FRIENDSHIP, LOVE AND PAIN

It was August 1, 2015. It was Friendship Day and she was looking at the photo of her and Aditya. Both were good friends. Not only this, they were childhood friends. While looking at the photo, tears felt in the photo. They were tears rolling in her eyes. By the looking at the photo, she started remembering the past.

I

“I am so happy that he is coming today.” Aditi said to her best friend, Saaya. She was preparing for him.

“I am too excited to see him after six years. You know I cannot tell you how much I am happy and excited to meet him. He might too be happy to see me. I don’t know what he will say and what shall I tell him. There are so many things to share.”

Aditi was wearing nail polish and Saaya was listening with the excitement and said,”Does he know that you love him?”

“Might be. If he doesn’t know than I will express my feelings. I am sure he won’t reject me.”

“How do you know that he won’t reject you?”

“It’s because besides me, he doesn’t have any person to share his feelings. Not only this, besides me, he never have any girls in his life.”

“You might not know.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“After staying in USA for six years, he might have changed and might have girlfriend.”

“If he have, he could have told me but till now, he hasn’t said anything.”

“He might want to give you surprise.”

“Shut up.” She threw pillow on Saaya. She got up angrily and started wearing clothes.

After getting ready, she looked at the watch; the time was 8:30 pm. The arrival time was 9:00 pm. She rushed and called her friend and was about to start e scooter, the ringtone of mobile rang and she attended the call.

Instead of going to airport, she and her friend were in the house of Aditya. She saw Aditya sitting in the sofa, talking with his parents.

“Aditya?” She came near with an aggressive mood. He stood up and smiled. He looked at her. She was extremely angry. He, then, said, “I am sorry. I wanted to give you surprise. Please, don’t get angry with your best friend.”

She was not looking at him and was opposite side of him. Meanwhile, Aditya’s parents smiled and got up and Aditya’s mother said, “Even we were ready to move to airport pick up him but before the time, h arrived. He gave us surprise. We too were angry but his arrival made us happy. Now, please stop this childish and speak up. Throw out your angry, Aditi.

She looked at him. There were tears in her eyes. She, then, said, “For your sake, I took so many hours to get ready but you spoiled my plan. How mean?”

Aditya asked for the forgiveness and both hugged each other and smiled.

Almost for one hour, they chatted and he dropped both Aditi and Saaya. Before leaving, she said, “Bye. See you tomorrow. I will call you.” 

“Ok. I have lots of things to share with you. After all, you are one who understands me. To tell the truth, I have surprise for you.”

“Really? What’s the surprise?”

“If I tell you the surprise, what’s the use of surprise? Let the right time come.”

“Ok. Now, bye.”

“Bye.”

And she came out from the car and he left. She turned back.

II

They were having the conversation and Aditi said, “Hey, Aditi, what’s the surprise? It has been almost a week; you haven’t said what your surprise is. I am eager to know.” She was happy as she thought he could propose her.

“You have waited for almost a week, cannot you wait for three more days.”

“OK. But I am so hurry to know the surprise but I will wait. She smiled and was lost in her own world.

After three days…

       Aditya’s parents and he was waiting for Aditi. It was almost 25 minutes, they were waiting for Aditi. He was curious to show his surprise. After 25 minutes, she arrived with excitement.

“Sorry for late.” And she entered the living room and sat on the sofa.

“By the way, why did you call me?” She added.

“I have told you that I have a surprise for you.  Finally, that day has arrived today.”

“Really? What’s the surprise?”

“Hmm….I don’t tell you like this. First, close your eyes.”

She did as he has told her to do. After few minutes, he came and said, “Now, you can open your eyes.”

She opens her eyes. Meanwhile, she saw one girl with him. She didn’t anything.

“Shocked?” He said with the smiley face.

“I knew you could be shocked. She is the surprise. She is the one I love and want to marry. Even my parents liked her. Did you like my surprise?”

There were tears rolling from her eyes. He saw her tears and said, “Didn’t you like my surprise?”

“How could you do this to me?” She cried.

