Crooked hearts - 6

                       Chapter 6    

We humans are emotional puppets and life plays with us as per its fancies. Love is the most complicated feeling to understand. Well, it can either be considered as loss of valuable energy or lots of vital emotions, depends on the way we look at things. Often, in life it happens that we like someone and the expectations increase to an extent that we start imagining things about them.

 

Jaba initially was happy to see the message from the unknown number. She thought it was Chirag who was texting to her and would soon surprise her.

 

She replied to the stranger and started conversing with him. The stranger told his name was Pratik Sharma and he was studying in an Engineering college near Bangalore. As usual, Jaba thought of two possibilities. Firstly, Pratik was Chirag’s friend who was trying to help Chirag talk to Jaba and secondly, she thought that Chirag was himself messaging her to give a surprise. Another possibility was that he was testing her.

 

The first time she started doubting Pratik was when he asked her name. She would refuse to tell him her name. She thought that Chirag already knew her then why would he ask her name? Anyway, daily she would receive some new love quote from Pratik. This went on for 7 days after which Jaba started doubting him.

 

In the meanwhile, college life was still on and Malini’s friendship with Jaba was also going through ups and downs. Malini made some new friends who would keep her engaged all day. Jaba hated these people and told her not to mix with them but all in vain. Jaba was also very adamant, not to mix with people that she did not like so much so started avoiding her.

 

She often searched for Chirag in college but he was nowhere to be seen. They were busy in their lives but these conversations with Pratik and those messages daily at night would make Jaba more than happy.

 

However, that doubt in Jaba’s mind was still playing. Is it true? Who is she talking with? What if Chirag has no connection to Pratik? Is she doing a mistake? She decided to clarify.

 

She texted to Chirag, “Sir, do you remember me?”

 

After waiting for ten minutes, the reply was, “Who.. is this?”

 

Jaba was totally confused.. he behaved as if nothing has happened!! He doesn’t even remember that she called her and told him about her feelings. How could he be so cruel and forgetful!! Jaba was shattered.. her entire world came tumbling down.

 

She cried all day and all night till the next few days. She could not eat and could not sleep. So much trauma!! She hated Chirag for what he said. That means .. it was a lie that he would be friends with her. She just wanted to be close to him and he didn’t even allow that. How could he be so inhuman! So heartless! Such a lier!

 

She was even mad at Pratik. All this time she was imagining it to be Chirag whereas it was Pratik who was someone else. She loved Chirag but Pratik was talking to her. Was it actually Pratik? It could be someone else trying to play a prank on her!

 

She stopped talking to Pratik after telling him the truth.

 

“Look, am really sorry.. I don’t want to continue talking to you Pratik. This will not work. I thought you were him. I mean actually before I started talking to you I proposed to Chirag sir, my senior in college. I really admire him a lot and don’t think it’s a good idea to talk with you like this. I have feelings for him and don’t want to play with yours.”

 

“But.. I just want to be your friend.. I promise you .. it will just be about friendship. I understand your feelings for Chirag but just be as friends with me.”

 

“Il talk with you later.”

 

Jaba hung up the phone. She had to leave for college. That day, after a very long time she saw Chirag. He was sitting on his bike wearing a blue t-shirt and black formal trouser. He was calling out to someone in front of him. She looked at him once then ignored and went to attend Community posting.

 

Chirag was confused .. was it her?

 

To be continued…