Sheena

If there's one person in the world with whom I share all my thoughts and problems, it's none other than Sheena. Even I keep fewer things to myself than I would share with her. Since the days of school, she was good at reading my mind, and I would always urge her to become a Psychiatrist, but instead, she chose Paediatrics. Whether I fell for someone or had a crush on one, she instantly told that by having a quick glance upon me. Neither could I escape if I committed any mischief in school, and at home, her cat-like observation was enough to catch me red-handed every single time. She's currently pursuing MD-Paediatrics from Maulana Azad Medical College, but she'll always be a psychiatrist for me.

"Hello, Chotu," she answered the call. Yes, being the younger sibling in the house, I got that nickname. People in my village would get confused if an outsider enquired them for the address of Arjun but would readily do so at the mention of the name 'Chotu'.

"Hi Di, how are you?"

"I'm fine. Tell me yours?"

"I'm good too. Are you busy?" I asked.

"No, no. I'm not busy, and I guess you have something in mind; otherwise, you won't call me this late at night!"

And I was caught again. 'Am I too obvious?' I questioned myself. I looked at the wall clock, which read 11:45 pm.

"Well, well, well. I don't just casually say that you should change your department. This is one of the reasons too!"

"Aah, whatever. Tell me, what's wrong?"

"Promise me you won't scold?"

"Don't say Meghali is back again?"

"I guess I don't need to tell now, you mind-reader!"

She giggled from the other end, "All your worries were about finding the perfect girl, and now that you have one, why bothering about your past?"

"You said that so easily!" I couldn't find any other words.

"Remember what happened the last time she came back?"

"Well yes, but"

"But what? Do you want to cry again? You want to go on hunger strike again for days when she'll crumble your heart?"

"What if she's changed?"

"Oh dear, not again. We're very much converging in the same direction we did last time, and I don't want my little brother to be hurt again."

"She's my first love!"

"That she'll always be! I do not deny that you were good at some point in the past, but it'll all over now. You should really move on."

"Ummm, aah"

She started laughing from the other end, "What happened to all those speeches of yours that you don't even want to see her shadow. Oh dear," she paused, "see how he's sobbing to get her back. Olelele"

"Please don't patronize me, sister darling!"

"Then stop whining about Meghali. I wish I could slap you for even thinking about her after all this time."

"Will you hate me if I choose her over Priya?"

"Are you kidding me!?" she sounded worried.

"I wish I could say otherwise."

"She will break your heart into a million pieces this time, I warn you."

"But di," I collected my strength as the conversation was getting tensed now, "you always talk about giving people a chance, about forgiving them."

"You give a chance only once, not a second time!"

"So what do you suggest? I keep her as a friend?"

"If I'm honest," she paused again, I could hear her sigh of disbelief, "throw her out of your life and your mind."

"I promise I will not fall for her again."

"I guess you never wanted to hear my opinion," I could sense the change in her tone.

"No, no, I don't mean that. I'm sorry. I just wanted to counter your arguments, that's all!"

"Haha, very funny."

"You know na how much I obey you!"

"Ya, except when it comes to Meghali," she burst into laughter. I joined in too.

"Chalo then, talk to you later. I have an appointment early morning."

"Sure, thanks for your time."

"No problem, kiddo."

"I'm not a kid anymore, please. I'm 27!"

"Whatever, bye now." she hung up the phone.

So you would wonder why I chose Meghali's side even after deciding to leave my past. I wanted to be sure, and there was no better way to counter my own points than putting Sheena in my place. She was good at tackling matters, no wonder why she was the best debater in school.

I almost fell asleep when the phone rang, it was Sheena.

"Hey, I thought you'd slept."

"Ya, I would have, but I forgot to mention this thing to you."

"What thing?"

"You won't believe whom I met in Chandni Chowk the other day?"

"Don't say it's Rohan? I'll kill if I see his face again."

"We never approved each of our choices right!" she chuckled, "but no, it's not him! I met Anjali!"

"Anjali?" my sleep vanished at the mention of her name, "you mean our Anjali?"

"Yes, that's her. Our cousin."

