Friends Forever

Library has always been haven for those who are by their habit a solitary reader or liked silence to be their accompanist most of the times. And Ryan was one of them. A computer geek, fresher, immensely interested in physics especially the relativity part, mathematics, sort of workaholic and this ever-increasing list terminated with his interest in subjects of his branch such as programming, algorithm and operating systems. Some of his professors even commented that his brain is composed only of gray matter as the frequency at which his brain worked outwitted even theirs.

It had been two months since start of new session and well-built physique of Ryan attracted girls and was hot-topic among them but the same was not the case on the other side. For Ryan, girls after him always presented a many-to-one function but he never spoke much and only a few had heard or barely remembered his voice. But all have loved his words.

It was only two months and his writings had made students go mad, especially girls. He used to write articles, short stories and columns regularly and made it available to all his college mates. His writings depicted a boy totally different from one which Ryan looked and behaved, a boy with a heart brimming with emotions and a soul thirsty of love, care and affection. And also he was the most sought after boy of college and boys from all years envied his presence.

He kept studying always and was never distracted by baits of this material world. He was always preoccupied by his thoughts which never halted to ponder over those related to sentiments and emotions. But unknown to others his emotional self has long departed, waiting for someone to close the switch which has once been left open by the tragic incident few months ago, cutting off Ryan from his sentiments for an unprecedented period of time.

It was disturbing again. It was sweet. It was serene. It was low. But above all it had potential enough to increase entropy of Ryan’s mind.

Yes, such was the voice of the girl sitting not far from Ryan and was desperate to know, to talk and tell him about the love she had developed for him in no time and the limit she could cross to make him hers. Ankita was busy talking to her friends, all of whom were girls. This was not because she was infamous or not attractive. She was lovely and had string of boys after her who looked her as if she was a treasure with password format being retina scan and one who would pass this would get her. But she always searched for a boy much like Ryan, sincere , hard-working, having commendable attitude, one who had respect for others and also for himself. She had known him by understanding the true meaning of his writings which no other girl noticed and by the fact told by her friends that she was the only girl able to get Ryan’s attention for first time.

In class also, if he looked away from board and books it was she. His presence was impulsive enough to make Ankita daydream and hence she knew that behind this expressionless face lived a boy full of immense love and affection. Ryan was the guy and she wanted to make the lover boy hidden inside him to surface up. He had ever since caused upsurge of her cellular enthalpy which always energized, excited her and she wanted him at any cost.

***

The days went supersonically. It was the last lecture of first semester. Most of students were busy gossiping and passing time. But for Ankita time-flow had been less viscous for the whole semester as she was always lost in thoughts of her Mr. Perfect-in-imagination. The professor was a tough cookie and was constantly firing megabytes of knowledge per second.
The professor explained to class “The Pascal’s triangle is a triangular arrangement of numbers with a 1 at the top and at the beginning and end of each row…..” The word ‘triangle’ reverberated in Ryan’s mind and memories of past flashed in front of his eyes.

***

It was hot and humid summer of 2009 and panorama is set almost half-a-year before. The sun had turned demonic, sending vassals from its plasma core to endure the task of converting earth into a fireball like its own. The results of board and competitive exams were out and Ryan was awaiting his call to know the results and was excited to hear his voice as they had not talked much after he had left.

Rohit was more like a member of Ryan’s family as Ryan was for Rohit’s family. A friend he never would have imagined his life without. They became neighbors one day and it was there it had started. And after that they shared each of their thoughts, feelings and emotions which were far beyond the capacity of relationship called friendship. So it was said, by all who had known them that they were brothers first-friends later.

In school they were the hot-spots whether it was sports, academics, having string of girls after them or being mischievous. They ionized each other’s presence and together they were equivalent to sets of other naughty boys. They were isothermally energetic for whatever work was assigned to them. No one said anything to them even for their notorious acts and was rectified and presented by his peers and teachers. Rohit was as good-looking as Ryan and they being good in sports, academics and other co-curricular activities were famous among students as well as teachers. Even their Principal was impressed by them because wherever they went, for quiz or some other competitions they had bought laurels to school. They both studied and played together and top two positions in almost any event that took place were backed by them. In short, they were Casanova and Bond-007 of their school and this was their eternal friendship.

