“Heyy… What’s up Buddy?”
“Ranbir. What a surprise. Nothing much dude. You tell me how’s Bangalore treating you?”
“Well. Bangalore is just too good for words. And by the way we have reached the finals of the tournament happening day after. By the way how many trophies have you added to your collection.”
“We lost in the finals but I won the Man of the Match. So it’s okay. So what’s you calling me now. And how did you know I am in this hotel.”
“Ohh..crap. Thanks I had almost forgotten. Dude its Ishaan’s birthday this week. I hope you remember.”, sounding really excited.
“Yeah. I do. Like duh. And all of us are in different parts of India so we will not be able to have a blast and bring in his eighteenth birthday in style.”, sounding a bit low.
“What if we can? Why don’t we get together?”
“You must be kidding Ranbir.”
“No re. I am damn serious. I mean instead of going back to Dubai catch a flight to Delhi, I do the same and we have a blast on his birthday and then head back to Dubai. What say.”
“Its an awesome idea dude. But..”, taking a brief pause so as to think if it actually is so simple as he is saying.
“No buts dude. Common anyways there is nothing to do in Dubai. And then Ishaan will not even expect us there.”
“You are right. I am in for it.”
“Finally. Anyways bye dude, I got to go for the party happening. Meet ya in Delhi.”
“Bye. All the best for the finals.”
And all of a sudden after the talk my mood just sprang up and I went downstairs for the party and had a blast of a night at Kolkatta forgetting the loss behind.
The first thing I do next morning is go and find a travel agent. But should I call it my bad luck or something else, due to certain unknown reasons there was no direct flight to Delhi for the next 48hrs.
But I was so keen on going to Delhi anyhow, so I booked a flight via Mumbai, left with no other option.
The thought of being back in Mumbai even just for a few hours made me feel nostalgic. I will be back in my city after I say just around 4-5 months. Actually that just was much more than just that ‘Just.’
Suddenly all those days in college and school and most importantly the feeling of being surrounded with friends 24/7 came flashing back to my mind.
And the thoughts are totally incomplete without thinking of how Ronak became my best buddy.
Flashback
“And after a very long time, we have a new first ranker in our school. Congrats Ronak. And Nikhil you have come second in this exam. Study hard next term, you have got some competition now.”
I was totally shocked. How can this guy who has just joined school beat me in his very first exam in school. He must have cheated or he is some teacher’s relative. I cannot come second.
I was really irritated and frustrated. And then all of a sudden after the teacher left, everyone went and surrounded Ronak. No one came to me. This all the more got on my nerves.
But then Ronak came to me, obviously unexpectedly. And before even he could say anything, I just slapped him right across his face, a tight one. This was totally spontaneous and I have no clue what prompted me to do so.
Everyone in the class started calling names to me. “Nikhil is a bad loser.”, became the Class Anthem.
I couldn’t bear all of this so I just ran out of the class. I was in a situation that nor could I react neither could I cry.
I went and sat on the terrace staring at the sky far away. I usually came here, as it was really silent and nice here. And then this is the only rule I enjoyed breaking or basically the only rule I ever broke in my school life till date till 9th.
Actually we weren’t allowed to go to the terrace for whatsoever reason.
I was actually feeling guilty of slapping Ronak then. In anger we just do anything without even thinking of its consequence. But then I can’t even help it. It was impromptu.
What more I liked about sitting there was speaking to myself aloud.
“I shouldn’t have reacted that way. What must be Ronak and other students thinking about me.”
And then someone spoke from my back. I got really scared as I though it must be some peon. I was already given a warning once for being caught leaving from the terrace.
“Its okay Nikhil. You don’t need to be sorry. You just wanted to let your anger out and you did so.”
It was Ronak. Seeing him there my anger actually was coming back. How dare he beat me in the exams. No one has ever done so. It is as if my birthright to top the class.
“I know it feels bad to come second after so many years.”
While he was speaking, I was mentally preparing myself for the next exam and to prove to all that I am the best.
“Even I was in your situation once and I reacted in a worse manner. I went and hit that guy with a blade. He was not able to write the next exam. And then what happened. I came first again. But I lost all my friends and the respect in front of the teachers. No one spoke to me then. I was alone.”
And tears began rolling down his cheeks.
I felt bad for him but also the message passed through my head.
“Ronak, I have come second so I should be crying, why are you.”
