Love Short Story – Unfulfilled illusion
Photo credit: pschubert from morguefile.com
The Teen-
Up until then, aakash had dreams ranging from cartoons to becoming a power ranger. Gradually as the time progressed, dreams of aakash began changing their direction. Slowly, he started dreaming about a heroine he saw in a movie. This was hormonal change and aakash couldn’t do much about it instead of enjoying the dream. On one of many nights, a dream made its way to the cerebral cortex of aakash.
It was hillside and aakash was sitting on a bench under a tree. The rays of the sun grazed aakash and he could sense that touch. There were trees everywhere and it made aakash feel ecstatic. The stage was set for the grand entry of the female lead in his dream. Accordingly, a girl sat beside aakash on the same bench. Aakash looked at her and her face was not clearly visible to aakash. He rubbed his eyes to see her face. Adding to the glory of the early morning sun, she turned her head and aakash saw her face. Even the beautiful scenery got blacked out in-front of her face. Aakash was staring at her, trying to gain confidence to initiate the conversation. Knowing that, the girl took the initiation by pushing back the tangle of hair covering her eyebrow.
“I am aasha”
“I am aakash.”
Words began to cease for aakash. He was out of words to talk to the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. The dream ended abruptly.
Aakash used to wait eagerly for the nights as it was the only time where he could talk to the love of his life. He even prepared notes on how to converse in his next dream. As dreams progressed, aakash became close to aasha and they were chemically infatuated. One night, in one of his dreams………………
“How long will this continue, aakash?” questioned aasha, with aakash sleeping on her lap.
“Isn’t it enough, aasha?”
“No it is not enough,aakash.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Propose to me.”
Aaskash chuckled for a while and said “You want the old cinematic style of proposal, don’t you???”
“To be honest, yes”
“I think we are comfortable the way we are now”
“We are ….but that isn’t enough……….”
From then onwards, they argued in every dream. Aakash was subtle enough to cut off that dream. But in the last dream with his lady love,
“I don’t like this at all, aasha. We are always quarrelling for petty issues”
“Commitment is not a petty thing, mr. aakash” ananya grunted.
“Where are we heading towards and what do you want me to do?” questioned aakash in a hopeless tone.
“I can’t answer to both of those questions. But right now it is time to bid adieu.” Said aasha and left the place.
Aakash’s first heartbreak happened at the age of 18. He never realized how swiftly time progressed and suddenly one night,
The man:
“Remember me…………” a lady tone sounded the first time after a long time in aakash’s dreams. Aakash knew that it was aasha and there she was, the most beautiful woman (according to aakash) sat right beside aakash on the same bench under the same tree.
“Beauty intensifies with age, my love……” aakash said and hugged aasha.
“That was so poetic, aakash. I hope you find the meaning of commitment.”
“Not yet, still searching for the same entity and what about you?”
“Me……my life is just too interesting to discuss.”
“Then go on,aasha. I am sure you found the committed guy you were looking for. How is life with him?”
“Don’t envy him, aakash. As of now, I had found committed guys”
“I didn’t get it,aasha. Elucidate!!!!!”
“Keep that aside….what are you doing?”
“I am an investment banker, aasha.”
“Money-man….that suits you sweetie.” said aasha.
“I missed your touch………aasha.…….” Aasha interrupted and said
“You became too romantic….you realized that!!!”
“I think I am ………..”
The same dreams continued for a while. But this time, aakash didn’t want to do the same mistake that he did years ago. There is no room for a second chance in life. If you got one, you are lucky. Aakash thought that he was lucky and decided to tell her.
“Aasha…….”
“ Hmm………..what?”
Aakash took a ring from his pocket, laid on his knees and said
“Aasha, will you marry me?”
Even before the reaction of aasha, nature reacted as the trees waved their branches in sight of approval .But destiny planned another surprise for aakash.
“I am sorry, aakash. I cannot accept it. You should have said the last time we met.”
“But what happened now…..it’s not too late, I suppose.”
“It is too late, aakash. Marrying you will deter me from doing my job.”
“It’s absolutely fine, aasha. You can do your job even after your marriage.”
Aasha , laughing and crying at the same time said
“My love, i am sure you will not say the same once I reveal what I do.”
“What do you do….i cannot stand it anymore…….”
“I hope you got the answer already…….aakash.”
“No, I didn’t” aakash said and started figuring out what her profession might be……………After another fifty seconds
“I am sorry, aasha. I didn’t knew how to react to your situation. What made you do this? What made you sell your body,aasha?” aakash was crying.
“Destiny, aakash………………………” aasha said and left the place.
This was aakash’s second heartbreak at the age of 30. After being forced to live life, years passed and aakash entered the list of old people .
The intellect:
“Remember me……….” Aakash knew that it was aasha. This time the reaction was normal as aakash smiled and said
“You still look younger, aasha”
Aasha laughed and said
“To satisfy the wants of my costumers, I need to be young, my love.”
Aakash couldn’t withstand his tears and cried…………….
“It is all over now, aakash. I am a free woman now. Now you can propose me.”
Aakash closed his eyes. There were noises all around him. He opened his eyes to see what was happening and to his surprise, he was lying on a hospital bed. There was a news paper beside him and he took it, wore his glasses to have a last glance at the news. At the bottom of the main page………..a news appeared
“The woman who fought all her life to bring about a change in the perception of people towards sex workers, Ms. Aasha passed away.”
Aakash was shell shocked by that news and shouted
“Was she real?”
Those were his last words.
Dreams are elusive.
–END–
