Take Me Where You Go

Sourabh who usually strictly follow daily route wasn’t feeling himself today. On normal day he would go to bed at exactly 11 Pm and wake at early morning to leave for office at IT hub in Bangalore.

Today he was getting drunk all alone in drink arena of city. After coming to work in Bangalore he started drinking alcohol. Before coming to Bangalore he worked in Gandhinagar for 3 years and then he moved on. There are many reasons behind his decision and one of reason was behind his sober mood today and drunken state at bar.

Lately everything was going against him. Recent failures at work, adaption to new city, marriage pressure from family, his broken heart, everything was weighing on him and it became beyond his control to fix all these things.

In this uncontrolled drunken state, he wanted to talk to someone, his friends at Gujarat. Desperately he took out his phone and started swiping down contact list but he was high and his vision was getting blurred. He randomly stopped at one number and dialled it.

He was barely able to keep his phone on his hand and placed it over his ear. After few seconds someone picked up call from other side. It was female voice which he didn’t expected as he dialled his male friend. That’s what he thought but his weaken senses and destiny connected him to someone whom he still forgot after all this time.

“Hey Sourabh, you called me. How are you?”

Sourabh still was not in his senses. He had no idea whom he called or who was talking from other side.

“Hii you are drunk? Tell me you are not drunk. You never did it before.”

It was Ritvi whom he called at that moment. His close friend from his Gandhinagar stay. She left the company all of sudden and both never stayed in contact afterwards.

“Hello..” finally voice came out of Sourabh but he was still unaware about his situation.

“Sourabh, what happened? Tell me are you okay?” Ritvi was getting really worried after she heard broken voice of him.

“Ritvi..?” Sourabh barely able to spoke her name. Even in his half unconscious state he recognised her voice.

“Yes Sourabh. It’s me. Where are you? Answer my questions. Why you seems so sad and drunken? What’s happening with you? Ritvi started asking out of her heart.

Before she could inquire further call got disconnected from other side. It was still very difficult for her to gasp the fact that Sourabh called her after one year.

Sourabh and Ritvi were best friends when they were working together in Gandhinagar. Looking at their closeness and intimate bonding while working together most of colleagues believed they are couple. Only they knew they are just friends for life nothing else. At least that’s what they believed at that point of time kept telling themselves.

Sourabh was introvert by nature while Ritvi was extrovert and full of life. Both met and developed deep friendship while working in the same project. With time they become best buddies, it was Ritvi who took Sourabh out of his comfort zone and taught him the new way of enjoying life. Behind their back most of people saw them as a couple who made for each other.

One day when they both were out for Tea break, Ritvi opened her Gmail and opened one mail and gave phone to Sourabh.

“What is it? Put your phone in your purse when we are on break.” Sourabh blurted in frustration and kept her phone away.

“But at least once look at it na” Ritvi requested him which Sourabh denied by teasing “What is it? What’s so important for you at this time? Is it your wedding card you are showing me?” and he started laughing at her.

Ritvi was serious and gave him angry look. Somewhere in heart she knew Sourabh will melt at her angry look and do as she asks.

Sourabh looked at her but couldn’t face her this cute girlish angry look. He opened the latest mail and started reading it. For a brief moment he kept looking at her phone and didn’t uttered any word. He looked at her in disbelief.

“Why are just looking at me, at least say something to me” Ritvi said in soft manner.

“What is this Ritu? Are you pranking on me? You are joking, right? Sourabh still couldn’t believe what he just read.

Ritvi was about to say something but Saurabh’s phone rang and he went away to receive the important call. He came back after brief 10 minutes and said we need to go back to our desk as he have to attend urgent issue.

That Ritvi couldn’t talk further to Saurabh as he was very busy in his work so decided to talk about it later.

That night Ritvi couldn’t sleep properly. Her past memories kept flooding in mind. She had amazing time at Gandhinagar but when she got irresistible offer from another company she decided to join the Bangalore based company. Salary hike was not only option but her aged parents needed her care. Her father’s joint replacement was long pending. Once she came to Bangalore her parents also settled with her from Kolkata. Being lived their entire life in Bengal, it was difficult for them to adjust in Bangalore but they eventually got comfortable in new city.

The next day when Saurabh woke up in his apartment he was still feeling headache because last night hangover. He tried to remember what all drama he went through and came to his house. After sometime he realized he called someone when he was high but before he could talk further he was taken out by security guard.

He immediately checked dialled call list and stopped at first contact in list. It was very difficult for him to digest the fact he just talked with Ritvi last night after such a long time that also in drunk state. He cursed himself for going in that bar and losing his senses. As he tried to recall the conversation with her his mind went through all the memories he had with her when they were together,

Sourabh was still baffled by decision taken by Ritvi, She resigned from current employer and accepted offer from another MNC. His mind was still going through the email she shown him earlier in the evening. He wanted to call her and ask her the many questions his mind had formulated about her decision but he rather choose not to call her at late night.

Ritvi was listening over and over her favourite song that night, her heart was still waiting for call from Sourabh but he never called. She wanted to talk to him and tell what’s real reasons behind her decision to leave the Gandhinagar but her circumstances didn’t allowed her to explain it to him.

As days were passing the conversation between them became professional and they were barely talking to each other.