My mind drifted off to thoughts of Anjali, but it was too hazy to make out something from the numerous random flashes that whirled around my mind! And the next moment, it flew to uncle, the last time we met each other:

"I'm sorry to say this, uncle, but weren't you a bit too harsh on her? I know that she eloped with a guy much below her standards. But it's been many years since that event; you should forgive and accept her, shouldn't you?" I began once the room was empty, and it was only the two of us left.

"It's not a wound which can be healed that easily!"

"I know that, but..."

"And there's a whole bunch of people..."

"People will always say something or the other." I got frustrated at the mention of spectators. Yes, spectators who put their nose in everyone else's business, whose only job is to gossip about others and do nothing but spread rumours! "It's what you do or feel about that really matters. They won't be there at times of your need, but only your family and Anjali is your family!"

He let out a sigh, "Well, if we have reached that point and that no one else is here right now, I propose we have some manly talk which I want you to swear to take it with you and only you till your grave!"

Well, I didn't see that coming at all. I nodded.

"I don't know how to put this. I never wanted anyone to hear, but owing to your oath, let me show you," he stood up, "follow me."

I strolled across the hallway, passing through the well-decorated furniture and entered the reading room, following him. There were two cupboards, each lined up with a different collection of books, from autobiographies to work of fiction, from comics to storybooks- a mini library it was, owing to the variety.

He pulled out an Encyclopedia with a ziplock!

He began, "People will notice if you wear a shirt with a similar design on consecutive days. But they won't even bother to acknowledge if you have two copies of the same encyclopedia!" It felt as if he was saying that more to himself than to me.

"I don't think this is a good time for the encyclopedia!" I was getting confused with every word of his.

And when he opened the encyclopedia, I was shocked, for it had a large central cavity filled with dozens of photographs. He took them and handed me over. Indeed, they were all of Anjali's.

He started, "I loved her more than myself or anything else in this world. Out of despise, I burned every other possession of hers. But these pictures- they are not only her possession but mine. They are a part of my memory too, and I can't imagine parting with that."

I patted on his shoulder as I feared he might break down.

He resumed, "All I ever wanted is a call from her, asking me to forgive her. And I would have forgiven her for sure too, but that call never came. And now I guess it's too late..."

"Are you there?" I was brought back to reality by Sheena.

"Oh, sorry about that. What's she doing in Delhi? The last time I heard from her, she was in Guwahati."

"Exactly, that's what I want to know too. I'm visiting her this Sunday; she was in a hurry but didn't forget to drop me her address."

"Don't you dare leave me behind! I'm booking my flight."

"I know you'd say that; check your mail."

"Wow," I said after getting an email with an itinerary of my flight the next day.

"I had my mouse over the 'book' option on the computer screen."

"Mindreader, after all, this deserves a pinching of your cheeks, but you're not here."

"You can thank me tomorrow after reaching. I will arrange a guest house for your stay."

"Of course, why will I worry when I have a sister like you! I wish uncle had approved Anjali's relation. She was really in a bad state the last time I saw her."

"Well, she looked happy. And healthy too."

"That's a great relief after all these years."

"I know."

"Okay then, meet you tomorrow. Bye." I waited for her to hang up the call. I recently got this habit from a colleague who told me it's a bad omen to end a call before the girl does it. Yeah, I know that I don't believe in myths, but sometimes things get into the subconscious mind not to be forgotten ever!

It was challenging to get a leave for an extended period, and even though I longed to spend some quality time with Sheena, I couldn't get an off for more than 4 days. I packed my essentials and convinced my parents that I was going to a business meeting. A mention about Anjali would eventually reach uncle's ears, leading to him not being at ease. If you've watched 'Sanam Teri Kasam', you can take my uncle to be a more heartless version of Jayaram Parthasarthy for the public.

Reaching the airport is never a problem for me. Thanks to the never existing traffic on this side of Jalukbari. I went through the security check-in and joined in the queue for my designated flight. After putting the handbag in the overhead compartment, I took my seat and gazed out through the window. No matter how many times I travel by air, the sight from the window will never fail to lure me. A Manipuri girl was sitting beside me, and an elderly lady in the seat further away. As soon as the lights dimmed out, I closed my eyes to take a short nap before resuming the view outside.