“What did I do?” Aditya said. He and his parents were shocked. What was she talking about? They didn’t get it.

“What do you want to say?” Please say, Aditi.” Aditya said.

“I Love You, Aditya,” said Aditi.

Everyone was shocked. They didn’t have any words to tell. Aditya came near to her and was about to say something but she left the place with the tears.

The next day, he went to meet her. She was in the room and was lost in her world. He knocked the door but there was no response. Again, he knocked the door but again there was no response.

“Aditi, please open the door.”

She was lying on the bed and ignored him. Again, he said, “Aditi, please open the door. Let’s have a talk.”

She, finally, opened the door and again lay down on the bed and didn’t prefer looking at his face. He came and sat near to her. He was looking at her.

“Aditi, what has happened to you?”

She didn’t say anything and didn’t bother to look at him. She was silent and her silent was killing him.

“Please, look at me. Your silent is killing me. Talk to me, please. Please, say something. I want to know what’s in your mind.”

“You want to know what’s my mind,” she said angrily and got up.

“Why are you so angry and rude?”

“It’s because of you.”

“Because of me?” He was shocked.

“Yes, it is because of you.”

“What did I do?”

 “I loved you and I thought you too loved me.”

“Oh God. Are you serious?  I thought you weren’t serious. Yesterday, when you said those words, I thought you were not in the mood.”

“No, I am serious. I really love you. Whenever you video chat with me and talked on the Facebook, I thought you were in love with me.  Your words made me you wanted to marry me and when you said you have a surprise for me, I thought you want to talk about our relationship.”

“Oh no. If I talk with you in a friendly manner, it doesn’t mean I was in love with you. I love Shreya. I don’t have any feelings for you. I mean that kind of feelings for you. I regard you as my best friend with whom I can share m everything.  You are only the friend that I have.”

She was crying. She turned back. He went nearer to her and said, “Please, understand me.”

“No, I don’t want to understand you. You understand me. I don’t want to lose you. When you get married, you will fully give attention to your wife and forget me. I don’t want to lose you.”

“You will not lose me. We will always be my friend. And stop behaving like a childish.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You are my true friend. To tell the truth, you are still childish and don’t know anything. You don’t know what’s right and wrong. So, stop behaving like a childish.”

III

After two weeks, Aditya and Shreya were getting married and both were happy. Aditya was more happy and excited. As the days were coming near both of them heart beat was beating faster. Not only, Aditya wanted to meet Shreya by hiding and Shreya was helping him. But somehow, Aditi was not feeling happy as she had dreamed of getting married to Aditya.

Finally, the day arrived for both of them. They got married. Shreya was waiting for Aditya in the room. Meanwhile, Aditi came inside the room and Shreya was shocked to see her. Aditi went near to her and said, “You came in between me and Aditya. Now, I have lost my friend. I really love him and wanted to make him mine but you came in between us. Now, he will forget me and will give attention to you only. How would you do this to me?” She said crying and was about to go but saw Aditya. Both didn’t say anything and she went from there.

Aditya didn’t have any words to express. He was nervous what to say to Shreya. He was fed up with the behavior of Aditi. He didn’t know his surprise has taken seriousness in Aditi’s behavior. He then looked at Shreya and said, “Sorry, Aditi is still childish. She doesn’t know what to say and what not to.”

“It’s ok, Aditya. I can understand. Please talk to her tomorrow.”

He nodded his head.

The next day, Aditya and Aditi met in Bajeko Sekowa, Sukedhara. He was angry and said, “I don’t understand why you are behaving like a childish. When will you grow up? How many times I have to say you the same thing again and again? I am fed up. Cannot you know when to say what to do say at which situation and condition?”

He was extremely angry and was really fed up with her childish behavior and said, “I am really fed up with you and your behavior. Cannot you get out from my life?”

He got up and went from there. Tears were rolling from her eyes. How can she get out from his life? She was with him since childhood.

IV

“Hello, Aditya?” said the father of Aditi.

Hello, Uncle.”

“Is my daughter at your place?”

 “No, but why uncle? What’s the matter?”

“She is not at the home since yesterday.”