Next day as soon as Sourabh finished his office job, he went to home as quickly as possible. He wanted to talk to Ritvi and settle all the past dues for once and all.

He decided to call her post 11 PM as that would be most likely time Ritvi would be free and alone. He took brief moment before calling and kept staring at her number in contact list. Finally he gathered strength and called her. As soon as call got connected to her, Sourabh got tensed and almost hit the table while walking randomly in his house but his wait went little longer as nobody received call on other end.

He redialled again with little ease this time as he went to gallery and sat on chair but to his surprise before he could settle a female voice heard from other side.

“Hello”

“Ritvi?” Sourabh spoke to confirm the voice he received from other end.

“Yes Sourabh, it’s me” Ritvi replied.

Sourabh took deep breadth in relaxation after he heard Ritvi’s voice. She doesn’t seemed usual her, one who always had cheerful voice.

“Hii Ritvi...” Sourabh couldn’t say anything further.

“Tell me what made you call me after all this time?” Ritvi enquired and this time she was more compose and calm in his voice.

“I want to meet you. I know you too have so many unanswered questions. I don’t want them to remain unanswered this time.” Sourabh said in a single breadth and waited for her to reply.

“Why don’t we meet tomorrow? At sharp 8:30 PM at CCD near love garden. I hope at least you know this place.”

“Okay we will meet tomorrow then” and they exchanged formal good night and hung the call.

Next day Sourabh reached the place way before decided time as he wanted to calm his inner self. With Every passing minutes he was getting anxious as he was not ready to face Ritvi. So he decided to call his friend from Gandhinagar to cut some time before she arrives at place. Soon he got busy on call and didn’t realize Ritvi came and stood beside her. Ritvi saw Sourabh and decided to wait just little far from him before he finishes his call.

As she was waiting, she observed the look of Sourabh who was totally unaware about Ritvi’s presence nearby him. Sourabh had developed tough look on him and also grew little beard on his face. He wasn’t usual Sourabh who always maintained clean shaved look. Ritvi felt the absence made him undergo series of changes in his life. After a brief moment Sourabh finished his call and started checking new messages.

Ritvi came forward and said “Hii” but Sourabh didn’t looked up at her kept himself busy in his phone.

So she went little closer to him and gently tapped over his shoulder and called him by his name. Sourabh looked immediately looked up and found Ritvi waiting for her response. As he saw her, she seemed more mature and calm not like her usual notorious look.

“Hey, Please seat” he spoke as soon as possible as he understand she was waiting for him to acknowledge her.

Ritvi soon got herself comfortable opposite to Sourabh but couldn’t able to look at his eyes. Sourabh was also in same situation, he too was wondering how he could start the conversation.

“So Sourabh, how did you end up in Bangalore?” Ritvi broke the silence between them and initiated the conversation.

“Why do you want to know my story? Does it even matter you?” Sourabh replied instantly, his anger was clearly visible but instead of starting fight Ritvi calmly replied “If I were told you my story you would judge me”.

“That’s the problem. Not telling complete story to people and just avoid it rather than looking for resolution.” Sourabh still was in no mood to give up on his fight mood.

“My dad was diagnosed with brain tumour and we needed to shift Bangalore for his surgery so I had to change my job” Ritvi’s voice got little heavier as she started telling past events.

Listening about her father’s condition, Sourabh became serious and kept looking at her for listening whole story from her. Sourabh knew Ritvi was very close to her father but his mind was still looking for answers which force not to tell him about it.

“I wanted to tell you about this but you were so happy in your life and achieving new milestones in professional career so I didn’t wanted to distress you” Ritvi kept going but Sourabh intervened her saying “But you were my reason for happiness, why did you went through all these all alone? I was always there for you. I could have come with you.” Sourabh spoke his heart out.

“I know. That’s why I didn’t wanted you to suffer because of me. So I just left. Many times I wanted to tell you the truth but even stopped talking to me which made me more clear about my decision.”

“I was very angry at you at that time but you shouldn’t have done this to me, now tell me how is uncle’s health? Sourabh enquired.

“He passed away after few months of surgery as his condition didn’t improved but worsen.. “ drops of tears fell from Ritvi’s eyes as she barely completed her sentence.

“What..” Sourabh remained awestruck after hearing demise of her father.

She couldn’t controlled her emotions as she told her story to Sourabh. Meanwhile he also become emotional and barely kept himself together and put his hand over and said “Ritvi, I could have walked with you till the end of any road if you had taken me. You were not just my friend but everything.”

“I knew you had feelings for me, even I loved you that’s why it was very hard for me to make suffer because of my cause so I had to leave without involving you in my life further.”

“Stop it Ritvi, after you left company, not a single day passed when I didn’t missed you. So I too decided to quit the company and went on to my endeavour to explore myself and feel the newer levels of life and then I called you that night by mistake during the process”

Ritvi listened as Sourabh expressed his feeling for her for the first time it was ray of hope for both of them as they tighten grips of their palm and shared the same feeling through their heart. Both new that they took wrong decision in life and suffered but it was now evident that they always meant for together and couldn’t stay without each other anymore.

Soon both finished their coffee and went outside but not alone. They had each other this time and holding their hands together and left the place for beginning the new chapter of their life.