A SIXER

LOVE AND SELF RESPECT;

More than thousands of students in a 10 acre engineering campus with four separate buildings, different courts for different games, with a huge library that could be accessed by any student or staff. Among those thousands a fresher was Shashank who got admission in this CDE engineering college through sports category. He was a national level cricket player.

Though he was bad at studies but his playing skills bought him a good college to just get a degree. He never wanted to study further because all he aspired was to become a cricketer but his family never supported him. Shashank's father was Delhi branch manager in BSNL, so insisted him to take ECE branch.

In the begininng he started enjoying with friends, playing for college tournaments, going for late night parties just like any other guy. Although he never thought a girl could change his life. 

Things changed after he saw a girl; who was trying to play cricket with her friends in the field. 

Her endeavor to hold a bat, her way of tying the duppatta around her waist as if she was going to perform Bharatanatyam, her hair which covered her forehead, her eyes which were small with spectacles on, her lips which were cherry red, her anklets shining bright over the big heals which she was standing on, her way of pushing the bracelet in the right hand ready to face the ball.

Shashank who was astounded seeing her however spurred like a horse inside the field trying to protect her from the ball which was coming onto her. After he pushed her away from the pitch, the ball as usually hit the wickets. Despite his action, every body started laughing. The girl whom he pushed, threw the bat right over his feet and walked off the ground. 

Shashank wanted to ask sorry for his idiotic action, be that as it may, he was falling in love at first sight with her.

Only thing he heard was her anklets clinking, only thing he saw was her hair waving with blows of wind as she was walking, only thing he could still feel was her hands which he held. 

He quickly went to see the register book that was assigned for the sportsman who registered their time to play in the field. There he saw 11 girls names list from CEC branch which was listed to play cricket for an hour. To find out her out of 11 girls names was difficult task. He jotted down the names in his notepad and kicked off his search for this girl. 

Shashank was respected by every other guy in a view of the fact that he played tremendous cricket and had brought trophies to the college just in a span of an year. Thereupon when he reached the CEC building few named guys approached him asking him the reason he came there. Shashank gave the names list to a senior fellow saying they were playing nice cricket and so wanted to know about them. 

The guys in Engineering colleges feel the girls of their branch as their own property and so refused to give any information about them. 

Poor Shashank had to leave bare hands. But his sportsman ship didn't die. Every other day he waited in front of the CEC building looking for that girl. Months passed, his semester exams were nearing, he barely attended any of the classes, his attendance was low. 

The sight of this girl didn't vanish from his head. And fine day, to have chai and samosa he went in the common canteen. He was thunderstruck seeing the anklet fallen near the entrance, it was the same anklet he was searching for days now. 

 

He took it in his hands and gave it a small kiss. With big wide open eyes as if it turned into magnifying lens  entered in searching for her. She was in the right corner in red colour shalwar kameez with black chunni, with same hair style sitting with her friends sipping her cup. 

He didn't wait a second, rushed to her to give her the anklet and ask her name. 

He went to the table and asked: 'Is this yours?'

She didn't look at him rather looking at the anklet, said: 'yes, that's mine. Where did you find it?' 

Shashank: Near the entrance. 

He lingered forward to ask her name. 

She answered: Thanks for this gesture. I am Neha,1st year EEE.

Shashank: You're welcome, see you around then. 

He behaved as if he kept his cool. But he had butterflies in his stomach.

She remembered him, she said this gesture it means she remembered my previous gesture where she was pushed for a silly reason by a guy who tried to protect her.  He was on cloud nine. His close friends Deep and Ram were also so happy, they were rejoiced as he got his mystery girl from the field. 

Neha, Neha, Neha..... the only word he uttered the whole day, the only name he wrote everywhere.

Three years went by just staring and following her everywhere she went. She never noticed him even while crossing corridors or when he was waiting for her near the college gate just to see her enter and exit. 

He was so much in love with her that he didn't care to express it to her. He would have expressed if he had felt he would miss her in life. But for him watching her every other day in college was like a flower blooming daily. He loved every single moment spent following her, watching her in different colors but damn with the same hair style. 

Gradually his back logs increased, his attendance fell below average. He was summoned by HOD, if this was going to be continued, he would have to be detained.

And the fear to get detained from this college and going far from her was devastating to him. 

He then started getting back to classes, clearing his back logs.

 

Time flied and here they were in final year, But Shashank had 7 back logs to clear along with the last semester that they had to appear. 

Neha being the topper, cleared every year and surely she would be passing engineering of course with distinction.

Although it wasn't same for Shashank to handle cricket, studies and his love Neha. Even in the final semester he could clear only 2 subjects and his back logs raised from 7 to 10. 

Poor guy, had to see his love graduating and leaving the college.

This love hit him hard, he didn't clear his back logs, neither expressed his love. He no longer saw her in the campus, he didn't know or at least think of asking where she lived.

He was disheartened, demoralized and cherry on the top was being discouraged whole time by his father. 

That's when he thought he had to bring the sportsman back and hit every other back log into a sixer.  He applied to telecom company and was placed in Lucknow branch. 

Looking back one last time into corridors he walked with her, the benches which he sat after her, the labs where he stared her behind the windows, the gate which he waited for her entrance. All these flashed before him. With obstinate feeling left Delhi and shifted Lucknow. 

