Best Friends

Love is the most beautiful feeling in the world and it just happens to anyone. Friendship is also a form of love but it’s a different type of love which doesn’t see any gender. True friendship is most of the times permanent. One such example of permanent friendship was Akash and Sanjay. They were childhood friends for the past ten years. They were in the same school, same tuition and now in the same college. Akash was an intelligent student and a notorious guy whereas Sanjay was an average student and a quiet fellow. Akash was slim, fair, tall and handsome whereas Sanjay was an average guy with average looks. But the bond of their friendship was very strong and unbreakable. People say love is blind but even friendship is also blind. Akash and Sanjay shared everything with each other be it their secrets, thoughts, dreams and even food.

It was a rainy day. Black clouds covered the sky. It was raining so heavily that many of the areas became water logged. Sanjay sat on a bench in the class waiting for Akash but he didn’t came even after the lectures began. He thought that Akash didn’t came due to heavy rains. But the lectures still happened…teachers came and went…knowledge was thrown out by teachers…some gained it some ignored it. Sanjay’s day passed in boredom. At last he called Akash and the call was received by his mother who told him that Akash was not well. So, Sanjay went back home and came the next day again but Akash didn’t came. He again called him and again his mother received the call and gave the same reason. Sanjay asked her that can he come home to meet Akash but his mother told not to come because Sanjay could also get the virus. Days passed and life went on. But one day Akash arrived at the college. Sanjay was surprised to see him after so many days. Akash had a white bandage on his left hand. Sanjay enquired, “Why this white bandage on your hand?”

“It’s for the blood test” Akash replied.

“So when you will get the reports?”

“Tomorrow morning…”

“But why blood test…is it too serious?’

“I came here to meet you…actually I want to tell you something”

“Ok wait…are you in a relationship?” said Sanjay jokingly.

“Stop joking…it’s really serious?”

“Ok tell me…what it is?”

“Actually doctors are saying that….I have some symptoms of Tuberculosis and so they have took my blood to confirm whether it is Tb or not….”

“Oh my God…but what if you get Tb?”

“Then I will not be able to continue my college…I will have to stay home for one-two years without meeting anyone….even you…”

“Are you kidding?”

“No…I am not”

“It means today can be your last day?”

“Yeah”

Both of them were silent for a moment. Akash broke the silence…

“Let’s go out….come we will get some fresh air”

They both walked around the college garden. It was a dark afternoon with black clouds and cold wind. Sanjay was upset by his friend’s condition. He asked Akash,

“How did you get so ill…that too suddenly?”

“Calamities comes suddenly…there are no warnings…they just come out of nowhere and they just hit you at the wrong time”

“I will pray for you, my friend”

“Yeah…now let’s change the topic…”

Both of the friends started joking around and chortling…sharing their secrets…talking about life. They talked like they would never meet each other again in life. They talked for almost hours until the college ended and it was late evening. Every human on this planet always want a partner or a companion to share their feelings, thoughts and emotions. If a particular person doesn’t talk with anyone or doesn’t have any friend then he will be labelled as a sick person because everyone needs a company.

Sanjay reached home by 8:00 pm. He was silent and anxious thinking about what will happen to his friend…will he be saved or not? Sanjay was unable to sleep the whole night. He was still thinking and praying for Akash. At last, the sun rose…birds began chirping…cold monsoon breeze flew, Sanjay was waiting for Akash’s call. On the other hand, Akash was at the doctor’s clinic with his mother waiting for the result. Doctor looked into Akash’s blood report and stared at him for a second. Sanjay was sitting next to the phone…he didn’t even had his bath and suddenly the phone rang. Sanjay jumped on the phone….

“Hello…..what happened?”

But there was silence on the other side.

“Hello…hello…What happened?” Sanjay shouted

“I think we will not meet for some years my friend”

Sanjay got cold on hearing this and Akash continued…

“Doctor has declared that I am suffering from Tb but it is not too serious… it’s second level…so don’t panic or cry for me”

“So, we will be able to meet or not?”

“No, we can’t but you can call me… I will be there”

This were the last words he heard from Akash because thereafter they never spoke. Sanjay tried calling him every day but the phone was not reachable everytime. Days passed…a week passed…a month passed but he got no call from Akash. Everyday Sanjay would wait for Akash’s call but it didn’t came. One day, Sanjay received a call from an unknown number. He took the call and he heard a known voice on another side. It was Akash’s mother but her voice was filled with pain…she said

“Sanjay…this is Akash’s mom, actually….” She took a long pause.

“Tell me, what happened aunty?”

“Your friend is no more”

Sanjay was stunned and shocked. It felt like the whole land had been slided under his feet. Sanjay was silent.

“Today is his funeral at 4:00 pm….at our house”

The phone was hanged up and Sanjay’s mind was also hanged. He was unable to think about anything. He went to the funeral…there he saw his friend…after months lied silently on the death bed. He had lost his hairs and he looked too thin. Sanjay was crying from inside. Akash’s mom was mourning…crying out loudly. The rains started showering as Akash’s corpse was taken at the funeral place. Sanjay asked one of the relative of Akash that what really happened then he was shocked to hear the truth. Actually, Akash was suffering from second stage blood cancer and not Tb. He died after his chemo due to its side effects. Then Sanjay came to know that Akash was actually lying to him because then he would have thought about Akash which would have also led to mental disturbance and indirectly affecting his academics.

Akash was not in the world anymore. Sanjay was angry on him and also upset. Sanjay looked at the blue sky remembering his friend Akash. He sat down on a rock besides a river. He threw few stones into the waters of the blue river and sat there for few minutes. Sanjay and Akash would come there…bunking the lectures as they wanted peace from their urbanized life. It is said that friendship is the greatest healing therapy but in this case Sanjay wanted to heal from the friendship itself. Friendship is the biggest gift anyone can get and Sanjay got it but now he had lost that gift…

“See…how silent the place is…we can only hear the voice of this river…we will come here everyday” said Akash

“Are you kidding…my bike doesn’t have that much petrol…by the way… everyday means everyday?” asked Sanjay

“Yeah…everyday…even if I die I will come here” said Akash closing his eyes.