ME AND HER

“No no no, this is not going to happen” says Rajiv in a shivering voice and continues, “baby listen to me, see you cannot decide something about your life because of what people around you talk about you… right?”

“Hmmmm” comes a low shaky sound from Megha’s end and she bursts into tears.

“I… I… I don’t know what I’m doing and why I’m doing this…” cries Megha and continues, “why is this world so cruel to us?? Why aren’t they happy if we are happy??”

Rajiv replies with a calm voice, “world will never let us do what we actually want to but we have to collect enough strength and step out in the world with a proud face about whatever we are doing now…”

Whole cold shivering night, Rajiv tried convincing Megha about their love being successful and that he doesn’t doubt on her being loyal in the relationship. Looking at the crescent moon outside the window, and feeling that moonlight to be the ultimate path riser, both of them kept talking whole night supporting each other.

Few months later, Rajiv calls up Megha and tells about his plans of getting married to her. Since they were from different castes and thus their families did not agree. This made both of them take a BIG step.

“Hello Megha, how are you baby?” asked Rajiv in a soft cuddling voice.

“Hey I’m good… just came back from office and lying on my couch with a cup of green tea… how about u sweetheart??”

“me… a… a… nothing as such..!! Just called you today to talk about the plans of getting married to you…!” Continues further, “I know I’m sounding pretty desperate right now, but I don’t know what is happening to me… I’m all messed up in my brain…”

“I can understand sweetheart… ok so fine now tell me about your plans...?”

“I know you will be with me forever… and I know that it’s a bitter pill to swallow but you know that our parents won’t allow us to get married…. All that comes to my mind now is to elope and get married…” says Rajiv in a husky voice.

“ummmm… I don’t whether what we are doing is right or wrong but then this is the only way out I suppose… I’m there with you sweetheart… let’s do it…we need not be afraid of anyone… we are independent enough…” says Megha in a much confident voice.

This ends their conversation with some love filled last words….

The very next morning, Rajiv texts Megha while they both were in their respective offices, to be ready by 12.30 at night sharp. Reading this message, Megha feels that adrenaline rush all over her body which was a combination of happiness, excitement, fear, hesitation and lot more.

That day went on pretty normal till the end. And at night while they both were having dinner with their respective families, Megha gets a text from Rajiv, “the day has come, when our love won’t be tested further by anyone…. When we can live OUR life and live it our way… cannot wait till 12.30… love you a lot..!! well, ya I hav told sumit to get us his car and drop us till the railway station…. So be ready my love..!!”.

Reading this text, Megha smiles awkwardly in between the dinner and her dad noticing her asks her the reason for that smile with a distinct cornered look. At this she replies that her colleague sent her a joke and continued to eat.

After dinner everyone goes to sleep in their own homes and that’s when Megha gets a second reminder, “maybe it’s not always about trying to fix something broken, maybe it’s about starting over and creating something better…. Today is that new start for our betterment… you, the love of my life, be ready by midnight… love you..!!”

Megha smiles to herself and replies, “no amount of time and space can separate you from me sweetheart…every woman deserves a man who loves her and respects her and I have got one… I.T.A.L.Y…!”

It is perfectly true that love is blind and it does make you insane. This was reflected by the texts Rajiv and Megha shared that night. I.T.A.L.Y meant I trust you and love you. Okay..! I know its lame…

Exactly at 12.30 that night, Megha with her luggage packed, moves out of her room, goes straight to her parent’s room and with her eyes filled with tears yet again, peeps at her parents and runs away to the Balcony.

Right there in front of her, she finds Rajiv dressed in his best bib and tucker and waiting curiously for her. She winks at him and drops down her luggage through that PVC drain pipe beside her Balcony using a Dupatta. Right down there, Rajiv catches the entire luggage and opens his arms right apart looking at Megha. Megha drops herself down slowly and reaches down.

They both finally manage to reach Ahmedabad railway station with Sumit’s help for which the couple thanks him. As soon as Sumit leaves, Rajiv and Megha start heading towards the platform from where they were about to board the train for Assam. Holding each other’s hands they both walk through the over bridge and finally reach platform number 7. Leaving behind all the memories of hatred that their family members had for them and their relation, the rejections they faced from society, the criticism and feeling of disgust the developed after what all happened to them and looked at each other thus heading straight with a big smile on their face.

There is always a story behind every person, a reason why they are the way they are. So, think about that before you judge someone.

They finally arrive to the platform where their train was standing. They kept the luggage in the train and sat. There was still 45 minutes for the train to leave and so Megha insisted that they both should get down and take some stuffs to eat. While they were standing near a tea stall right in front of their bogy (compartment), Rajiv could see Megha’s dad coming along with her uncles and a group of 4-5 policemen. He held Megha’s hand and ordered her to run as fast as she could. In the meanwhile, the train blew its horn and started to move. For a span of like 3-4 minutes, Megha could not make out what exactly happened, till she turned her head around and could see her dad pointing towards her and shouting to get them back.

Everything seemed so still, life had taken a reverse gear and paused for a moment. Rajiv trying his level best was dragging Megha with all his force. Megha was all clueless and with juggling her head back and front she lost her hand contact with Rajiv right in front of the compartment gate and unfortunately fell within the gap of the train and the platform.

“Meghaaaaaa…..” screamed Rajiv on the top of his lungs. All he could see standing on the door of the compartment is Megha’s watery unconscious eyes and her hands pointing all open wide towards her.

Rajiv was all broken and sat near that door only for the rest of his journey till Assam. Once he reached Assam, the took the luggage and went to place where they were supposed to stay. All still and messed up in his brain, Rajiv starts behaving unusually and opens up all her luggage and starts talking to things around.

One old woman was just passing by and she saw Rajiv doing this. She stopped and entered his house and asked patiently, “what’s wrong my son..??”

“nothing amma, see my girl, the love of my life, looks so pretty with me in this picture…!” and smiles to himself.

Old lady could figure out, what exactly happened and by late evening calls a psychiatrist. The doctor comes near to Rajiv and asks him, “hello young boy.. how are you?”

“oh hello sir, see.. see… see my girlfriend… see how pretty she is, she looks so good in this pic…” and again starts smiling.

The doctor sensed the complexity of the situation and upon his own interest forcibly shifts Rajiv to his hospital.

In the hospital, out of loneliness and frustration, Rajiv asked them if he could get just a pen and paper.

Once permitted for next two years he wrote all that he has done till date for her and with her and scribbled his journey down the memory lane.

After like three years since Megha passed away, Rajiv in his best attire, all clean shaven stands firmly in front of a crowd of 1500 people in central hall, Assam. He was there for a press interview about his maiden novel “me and her”, as titled by him, and was confessing stuffs about his life there.

“When your loved one becomes a memory…. Your memories become treasure… you cherish them forever and ever… that’s all that my book has to say..” says Rajiv smiling.

“Sir, how has been your journey in writing this novel??” asks a guy from the crowd.

“huhh….” Sighs Rajiv, “well, there is this quote from Paulo Coelho-the magician of words, WAITING-that is the first lesson I learned about love. And this is what describes my journey of writing this novel…” and smiles.

“well I hope you like my story and I hereby end this conference with a small poem I have written for the love of my life-Megha (I love you):

‘me and her

Were always meant to be together,

Since despite the criticism and facing the rejection,

We went on with our perception,

Of living together, dying together..!

Me and her,

Were always meant to be together,

That’s why even when she is gone,

All I can do is moan,

Not in the grief of losing her but in the sorrow of I surviving here...!’

I LOVE YOU MEGHA”