This was the new chapter of my life, with the most beautiful name, Ayushi. The only beautiful chapter that started on the defined pages left in the diary of my life. I get to know about her from my friend, Aarshi.
They were in same school and Because of her, Ayushi and I exchanged numbers and got in touch with each other. The first night was as beautiful as the night of fantasies and dreams. I did not feel even an inch of pain that was flowing with an ease in my veins. Instead I was talking to her. There was something in the first conversation we shared. I felt much more lively as if Cancer never existed.
We loved each other’s company so well that we decided to meet each other the very next day in coffee shop, at Pacific mall. I wake up early that day, unlike other days.
Chuck it, truth is that I did not even sleep. Ayushi was that awesome.
“Mom, I am going for movie. I will come late. Call me if needed.” I said and ran for keys.
“Come early. Better you call me, if there is some problem.” My mother reverted. All her love and care was palpable from her eyes. I never needed words to understand that I do need to take care of myself just because she is happy in that. If I get hurt, she as a mother would get hurt.
“I will,” saying this I left behind my traces and the smell of deodorant I poured on me.
I was nervous to meet her. It was our first meeting and chemotherapy has already started to show its side effects. My hair was falling quite swiftly. Still, I hope I looked good, good enough to impress her.
“You look beautiful,” I said, pulling the chair away. She was there with three other equally beautiful friends of her but for me she was the only one.
“And you are late,” She smiled.
“Then you look more beautiful and stunning. I hope I am not that late that you add ‘more’ before it,” I flirted.
“Hmm… Then you are surely a flirt. Because you are quite late,” She added.
“That apparently makes you quite beautiful. I am not that late, as there is no coffee cup on the table,” I
looked at the table and then waved my hand to call the waiter, “Two coffees, please.”
“You know what… you are a proper nautanki mandali and a big flirt,” She said few good words for me.
“Flirt, okay I accept that. But, Nautanki mandali? What’s that. Huh… I am an aspiring actor.” I said with in style with a fine accent in my voice. “Don’t I look better than Ranbeer Kapoor?” I said and styled with the hair left with me.
“Oh Boy! You are way better than him,” She giggled and her pinkish lips exposed her teeth. I really loved the smile, which constantly managed to flirt on her lips every time I said something.
The conversation turned funnier and we kept talking and talking, until the coffee arrived. That was probably the best day of my Cancer-ed life. I did not tell her about the cancer thing on the first day. I did not want to shock her with this atom bomb. Even, after knowing the disease since months, it haunts me life a big monster. Than what effect it could lead into her life.
I came back home with the dilemma that how to tell her about this thing. I knew I had to tell her soon. I couldn’t make her sit behind some veil. Then, it would be her decision only. Whether to stay with me or not? Whether to to take these feelings ahead or not?
The day arrived soon. We decided to meet again. And, this time, I left home with less deodorant and the heavy truth of my life. Undoubtedly, I was late again.
“You are late,” She said, as if this was the way she greeted.
“No, I am a Cancer patient,” I replied, leaving her open mouthed for few moments.
She made a sorry face but more then being Sorry, she was shocked. Her face suddenly looked clueless, there were no expressions.
Her beautiful lips had failed to hide her pain.
'Why you look so shocked?', I asked her looking deep into her eyes.
Somewhere I feared it the most, I was hoping that this Cancer did not become an obstacle in our growing bond. I had many questions and to my every question she had an answer. Answer that gave a new direction to my life.
"Oh! You have Cancer and still you look so strong, so very Strong. Shaurya you have no idea how much i respect you for this", she replied taking my hand into hers and refraining an eye contact.
Suddenly I felt something over my hand that she was holding. She was crying. Her single tear drop that just touched me had revealed it all.
Perhaps the emotions were mutual, the pain was shared and Love was True!
I wanted to ask her why she cried but I stopped myself. May be I knew the answer and probably this was what she wanted to hide for the moment.
"I lost my father last year", she said wiping off her tears.
I was left speechless. Our lives were connected with the same thread. The thread of Death. She had already lost it and I was on the verge of it.
Everyone around me were trying their bit to separate me from the thread but with every passing day I was getting more close to it. Certainly I was somewhere near its End.
"It hurts?", I asked something that had a very obvious answer. Yes it hurts, I knew it.
"Yes it does Shaurya but then I know he is there.. Still there with me", she smiled.
'Ayushi was Strong'
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