I wiped of his tears and told him sorry and we left the terrace.
On the way back I asked him,
“You told me that story to make me feel better or asking me not to cut your hand with a blade.”
We laughed our way back to the class and everyone in the class was shocked and as if their life came to a standstill seeing both of us together.
Back to Present.
Ronak has played the most crucial role as a friend in those two years of our friendship. He is actually responsible for a large extent for what I am today. He taught me patience and how to control my anger and leave my ego behind and be friends with all.
Actually after 10th he moved to Delhi and I stayed in Mumbai. So then things took a different turn. But we made sure we spoke atleast once a week. But gradually we ended up speaking just once a month.
The last I had spoken to him was when I left for Dubai. I haven’t spoken to him since then.
I then felt the urge to speak to him now. I picked up the phone and even dialed his number. But then I disconnected the line. I decided to meet him personally when I go to Delhi.
I was so looking forward to meeting him in Delhi.
Also I was really keen on being back to Mumbai, my home city.
So that night as all my teammates and coach boarded a flight back to Dubai, I caught the flight to Mumbai with my final destination being Delhi.
Next morning I must say, ‘Back to Mumbai!’
I landed in Mumbai early in the morning and had almost 6-7 hours in hand before boarding my flight ahead to Delhi.
The first thing I do after leaving the airport is go to college. I knew that I would find my entire group their. Obviously I missed all the fun I had with them and life had been so nice all the while.
And there at the entrance I meet my ex-crush turned really good friend Sonam. She just couldn’t believe her eyes that I was standing in front of her.
“Nikhil. You are in Mumbai. When did you come? No call no message.”
I started laughing and she was going red.
“Arey..Relax. I just came down today and am leaving in a few hours for Delhi.”
“You didn’t get anyone to fool since morning. You just came today and leaving today.”
“I will tell ya everything re. Can we just sit down and talk. And then where’s everyone re. Call them also naa. I so want to meet everyone.”
Just as we took a seat in the college canteen, came in Roadside Romeo Rohit from behind. And his style of wishing me was still the same, a kick on my back and then a hug.
“What’s up Dude. Welcome back to Mumbai. When did ya come? No call also re. This is only our friendship or what? And when are you going back.”
He asked all that in as far as I remember in a single breath. And then before I could even recollect and answer any of them, popped in Sonam.
“He is leaving in a few hours. That’s what he told me. Maybe he will tell you the truth.”
“Is she right Nikhil?”
“Yeah. I just came in from Kolkatta and heading to Delhi in a few hours. That’s why I dropped in to meet all of you people.”
“Kolkatta…Delhi…what… Are you on some airport hopping session?”
I started laughing at that one.
“No re. I had a cricket tournament in Kolkatta. And its one of my friends birthday in Delhi, so going there. I didn’t get a direct flight so I am in Mumbai.”
“Oh..so you have limited hours in hand. Any specific plans or you are at leisure.”
“Well. Yeah. I have some plans. To spend the time with you guys. Where’s the rest of the gang re?”
“Actually theirs a function at Priya’s place so everyone’s there. Both of us had some work in college so we are here. We are also heading straight there.”
“So whom are we waiting for. Lets leave.”
So we left for Priya’s home. The last I had gone to her place was also for a Pooja itself.
I was just waiting to see the reaction of the rest of the gang on seeing me there. They will be stunned for sure.
I entered the living room and Priya just screamed on seeing me.
Everyone just turned back to see as if a terrorist with a live bomb had entered.
After the Pooja at her place we decided to go back to our school and spend some time their.
The school was just the same, I mean how much would it even change in say around more than a year.. Basically all of us had changed a lot in this time.
We missed bunking classes, running around the campus, gossiping under the tree’s, the teachers and on top of that all of us being Together.
Ronak had moved to Delhi and me to Dubai. And the rest weren’t in the same college. Gradually we lost touch. We used to spend a major portion of the day together during those school days and then later on it was just a weekend or two out.
Suddenly Amit came up with this question,
“Why do we have to separate, just when we began to get better as friends?”
He was totally right. Just when we were matured enough to understand the meaning of friendship we had to part ways.
That statement of Amit just cropped up the silent topic.
Why do we even have to split in the first place?
Then we went and met our schoolteachers. It’s really difficult to have such teachers today. I have never seen any teacher so dedicated to their subject and students. We could actually depend on them for anything and everything. Many a times they even helped us solve our personal problems be it about a friend, family or girlfriend.
