HURTING THE HEART

It was an usual cold day of winter……but the weather was not at its best. Though it was not raining cats and dogs but still there was enough momentum in the sudden afternoon showers. Aditya was sitting in the balcony of his 2 storied house, watching the rains…the atmosphere seemed so lively and engrossed with purity. The green leaves, the yet charming sunset, the chirping of birds, the yellow-orange colour of the sky seemed to have made an impact on his curious mind.

                              Aditya, age of 16, lean , charming ,handsome , fair boy had  appeared for the ICSE in the present year and now after giving the exams he was free to do anything…  to play with friends, to make things out of junks(his favorite hobby),to roam where he wants all such normal phenomena’s which we have often encountered in our school life. But was he really free to do so??? “Get ready with all these competitive magazines, GKs. Look I have spent 150 rupees in buying all these …so start preparing from tomorrow…your exams ended on this Saturday, how can you afford to waste precious 4 days? Explain me? Don’t you know after two years you will have to give the ultimate test ….the IIT ENTRANCE..? Go you fool and study”-aditya’s father screamed at him. Aditya slightly bowing down his head went into the study room. Perhaps few droplets of water were seen in his curious eyes, trying to find his fault….

                           The rain stopped few hours ago and it was dark by now, aditya was trying hard to focus on the magazines but was not able to concentrate…..he wants to study English…the great shakesphere, keats , wordsworth all seemed to call him to a virtual world of English poems, short stories, novels…he lost himself thinking he was brutus and was killing Julius Caesar, a fake proud smile ran down his face…thought what would have happened if Frankenstein is now really made by some eminent  scientists… total devastation and destruction by the monster seemed so real in his imagination that he almost got a  jerk out of his fear… “the dinner is ready – come quickly”-summoned his mother in an angry tone… “father, what’s the use in becoming an engineer …many people are already engrossed in this business. So why not study arts…I too have my dreams of becoming a great writer one day……may be like chetan bhagat, jhumpa lahiri , ravinder singh???”-aditya questioned in a  fearing tone. His father was eating his dinner comfortably…but hearing this question stood petrified….looked at Aditya’s mother…she too was taken away by surprise….complete silence engrossed the room for a minute…. “are you joking my boy”-his father asked…NO was the answer….” how can you end up asking such stupid questions…..look at me …I earn 50,000 rupees being an electrical engineer how much you will earn by writing all sorts of rubbish?? You dumb fellow!! if you study arts beggars will also not come to beg in your houses..Get lost…. I have a plan and you will have to  follow it…you will study science, will get yourself enrolled in FIITJEE a prestigious institute and will appear for the life changing exams the IIT…..if you talk one more rubbish I will not tolerate you anymore…”-screamed adityas father in anger and astonishment…

                             Time passed slowly and after a month aditya was ready for attending his new school, don bosco model school, the prestigious school in the town. It was just a school for aditya but a sanctum for adityas father, proud at sons result of 86% in ICSE , getting highest in science group ….. The first day was quite interesting ….many new friends, new teachers, large classrooms with smart classes seemed like heaven to him. Astonished by everything he walked slowly by the corridor gasping at almost everything……chemistry, physics all kicked off at pace from the first day. He was slowly enjoying his subjects..

                             After a week aditya started going for FITTJEE to take up the challenge for the IITs.. “ good bye son, study well, you are now the architect of your own future”- his father patted him as he went down from the scooter in front of the coaching centre…he saw the hopes in his father’s eyes which was extraordinarily shining that day. “Good bye”- he greeted too.

                                           He went inside the building and was searching for the class when someone greeted him “hi aditya”..He step back, turned around …saw a young charming girl in front of him. She was looking him with a gentle yet so called dangerous smile!!! Her fair complexion really contrasted with the black t shirt and 3quarter jeans, her silky hair was waving gently in all directions with the wind, her eyes carried some light….some unexplainable magic which just left aditya into some hypnosis action…. “hi”-she told again…this time aditya managed to gather his senses and gave a shy look with  a gentle smile ….her name was Aparna banerjee, a teenager girl ,reading in the same section in adityas  school. She too was reading in this coaching centre. Aditya gently questioned  “are you too preparing for iit?”…yes came the answer from opposite site…both together entered the class sat in the same desk, though a little hesitation came from aditya however was melted by the sweet cute smile of her..

            The physics teacher came,  introduced himself, started with the vector chapter…null vector , relative velocity , velocity –time graphs all seemed going above the head like a tangent… aditya trying to focus but could not focus properly…….a fresh mesmerizing  smell of perfume really distracted him…he was now in a virtual world…with fast beating heart…something unnatural.

                                 “Enjoyed your class?”-his father questioned. Adityas answer was positive….went to home and sat alone. His mother noticing behavioral change questioned him of what happened….. “Nothing mom just a tired day ….so pressure in studies”-lied aditya….he never knew this was just the beginning of lies…beginning of HURTING the HEART….

                                     The next day he went to school and as usual was warmly greeted by her. Time passed and their friendship too was becoming stronger day by day….from mobile number exchange to facebook chat all was going well. Infact when aditya used to open his facebook account he used to see the inbox first desperately waiting for aparnas messages… yes sometimes when both were online they used to share their thoughts, emotions, little study related materials in facebook…. Thanks to Mark Zuckerberg for inventing such a social site which really changed or rather transformed the lives of many. Things which were mush difficult to speak in front was easily shared using facebook.

