A world waiting to be explored

#5 The flashback

There was a happy aura around, one could sense it.

Krish's parents smiled as they looked upon their child who didn't seem as happy in the last few days.

Rishi had arrived, and with him did the memories. Also, the smiles and secrets which were waiting to be shared. Rishi was dying to tell Krish about the girl he met in the train, about the cricket match tickets he sold out in black and much more. Soon, they were on the terrace. Evening was slowly giving into night and it seemed like raining in a while.

Rishi's phone beeped, probably 6th time in half an hour.

"Having a busy life?", giggled Krish.

Kinda! Smartphones make it busy, isn't it?

Yeah, I'm sure they do. So many chat messengers, so many friends to talk to!

I still have only three friends Krish. No kidding!

The night was going to be long, and why not, they had a world between them to catch up.

--Arjun

Krish

I won't be able to make it to the engagement man. It is sad to sit here and make this choice as I type. I received Isha's mail too. Didn't have the heart to say no to her invitation for the engagement. Tell her she is a lovely girl. Also tell her that the man she is marrying would hold her hand and walk miles with her.
Love to uncle and aunty.

Hope to see you, Rishi and Jeet before you get hitched for a bachelor's.

Love
Arjun

That send button seemed like an Everest to climb, but he hit it. He was a no nonsense man!

--Jeet

Jeet had other dilemmas. The last time he had a tough choice prioritizing, he ended up screwing it for himself. 

It was 3 years back.

Jeet had just come back from Germany. He went there on an exchange program in the final year of college. He had the world in front of him waiting to be conquered. High on life, Jeet was unstoppable. His teachers were heaping praises of him. However, as life always has it, great things require immense mettle and difficult choice making, in the making!

Jeet's family friends were about to launch a start-up and while Jeet was away, his parents confirmed that he would lend his expertise to help them out. And that as I say was the decision Jeet had to make. He wanted to travel abroad. Followed a round of negotiations with Jeet, persuasions, arguments and impositions.

One fine day, Jeet was gone. Nobody knew where. Not Arjun. Not Rishi. Not Krish.
Two months later, Jeet was in California. What happened in those two months, was he coming back, there were questions only Jeet could answer.

Back home, those answers are still sought!

Coming back to India brought back some not-so-good memories. Jeet was a reticent guy. One who won't argue much but won't give in too. One who would run away but would chase his dreams too.

 And as he thought about his past, he lend a thought to Arjun, Krish and Rishi, and his parents too who had only one child. And whom he hasn't met in 3 years. 

With that he let his flight go. Another day was dawning. Another night spent trying. Another tear shed just like that. Life was happening every moment!

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Sure times were changing and they were trying to fathom it. However, what still remains incomprehensible is the race that everyone eventually picks up. One day we'd realize it's like running on a treadmill. Initially it appears fascinating, we are all charged up but after some time we realize that more the effort we try to put in, the more difficult it becomes to keep pace and it never ends, never!

to be continued......

#4 Now and then

 
--Rishi

Rishi was waiting on the platform waiting for the train to arrive. And he kept gulping water from the water bottle he just purchased from the station. The heat was scorching and biting. Thankfully, the train was on time and Rishi took his time to get inside it letting all the commotion to space out.
He wasn't the kinds who would rush in the moment train arrives. He was patient!

The train started moving and that made him joyous. He loved journeys, more so when he was alone. However this journey was going to be a bit different. His books and him were going to be separated.

Can you please let me know the exact time?

A sunshine face looked upon on Rishi as he moved his head up from his novel.

I need to fix my cellphone up. It is not showing the correct time.

"Sure, here it is!", said Rishi as he handed over his cellphone to the girl.

As the train caught up momentum, so did Rishi and the girl; smooth as silk. Soon there were intermittent giggles, and of course a few bursts of laughter too. That was one fine thing about Rishi. He was simple yet quick witted and humorous. You won't even know when you'd fall for him. A praiseworthy balance which was not only admirable but enviable at times.

--Jeet

His client meeting was underway. For the first time in years he wasn't carrying a cellphone to the meeting. Jeet went about his job with inexplicable ease. That's what he was good at. Delivering when it mattered. His professional life was well ahead course!

--Arjun

He thought of calling Krish and letting him know that he won't be able to make it. That act commanded strength Arjun was deficient of. He had got off the laptop but the other dominating gadget in his life had kept him pre-occupied. For some strange reason, he liked reading previous chats saved in his phone. He just liked it. Krish and Arjun were close and perhaps one would understand the other but Arjun knew this phase of life was less about expecting and more about giving.