But after class 11th, Rohit’s father got transferred to Mumbai and he had to leave. It took time for Ryan to get stable and continue with his preparations. This displacement shook the very concrete foundation of their friendship turning it into an amorphous one, which began weakening from Rohit’s side as he started cutting off from him. He never contacted Ryan and when latter called he rarely replied. Time flowed. March came and then came board and competitive exams.

And here sat Ryan in his drawing room in hot and humid summer of 2009, happy with his performance expecting renowned colleges and waiting for a call to know the results of Rohit. The phone rang and the voice which was expected to be boyish, joyous, enthusiastic and promising was that of a woman speaking as if she had cried for years.

“Aunty, where is Rohit and how are his results?” Ryan asked.

And then Ryan heard the words which he had never, even in his dreams, had anticipated.

“Ryan, it doesn’t matter now what his results are as he is no more with us. He committed suicide yesterday night without telling anyone about the reason behind the step he took.”

It was doomsday. Time stopped for him. Ryan could not speak anymore as if friction has increased between his mouth and tongue. His mom came seeing his pale face, took the phone from him and when she talked to Rohit’s mother and knew what happened she was dumbfounded. Tears flowed from Ryan’s eyes and moved slowly as they had become heavy with emotions and a betrayal from his friend.

Ryan’s family was off to Hyderabad. They reached Rohit’s home and bid last goodbye to him. The funeral was over and Ryan was reading the last page of Rohit’s diary for which Ryan only had privilege to read. Since class eight they used to write diary everyday and had shared their respective diaries among them.

“I am sorry to say but a love triangle ruined me and I want you not to fall in love….”

Ryan researched and came to know that the girl Rohit was after, dumped him as he failed in board exams and she would not accept a failed person who could not make into any of the competitive exams. Rohit’s mother told Ryan about not knowing about any of these things. And upon further investigation he came to know by talking to Rohit’s close friends that day after exams were out, Rohit saw his girlfriend with other guy and argued with them but it was of no use. She just slapped Rohit and went away and the same night news came that he committed suicide.

And Newton’s Law of Action-Reaction had proved right for emotions also. The stress which burdened Rohit and compelled him to take such action strained their friendship and the reaction was that the joint which had ever connected them made Ryan shed off his emotional part. Ryan taking Uncertainty principle as basis had supposed that his friend will return to tell him the truth behind, a probability weak enough to make the supposition right.

***

The bell rang and Ryan was back in class. All students got up and were bidding good luck to all others for exams and were quite unhappy as the normal joyous college schedule was going to be replaced by boring and hectic exam time-table. The girl with sweetest voice approached her and gave him a letter full of emotions encrypted in words. And then it began. The news of Ankita giving a letter to Ryan became the hot topic to talk about and Ryan was in news again but this time it was because of a different reason to everyone’s surprise.

And he was too unable to understand as it was a love letter from the girl whose presence in his life had bought his emotional self on surface again and brought a change which no one, not even her mother was able to bring in six months. Ryan had developed an emotional attachment and possessiveness for Ankita ever since the library incident. But was restraining himself as the last words by his best friend was not allowing him to say yes to girl who had made him fall in love with him and he was desperate to know her.

***

All were happy again. Exams were over and all first semester students gathered up outside exam hall some discussing paper while others planning for the two week semester break ahead of them. And then suddenly Ankita’s breath became heavy with her heart beat varying in a seismographic manner. Ryan, the boy whose altitude of personality had for first time matched that of any girl approached her and gave an unexpected reply to her proposal.

