Introduction.
Name: - Avinash Pandey.
Date of Birth:-1st March, 1997.
Hobbies:-Writing, Photography, Music, Badminton and Cricket.
Other Works:-Published twice in the TTIS (The Telegraph in Schools). Also have done voice-overs for a few poems and plays at live concerts. Published in “Glimpses” Blogger at: - heartunplugged01.blogspot.in
Email Id:-avinash.pandey696@gmail.com
Love at 15.
“Vikrant Khanna” said a loud voice. “Vikrant Khanna”, the voice louder this time. “I said Vikrant Khanna” the voice at its loudest. I came back to my senses. “Present sir” I said. “Daydreaming or what?” said Mr. Malhotra, our commerce teacher. I said “Ah, uh no sir actually I was thinking about my project.” “Whatever, come and take your accounts test paper. You have got let me see…………full marks again..!” I went up to him. “Congratulations.” “Thank you sir”. He gave me my paper. I took it, went to my place, looked at it and kept it in my bag. Then one by one, everyone else was called and was given their papers. At last sir announced, “Anamika Kapur.” From the back came the reply “Yes sir.” “Well other than Vikrant you are the only one who has scored full marks.” Anamika had a smile on her face. She said, “Thank you sir.” She then took her paper and came back to her seat. While coming back she looked at me and smiled. I smiled back. Then sir continued his lecture and the class presumed decorum.
During recess, Anamika came up to me and said, “Thank you so much for helping me. I didn’t know a thing or two about that Trading and Profit and Loss A/C. If you wouldn’t have been there I would have surely screwed up.” Jokingly I asked, “So now you know a thing or two about it??” She hit me playfully one my hand. I liked that touch of her hand. “How do you manage to keep all that inside your head?” asked Anamika. I replied, “So that I may be able to help you when you are in trouble.” “Aww, how sweet….I guess that’s the reason you are my boyfriend.” I said “Please at least in school don’t call me your boyfriend. As it is my friends are jealous of me. The reason is that you stay so close to me. Now if they hear this they will just go away.” “So your friends are more important to you than I am, right? I guess I should leave then.” Saying this she started to leave. I realized that I had said too much. I called out “Anamika.” She didn’t reply. I called out again, “Anamika.” “What???” came an angry reply? I said “You have forgotten something.” “What have I forgotten??” she asked. “Why don’t you come and see it for yourself??” I said. She came back. “What have I forgotten?” I gave her a piece of paper. She opened it and after reading it looked at me. After sometime she said “I am sorry. I got a little frustrated. Please don’t cry…” I said, “I am not crying….this is known as water!!!” “You…..” saying this she hugged me and I also hugged her. Later in the class, Pooja said to me, “Don’t hug her in open. You both will get into trouble.” I said, “Thank you for the advice ma’am.” I saw that Anamika was looking at me with suspicion. I shrugged my shoulders. She smiled. After school she asked, “What was Pooja saying?” I said, “She was saying that I should not hug you in open as we both will get into trouble.” “Really?” said Anamika. “Yes, you need to believe me.” “It’s ok I was just asking.” After that I went home. Refreshed myself and had my lunch. At 5, I went to my tuition. I came at back at 7 and took a 15 min break. Taking that break was important as our teacher had taken a surprise test and it didn’t go out well for me (usually surprise tests don’t go well for anyone). I sat down with my maths homework. 20 mins into the subject I found that I hadn’t completed a single sum. I was blankly staring at the members of the maths system. To name a few: - Sine, cosine and tangent. These members were also staring at me (they couldn’t do anything else rather than staring at me). I was thinking about her. I was thinking about Anamika. I don’t know why but I had been thinking about her. She was the best thing which happened to me in my school life. While talking to her even the patal sabzi on the table seemed interesting. Well I have to thank God for making us fall in love.
The first day when we had met and had chatted, was a bit weird. It was raining cats and dogs. I was in the school corridor and so was Anamika. She had an umbrella in her hand and was trying to open it (nothing sort of happened the way you are thinking it to be. No Anamika’s umbrella didn’t fly away and I did not run up to her with mine). Actually in an attempt to open her umbrella she swung it so hard that it came out of her hand and hit me on my nose!!! I was hurt, naturally. I am no superman that I will not get hurt. I started to groan in pain. She saw it and came up to me. She said, “I am so sorry. Did it hurt?” I was annoyed. I replied, “No I saw your umbrella hurling towards me so I ducked and started to groan….” She smiled as she had understood my situation. “I am sorry” she said. “Uh, it’s ok” I replied. She offered her hand. “What is this for??? I can get up on my own” I said. “I know that you can get up on your own. This is for friendship. I am Anamika.” Everyone else was looking at me in such a way as if I had hit jackpot. I shook hands with her and said, “I am Vikrant.” “Oh! So you are Vikrant? My friends talk a lot about you!” I was curious to know which friends of her would keep talking about me. “Mind if I say something?”, I said. “No no please”, came the reply. “You really have beautiful eyes”, I said. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”, said Anamika. “I wouldn’t dare!”, I said. “Are you trying to flirt with me?” came the question. “Ah...actually yes! Well being a fan of Akshay can’t resist it”, I replied cheekily. “Hahaha...ohk! Acha listen have to go now will catch up with you later”, said Anamika. After going some distance she turned and said, with a smile “Vikrant...whatever flirting you do...you are pretty good at it!” I blushed. From then we became friends. My friends started teasing me for I had made “HER” my friend. Sometimes friends get a bit too excited. I liked her company and so did she. We would often stay together during recess and sometimes we would switch our places in the commerce class. I don’t know how but I developed feelings for her. I kept them to myself as I feared that on getting to know about them she would break our friendship. Friends can get excited a bit, but they can also help you. I told about this to my best friend who advised me to tell her about my feelings. He had said, “See you keep this to yourself and you will never have the courage to tell her. At least try. If she agrees…………it’s well and fine….if not then bad luck for you.” I thought over it and realized that he was right. What would be the point if I didn’t tell her about my feelings? I thought that I would propose to her in the commerce class….but Mr. Malhotra’s picture came in my mind. I said to myself, “It would be better to propose to her out of school.” Suddenly an idea struck me. I can propose to her after tuitions. Yes!! I could do that. After a lot of debate with myself I fixed the date: 14th Feb. the official lover’s day.