“What?” he got up from the chair.

“Didn’t you call her?”

“Yes, I called her on her mobile but it was unreachable at the moment.

“Did you search her?”

“Yes, I searched her almost all the places where she used to visit but didn’t find her.

“And did you register a complaint in the police station?”

“No. I thought to call you first.”

“Ok, I will come there at your place.”

All were fed up where did she go and wither childishness. Meanwhile, Aditya broke the silent, 

“What kind of a girl is this? Without informing us, where did she go? Most of the time, she does childish behavior.”

In additional to this, Aditi’s father said to Aditya, “Did you say anything to her?”

He explained everything to Aditi’s father and from that he got the point that he said her to go out of his life. Due to reason, she might have left the home. He was in tension now.

Although, it has been three weeks, they have registered the complaint of Aditi, police couldn’t find her.

V

Aditi has reached New Delhi. In this city, she doesn’t have anyone for the support. More than that, she doesn’t have any working skills. It has been more than a week, she was jobless. But she doesn’t know that what was written for her destiny.

Finally, after one and half month, she got a job at the school as an accountant and got to stay at the hostel. There, she met Romeo. She was working on the computer and he was looking at her. He wanted to talk with her and was looking for the right time.

The next day, he was looking at her and he went near to her and said, “Hi.”

She didn’t respond to him and didn’t bother to response her. He, then, said, “I said hi.”

“I don’t like to talk to strangers.” She didn’t look him and started focusing on the computer.

“Strangers become friends. Cannot we become friends?”

“No.”

He wants her to be his friends. He was trying his best to be her friends but he was not succeeding. She wasn’t interested to talk with him. He was observing her and thought she was disturbed.

On the one hand, Aditi had never forgotten Aditya. She had tried a lot to call Aditya but couldn’t. Furthurmore, she couldn’t forget those words that to get out of his life. Here in New Delhi, she came to forget Aditya. To tell the truth, she came here for the happiness. Every day, she used to look at the photo of her and Aditya.

On the other hand, every day, Romeo was trying to be friend with her but couldn’t. But one day, she was looking at the computer and smiled. He saw her smile and said, “If you cannot share your sadness, you can share your happiness with me.”  

“I have passed my examination with the distinction.” She started studying there in St. Xavier College as Sociology and Anthropology student.

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

“By the way, can we be friends now?”

She smiled and said yes. After the work, they started go together and once he said, “To tell the truth, I don’t have that much friends and don’t want to make any friends that much.”

“Then, why are you so much interested to make me as a friend.”

“It’s because I find you very sweet and interesting. By looking at you, I feel like we are similar.”

VI

They were in the restaurant and after finishing the food, Aditi said, “Actually, it has been long time, we are friends, we don’t know anything about each other.”

“To tell the truth, I was about to tell you myself but was waiting for the right time.”

“Now, you have the right time to tell about yourself.”

“I never got my parents love. They got divorce when I was around 9 years ago. Although, I was staying with my father, he never gave attention. More than that, when my parents got divorced, my mom never came to meet me. Furthurmore, I have relatives but I am not so close with them either. When I grew up, I left my home and shifted her in Delhi.”

“Sorry, about your parents.”

“That’s ok.” Now, tell me yours’.”

“I am from Nepal. I have beautiful family and good friends. To say the truth, I came here to prove myself.”

“Prove yourself.” He said in a shock way.

“Yes, everyone thinks that I am childish and behaves like a child. They think I am immature. So, I came here without informing them.”

“What? You came here without informing your parents. They could be worried about you. You could have informed them.” He again said in shocked expression.

“I tried a lot to call them but couldn’t. I don’t have that much courage to call them. Until I will proof myself, I will not call them.” She was in the emotions now.

He was looking at her and said, “Ok. But do call them. You will be relief. Not only will you, your family be relief by listening your voice.”

VII

They were having their snacks. Meanwhile, Romeo said, “Can I say something?”

“Sure.” She was concentrated on her food.

“Will you marry me?”

She looked at him surprisingly. She kept her food on her plate and didn’t find the right words at the moment. Silent was there. He felt embarrass for what he had said and he said, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have been in rushed.”

