Category: fiction1

“Can you repeat the drink and make it on the rocks” she said in a dejected feeble voice looking away from the bartender. She thought that in the journey she had lost the woman she once was, aggressive, confident and full of life. “Mam here’s your drink, would you like something to eat too” she did not answer to the bartender’s question. She was lost in the thoughts of what had been happening for the past one year. She loved him, had become very dependent on him and he loved her too but his anger had no bounds. She was high after her fourth drink but still the evening scar was fresh in her mind. She still remembered the fight they had in the car on the busy streets of Mathura road. “How can you not speak to your parents about us? They got you engaged, you said nothing and still you don’t want to speak to them about us? What do I ask for just us being together, just your hand. This has been going on for six months now.” Rohan’s rage was not a surprise to Ani. They had been together for 3 years now. But since she had been engaged to her parents’ wishes things had been worse. “I hate you for the way you are. Women like you who cannot make decisions have no right to live.” Tears rolled from Ani’s eyes she said nothing and as the car stopped at the signal she quietly got down.” She crossed over to the other side not noticing the speeding car through her tearful eyes. The car braked hard just missing her by an inch. The driver rolled the window to shout out “why are you using my car to die, there are other ways too, try those.” She looked at him and moved away.

“Mam here’s your phone, the charger is not working, and the battery is breathing its last.” Ani was brought to the present by the bartender. She took at the phone and kept aside and sipped the last bit of the drink left in her glass. “rrrrepeaat pleassse” is all she could say. The bartender cautioned her “Mam I suggest you shouldn’t have more, how will you go home?” Ani smiled and thought why would she go home now? She was here so that she could not be in her senses and be brave enough to end her life. It would pain less then she wondered. Rohan found her meek and unwanted, her parents did not understand her and there was no motive to go on further she thought. She picked her mobile and started reading the text messages. They were the only support that would bring her back when Rohan fought with her. He would then send a message apologizing for his hot temper and saying nice things to her. There were no messages this time though it had been six hours since she got down from the car. She clicked on new message and typed “your worry is over now” and sent flashed on the mobile. She sipped the drink as she was ready for what she had come to this dingy bar in Khan Market for. She couldn’t imagine that Rohan and she had spent hours at the Barista opposite this bar whispering sweet nothings to each other and today she was here to see her last bit. The phone beeped and Rohan messaged “where are you, I hope you are not at some ……….” The cell phone battery died.

The bar was abuzz now and people were staring at the pretty woman at the corner table sitting alone. Ani had given up on things but was not aware of the consequences could be. She was almost five drinks down and was not in a position to look around. Her head had started pounding hard and the rock music was hitting her badly. The stout bar owner was observing her from the last three hours and now knew that she wouldn’t take more. The group of young boys who just entered wanted the table and so he gestured the bartender to ask her to vacant the table. The bartender politely asked her if she would like to order something to eat. He was aware of how fast she has drunk. He was also aware that her mobile had given up and she was in no state to go home, he too was on duty and couldn’t do much. Ani instead asked for the cheque. She couldn’t read the amount on the bill, she dug her hand in the large purse she carried and pulled her hand out. It was the bottle of sleeping pills she had purchased in the evening telling the chemist she will get the prescription in half an hour. After a lot of effort she placed a thousand rupee note and tried to get up. She dropped on the seat. She again tried and got up. She felt extremely dizzy and nauseatic and could barely place her feet firm on the floor. The bar was dark and as she moved to the staircase, she held the railing and tried to concentrate on the steps. The stout bar owner followed her. The staircase was narrow and the bar owner stood behind her and whispered, where do you stay? Should I drop you home?”

Ani had a shocked expression when she turned towards him. She in one minute realized what trouble she was in and the consequences could be rude. She wanted to hurry and run towards the last step and out of the door but her senses gave way. She held the railing tight, her palms sweaty as she stepped down, the bar owner following her. The minute she opened the door there was gush of cool breeze that wrapped her. She missed a step on the road and fell on her knees. The bar owner had now closed in was about to pick her up as she muttered ‘please don’t’. She now knew she was in trouble and she wanted to end her life but not fall into wrong hands. The street was filled with people who had come to unwind after a day’s hard work and Ani was trying to make her way through the people. High alcohol consumption can disrupt the brain’s judgement of distances and heights. Same was Ani’s state at this time. She could see people looking at her and she was not finding it decent. Just try to cross the street and hopefully an auto could take me to my hostel she told herself. Now another group was passing comments on if they would take her where she wanted to go. Ani was not just awkward but also vulnerable and helpless as she had no control on herself.

She tried to hurry before the men closed in. They almost circled her on the end of the street. She had tears rolling and from the corner she was the white Santro DL2C ADXXXX with the door wide open. She saw Rohan rush towards her and push people aside saying she is with me, move away. He grabbed her in his arms and she held her shirt and burst in tears. He was the support she was trying to cling on to in order to get her feet firm on the road. He quickly made her sit in the car and got behind the wheel speaking aloud, “Do you know what I have gone through from the time I got your text message to reaching here. What if my gut feel would have been wrong. Do you realize you are so valuable to me? How could you even do this?”

She was almost unconscious as she knew she was in the safest hands in the world and just kept blabbering “I love you Rohan”

You may think if this is a movie part or a novel chapter….i think just one thing…Life’s Like That….