THE WALKOUT

He called me up and wished me a Happy Birthday on my 18th birthday. Vinay rarely gets up early in the morning. However, on that day he had woke up to wish Rathi. She was thrilled and happy both at the same time. Vinay called up Rathi once again in the afternoon and narrated to her his evening plans. In Mumbai, one needs to pre-book tables on Friday and Saturday evenings. Vinay did it for the first time in three months that Rathi had known him. They were to go out for dinner on her birthday. It was his party. He wanted them to celebrate Rathi’s birthday with pomp and gaiety. Vinay booked a cab which picked Rathi up first and them him. They went for dinner to one of the happening pubs that played good music and served tasty food. Rathi was wearing a white string strapped dress and a shrug over it. Vinay was of the opinion that it needed something more. Well, they enjoyed their food and drink and the background music. Rathi was very happy, thinking that finally she had found a man with whom she could think of a life ahead. This feeling was enough to make Rathi feel on a high. They left the pub at around one o clock at night and went to Vinay’s place. They mostly did that whenever they got very late.

They were tired out but were still happy. Vinay pulled Rathi close and planted the most passionate kiss on her lips. That passion was so warm and deep that it froze time and before they realized, the sun filled the sky with its brightness. That morning was extra beautiful. Rathi got up and made coffee. They chatted for an hour and after bathing got dressed. While dropping Rathi back home, Vinay mentioned her dress once again. This upset her once again, but, it was not an argument.

Vinay did not call Rathi after that. It’s been eight months. He never made an attempt to reach out to Rathi. She tried fruitlessly to get in touch with him.

They had a couple of text arguments to know what went wrong. Rathi was shocked by his sudden withdrawal and was freaking out not knowing why. She wanted to meet Vinay to ask why. She had reached a point where Rathi had started believing that there was something wrong with her and she kept blaming herself. Her face got break outs and she suffered hormonal imbalance due to excess stress. Rathi had to undergo antidepressant treatment for three months. Vinay had blocked Rathi’s numbers since November, not because she kept bothering him or tried to reach out to him, but, perhaps he did not want to bother. He made sure that Rathi was not able to reach out to him in any way.

Rathi was never affected by anything so much in her life and was never treated so inhumanly before. But guess that’s why people say love hurts. It hurt Rathi a lot and shook her inside out. In the time to follow much had changed. Once Rathi’s friend called Vinay to know what was happening in his life. Vinay started making fun of her saying “She is stupid to fall for a relationship which was purely based on lust.” That’s when realization hit Rathi really hard that she was losing her sanity over a shallow person who did not see Rathi beyond her exterior. After that Rathi became alert and whenever anybody tried to get too close to her or started expressing themselves in a romantic manner with her, she started feeling uncomfortable. After the above incident, Rathi talked to people but she did not get emotionally involved. She stopped investing too much in them and stayed detached.

Rathi explored other possibilities of life but she had withdrawn when it came to allowing anyone else in her life. She was still sensitive but she could not afford to lose her new found confidence and passion for writing and travelling for anything else.

She met people but she just superficially connected to them. She did not let them affect her. Someone else should not have the reins of your happiness in their hands. Rathi had blocked a lot of contacts including Vinay, in her phone book and from everywhere, whoever reminded her of bitter memories or a hurtful past.

It’s human psychology to go back to find out about people and their whereabouts. Moreover, Rathi thinks that if someone genuinely wished to reach out to her, they would have found out a way to do so. But, till then she wanted to keep them at bay. Someday, if at all, Vinay and she met, Rathi would not be bitter with him. But, she would have many questions for him. From now life would be good and she would be living it well.

Love was the need of every soul, but, if someone abuses it, mocks it, doesn’t value it, it becomes a big punishment. Before it reached this stage it is best to WALK OUT.