It Was Him, Not Me!

Ria a young and dynamic woman in her late 20s, is all set to step out into the big world soon. As a child, Ria was pampered way too much.

 

Bubbly and a very happening person to be around, is what I describe Ria. At the same time, she was a very sensitive and innocent person. A person, who loves to get involved in all cultural activities and who is very extrovert. She comes from a middle class, where her dad and mum make sure she gets “the best” in her life and she doesn’t have to be dependent on anyone. From giving her the best education in a convent school and sending her to the best Degree college, her parents fulfilled all her desires. She further wanted to pursue Mass Communication, though it was expensive and unaffordable her father made sure, she pursues it.

She graduated with flying colours and applied for Mass Communication Entrance. She scaled the entrance and interview and got admission into one of the leading Media Colleges in Mumbai.

As days passed, she made friends. From friends to best friends, to becoming a Family! With the kind of friends she made, she didn’t realize she was walking down the wrong road. She started becoming insensitive and careless, rather irresponsible.

Ria was not the girl she used to be. She had changed. She took things for granted. Her parents found this behaviour really strange. But as the world talks about the mentality ratio, they didn’t know how to get in talking to her. But they still hoped for some changes to take place in her. They thought, might of too many assignments, she freaks out or gets annoyed.

As days went by, she started going out with friends to late-night parties and pubs. She was one of a kind, who you could call a party person. Very attractive, a good dancer is how her friends loved to call her. There were 2 things in specific which Ria loved to the core: one Dancing and the other one Alcohol. She used to love experimenting with different wines or beer.

At the pub, she fell in love with Drake.

 Drake in his mid-30s, working for an IT industry, earns good and has a very good personality. Who wouldn’t want a guy like Drake?

Ria’s friends knew her weakness and pushed her ahead to dance. Ria didn’t deny it. She loved dancing.

Levitating by Dua Lipa, was the song that they were grooving to.

On the dance floor, Drake and Ria started up a conversation and things were pretty chill. Until he asked her out for a drink.

“Would you like to join me for a drink, young lady?” Asked Drake. 

“Would love to”. Ria said with a flirtatious smile.

As she was walking towards the bar, she tripped and was about to fall, when Drake held her into his arms. And they stared into each other’s eyes as if they had deeply fallen into love then and there. He held her as if he would never let her go.

 

A few seconds later they were at the bar counter, trying tequila shots.

2 more shots on the rock, Drake said to the bartender.

“Yes sir, on the rocks”, he replied.

“Can we head out?” Ria asked Drake.

“Sure, why not,” Drake replied.

 

After a couple more shots, Ria and Drake walked out hand in hand. Ria was almost tipsy, but she tried hard to keep herself firm and stable.

 

As days passed by, Drake and Ria fell into deeper love. There was no turning back, for both.

So much in love, that they could see stars in the morning.

Ria’s parents didn’t know about their relationship. She never spoke things openly to her parents. But her parents never doubted her for that.

 

A couple of months later, Ria planned a surprise for Drake. That day in the morning, she sent out a WhatsApp text to him in an unusual way. The text read as:

“You have been my sunshine, in the time of rain;

You have been my strength when I had no courage to do anything;

You have been my everything, and it’s my way to thank you”

-       LOVE!

 

She waited for the ticks to turn blue. Every time the phone buzzed and there was a notification, she thought it was Drake. She waited for 45 mins, but there was no response from his end.

It is 10:45, and Drake hasn’t seen nor replied. She panicked and didn’t know what to do. At 11 am sharp, there was a phone call.

Unknown number? Ria panicked as she was about to answer the call.

Hello, is this Ria? Said the person on the other side of the call.

Yes, who’s speaking? Ria asked in all anxiety.

“I am Drake’s friend, and I have called to inform you that he has met with an accident, and is currently admitted to City Hospital”.

Hearing this, she broke down. She left home without saying anything to her parents.

 

Right down her building, was Drake, with a bouquet of flowers, balloons and a teddy bear.

Confused and dumbstruck, she stared at him as if she was seeing a horror movie.