They indeed deserved the high regard that they commanded within us even after more than a year of leaving school and surely would continue to do so.
Then moving to the canteen sipping that cutting tea, it actually brought a lot of old memories back.
It was then turn for the library. Just moving hands over the place where we normally used to sit for hours just days before the exams and scratching our heads in tension. The vivid faces of different reactions whenever we failed to do a sum without looking at the solution came flashing.
Today we just laughed over it but these is what actually school life was filled with.
Breaking the rules was fun just because there was a restriction on something. Though I never broke a rule as far as I remember but someway or the other I used to help them out of trouble and so can be held responsible to an extent.
The sports room was indeed the best place to hang out. After school we used to spend a good portion of the day there. Though it wasn’t ultra modern but it was a good way to chill out after regular studies in the morning.
Lastly we went to the place where I started playing cricket and where the coach saw me play and selected me. It was in the backyard of the main building where hardly anyone used to go. Only a few of us went there and used to play. Seeing it in just the same mess as we had left it more than a year back had almost brought tears to my eyes.
It was now time to leave. The only person missing in today’s reunion was Ronak. His jolly nature was missed the most. He had this inbuilt talent to make anyone smile anyhow and his on the spot answers were a rare combination, adding his academic proficiency.
He could speak alone for hours and we would never get bored. Though many times we used to just wish he would shut up so that others could speak.
Well, from school we directly headed to the airport. All of them actually came down to drop me to the airport.
And that made leaving Mumbai all the more difficult for me this time. Everyone on the other side of the fence waving me a goodbye, with a desire to meet again but no idea when. Giving it a second thought I just felt like staying back and not go to Delhi or Dubai.
I just wished that time could be turned back and these good old school days came back and stayed the way we wanted as long as we wanted them to stay.
That’s when I remembered one of my friends line,
‘We do not bid goodbye to separate, it’s just a farewell to meet again.’
...to be continued...
“Ranbir. What a surprise. Nothing much dude. You tell me how’s Bangalore treating you?”
“Well. Bangalore is just too good for words. And by the way we have reached the finals of the tournament happening day after. By the way how many trophies have you added to your collection.”
“We lost in the finals but I won the Man of the Match. So it’s okay. So what’s you calling me now. And how did you know I am in this hotel.”
“Ohh..crap. Thanks I had almost forgotten. Dude its Ishaan’s birthday this week. I hope you remember.”, sounding really excited.
“Yeah. I do. Like duh. And all of us are in different parts of India so we will not be able to have a blast and bring in his eighteenth birthday in style.”, sounding a bit low.
“What if we can? Why don’t we get together?”
“You must be kidding Ranbir.”
“No re. I am damn serious. I mean instead of going back to Dubai catch a flight to Delhi, I do the same and we have a blast on his birthday and then head back to Dubai. What say.”
“Its an awesome idea dude. But..”, taking a brief pause so as to think if it actually is so simple as he is saying.
“No buts dude. Common anyways there is nothing to do in Dubai. And then Ishaan will not even expect us there.”
“You are right. I am in for it.”
“Finally. Anyways bye dude, I got to go for the party happening. Meet ya in Delhi.”
“Bye. All the best for the finals.”
And all of a sudden after the talk my mood just sprang up and I went downstairs for the party and had a blast of a night at Kolkatta forgetting the loss behind.
The first thing I do next morning is go and find a travel agent. But should I call it my bad luck or something else, due to certain unknown reasons there was no direct flight to Delhi for the next 48hrs.
But I was so keen on going to Delhi anyhow, so I booked a flight via Mumbai, left with no other option.
The thought of being back in Mumbai even just for a few hours made me feel nostalgic. I will be back in my city after I say just around 4-5 months. Actually that just was much more than just that ‘Just.’
Suddenly all those days in college and school and most importantly the feeling of being surrounded with friends 24/7 came flashing back to my mind.
And the thoughts are totally incomplete without thinking of how Ronak became my best buddy.
Flashback
“And after a very long time, we have a new first ranker in our school. Congrats Ronak. And Nikhil you have come second in this exam. Study hard next term, you have got some competition now.”
I was totally shocked. How can this guy who has just joined school beat me in his very first exam in school. He must have cheated or he is some teacher’s relative. I cannot come second.
