Better Luck Next Time!!

  “Why are you ruining Tanmay’s life? Because of your past how could you make him a scape goat? Are you insane! Tanmay is a nice fellow and loves you very much he will be nowhere without you? said Anujaa, angry with Raavi’s decision or say madness. Raavi smiles “forget it, who cares! I am happy to take revenge. I hated man from the day Sammy deserted me after promising to marry me and me like fool gave everything to him. How can I forget the day when he ruthlessly abandoned me and married another woman and the words he said shattered my world! How can he be mean to accuse me of being characterless as I slept with him? I loved him and wanted to marry him but he didn’t care for my feelings. Those days of depression and rejection! How can I forget?” said Raavi, with satisfaction written on her face and in her eyes.

                Anujaa realizes it’s useless to put any sense in Raavi’s head as she is hurt and determined to take revenge. Her heart goes to Tanmay thinking how he will react and what will be the consequences of Raavi’s behavior. She knew Tan may from the day they had joined college and they three had become good friends. He belongs to a middle class background, hardworking and brilliant student aspiring to become a charted accountant. After a few months, Tanmay and Raavi’s friendship transformed into love and they started meeting each other whenever they got opportunity. They both promised each other to get married and had torrid affair. Everybody knew about it and was happy for both of them but today all of a sudden Raavi had disclosed her unexpected intention of having no love for Tanmay and is taking a revenge of her past. It was a mere satisfaction of her ego. Raavi knew Tanmay is head over heel in love with her and now she felt its right time for Tanmay to pay for the hurt which another man has inflicted on her emotionally; irrespective to whomever it may concern.  

                 Anujaa was only thinking and concerned of Tanmay’s state of mind to the outcome of Raavi’s stupidity. She knew Tanmay as a sensitive person. She decides to meet him within a day or two, irked with Raavi’s indifference to Tanmay’s sensitive nature. In these two days Anujaa have not spoken to Raavi. Neither, she has courage to meet Tan may. For two days Tanmay and Anujaa both remain absent from the college but Raavi was her usual self, regularly attending college as though nothing happened.

                At Tanmay’s home Tanmay was shattered, isolated himself from everybody and has locked in a room with a silence and sadness. His parents are worried about him and wondering and asking him his problems but he replied of not feeling well and wants to stay alone for sometime. His parents call Anujaa after persistent failure to know what went wrong with their son, otherwise was always cheerful and talkative, if not well he would put whole house on fire by complaining and crying with pain but this time they felt his behavior unusual and knew it is something else that was worrying their son. Anujaa tells Tanmay’s mother everything and begs to not at all communicate with Raavi as she had tried her best to put right sense in her head but all in vain. She promises to help him come out of the situation. Tanmay’s mother is furious with Raavi’s immaturity and using her son as a scape goat.

            After the incidence Anujaa and Raavi met each other in college but Anujaa ignores Raavi and doesn’t talk with her. Meanwhile, Anujaa visits Tanmay in evening and for hours he cries in front of her. “Why has she done this to me? How can she ditch me?” He was repeating same questions and crying miserably. She felt Tanmay is unknown with Raavi’s past and tells him everything about Raavi’s past and her reason to abandon him. When Tanmay comes to know about Raavi’s revenge and making him a scape goat for somebody else’s wrong doing. He is furious and shocked and doesn’t know how to react. For few minutes he remains speechless with pain and agony. Finally, Anujaa breaks the silence and says, “Tanmay, I know it’s not easy for you to forget her but you will have to be practical and concentrate on your studies. How long will you stay at home? I know it will be difficult for you to stay away from her in college but you will have to pick up the thread and move ahead in life. Only six months are left for our finals and you will have to work hard to fulfill your dreams.” Tanmay was little relief since formerly he was holding himself responsible for not being capable to Raavi’s expectations. For Anujaa, it was difficult to bear Tanmay‘s pain. She felt his pain deep down within her unknown and surprise with her own feelings. She felt like snatching away all his pain. With heavy heart she takes a leave. Soon after leaving Tanmay’s house she calls auto and breaks down to sob all throughout her way, finding it difficult to hold back her tears till she decides with in her heart to bring him back to his routine normal self.

         Tanmay still stayed at home not attending his college. For a week he was not seen in the college. Raavi made few attempts to communicate with Anujaa but was ignored by her. How badly she hated Raavi and how her heart bled for Tanmay, was beyond any explanation. Every evening she visited Tanmay and his mother, talked to him for hours trying to console him. She would listen to him, his conversation with Raavi, all about the fun and time they had spent together unknown with her own realization of her feelings and love for Tan may creeping in her heart. At night she would sleep in her bed thinking about Tanmay. She would call him every other hour to know about his wellness. At times, she would feel the urge to meet him at that very moment but time would restrict her to do so.                          

              Tanmay with her and his mother’s soothing and encouraging words after a fortnight decides to get back to college. Anujaa promised to stay with him through out the college hours. When Tanmay, for first time meets Raavi in college he was about to reprimand her but Anujaa takes care of the situation and holds him back. He felt weak in his knees with anxiety. He holds Anujaa’s hand. Anujaa looks at him with a smile and Tanmay too felt relax with Anujaa beside him. For a moment she had a strange feeling she too lets him hold her hand tightly. Very soon he regains his posture and other moment ignores Raavi.  Days pass he is back to his own self and works hard to excel in his college. Meanwhile, Anujaa always stayed with him. At home in evening they both studied together preparing for their exams. When exams got over Anujaa and Tan may both would meet each other in a coffee day shop and chat for hours. They would find tough to spent time without each other. One fine day, while sitting in a park Tanmay thanks her and proposes to Anujaa. She stares at him with tears in her eyes and smiles, Tanmay holds her in her arms very tightly.