Endeavors of Hope #ATOZCHALLENGE - E
Each she saw him she felt a flutter in her heart. When her eyes met his, he looked away scornfully. The piercing angry gaze broke her into pieces. Choked with emotion, her tears begged to be let out, but she held them back fiercely. She was too much in the public eye. What would she do?
"What would you do if you were her mama?"
"You know I don't know. But I know what I'll do if you don't leave for the institute quickly. Your result will be out soon."
"Come on mama. You must have had someone, or at least had a crush. Why are you being so tight-lipped?"
"Anisha, its already 5. Please put this book down and go to the institute."
Anisha labored to get into her clothes and left begrudgingly.
20 years ago.
Dear Diary,
I stepped into the gate for the first time today, and it felt like i walked right into Alice's rabbit hole. The next moment I am inside this magnanimous victorio-gothic structure with all kinds of carvings staring long and hard at me. It's all so huge. It's much bigger than my school in Darjeeling. But it has this appeal to it. A beautiful aura that I will never forget ever.
Keep you posted for more stuff as I explore it further. Ciao.
Meera
Day 2:
"Hi, my name is Kunal. What's yours?"
"M-M-Meera."
"See you around."
Dear Diary,
Why did mom and dad never send me to a co-ed school? I wouldn't have stammered otherwise. Kunal won't ever want speak to me again.
Day 15:
"Meera, since when are you so interested in cricket?"
"Just Ali. Was curious about the game."
"Lovely, well played by Kunal."
"Umm. Yes he's good."
She was turning red.
Day 100:
"Hey! There's Kunal and Sharon. They look so cute together."
Anger flushed into her face. She took off abruptly.
"What's with your best friend Ali? All good?"
"God knows ya. Maybe that time of the month."
They all laughed.
Dear Diary,
Kunal and Sharon? She's always hanging around guys. She's not good for him. It feels so wrong. He's only mine.
Year 2:
Kunal failed his exam while Meera stood second.
One evening, after classes, he sat with his books in the lobby.
"Seriously, Ali, why do people pretend to be sunk in books?"
"Re-exams happen next month right?"
They both chuckled wickedly.
Graduation Day:
There was a huge conundrum of congratulations and all the best galore. And in the din Meera's eyes still kept scrounging for Kunal, just like they had for the past three years. He was nowhere in sight.
"Guys Kunni's gone abroad to pursue a course in commercial arts. He of all peeps topped the entrance exam. Can you beat that?" exclaimed Ali to a large crowd.
Dear Diary,
I feel so bad about judging him so poorly. If only I had kept my mouth shut at that time, I may have stood a chance. A tear or two escaped in the audi today. But I couldn't allow any more. I was too much in the public eye. Kunal probably hated me for being so snarky. I'm afraid I'll never see him again. I did not even have time to apologize for being an ass.
Present Day
Kunal had left a loose end in Meera's life. It needed closure. Since Anisha's novel seem to eerily mirror her own life, she picked it up with the hope of finding closure in it's ending. But between maids and cooking, she only got time to read the synopsis. It concluded with the couple making out uncontrolably.
"Is that what love stories are all about? Does everything end in physical contact?"
Just then, a teary-eyed Anisha stepped out of her room. Still reeling in humiliation, she couldn't look into Meera's eyes.
Father and daughter had exchanged done-to-death cliches about education, carreer and the works. While the tirade continued, Meera was flipping through a few of Anisha's paintings uploaded to her social media page. Each had a rare intrigue revealing how fertile an imagination her child was blessed with.
Suddenly, what she saw made her heart skip a beat.
"Nice collection you got there. And this photograph, where...?"
Anisha sounded relieved and hopeful that her mother did not want to talk about her failure.
"This artist, Kunal Ray, he is having an exhibition for two days. See this, I managed to click a picture with him. I'm totally his fangirl."
A rather content Kunal seemed to smile back at Meera from the picture. Although she was happy he had finally found his redemption, her harsh words still pierced her conscience.
"Will you come to see his exhibition?"
Her eyebrows furrowed. She still lacked the wherewithal to go and face him again.
"I will come to the gallery the day you hold your exhibition."
Anisha couldn't believe what she had just heard.
"Y-you mean, you will talk to dad about art school?"
"Even if he doesn't agree I'll manage it. I have my own savings. What better way to use than helping you achieve your goal? This is great stuff Anu. Give it your best shot."