Where Lucknow was known for its delicious foods Shashank faced difficult time living as a bachelor there. Unable to cook his own food and in the race of earning more money, to reach to his father's expectation he was into the competition unknowingly.

A bachelor life with annoying neighbors. His neighbors were 50+ couple who fought every other day. Some day noises of a women yelling, some days falling of vessels as if they were hitting each other. And during night times, loud voice of that lady was so much irritating.

He decided not to intervene into anything after the first rendezvous that he felt after meeting Neha.

Yes, even after 2 years, moving to different place he couldn't take her out of his mind. She was there, everywhere in every other movement. 

He kept denying the fact to offer any help for them. Just a random day when he was coming out of his house, he met his neighbor, the old man, who was leaving for his job. In a way to talk to him, he asked for lift. The old man accepted and gave him lift. 

Old man: 'I know you are our neighbor, I am sorry I never got time to introduce myself.'

Shashank: 'It's okay uncle, in a quivering voice; why is that you and aunty fight so often? Is there any way so that I could be helpful to you?' 

Old man: Nothing, it's just what every other women does, nagging. She always wants more and makes me feel insecure about it. I am trying my best kid but can't satisfy her.

Shashank: I am not experienced in this field but may be you should think it for yourself. Here's my card, call me anytime if you need me. 

This little conversation in car left the old man think for himself. 

Old man dropped Shashank at his place and went by.

Nevertheless the voices never got low, and the vessels never stopped falling. 

One day while he was working he gets a text from this old man, 'Hi Shashank, you made me think and here I am quitting.'

Shashank panicking, 'what does quitting mean? What is he up to? What did understand by my words? Where is he?'Several questions popped in.

 He directly went to his house checked but the house was locked. He went to police station saying this phone number had to be checked soon, assuming him to be in danger. 

Well, indeed, Quitting word seemed very wrongly placed in the text. The police found his location. Accompanying them he saw the horrifying state of the old man inside the car.

They broke the glass of the window opened the door, saw this man bleeding his veins out from the right arm. The whole seat was blood red. The police took him to the nearest hospital.  I stayed with him in the hospital for nearly two days. 

When the old man regained his consciousness, the first word he spoke was Neha. 

Shashank after 2 years, repeated Neha loudly but in a way of questioning the old man.

 

Shashank: 'Who Neha sir?'

Old man: 'It's my daughter, she is in Bangalore. I need to apologize her for keeping my self respect above her. I should have thought about her before doing this. Please call her.'

Shashank was left in confusion, he wanted her to be his Neha. The only Neha whom he loved since years. He was desperately waiting for the old man's family to arrive. 

After two days his wife came to the hospital. When inquired she said she left the house after they had a fight but never thought he would not only leave the house but try leaving this world. 

She came running towards him, felt like falling over Shashank's feet. Thanked him for giving him life and making her realize what would have been if he wasn't saved. 

Earnestly, he asked: 'Where is Neha ? Your husband is calling for her since two days. 

Woman replied, 'I informed her she is on her way.'

That moment, that very moment Shashank felt the same storm that was going to hit him again, if it was to be the same Neha whom he loved. 

He opened the knocking door, a girl with broad fore head, with black spectacles in a saree with a handbag in her hand, her lips cherry red, her hands with bangles, with the same anklets over her pointed heels. Shashank was awestruck seeing his Neha who was more beautiful than ever.  

But this time it was reverse, Neha pushed him standing like a statue in front of the door.

She hugged her father so tightly then her mother.

 

She surprisingly asked her mother: 'How come he is here?'

Woman replied: 'He is the one who saved your father.

Shashank left in confusion again, How come she is surprised? This means she knew me the whole time.

Neha taking Shashank aside, 'How come you knew where my father was? Why did you even follow me after Engineering? Is this some trap to make me fall in your love?'

Shashank:  'First of all I am happy you knew that  I loved you the whole time. Second of all, how do you know If I am still loving you?'

5 years of silence broke in between them. 

There was sense of joy in his heart but to prove Neha his innocence I had to intervene this situation.

Hi,

I am Ram Katheriya SP of Lucknow. He is my best friend since college, He was the one who located your father and together we brought him here.  I was the one who has seen him loving you with everything but poor heart never dared to tell you. 

I narrate the whole love story of my innocent friend who knew was only loving you.

Neha looked so astonished, she hugged him so tight that all of the eschewed action of 6 years had come to an end. 

With Elders blessings they got married and lived happily ever after.

Nevertheless,

There cannot be a any other father who will commit suicide in your story and text you unknowingly who loved his daughter. 

There cannot be any other SP who is best friend in your story who would just believe by showing the text and help you reach your love.

There cannot be a any other girl in your story who doesn't notice being followed and being admired.

But, in every story

There will be a man surely who keeps his love to himself. There will be a husband surely who tries and tries to satisfy his wife.

Had Shashank thought of losing her and expressed his love, may be Neha might have accepted him.

Had the old man thought of his daughter before doing any of this, may be they might have met in Lucknow as neighbors again.

Had the nagging women thought of losing him, the old man might not have committed this mistake.

May everything happen for a reason and may you be as optimistic as the life wants it to be.