“It was really lovely. I had liked you since I had seen you for the first time in class and really wanted to know, talk and spend time with you but could not dare to approach you as there is something which doesn’t allow me take a step forward. So, if possible please get rid of my thoughts and forget me or else you will also be doomed to an end just like my…” He was unable to say and he left.

This came as a hard blow to her and crying she left to home. She narrated the whole story to her mother and her mother asked her to forget him and just start live the normal way. But love is not something impulsive which remains for short time but a feeling that exists even after lifetime and constantly affects hearts in need of love anywhere in the world.

***

She went to Ryan’s home when he was not there and met her parents with all due respect a girl should have to impress boyfriend’s mother. As she was all set to be her Mr. Perfect’s miss. Ryan’s mother told her the whole story, about Ryan and Rohit’s friendship, the two happy school going guys, their trophies, their wins, the girls who were after them, exchanging of diaries, transfer of Rohit’s father, the suicide and the diary which Rohit had left for Ryan.

At last she thanked her for awakening the love which departed from Ryan few months ago and then blessed indicating her integration with the family and requested her to make her son’s life colorful again. The request was not different from Ankita’s dire need to be fulfilled to have her love of life. She asked for the diary but was helpless after knowing that only Rohit and Ryan could read it and even her parents had never read their diaries. They informed her that it will not be good to read them without Ryan’s permission. And then she left thinking for some other method to get know what was written in Rohit’s diary.
***
It was a dark night around 3 am. Ankita was unable to sleep and was now losing hope. It had been ten days since Ryan had half-heartedly rejected her. She had become weak due to crying and worrying about her love which was on edge of being lost that too because of his love’s old friend’s few words. And she wanted to know the truth. Her anger and bitterness turned towards Rohit, someone who has long ago left the world. There were collisions between tan 90 thoughts coming both from her mind and heart, each being as convincing as the other. She slept with her eyes wet and there she was talking to a stranger.

“A friend is someone who helps or makes life even worse? What a friend you are Rohit! What have you done to Ryan? Even after he loves me so much why is he not accepting me? If you had been true friend you would never had let your friend ruin his life because of you.”

A figure resembling a soul came to her and said “Don’t worry Ankita. The rising sun is bringing a new start for you and Ryan for a life full of love and happiness. I am the one who should be held responsible and will fix this not because Ryan is my best friend but because your love is a true one. And I will not let my friend lose this just because of me.”

***

Like every night, Ryan read the last words his friend has left for him and keeping Rohit’s diary under his pillow slept. And following night Ryan dreamt someone writing in Rohit’s diary and then keeping it in its place. Ryan woke up suddenly. It was dawn and clocked showed 5 am. Ryan checked the diary and it was there at the same place at which it had been for months but with a pen in between. There was something more than he had read every day for months. He opened the diary and read the familiar handwriting.

“…with the girl who you love but with one who loves you. I could not understand true love and ruined my life but I had never wanted same to happen with you. I was also unaware of the love you had for me. You were neglecting Ankita and suppressing your emotions because of words I had written out of my frustration and after losing love which was not worth my life. But seeing Ankita’s love for you I was happy that if not me at least my friend will get his true love. But my words had become barrier for you both and I had never wanted this. I have watched Ankita ever since I left this world and was here so that you do not get deceived by a false love as I was. So, I am here demanding you as my last wish that you accept her proposal as she loves you very much and it’s same with you, so that I can leave now for my journey towards afterlife. And I have proved you wrong about the betrayal thing as I returned for you.”

***

It was Sunday morning. Ryan and Ankita were sipping coffee in a nearby shop and after they told each other about the happenings of last night, they were amazed with their eyes wet and red. They were happy as Ryan had accepted Ankita’s proposal. One night had solved it all. Even after death, his friend returned only to help Ryan have his true love. Both had developed a deep love and respect for Rohit and then they talked about other things. They discussed about the coming results and the new semester with newer subjects and boring classes. Since then they laughed, talked and roamed. Only thing that they never could get out of their mind was Rohit’s love for Ryan which proved a harbinger of true love for all of them.

__END__