They both shed tears of joy. Feeling much lighter, she happily hugged Anisha.
In the compound...
"But saab I took the garbage out only yesterday."
"Then why the hell is it full today, you creep? Is this what I pay you two-bloody-thousand bucks for?"
An old diary, torn into incomprehensible pieces, lay in the man's dustbin. It would never see the light of day again.
"What would you do if you were her mama?"
"You know I don't know. But I know what I'll do if you don't leave for the institute quickly. Your result will be out soon."
"Come on mama. You must have had someone, or at least had a crush. Why are you being so tight-lipped?"
"Anisha, its already 5. Please put this book down and go to the institute."
Anisha labored to get into her clothes and left begrudgingly.
20 years ago.
Dear Diary,
I stepped into the gate for the first time today, and it felt like i walked right into Alice's rabbit hole. The next moment I am inside this magnanimous victorio-gothic structure with all kinds of carvings staring long and hard at me. It's all so huge. It's much bigger than my school in Darjeeling. But it has this appeal to it. A beautiful aura that I will never forget ever.
Keep you posted for more stuff as I explore it further. Ciao.
Meera
Day 2:
"Hi, my name is Kunal. What's yours?"
"M-M-Meera."
"See you around."
Dear Diary,
Why did mom and dad never send me to a co-ed school? I wouldn't have stammered otherwise. Kunal won't ever want speak to me again.
Day 15:
"Meera, since when are you so interested in cricket?"
"Just Ali. Was curious about the game."
"Lovely, well played by Kunal."
"Umm. Yes he's good."
She was turning red.
Day 100:
"Hey! There's Kunal and Sharon. They look so cute together."
Anger flushed into her face. She took off abruptly.
"What's with your best friend Ali? All good?"
"God knows ya. Maybe that time of the month."
They all laughed.
Dear Diary,
Kunal and Sharon? She's always hanging around guys. She's not good for him. It feels so wrong. He's only mine.
Year 2:
Kunal failed his exam while Meera stood second.
One evening, after classes, he sat with his books in the lobby.
"Seriously, Ali, why do people pretend to be sunk in books?"
"Re-exams happen next month right?"
They both chuckled wickedly.
Graduation Day:
There was a huge conundrum of congratulations and all the best galore. And in the din Meera's eyes still kept scrounging for Kunal, just like they had for the past three years. He was nowhere in sight.
"Guys Kunni's gone abroad to pursue a course in commercial arts. He of all peeps topped the entrance exam. Can you beat that?" exclaimed Ali to a large crowd.
Dear Diary,
Present Day
Kunal had left a loose end in Meera's life. It needed closure. Since Anisha's novel seem to eerily mirror her own life, she picked it up with the hope of finding closure in it's ending. But between maids and cooking, she only got time to read the synopsis. It concluded with the couple making out uncontrolably.
"Is that what love stories are all about? Does everything end in physical contact?"
Just then, a teary-eyed Anisha stepped out of her room. Still reeling in humiliation, she couldn't look into Meera's eyes.
Father and daughter had exchanged done-to-death cliches about education, carreer and the works. While the tirade continued, Meera was flipping through a few of Anisha's paintings uploaded to her social media page. Each had a rare intrigue revealing how fertile an imagination her child was blessed with.
Suddenly, what she saw made her heart skip a beat.
"Nice collection you got there. And this photograph, where...?"
Anisha sounded relieved and hopeful that her mother did not want to talk about her failure.
"This artist, Kunal Ray, he is having an exhibition for two days. See this, I managed to click a picture with him. I'm totally his fangirl."
A rather content Kunal seemed to smile back at Meera from the picture. Although she was happy he had finally found his redemption, her harsh words still pierced her conscience.
"Will you come to see his exhibition?"
"I will come to the gallery the day you hold your exhibition."
Anisha couldn't believe what she had just heard.
"Y-you mean, you will talk to dad about art school?"
"Even if he doesn't agree I'll manage it. I have my own savings. What better way to use than helping you achieve your goal? This is great stuff Anu. Give it your best shot."
They both shed tears of joy. Feeling much lighter, she happily hugged Anisha.
In the compound...
"But saab I took the garbage out only yesterday."
"Then why the hell is it full today, you creep? Is this what I pay you two-bloody-thousand bucks for?"
An old diary, torn into incomprehensible pieces, lay in the man's dustbin. It would never see the light of day again.
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