Rubbing my eyes,
"Ishi..Dubai..How come..when..here..how?" I was going crazy.
She started laughing and just came and hugged me.
"Relax Nikhu. You aren't dreaming. You needed me and here I am."
"All of a sudden, over here."
"Remember my promise."
I was walking back home, after a cricket match, we had won. I was so happy.
That morning I had a fight with Ishita, and yes she is right as usual, I can't stay a day without speaking to her.
'God! damn, pick up the phone.'
This was the tenth time I tried ringing her up in the past two minutes.
And the same old response.
'There is no response on the number you are trying to call.'
I had crossed the saturation point of frustration.
What the hell is wrong with her?
Somehow I felt a sudden gush of warm blood rushing through my body as if something unexpected had happened.
I again tried her cell, and the same reply continued.
In the morning she had come over to my place to take me out for shopping and I wanted to go for a cricket match. A long debate ended, with she walking out of the house.
And I was just wondering, whether I did the right thing by going for the match and not go for shopping, my cell phone started ringing.
The name Ishita flashed on the screen.
"Where the hell are you? I have been trying your cell since when. How can you treat me this way. Come let's go shopping and then for dinner. Speak something Ishiiii..."
"Nikhil I am Ishita's mother."
"Ohh!! sorry aunty. I thought it was Ishita. Where is she aunty?"
"She is in hospital Nikhil. Can you come now. Shivaji Hospital Room No. 233"
"Hospital....What happened?....But morning she was here....Whats wrong aunty?....Please tell me aunty."
"You come here, I will tell you. Come as soon as possible."
"Yes Aunty I am leaving"
I quickly put on the tee, wore in the slippers and rushed to the door.
"Di. Ishi is in hospital, I am going there. Tell Mom, I will be late."
She said something, but I had already left, to far to understand what she said.
All the while, I still didn't understand, why was Ishi in hospital.
My brain was already going crazy with the thousands of unwanted thoughts running up and down my mind.
Finally I found her room.
But the room was empty.
Now, where was she, ran away from the hospital also. She is too good at running away.
Then I was just moving out of the room, when someone was coming in on a wheel chair.
"IIIIssssssshhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttttaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa......."
"See mummy, I told you na, that he will shout to wake up the entire hospital."
And Ishi and aunty started laughing as if she had just cracked a joke.
She moved up to the bed.
And I was getting restless.
Aunty went out to get medicenes.
I sat next to her, and took her hands on my hands.
"How did this happen, Ishi"
I knew, that more than anything, she needed someone to speak to.
"After I left your house, I was walking back home, angrily. I was so lost in the anger that I didn't see the car coming in."
She caught her ears and like a baby doll said "Sorry!!"
"You always ask me to control my anger, but I never listen to you."
She was in tears and whenever I see a girl in tear, I just don't understand how to react and how to console them.
"Ishita, relax. You will get well soon. What did the doctor's say?"
"My both the legs are fractured, so I surely can't run away from here. They have taken some x-rays and tests now, reports will come in two-three days."
I spent the entire night in the hospital.
She could not stand on her feet, walking was far away.
I was scared as the worst could be expected. I had to be mentally stable to able to keep her strong.
Her reports were out after a couple of days.
I and aunty met the doctor.
He showed us the x-rays and the reports.
Aunty's tears burst out. And again I im in a dilemna, how to control her, especially when I myself was becoming mentally unstable.
The doctor just said a few words.
"Her bones have been fractured and muscles torn apart. Her walking on her own feet is highly unlikely. Rest leave it on God."
I then went to her room.
It wasn't going to be easy to tell her but, I would have to.
I went and quiety sat next to her.
"My tickets for Dubai are confirmed. I am leaving on 21st. Dad's job is confirmed."
She cared a least to reply. I guess she was already ready to hear the worst.
I hugged her, and softly put the news through her ears.
What would I have told her.
'Sorry, Ishi. I am leaving you in this condition and going miles away.'
How can I even think of telling her all this.
As the doctor suggested I took her for daily exercises.
After two weeks of exercise, she showed some interest and signs of improvement, but not upto the mark.
