A Special Friend!

"Why does it have to be so difficult? Is it not imperative that a girl should be able to make choices about her life. That she should be able to choose her career path, her life partner and everything else, because, after all, it is her life. She has to live with the choices she makes. So then, why put her through this turmoil of living by someone else's opinions?" , Riya stopped her long dialogue and took a deep breath.

There was nothing more important than her individuality Riya felt. And she knew there were people out there who did not like her. They wanted her to break, to bend, to be more accommodating, to be vulnerable even, just so that they could feel 'present' and 'validated'!

Rishul stared at her without saying anything, waiting for her to blurt out everything, his silver specs shining on his fair face highlighting the chubs on his cheeks when he slowly nodded his head in response to her. There was so much calmness in his demeanor!

It is not unusual to be outcast when you do not agree with certain norms of the society or you don't give in to what other people want from you. Riya was going through something similar. She was not being accepted by a group of people who expected she should behave in a certain way which she didn't want to.

Well, not confirming was not Riya's problem. She was a clear-headed person who would never do what she didn't want. The problem was that the people with whom she was not confirming were friends, associates and acquaintances for many years and she could not get to say no to them. But as much as she understood this she knew that she couldn't say yes either.

Having gone through a terrible heartbreak Riya was trying to heal herself and wanted to be alone. However even before she was able to make sense out of what she wanted from her life there were people who had started matchmaking for her and it really irked her. However, when she met Rishul, she felt a sense of relief. Riya could tell him anything and everything and he would listen to her without judging her in any way. They did not share a deep bond but his presence in her life was like that of a lavender incense stick that slowly spreads its fragrance in the room and calms your mind. Most of the times she would discuss her issues with him and realize that after a day or two she felt composed. How much had she longed for such a friend in her life... And finally, he was there!