The Short Story of Two Childhood Friends
Photo credit: taliesin from morguefile.com
Rahul and Rita were inseparable friends.. They had a lot in common.. They were neighbors, studied together, had same aspirations and almost all their hobbies were similar..
They were friends from when they learnt to walk and talk gibberish.. They trusted each other to the core and swore not to leave the other’s side.. While kids, they spent most of their time with each other and while in their teens, they did have other friends but still refused to budge from each other… They were often subjected to ridicule from their other friends about talking too much with the other gender and as it happens often in schools, rumors spread like wildfire that they were in relationship. But still, they cared not about anything their classmates said about them, and their parents too trusted them because they have known each other for so much a long time…
Once, while studying in class 10, they were playing cricket.. It was only the two of them because the others were playing basketball and these two deplored the game.. Rahul was bowling while Rita stood ready with the bat… A ball was bowled and Rita hit it with a dang force that it went straight for the principal’s window and shattered it into fragments.. They immediately went to his office to apologize.. The principal asked them who was the culprit..
Before Rita cold say anything, Rahul prompted “sir, it was my fault. I didn’t bowl the ball correctly.. I’m sorry”
Rita wasn’t going to give her friend up so she said, “No sir, Rahul bowled it correctly.. I wasn’t attentive enough..”
They kept backing each other and finally, the principal himself calmed down and said “you two are so much a good pair of friends that you refuse to put the blame on the other.. How can I punish such a pair of good monkeys?? Go on, enjoy playing…”
They shuffled gladly out of the office and Rita thanked Rahul profusely…
Time passed by, and the duo finished schooling.. right from their childhood, the journalists appearing on TV have been a fascination.. They decided to opt for an English course to gear up for an appointment…
In this span of two years, Rahul got a girlfriend.. Rita was so happy for him but their happiness was short lived as Rahul’s girlfriend got frustrated seeing him always with Rita and finally one day, asked him to choose between her and Rita.
Rahul said “Rita has been my best friend for more than a decade now and I cannot leave her friendship for an unsteady relationship”.
They broke up. After two years, the course completed and they decided to opt to work as partners in crime dealings.. As their parents were dead by now, they always vowed to be together.. They submitted their applications in a reputed news channel and stated their line of interest..
The chairman requested Rahul to wait outside and asked Rita “Can you leave your friend and join here?? I’ll pay you double..” But Rita refused and said that she wouldn’t leave her friend at an cost… When Rita went outside, he called Rahul in and asked the same question and got a similar answer… Then he called both of them inside and said “to become partners in something so trivial needs harmony between the duo.. I see it in you.. You are appointed”.. The duo were happy beyond words..
Time raced by, and they became accomplished senior journalists.. They were present in every crime scene ranging from normal murders to terrorist attacks.. They had become quite famous in their field.. And neither thought anything about getting married…
Once, the media was bustling with news about a drug dealing gang.. They did have the photos of the gang members, but nobody knew of their whereabouts…
Then one sunday, the duo decided to go to for a luncheon.. They went zooming down the lane in Rahul’s bike.. On the way, they had a near miss accident with a man in a hoodie… The man was also in a bike and they nearly crashed into each other at a sharp turning and in the tuft of air, the hoodie came off… Rita remembered seeing the guy somewhere and then in a flash, she recollected that this guy was a member of the drug dealing gang… She asked Rahul to pursue the man… They drove for quite a while and reached a warehouse, not very far from the city… The man descended the steps down the warehouse and the duo, ensuring they were unseen, followed suit… They decided to separate and vediograph anything they saw as an evidence of the dealings… Rahul moved right while Rita moved left.. Rahul stealthily walked down and he did see the entire gang there.. He took his phone and began gathering evidence.. In the frenzy of it, he didn’t notice a metal rod in his path and tumbled on it.. The gang, alerted by the sound, started searching for him.. He wanted to hide but he couldn’t move an inch.. As he lay there, squirming in pain, the gang caught hold of him.. They dragged him to their leader..
Rahul knew he was doomed but he prayed that Rita went out safely…. He was dragged and thrown in front of the leader.. The leader asked him who he was but Rahul refused to answer hoping to buy time for Rita to escape.. They started kicking him and even banged his head on the wall.. And finally, when he couldn’t take the trashing anymore, he confessed his identity.. The gang decided amongst themselves that Rahul must be killed.. The propped him up against the wall and the leader cocked his gun.. Rahul closed his eyes, waiting for the impact.. He did hear a shot, but before it hit him, he felt a brush of hair on his face and a familiar smell of jasmine.. And after that, he heard many gunshots and angry voices.. He opened his eyes expecting to be in heaven.. Instead, he saw a sight that froze his blood.. Rita was falling in front of him.. She had jumped in front of him and had taken the bullets on herself and the police were everywhere…
Rahul immediately lifted Rita up and carried her to a nearby healthcare centre… She was immediately taken into the operation theatre and he was given first aid.. After a while the doctor came out and said, “She has received two bullets in her body her condition is critical… She needs atleast two hours of treatment”.. Rahul was devastated… He sat in the waiting room and thought about every moment he had spent with her.. He remembered how she had risked her life to save his and instantly started crying..
After nearly two hours, the doctor came out and said, “She is fine now, there is no danger to her life.. You can leave now and come tomorrow morning”.. but Rahul refused to budge from her side.. The doctor asked again “Are you the patient’s husband??” Rahul said “no sir, we are best friends”.. Rahul stayed with Rita the whole night and in the morning, she woke up… Rahul asked her “Why did you do this Rita?? I could have died rather than watching you like this”.. Rita replied “I’m sorry Rahul… I just couldn’t let you die.. I have to confess something.. Right from class 10, I’ve had a crush on you… I thought that you wanted to be nothing more than a friend so I kept it a secret.. but I thought you should know..”
Rahul, mystified, replied “I did… But yesterday, I thought about everything you have done for me and I felt it is only fair of me to ask you this..Will you be my wife??”
Rita was moved to tears “Omg.. I had to take two bullets to make you ask this.. Yes.. Yes I will”…
The very next day after Rita got discharged, they said their vows…
And the evidence about the gang was so strong that they were sentenced for life… And the duo, now couple, got titled the best reporter partners…
And they lived happily ever after……
–END–