 

Drake, she said and ran towards him. They hugged and she cried. What was the phone call all about, you know how terrified I was.

I know sweetheart, I am sorry. But I knew you were planning a surprise for me, but this time I wanted to surprise you. And here we are!!!

How did you know about the surprise? Ria asked Drake.

“Darling it’s been nearly 4 months, we are together. And after all your WhatsApp text says it all”. Drake said with a smile.

 

Drake had booked a table for 2, at Taj. Ria was unaware of this too.

 

“Babe, today is going to be the best day of our lives. And you’ll remember this forever”. Drake said as he caressed her.

“Wowww, I can’t wait for more. Where are we heading too”? Ria winked and asked him.

Let’s go, Drake said.

 

30 mins later, they reached Bandstand.

Oh, so this is where you wanted to get me? Ria asked with a surprised look.

No sweety, we will be there in the next 5 mins. And they walked hand in hand together.

Taj Land Ends??? Are you kidding me? Ria spoke with her eyes wide open.

“Yes, this is my Surprise for my girl. Today is our day, let’s make it a memorable one.” Drake said as they walked inside.

“Thank you, sweetheart, this is the best of best surprises I have received. Thank you so much”. Ria said as her eyes filled with water.

 

As they were seating at the corner table and talking, people passing by and sitting for lunch looked at their table.

Why is everyone staring at us? Ria said.

“I don’t know either”. Drake replied.

 

A couple of mins later, the hotel staff came up to them and said? Ma’am, are you waiting for someone to join you?

She looked at him surprised and said, can’t you see me and my partner is here.

Sorry ma’am, where’s your partner? I have been noticing you all this time, there’s no one with you ma’am. You have been laughing and talking all by yourself.

Are you out of your mind? My partner is right here with me. She yelled at him. All turned towards her and the staff.

 

An elderly couple walked up to her and said,“ Dear….” Before she could continue Ria interrupted her and asked, “Aunty, can you not see my partner Drake with me?” This man doesn’t seem to understand anything….

 

“No dear, there’s no one with you”, the elderly woman replied.

 

Ria was almost on the verge of fainting when the other people helped her settle down on the chair and gave her water to drink.

“I am not lying, my partner, Drake is here with me. Why aren’t you’ll believe me, she said crying out even louder.” She said and picked up her bag and ran out.

She took her phone out and called her friends and asked them to meet her near Taj Land Ends entrance. Without anything further, she cut the call.

 

20 mins later, her friends arrived and they were shocked to see her in that state. She narrated the entire story to them.

Her friends also calmed her down and told her the same thing, like the others, that she didn’t meet any guy at the pub or any person or boyfriend named Drake.

You’ll also aren’t believing? Guys I am not lying. Drake and I have been together for 4 months. What are you’ll talking? Ria spoke in a frustrated tone.

 

Hearing this, her friends knew something was not proper, and they said we would leave you home.

Let’s go, Ria, her friends said and took her home.

In that frustration and sadness, she pushed them all out and said, I’ll go home later, I need to find out. And walked ahead.

Her friends though concerned, couldn’t do anything, but only call her parents.

That day, her parents didn’t answer the call too.

 

Ria went to the pub, and found out about Drake, in all possible ways. She showed them his pics for identification.

 

That’s when one bartender said, “Madam, don’t you know, that this boy had committed suicide, right in front of the pub?”

What??? Ria said and froze.

Yes, ma’am, he committed suicide 4 months ago. Also, we got to know later, he gave his life, because of his girlfriend, who cheated him with another guy at this pub.

Ria went numb. She didn’t know what to do.

 

After strolling on the streets for 4 hours and thinking of all that happened, she came to a pub and had bottles of vodka neat. She left the pub post that, took a rick and came home

 

Ding dong – she rang the doorbell.

Her mum opened the door and was shocked to see her in this state. Ria, what’s wrong with you. Hearing the sound, her dad came out and was shocked to see her in that state.

 

After all the efforts of making her speak something, she looked up at them and said-

“HE WAS DEAD, SO IT WAS HIM, NOT ME”! (she half smiled and cried and said)

She said and fell on the bed!