Secondhand Love - Part III

Before reading this post author requests you to read part-1 and Part-2 of this story. That will help you enjoy the story better.

 

I got many calls from Aakash but I didn’t answer any. Richa too tried talking to me that night but I acted tired and went on bed early to avoid her questions.

I woke up with slight fever next day so Richa suggested me to take a day off. She made me breakfast and then left for college.

As some wise man said, spending some time with just you is the best way to introspect your problems. I eat my breakfast and then went back on bed. I was feeling tired but not sleepy. Our one bedroom kitchen house which otherwise feels so small looked very big and empty to me. I kept staring at the walls and started sinking in my thoughts, at one time I felt as if the wall are closing on me and I stared feeling suffocating. I took my phone and dialled Aakash’s number. Phone was ringing and my heartbeat was rising. After 2 rings I changed my mind and was about to hang-up when I heard Aakash’s voice “Hey Shikha, Hello can you hear me. I called you so many times, I am sorry Shikha.”

My silence was making him worried “Are you there Shikha, can you hear me? Hello”

“I am sorry Aakash” with so much of efforts I finally moved my lips. “I am sorry to disturb you in your office hours, but I want to meet you.”

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I had no energy to travel far so I asked Aakash to meet me in the public park near my house. It was lunch hours and Park was almost empty, usually no one goes to park in afternoons so benches were empty. I went and sat under a tree. In sometime Aakash was there, he came directly from office so he was in formals and he looked good as always. His office tag was still hanging around his neck; it was clear how much I panicked him by asking him to meet me urgently.

I was not able to meet eyes with him but he was behaving as if there is no problem between us. “How are you feeling now?” he asked while gently touching my forehead.

I sat quite, but inside me there was a tsunami going on. I had endless thought coming and going in my mind, I was silent but not calm. Finally I dared to look at Aakash and asked him “Why do you care for me so much?”

He kept his hand on mine “Because I love you Shikha”.

“You don’t even know me Aakash.” I was looking directly in his eyes. He was calm. “I know you Shikha. You are a sweet, adorable, loving girl. How has her own rules and idealism in life and I respect you for that. What more I need to know for loving you”

I looked down “I have an ugly past Aakash, which is still haunting me.”

 

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I was in 10th std, most important year of schooling. I have always been a studious kid, I kept myself away from everything which looked distracting. I had only one goal, to score high and to get admission in best college. That time we used to have many interschool festivals, I had interest in writing and I had won many prizes for my school in essay writing competitions. That year also I was participating in the competitions. Essay writing and Elocution competitions both were on same day. But to our bad luck the guy who was representing our school in Elocution competitions was absent; he has some health issue and was not able to make it there. Last minute finding a good replacement was very challenging for our teachers and she asked me to be the replacement. I was petrified as I was not very comfortable on stage but my teacher believed in me. She told me it is important for our school, if we are marked absent then we will get minus marks. I had no choice but to go for the competition.

I got the topic, which seemed easy to me as I knew about it but when I went on stage and saw so many people waiting to hear me I got nervous. I did whatever best I can but I was not happy with my performance. When I came down the stage one guy from other school, who was waiting for his turn smiled at me and said “nice points”. I didn’t bother to reply to him and went back where my teacher was. I didn’t know that this guy who is praising my points now is going to change my point of view towards life.

 

To be continued .....