I was really irritated and frustrated. And then all of a sudden after the teacher left, everyone went and surrounded Ronak. No one came to me. This all the more got on my nerves.
But then Ronak came to me, obviously unexpectedly. And before even he could say anything, I just slapped him right across his face, a tight one. This was totally spontaneous and I have no clue what prompted me to do so.
Everyone in the class started calling names to me. “Nikhil is a bad loser.”, became the Class Anthem.
I couldn’t bear all of this so I just ran out of the class. I was in a situation that nor could I react neither could I cry.
I went and sat on the terrace staring at the sky far away. I usually came here, as it was really silent and nice here. And then this is the only rule I enjoyed breaking or basically the only rule I ever broke in my school life till date till 9th.
Actually we weren’t allowed to go to the terrace for whatsoever reason.
I was actually feeling guilty of slapping Ronak then. In anger we just do anything without even thinking of its consequence. But then I can’t even help it. It was impromptu.
What more I liked about sitting there was speaking to myself aloud.
“I shouldn’t have reacted that way. What must be Ronak and other students thinking about me.”
And then someone spoke from my back. I got really scared as I though it must be some peon. I was already given a warning once for being caught leaving from the terrace.
“Its okay Nikhil. You don’t need to be sorry. You just wanted to let your anger out and you did so.”
It was Ronak. Seeing him there my anger actually was coming back. How dare he beat me in the exams. No one has ever done so. It is as if my birthright to top the class.
“I know it feels bad to come second after so many years.”
While he was speaking, I was mentally preparing myself for the next exam and to prove to all that I am the best.
“Even I was in your situation once and I reacted in a worse manner. I went and hit that guy with a blade. He was not able to write the next exam. And then what happened. I came first again. But I lost all my friends and the respect in front of the teachers. No one spoke to me then. I was alone.”
And tears began rolling down his cheeks.
I felt bad for him but also the message passed through my head.
“Ronak, I have come second so I should be crying, why are you.”
I wiped of his tears and told him sorry and we left the terrace.
On the way back I asked him,
“You told me that story to make me feel better or asking me not to cut your hand with a blade.”
We laughed our way back to the class and everyone in the class was shocked and as if their life came to a standstill seeing both of us together.
Back to Present.
Ronak has played the most crucial role as a friend in those two years of our friendship. He is actually responsible for a large extent for what I am today. He taught me patience and how to control my anger and leave my ego behind and be friends with all.
Actually after 10th he moved to Delhi and I stayed in Mumbai. So then things took a different turn. But we made sure we spoke atleast once a week. But gradually we ended up speaking just once a month.
The last I had spoken to him was when I left for Dubai. I haven’t spoken to him since then.
I then felt the urge to speak to him now. I picked up the phone and even dialed his number. But then I disconnected the line. I decided to meet him personally when I go to Delhi.
I was so looking forward to meeting him in Delhi.
Also I was really keen on being back to Mumbai, my home city.
So that night as all my teammates and coach boarded a flight back to Dubai, I caught the flight to Mumbai with my final destination being Delhi.
Next morning I must say, ‘Back to Mumbai!’
I landed in Mumbai early in the morning and had almost 6-7 hours in hand before boarding my flight ahead to Delhi.
The first thing I do after leaving the airport is go to college. I knew that I would find my entire group their. Obviously I missed all the fun I had with them and life had been so nice all the while.
And there at the entrance I meet my ex-crush turned really good friend Sonam. She just couldn’t believe her eyes that I was standing in front of her.
“Nikhil. You are in Mumbai. When did you come? No call no message.”
I started laughing and she was going red.
“Arey..Relax. I just came down today and am leaving in a few hours for Delhi.”
“You didn’t get anyone to fool since morning. You just came today and leaving today.”
“I will tell ya everything re. Can we just sit down and talk. And then where’s everyone re. Call them also naa. I so want to meet everyone.”
Just as we took a seat in the college canteen, came in Roadside Romeo Rohit from behind. And his style of wishing me was still the same, a kick on my back and then a hug.
“What’s up Dude. Welcome back to Mumbai. When did ya come? No call also re. This is only our friendship or what? And when are you going back.”
He asked all that in as far as I remember in a single breath. And then before I could even recollect and answer any of them, popped in Sonam.
“He is leaving in a few hours. That’s what he told me. Maybe he will tell you the truth.”
“Is she right Nikhil?”