                                     Around 6 months passed like this and time was gently passing when aditya and aparna both realized that they were no formal friends anymore-rather a relation much pure, much strong than ordinary friendship. what is it?? Though maths, physics and chemistry used to play a certain role in his life but still aparna’s external role was much influencing him….the mid semester of class 11 was over, got appreciate marks and his late night studying, his coaching all seemed to have an effect on his result, he passed out with flying colours…his parents were much happier than him, their determination to see aditya as a future engineer grew stronger day by day..

                                                   Aparna was an average student, not much enthusiastic about her career…engineering, MBBS, nothing soothed her. All she was interested is fashion, shopping, chatting with friends overall to enjoy life was her ultimate motto. She too felt something inside for aditya.. she used to love him. Adityas introvert nature, his smiling face, his staring at her. His cute messages with love stickers – she was attracted to all these…but do aditya think the same? This question used to disturb him a lot.

                                         The days coaching class at FITTJEE was postponed due to non availability of the scheduled teacher. “Look we have 3 hours to spare….So would you like to visit the amusement park nearby?” – Aparna questioned.. “Yeaah, sure”- aditya added.

Both started walking slowly…talking on various topics, reached the park, purchased 2 tickets and sat on the grass . “hey aditya, I want to tell something….”-aparna gave a dangerous smile. Aditya said “yes please continue....Always ready to hear you”..

Aparna: “look I want to tell that the first day I met you I felt something for you….your cuteness, sweetness, intelligence, your style of speaking all attracts me …..Want to evidence some good moments with you…so, it’s difficult to say but yes….I LOVE YOU,…..do you love me aditya?”

                           A line of sweat ran down through adityas  head…his cheeks became red due to blushing…….his ears were hot even in the cold evening….the words of her came like swift arrow hitting his heart….took around a minute to recover himself and slowly told  “ I love you too, honey”

The much waited words were spoken and now the Romeo Juliet phase was starting…..romantic chats in facebook was the usual routine, the mobile now takes really less time to discharge than it used to take few months ago…he used to stay awake late nights ….not for studying but to chat with her ….his performance was falling day by day and the date of the iit entrance was fast approaching… “What am I doing? I want to study but can’t focus …only you remains in my mind ….I want an engineering seat @IIT , can’t decide what to do”-made a complaint to himself in bliss of his solitude…

                                                   Again making up his mind for hard work started preparing when suddenly his mobile flashed with ‘tum hi ho’ ringtone. “hello, what are you doing my boy? Go to sleep or you will fall ill….understand?”-ordered aparna….

Aditya: “yes I was just making some physics notes ….sure I will sleep within 5 mins…you go to sleep honey..”

Aparna: “ok love you boy…ta ta……sweet romantic  dreams pagli……”

Slowly and steadily their love reached the maximum level…often bunked classes to go to ice cream parlors, restaurants etc. but both managed to roam here and there without their parents notice…..

                          Months passed and so called prestigious date of IIT finally arrived….aditya went to the examination center, looked baffled with the questions… “I have done same type of sums but why can’t I recollect?? Really puzzling questions”-he murmured. After 3 hours when he came out of the hall his father understood the performance of adityas by looking at his face………it was a failure…next day the answers were published in the newspaper and saw he managed to do somehow 18 questions which too carried 5 wrong answer …so the dream of iit was FINALLY OVER …no chance of getting selected.

                            Aditya was really very frustrated and so decided to call aparna. The mobile went ringing but no answer ……neither the messages were replied both in facebook and also in mobile…..this went on for 4 days when finally a fear arrived in one corner of his heart….what was the fear??? A fear of separation…. “No no, aparna can’t do this with me ..i am a good guy” – he patted and comforted himself..

                                      next day aditya went to the park alone to soothe himself from his daily boring schedule…..what he saw there just shooked the earth under his feet. Aparna was sitting beside an unknown boy and was holding his hands and talking very affectionately in a romantic manner…aditya just stood motionless..Cant able to think what’s next? What to do???….

                                                 He went back to his house. A day latter his IIT results were out, he failed to secure a seat in the prestigious institute….all his dreams, his parents dream, all were simply washed away and hopeless. He saw his father sitting silently without any emotions, his mother too sitting with her bright sparkling eyes….aditya was simply petrified with emotions……the loss of aparna, the failed IIT exam, the worrying faces of his parents all made him to suffocate from inside.

                                                He silently went into his room. Aparna was a perfect cheater, she cheated her…. “if I would have listened to my brain, and  have ignored her than perhaps I would have secured a seat in IIT….my dreams are over….i listened to my heart, loved her  which proved me wrong… I am a looser…..”-aditya realized slowly,                    saw his mothers beautiful saree lying on the floor….gave a look at the fans hook on the ceiling…calculated the distance which was ideal for his next step…and simply locked the room…

                                                After 2 hours his mother went to call him. “Aditya…open the door. Look I have bought some food for you..Next year again try again… don’t break your heart...”-his mother silently said…. But no reply came. After constantly calling for 15 minutes her mother felt something abnormal and then started thumping the door. His father too joined and giving a push they managed to break the door.

                   They found aditya hanging from the ceiling…… his face was white in colour….maybe he gasped for last breathe….a few drops of blood on the floor was spotted falling from his nose…… the window was open …a gentle breeze  swayed his body a bit….. His heart was not beating anymore…the journey for IIT was over…now no more HURTING the HEART…..