I set out for my tuitions on the 14th of Feb. Now my mother had given me 10 rupees for my breakfast while a rose also cost 10 rupees. What to do now?? I sacrificed my breakfast to buy a rose. When I reached my tuition place I saw that Anamika had already arrived. I went dumbstruck when I saw her. A purple salwar kameez with a black dupatta. “How do women manage to look so beautiful??” I said to myself. Anamika saw me and smiled. I was too shocked to smile. My teacher saw me and said, “My dear Vikrant why don’t you sit?” I said, “Sir there is no place to sit.” “Go over there…sit beside Anamika.” I didn’t say anything. I went and quietly sat beside her. She said, “What happened?? You didn’t smile back?” I said, “I was wondering how beautiful you are looking.” She blushed. Sir said, “Vikrant now will you concentrate on the subject?” “Yes sir.”
After the tuition was over I was the first one to go out. I went and waited near the rickshaw stand. I saw Anamika coming. Then from inside me I heard a voice. It said, “Hey Vikrant…how are you feeling??” “Tensed” I replied. “…..so you are nervous?? Just imagine if Anamika rejects your proposal….” I decided that I should not reply. But this thought sent shivers down my spine. Then Anamika arrived. She said, “Hey you had been waiting for me? How nice of you.” I said, “Anamika I want to say something.” “What?” I said, “Ok see this could be very stupid…I don’t know how this happened but this has happened.” “What has happened?” “See I can’t take things on a ride…so I am hitting it straight. I have fallen in love with you. I don’t know how but I have fallen in love with you. I wanted to tell it to you before but I was scared. I know this is stupid…but do you love me?” I saw the expression of her face changing. From shock it was going towards anger………….but then it turned back to sweet again and she had that smile of hers back on her face. She said, “Really…why did you take so much time??? I was thinking that if you didn’t propose to me I would have to do it. But thank God it did not happen. Imagine a girl going on her knees proposing a boy!” I said, “Do you love me??” She replied, “Are you mad??? Yes idiot I love you.”
I then gave her the rose and was going to hug her when we received claps and whistles from our friends at the back who had been enjoying so far. I said to her, “Why did they stay back?” She said, “Leave it. They don’t have anything to do.” I smiled.
I came back from the past. I called her. “Hey you called now?” I said, “I love you…I really love you.” “I know that Vikrant. I know that you love me.” I said, “I just recalled the time when we had first met and I had proposed to you.” “Oh that’s the reason why love is cuddling in you now…” I said, “What do you mean??” She said, “I love you too.” I smiled to myself. I said, “I am very lucky.” “So am I” she said. I then hung up and thanked God that he had given me such a beautiful and loving partner. Then I went to sleep……I was happy as I had recalled a part of my life. A part which was so beautiful and will always be beautiful………..
Separation.
He sat next to her. Holding her hand. She looked into his eyes. They were filled with tears.
“Please don’t cry like this. You will make it more difficult for me. Remember you had promised you won’t cry”, she said. He continued sobbing.
She held his face towards him. “You have to be strong...” she said. Wiping his tears away he said, “I know I had promised but this too much...I never realised how special you were to me.” This brought a tear to her eyes.
All of this was planned. They knew it was to happen. The only thing they didn’t know was that it would hurt so much.
“Am sorry if I did anything that hurt you”, he said. She hugged him.
Why does this always happen that the person closest to us, leaves and goes away creating a void in our life and we cannot do anything about it?
They had been together since childhood. Going to the same school, the same tuition they were always together. “You know you don’t have to do this”, he said. “Stop acting like a child Samar”, said Drisha only to realise that he wasn’t a grown up boy anymore...he wanted to be a kid again....when everything was simple.
Deep in her heart even she did not want to leave him....however she had no choice.
Jokingly she said,” I told you will miss me.” A tear rolled down his face. Both looked at each other not wanting to get up.
“It’s time Drisha”, said her mother from behind, “they are waiting.” “Can’t I go with her?” said Samar. “Are you joking? What will you do at her in-law’s home?” came the reply.
“Take care bhai”, said Drisha “and miss me you idiot!” “Always will”, he replied.
It’s true as they say. A sister is half a mother and half a best friend.
Take My Heart Away.
His smile reflected on the window pane which had a few drops of dew sliding on it.
Outside everything was covered in a blanket of fog.
The cup of hot coffee and his warm jacket kept him comfortable.
Winter had arrived.
Bringing with it the desire for a soul to be with another.
However he sat there alone...
Waiting for his heart to get stolen.....
