Mystery Relation

We are more than colleagues. I don’t know what to call such a relationship, which is more than colleagues but less than love. She was the girl who made me see light after a dark second breakup. She supported me through my battle against crippling depression. She was the one who chose to be with me, when she could have done something better with her time, anything. Whether it was shielding me from office politics or listening to me whining about my mom, she was the one, I would reach out to. She would comfort me whenever I got drunk. She used to accompany me after a hectic workday, when I would try to drink the pain away.

But this night was different. I don’t know what it was. Two days prior, I had left my job and joined a new one. She was happy for me. She mentioned that she was being irritated by her boss’ right hand, man and that she wanted to leave her job as well. At the time, she hadn’t received her paycheck, more over her tendency of buying expensive jewelry through EMI’s did not help her cause. She claimed that she didn’t even have the money to buy a formal pair of pants for her interview, so she made the payment through my card. That day, we both planned to meet after work. While calling her, I realized that she was on a motorbike, with my previous boss’ right hand. My initial shock evolved into anger as I recounted her account and realized that she was playing me. Calmly, I bade her farewell over the phone, but she requested to meet me for one last drink and I agreed. That was my biggest mistake. 

After work, we met at our usual haunt. After a few drinks, we left for home. She took me through an unknown route and dropped me off at an unknown place. No means of transportation seemed to be available. I realized that I also had very little money. I called the General Manager from my previous employment. He had betrayed me before in a game of office politics but this night he gave me good advice.

I was so simple minded, naïve even, when the manager stabbed my back, but I later realized that he was saving his own skin to remain employed. My previous boss did not like me. He humiliated me every day while also encouraging others to do the same. My manager knew about the type of workplace harassment that I was about to face, and yet did not warn me. Instead, he suggested that I look for other jobs.

On this night however, he suggested that I look for shops nearby and ask for directions to the main road.The alley ways through which I had to walk, were dark and desolate. Shards of moonlight peeking through the canopies offered the only respite on my lonely journey. After walking for what seemed like an hour i came across a small shop and asked for directions. Following the shopkeeper’s directions, I crossed the road and got an auto. Upon reaching the main road, I got on a bus, then switched to a metro. Sadly, I had missed the last metro heading towards my home, so I got on a local train instead, to reach my uncle’s place very late at night. Next morning, I realized that the bill at the bar, the previous night, was far more expensive than I could afford. I did not even have money to pay EMIs for the washing machine, I had bought a month prior. It dawned on me that this girl had betrayed me too. I thought of her as a sister and a confidant, with whom i had a great bonding .I used to share so much with her, but it was all in vain. I missed clear signs of strange behavior as I was too busy drinking my sorrows away. Dealing with my previous break up, office politics, depression and how it all affected my mother, I was blindsided by someone who I trusted completely. . Such are the mistakes we make in our lives.

Irritation, depression, frustration affects normal human being enough that they fail to realize that life is full of ups and downs.And that sometimes we need to give time.I have since realized that the people who will love you for who you are will always stay by your side irrespective of whatever happens in your life. The people who love you may not get time to speak to you exactly when you need them but they will definitely be there by your side, supporting you.They will always find the time to talk to you when they are free.But people who don’t love you,will always be around during your highest highs but will conveniently forget you during your lowest lows. 

“Light and shadow are opposite sides of the same coin. We can illuminate our paths or darken our way. It is a matter of choice.”

That night, when I was dropped off at the desolate alleyway, I was asked how I could think of ruining her office and getting away with it. It was surreal. Victim blaming at its finest. I had only ever tried to be friendly and helpful to her and everyone else at the office. I had never done anything against her or my previous employer, even after they took so much from me. I recently came to know from anex-colleague that the girl got married to the boss’right hander, whom she used to routinely badmouth and accuseofmisbehavior and harassment. I wish them great luck.