’ this message were haunting him, he could not believe that she cheated him on his birthday. His brother was right; he should not be that blind in love that he ignored happening of events. He reached home devastated; he didn’t face anybody and left for his. After one week Anaya called him, accuse him, and said it was over from her side. Sujoy begged her to stay but this time nothing worked for them.
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It’s been two weeks since he broke up. He was not Sujoy that he used to be. He became completely mute after his break up. His behaviour worried his elder brother Samony most. Samony tried his best to help Sujoy. Sujoy was embarrassed to talk about incident with his brother and his brother questions were irritating him. This morning when his brother asked him to come on trip, he lost his temper and yelled at him.
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Glint of lights brought him back to the present. It was intermission of movie, and Sujoy still no aware about the name of movie. He remembered only a scene where female lead stab at the back of the male lead.
He was feeling hungry, so he went towards the theatre canteen.
“One popcorn box,” Sujoy said.
“Which one?” the teenage boy asked.
He was the same boy whom he met on the ticket counter.
“The one made up of corn,” Sujoy said.
The boy was having a bad day, as he was the new victim of Sujoy’s anger.
“I mean small, medium, and large.” The boy said.
“A large one,” Sujoy said.
He also brought a sandwich to keep himself engage in movie.
Second half of the movie was showing about how hero falls in the love with heroine.
“My story is better than this,” Sujoy said.
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It was time when facebook was entering in India, and orkut was in its last leg. It was time when typing ‘I love you’ on mobile was not as easy as it seems now-a-days, and that’s how 143 become so popular. It was time when we used to play on ground not on battle ground in android games.
Yes, it was 2010s time.
It was time of summer, when a science competition held in the army campus of Chennai. It was an informal competition that was organised by the children to make summer excited. Sujoy was there to help his brother in setting up his project.
Sujoy cleared his 10th class board exam and was sure to opt for commerce as he didn’t want any competition from his brother.
Sujoy saw a new girl there, and was instantly fall out in love with her. He didn’t know what attracted him as it was very sudden. He glanced on her, and now his gaze was locked on her.
Even after one week of new session, Sujoy didn’t find her in school. He was afraid that if she’s not in K.V., than she should be in A.P.S., and now he had to do friendship with the A.P.S. boys.
It was their first Hindi class, and they had to share it with science students as only one Hindi teacher was available. They had opposed the common class’s idea but at the end they had to agree about it.
Sujoy glanced at the science students, and found his gazed lock again. There was a girl whom he saw in science competition. She was wearing immaculate blue kurti and white salwar, with white dupata. Her black shoes were shining. She had two pony tails.
Sujoy found Hindi class interesting and idea of common class exuberant.
At the end of the class Sujoy went to her.
“Hey! I am Sujoy,” he said.
“Hey! I am Anaya,” she said.
For many days there chats didn’t last more than greetings. Things changed during September, when one day her friend was absent and she requested Sujoy to seat with her. After that they became inseparable till Diwali vacations.
Their bond grew stronger after Diwali vacations. They started meeting during morning prayers, in recess, on water tap and when school get over they met at school bus stand. Sujoy used to stand on his bus gate to wave good bye to her and she waved back with blush.
Winter vacations were about to start and this they didn’t want to get separate.
“Can I get your number?” Sujoy asked.
“Why?” Anaya said.
“For our Hindi project,” Sujoy said.
“Are we really doing that?” Anaya smiled.
Anaya gave her number and said “no need to lie to me”.
They used to message each other on day and call at night. They rarely talked about their project but always talked about each other. They talked about their like and dislikes, their childhood and places they lived at.
Sujoy came to know that she lived in Tambaram campus, and that was the reason for not finding her in his campus at Madambakkam.
Sujoy was a Bengali Brahman and Anaya was a UP Brahman. Although they were from different culture they had a lot of similarities.
After vacations, they used to talk a lot in school and during night they discussed about their school.
On 23rd January 2012, Sujoy proposed her on call. She didn’t reply to that proposal, and when Sujoy forced her to at least say something. She said “I won’t accept call proposal, propose me face to face, if you have dare.”
On the next day, Sujoy tired during assembly, during Hindi class, and also during recess but he failed to express his love. During 7th period he saw her on watertap.
“Hey! Anaya,” Sujoy said.
“Hey! Sujoy,” Anaya said.
“I...I... want to say something,” Sujoy said.
Anaya looked at him with a blush and expecting to get proposed again.
“I.. how you doing?” Sujoy said.
Anaya blush disappeared and her eyebrows get frowned.
“How many time you will ask me this?” she said “I am doing fine!”
“I love you.” Sujoy said with closed eyes.
Sujoy didn’t wait to hear her reply and ran towards his class with empty water bottle. Anaya was still standing there with a blush.
They met on 13th February at Railway Park near Tambaram. This was their first date but still they are not in relationship as Sujoy never dared to ask her answer.
This time Sujoy was ready, he would even ask for answer.
He went on his knee and proposed her in the filmy way. She didn’t answer but Sujoy was firm to know about her feeling.
Anaya smiled and gave him a quick kiss on lips. “I love you, too.” She blushed.
On 13th February they accepted each other as their partners.
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Film had ended and Sujoy still agreed that his love story was better.
Sujoy liked his own company, and was feeling better. He thought about watching one more movie.
“How can I help you?” the teenage boy asked.
“By resigning.” Sujoy said.
The boy took a deep breath.
“I want a movie ticket,” Sujoy said.
“whi..”
“Whichever, just don’t repeat.” Sujoy said.
“Hindi or English.” The boy said.
“Tamil!” Sujoy said.
Sujoy brought a ticket of tamil action movie, and wonder why they have only one boy as staff. Sujoy ate a sandwich from outside the theatre.
This was an action movie, about male lead taking revenge of his father’s death. Sujoy found that movie amazing but still sometimes got interrupted by his past.
He was thinking about the sign that she gave. It was not the first time he got cheated by her. They broke twice and both time she cheated him. But whenever she asked for forgiveness, Sujoy always forgave her. Sujoy also realized that it was his fault too, he shouldn’t be overprotective for her, and interfering her life too much.
Film had ended, but Sujoy was still in grip of his past. He was slowly becoming normal, and realized he should share his problem with his brother earlier. Sujoy was feeling better; he was dealing with his trauma. He decided to watch one more move.
This time he talked politely to that boy, even said thank you to him, and asked to forgive him. This time he named the movie, it was a blockbuster Hindi movie with a houseful show. Sujoy was getting normal, he was ready to accept crowd.
He watched whole movie, without getting interfered by his past incident. He made a deal with himself ‘no more Anaya’. After movie got over, he went to parking area called his brother, and said sorry to him.
“What about trip?” Samony asked.
“I am in!” Sujoy said.
Sujoy left for his home on his bike. He knew he cannot forget Anaya easily as he had a lot of memories with her. She was always going to part of his good memories. But he was sure he would never love anyone else again