The doctor's had given there verdict, only in the rarest of cases she would be able to stand on her own feet.
I had to leave India in a week's time and Ishita is in hospital.
How can I go, when my friend need's me, the thought kept haunting me.
I don't deserve to be called a friend. I am like a blackmark on the beautiful world of 'friendship'.
I argued with mom and dad to postpone the flight, but they wouldn't agree.
I stayed lonely.
Di could not see me in this condition, but even she was helpless.
I usually stayed irritated throughout the day, and lose my cool on small issues.
Some answers in life are so difficult to find. Even the answers to the questions in exams aren't so difficult.
"Accept it or not. But this is life and you can hardly do anything about it. Just face it."
This was my Di's favourite statement whenever she had any problems in life.
I just couldn't build up the courage to face her.
Saying her goodbye was anyways going to be tough, but in this situation, even more.
I queitly sat in the car, and we left for the airport. My mood was low.
We reached the airport and I was just about to check in, when someone suddenly caught my hand.
I turned back in surprise.
"Ishita. What are you doing here?"
I dropped the bags I was carrying. She was there in front of me, on a wheel chair.
"You were leaving, without even meeting me. How dare you?"
I knelt down on my knee's. Water droplets pouring down my eyes and even hers.
"I...I...How could I Ishita?"
"That much only trust you have on your trust."
"Ishita..sorry."
"I want to tell you something."
"Tell naa."
"You didn't want to meet me just because you thought that you were leaving me behind in this condition. Nikhu, friendship does not demand physical presence always. Your friendship has always meant a lot to me and will continue to do so. So don't worry and happily continue with your journey."
"But..Ishu..."
"Nikz..all this while you have been trying to make me walk, but somewhere in my heart I had decided I wouldn't be able to walk. But now I promise you that whenever you need me I will be there for you, and I will be on my feet, without this wheelchair."
I took her hands in mine and gave her the final goodbye kiss. I didn't have any words to reply to her.
"Now, you better go and board that flight of yours now or else I will never let you go."
I gave her a hug, picked up my bags and left.
Back to Present."Ishitaaaaa.....you can walk."
And Ishita was up with a catwalk.
"See. I am on my legs."
I could hardly talk to her then.
Ishaan, Bhavika, Sania, Ansh and some other few of my friends turned up earlier then expected.
They are always late when you expect them on time, and always interrupt when you want some privacy.
Actually this was the first ever party at my place, so I wanted it to be different, and something to keep the exams miles away.
A light round of softdrinks started the evening.
Then loads of dance followed.
A bit of snacks and then came in the late Host.
Di did the honours of being the host.
After her entry, the party got even more livelier.
"So..lets start of with Paper Dance.", that was the first game Di started off with.
Ishaan and Bhavika, Me and Ishita, Ranbir and Sania, Ansh and Kajal & Ajay and Smriti were the dance couples for the evening.
And the real life couple, Ishaan and Bhavika made it through as the winners.
They really looked reaaly nice together.
Then a few other of my sister's favourite mastermind games.
Di had loads of surprises in store for us. It was rocking, and things had just started.Loads of dance & music & dance.
Mom was handling the food department, as usual.
A heavy round of dinner that included garlic bread, pizza, pasta, bhel,and some other dishes I don't even know are they called.
'The food was mouth-watering.'
That's the best part of having a prty at home.
You get to eat a lot of varieties, which normally you don't get at home.
At around 12 everyone left.
Ishita left a bit early, and so couldn't speak to her a lot.
Ishaan and Ranbir were gonna stay over, and then I knew I was gonna be bombared with hundreds of questions, so was just mentally preparing myself.
For a while, we all sat in the living room, in short mom, dad, di, me, Ishaan and Ranbir.
The biggest mistake ever.
Mom & Dad started with there favourite question,
"What are you all planing to do after 12th?"
And when they start with the discussion, it just doesn't end.
For the next hour, that was like the hottest topic in town to be talked about.
Luckily after a while mom & dad felt the need of a sleep and we moved to my room, for the party for the three of us had just started.
...to be continued...