“I don’t know what to say on this.”

“That’s ok but besides you I don’t have anyone who is very special to me. If you love anyone please say. In addition to this, the person who I love and marry me should only love me. I am one woman man.”

Meanwhile, she remembers Aditya when Romeo talked about love. But she didn’t prefer talking about the truth.

“Hey, where are you lost?”

“Can we discuss this matter later?”

“No.”

She gave a weird look. But he smiled and said,”I was kidding. Sure, we can discuss it later and you can give your response later. I don’t mind.”

The next day, they were returning back from school. They were silent and weren’t looking at each other and were looking here and there. Finally, he broke the silence and said, ”Why are we silent together?”

“Don’t know,” she said and smiled and looked another side.

“And what did you think about my proposal?”

“Whole night I gave a thought about it.”

“And what you thought?”

“You are a nice and caring guy. On the one hand, I wanted to say yes and on the other hand, I wanted to say no. I was confused what to say. Finally, I closed my eyes and got my answer.”

“What was your answer then?”

“It was No.”

His expression was changed and she was observing him. She, then smiled and said, ”I was joking. My answer is yes. But I want to marry you after some months only so that we can know each other more. Is that ok?”

He said yes and both smiled.

VIII

After eight months of their relationship, they got married in a simple way. But Aditi didn’t know what’s going to be happening in her life after her married life. At the beginning of their married life, they were happy.

He was getting rush for the office and searching clothes for him. Meanwhile, something felt down on the ground and picked up the photo. The photo was of Aditi and Aditya. He was shocked that why the photo was hidden. After getting the photo, he started searching more so that he could get something of Aditi. He searched in the cupboard of Aditi. There, under the clothes, he found the diaries. He took them out and hides in his cupboard and went for the office.

Every night, he used to read those diaries. Those diaries were about to change their lives especially of Aditi. Aditi doesn’t know what’s in the mind of Romeo.

Slowly and slowly, the behavior of Romeo was changed. He started to doubt on Aditi. Whenever she used to go out, he used to ask thousands of questions. When she used to explain where she was, he used to beat her very badly. He used to get angry each and every time. He used to do everything unnecessarily.

It was Saturday and both of them were in the holiday. Both of them were sitting on the sofa. He was drinking a cup of tea and watching cricket. She was looking at him. She was feeling nervous. Finally, with the courage, she said, “Romeo, can I say something?” she said with nervousness.

“Sure, dear.”

“Why are you doing this to me? You have changed a lot. What made you change?”

He looked at her with anger. His eyes made her scared. He got up and went from there. She felt guilty for asking him the question. 

Romeo came after few minutes with the diaries. She was shocked to see the diaries. “How did you get those diaries?” She said with the scarily.

“I got it from your cupboard.”

She didn’t look at his eyes and remain silent. She couldn’t ask him that why did she look at her cupboard. When she looked at him, she used to feel scared. Meanwhile, he looked at her with the aggressive mood.

“You were in love with Aditya and didn’t tell anything. Not only this, you are not able to forget him till now. You got married with him because he too got married with somebody else. You don’t see me like Aditya. Furthurmore, you still have his photograph.”

He showed those photographs. After looking at those photographs, she said, “Whatever, you read is true. But it’s not true that I got married because he too got married. I really liked you. You were good friend of mine and your nature made me marry with you. When I came here in Delhi, I have no contact with him. Yes, even its truth that I am not able to forget him because he is my friend since childhood.

His expression was still in anger. “You are liar. You are still lying to me. You still love him and call him. I am your husband, so don’t lie to me.” He went near to her.

“You still love him, right?”

“Listen to me.”

“Yes or No?” He said in the anger tone.

“No.” She was more scared.

“You are lying to me. You still love him. I can still see in your eyes, the love for him instead of me.”  He shouted at her.

He, then, raised his land. She tried to escape from there but she couldn’t. He pulled her. “Please leave me. You are hurting me.”

He was not stopping and was smiling by seen her in this trouble. She, on the other hand, wanted to escape from his hand but couldn’t because he was holding very tiding. And he forcefully raped her. Tears were rolling from her eyes.