“Yeah. I just came in from Kolkatta and heading to Delhi in a few hours. That’s why I dropped in to meet all of you people.”
“Kolkatta…Delhi…what… Are you on some airport hopping session?”
I started laughing at that one.
“No re. I had a cricket tournament in Kolkatta. And its one of my friends birthday in Delhi, so going there. I didn’t get a direct flight so I am in Mumbai.”
“Oh..so you have limited hours in hand. Any specific plans or you are at leisure.”
“Well. Yeah. I have some plans. To spend the time with you guys. Where’s the rest of the gang re?”
“Actually theirs a function at Priya’s place so everyone’s there. Both of us had some work in college so we are here. We are also heading straight there.”
“So whom are we waiting for. Lets leave.”
So we left for Priya’s home. The last I had gone to her place was also for a Pooja itself.
I was just waiting to see the reaction of the rest of the gang on seeing me there. They will be stunned for sure.
I entered the living room and Priya just screamed on seeing me.
Everyone just turned back to see as if a terrorist with a live bomb had entered.
After the Pooja at her place we decided to go back to our school and spend some time their.
The school was just the same, I mean how much would it even change in say around more than a year.. Basically all of us had changed a lot in this time.
We missed bunking classes, running around the campus, gossiping under the tree’s, the teachers and on top of that all of us being Together.
Ronak had moved to Delhi and me to Dubai. And the rest weren’t in the same college. Gradually we lost touch. We used to spend a major portion of the day together during those school days and then later on it was just a weekend or two out.
Suddenly Amit came up with this question,
“Why do we have to separate, just when we began to get better as friends?”
He was totally right. Just when we were matured enough to understand the meaning of friendship we had to part ways.
That statement of Amit just cropped up the silent topic.
Why do we even have to split in the first place?
Then we went and met our schoolteachers. It’s really difficult to have such teachers today. I have never seen any teacher so dedicated to their subject and students. We could actually depend on them for anything and everything. Many a times they even helped us solve our personal problems be it about a friend, family or girlfriend.
They indeed deserved the high regard that they commanded within us even after more than a year of leaving school and surely would continue to do so.
Then moving to the canteen sipping that cutting tea, it actually brought a lot of old memories back.
It was then turn for the library. Just moving hands over the place where we normally used to sit for hours just days before the exams and scratching our heads in tension. The vivid faces of different reactions whenever we failed to do a sum without looking at the solution came flashing.
Today we just laughed over it but these is what actually school life was filled with.
Breaking the rules was fun just because there was a restriction on something. Though I never broke a rule as far as I remember but someway or the other I used to help them out of trouble and so can be held responsible to an extent.
The sports room was indeed the best place to hang out. After school we used to spend a good portion of the day there. Though it wasn’t ultra modern but it was a good way to chill out after regular studies in the morning.
Lastly we went to the place where I started playing cricket and where the coach saw me play and selected me. It was in the backyard of the main building where hardly anyone used to go. Only a few of us went there and used to play. Seeing it in just the same mess as we had left it more than a year back had almost brought tears to my eyes.
It was now time to leave. The only person missing in today’s reunion was Ronak. His jolly nature was missed the most. He had this inbuilt talent to make anyone smile anyhow and his on the spot answers were a rare combination, adding his academic proficiency.
He could speak alone for hours and we would never get bored. Though many times we used to just wish he would shut up so that others could speak.
Well, from school we directly headed to the airport. All of them actually came down to drop me to the airport.
And that made leaving Mumbai all the more difficult for me this time. Everyone on the other side of the fence waving me a goodbye, with a desire to meet again but no idea when. Giving it a second thought I just felt like staying back and not go to Delhi or Dubai.
I just wished that time could be turned back and these good old school days came back and stayed the way we wanted as long as we wanted them to stay.
That’s when I remembered one of my friends line,
‘We do not bid goodbye to separate, it’s just a farewell to meet again.’
...to be continued...
3 comments:
man..
im touched! srsly
i mean.. d lat lines...
'We do not bid goodbye to separate, it’s just a farewell to meet again.’
its awesome and soo true!
i noe ur going thru dt phase nw and i will one day 2! =(
bt dts lyfe and it will go on.....
hmm....
d credit 4 dat lyn goes 2 Lavanya...x-headgirl of our skewl...mah batch...
Hardik Shah
very good expression of human thoughts.
i am also quitting this story to read it further & again
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