--Krish

He was unaware that Rishi was on his way. A happiness was in store beyond the darkness that was hovering over the recent few days. He looked at the moon, that gave him peace. He was happy about the engagement but did not have people to share it with. The moon gave him assurance that things will be fine again.

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Four lives were coupled in a very strange way where a movement clockwise was forcing another anti-clockwise. While Rishi was on his way to recreate old moments, Arjun's dilemma had become multi-storeyed.

That old college night when four of them made promises of staying in touch always was in front of each of them in some form or the other. It was a terrace then that heard boisterous laughter, it is a terrace now that is appreciating silence.

to be continued...

#3 Of trials and happenings


3:45 to 8:00.
4 hours and 15 minutes of sleep maximum possible.

Sleep was a far-fetched thought that night. Other trivia was more occupying than their appearance.
That was so unlike Arjun. His web browser had zillions of tabs open, generally. He never shut down his laptop for the time it used to take to boot up again.

With the sound of a bell, a small window popped up.

Rishi had pinged him.

Rishi: Awake at this hour of the day?
me: Yes bro. Wassup with you?
Rishi: Everything alright?
me: Yes, nearly. Thinking about Krish!
Rishi: I know man. He's expecting all of us to be there.
me: Will you be able to make it?
Rishi: I asked Jeet the same thing. Haven't heard from him yet. You haven't been replying on the mail chain too. Is everything good?
me: Yeah.

Rishi knew, for a fact, that things were not alright.
He knew Arjun won't be able to make it, so won't Jeet.

--Krish

And he was up on the terrace with his music and beer again.

--Jeet

He had a client meeting tomorrow. He kept himself busy with that not sparing enough time to think about Krish. It was going to be a long night. With rain splashing the window panes forming the music, work wasn't taking a toll on him. Infact, it never did. Jeet was one of those toppers who were always over-prepared. A habit he cultivated in his school days and nurtured during his college days. #theircollegedays

By the way, he booked a flight to India. Just in case..

--Rishi

Thinking wasn't going to help. And Temple run was going to!?
So he thought. The child in Rishi was still there, but he knew when to let that side prevail.
Rishi, though, decided that he'll be going to Krish's. He was wishing Arjun and Jeet also manage like they always did for each other in college.
He booked tickets to Delhi, to Krish's place.

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And with that, the ball was set in motion. Rishi was to leave next evening.

As for Krish, he would have company drinking, and the terrace, well, it would again see it's old companions. Compassionate comrades!
#itwassmiling

to be continued....

#2 Krish's wait!

This is in continuation to the first part in the series..

--Krish

The night moved at it's own pace unlike life which was racing lately for Krish. He had to be a part of the celebrations during the day. Night was the only time he had with himself. Neither with the cellphone, nor with the laptop. Just the way he liked it. His beer and the moon to stare. Every now and then, he would think about Arjun, Jeet and Rishi. His companions, comrades as they called themselves.

Krish was going to get engaged soon.

--Arjun

Voice messages; umpteen!
That's how he had made his days to be. Entering his 2BHK apartment, switching on the voice machine and there it went. Playing messages one after the other. He was minting money no bounds, and his days were passing thick and past. So much so, that his weekends were the only time he spoke to his family back in India. He had broken up with his girlfriend. His workaholic nature was taking over like the sand filling one side of an hourglass.

Much like Krish, life didn't seem to stop.

A particular mail chain concerning Krish's soon-to-be-over-bachelorhood kept asking for Arjun's reply. He checked flight tickets everyday, none suited his time table. And to his dismay, he slept off everyday in disappointment.

--Jeet

The priorities were weighing down on the lanky lad, urging for a decision to be made. Back home, his best friend was getting engaged and he couldn't move out of a glass chamber. His fears were coming true, silently, slowly and surely. The reminiscent college days.

Yet again he was against time.

There was eerie silence in his cabin. Continually fiddling with the paper weight, his occupancy was broken by a message on his cellphone. It was Rishi, one of simplest people you could come across.

When are you flying to Krish's?

Jeet had no idea.
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We often come across situations where there is a predicament much to our annoyance. Decisions become clearer to us when we view them in retrospect. What are we learning as we walk past prioritizing things. Experiences?

As Krish moves towards one of the most important phases of his life, will Arjun, Rishi and Jeet be able to set their lives in the right order or will they just go ahead with the ever continuing flow which refuses to let go.

Life's a bitch, well it is. And you've no idea how much if you allow it to be.


#3 Of trials and happenings
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