After this incident, he took her mobile and locked her in the house so that she shall have no one to talk and she could contact nobody. Not only this, each and every time, he used to rape her. She was torturing a lot because she loved him.

IX

She wanted to call Aditya but she didn’t have her mobile. She was thinking about him and family. She felt why she left the home and came here.

On the hand, Aditya was very happy with his wife, Shreya. They both have a child of nine months. He was handling his father’s business and his parents were happy for their son. On the other hand, Aditi’s parents still have hope that Aditi will come back. They were worried. Most of the time, they used to visit police station for Aditi but they often get negative response but their hopes were not lost.

Aditi was lost in her world meanwhile she started vomiting. She went inside the bathroom. This continued for so many days. Later, she knew the reason for the vomiting. She was happy that she was pregnant. She thought after hearing this news, he could change. She wanted to tell him after a week as his birthday is on the next week.

X

After a week….

              It was Romeo’s birthday. She was happy and excited so she was preparing for his birthday. She cooked food for him and made cake for him.

The clock showed the time for 6:30 pm. She was waiting for him on the living room. At 7:30 pm, he came and was surprised by looking at the table.

“What’s this?”

“Happy Birthday.”

“Oh, it’s my birthday. And where is my birthday gift?”

She smiled and said, “Your gift is that you are going to be a father.”

 “What?” He was shocked.

By seen his facial expression, she was shocked.

“I don’t want to be father. I don’t want a child.” He slapped her. Not only this, he pulled her hair, “You are hurting me, Romeo.”

“More than you, I am hurt. You are hurting me.”

He, then, pushed her in the ground. He went near to her and sat down. He looked at her and said, “You know my mother was like you. She left my father. She was betrayal. She had an affair with her boss. Every day, my father used to ask her about her affair but she had answer that they are just the friends which was untrue. My father never believed her and beat her with the belt every day. Every day, they used to argue and I used to cry a lot. I told them not to argue but they never listened to me. And finally, my mother left the home and another guy. She left me and her husband. Both of them never loved me. Although, I stayed with my father, he never cared about me and only talked negative of my mother. She never came to meet me.

He was in aggressive mood and stood up. He took out his belt started beating with the belt. She was requesting not to hit with the belt. She slowly moved towards the kitchen and slowly she got up. He saw her moving towards the kitchen and came near to her. She looked around and saw the knife and went near to it. She took the knife but before she could attach her, he threw her on the ground again and started hitting her. She wanted to hit him but couldn’t. She started bleeding. After few minutes, he stopped beating her and looked around. He was searching something. He took glass in his hand. When she saw the glass on his hand, she wanted to escape but he threw on her head. Again, he threw another on her head. She felt down and was about to lost her consciousness. He came near to her. She couldn’t see him properly. He was smiling and looking at her. She took out the knife and hit him whenever and he fell down. Although, she was not in that condition to go out, she managed it.

After few hours, she was conscious. When she opens her eyes, she looked around and found herself in City Hospital. She saw nurse and called her.

“Nurse, how did I arrive here?”

"You came alone here. You were in the critical condition. You needed lots of blood. Luckily, we got your blood group from the blood bank. But sorry, we couldn’t save your child.”

Tears rolled from her eyes. She, then, said, “Can you do me a favour?”

“Sure.”

“Can you please call to the police?”

“Sure.”

After one hour, police came and she explained everything to the police. Medical reports too showed that she was forcefully raped. More than that, when they reached Romeo’s flat, they saw the living room, rough and blood. They searched Romeo. He was in his bedroom. He was unconscious. He was taken in the hospital and after he came to conscious he accepted what he have done to Aditi and was arrested.

After few months, she started working in the NGOs. She wanted to go back to Nepal but she felt how she shall face them. She was waiting for the right time.

PRESENT TIME….

Tears were rolling from her eyes by remembering the past. After two days, she is going back to Nepal. She got opportunity to work in Nepal in one of the NGO. She finally made a decision to talk with her parents when she will arrive in Nepal.