THE FAIRYTALE

I have been visiting this rehabilitation centre for suicidal teenagers for the past 20 years, counseling them and giving them advice. What surprises me the most is that majority of the cases want to commit suicide because of a distorted love life. It is astonishing to see how easily these youngsters take life, trying to put an end to it merely because of a simple break-up or a fight. My duty is to make them value their lives. For doing so, I tell them a story….a story about a young girl of 16.

“Aisha Sharma was probably the happiest girl on her sixteenth birthday. She had it all – a loving family, wonderful peers and her first boyfriend. It was all magical.

10^th October was the day when she met him for the first time through a mutual friend.

“Hei, can I have your e-mail ID?” he asked

“Yah, sure!” she replied.

And thus, they got in touch. After a month of chatting, mobile numbers were exchanged and their bond grew stronger.

That fine sunny day, 12^th of December, 14 days before her 16^th birthday, as she remembered, he called her to the canteen area. She went there with a thought of confessing him her feelings. Yes! She had fallen in love with him. But before she could open her mouth, it was he who was kneeling down to her, saying those three words – I LOVE YOU. She blushed. It was like a fairytale. She got her Prince Charming.

Days passed by and so did the months. She was happy, jealous, sad and jealous again – through the different stages of any relationship. Sometimes, she’d suspect – What an intelligent guy! He could have got anyone. Why me? Is he double dating or something?” But the thought would be put out soon enough by his caring words.

A major turning point arrived when she turned 18, and they had gone to different states for college. But, like they say in the movies, when love is true, no barriers are enough to separate the lovers. And so they went on.

Soon the time arrived when they were getting married. She was 28 – a successful psychologist, while he was the CEO of a big company that made parts for vehicles. It was the wedding of the decade, or so their parents thought.

On their engagement day, just before the rings were to be exchanged, Aisha crept up to her soon to-be-husband’s room to call him down. Excited as she was, she entered the room without a knock and found the room empty, with his e-mail account open.

“No Aisha, it’s bad to check someone’s e-mail.” She thought.

But curiosity forced her to do what changed her life in the next few moments. She checked his inbox and found out that he had been dating three other girls at the same time; and there was this girl who was with him for the past four years.

“I’m getting married to her because she is too simple – just perfect for a wife. But she doesn’t have anything compared to you. You are way hotter.” One of the e-mails read.

“DON’T READ THAT” shouted the man coming out of the toilet, but it was too late. The damage was done and the marriage was called off.

She was deeply heartbroken, but eventually after two years, she recovered.

I end my story to the pretty 14-year old girl sitting in front of me.

“Did she commit suicide? Is she still alive?” she asks, awestruck.

“She rather chose to focus on her career, and yes, she is very much alive”

“Did she find someone else? Would I find someone else?” she asks again.

“She isn’t married, not because she couldn’t get anyone, but because she didn’t look for anyone. She is happy leading her life alone.

You are still young. You’ll surely get someone else. Many more, in fact.” I beamed at her.

Then the young girl’s eyes fall on my name plate tied near my collar. ‘Dr. Sharma’ it reads.

“Sharma? Is Aisha Sharma your daughter? Do you know her?” she asks, her mind flooded with curiosity.

“We know each other well.” I reply, somewhat sarcastically.

After the session is over, she leaves, content with herself and a new hope to live and be successful in life.

I have cured so many young girls and boys. It gives me a sense of satisfaction. My only wish is to cure myself one day.

So many things have changed since 2012. It’s been 34 years to be exact. But love seems to be more stubborn for it doesn’t change that easily.

Oh yeah! I forgot to introduce myself to you all – I am Aisha Sharma, 50 years old. I am a psychologist and I am still single.

THE STORY OF HIS EYES

First crush is the most beautiful feeling in the world. It is a step towards adolescence, a sign of our maturing self. First crush is always special in everyone’s life.

I was barely nine years old when I saw him for the first time. He was mysterious; a handsome ten year old playing football in the rain, tall for his age with a great physique. And before I could realize that I had frozen at my spot, he turned around. I guess that was the start because his one gaze sent an electric shock down my spine. I turned around, feeling my cheeks go hot. I blushed for the first time.

Back at school, I found out that he was my senior. Never in my life had I so meaninglessly prayed to God like I did that day to make him my classmate. It was a big mistake, as I found out a year later because he had failed that year. Childish as I was, I was happy. He was in my class.

Gradually, our friendship started. He hardly spoke to any girl, but with me, he opened up, like we were best friends forever. He wasn’t good academically, but no one could beat him in sports. He used to fight with boys, but with girls, he behaved well. He was a mixture of opposites.

A year passed by. This time, he made it, but our sections were different. Nevertheless, we used to talk in the break time, or play together like the good old times. I was his best friend. He was my crush. My first crush. His eyes still gave me the electric shocks. My cheeks still went hot.

It was during the end of that session that I began to feel guilty. Secretly, I felt that it was my fault that he had lost one year. My fault that his friends didn’t respect him much because he had failed. All my fault!
So, I prayed to God again to make things all right. To make others respect him for what he is, not look down upon him for what he couldn’t be. At the same time, I finally decided to confess my feelings to him. It had been three years, after all. Yet I was scared. What would people say seeing me running after a guy who had failed? But I did mustere up enough courage to tell him.

Session break got over and it was a new class. Taking a deep breath, I peered into my class. He wasn’t there. I searched for him in the other sections too. He was nowhere. Petrified, I looked up for him in the junior class, in case he had…….no, he couldn’t have. I ran upstairs to the junior class. He wasn’t there either. I waited for him for a week. Then finally, one of his cousins said that he had left the school. He went away to a boarding school, which was more sport oriented than studies. He went away to a place where he was respected for what he is, not looked down upon for what he couldn’t be.

My wish came true once again. I was guilt free, yet horrifically sad. He was gone, forever. This crush continued for the next four years. I would always search for him in public places, just in case I got a glimpse. Four years later, my crush ended and so did the search.

Recently, I got a message from him in a social networking site. He still remembers me. I am still his close friend. And he still doesn’t know that he was my first crush.

Once there was a pair of eyes,

Eager eyes with truth and lies,

Eyes blazing with fiery fire,

Reflecting all the hope and desire.

Its one blink made me sink,

Caught me staring and gave a wink.

Suddenly my spine caught a chill,

My spirit jumped to the top of a hill.

But those eyes left long ago,

No chill, now life runs slow.

No one else has such eyes,

No eyes to make my spirit rise.

I miss many things in my life,

But never like I miss those eyes.

That gaze on me they’ll never lay,

The boy who had them has gone away.

THE MIRROR’S GOT TWO FACES

I look up at the sky through the large window. It’s filled with stars, sparkling with their entire glow. They are happy, a deep contrast to what lay in my heart. I look down at the ground far below. If someone happened to fall from there, they wouldn’t survive. I wouldn’t survive. Sigh! Should I take a step forward?
It all began about a month back. I had turned 23 and so, on my birthday party the main and the only topic of discussion was my marriage. I smirked it off like I did when I was young and people would tease me about my perfect groom. What I didn’t know was that people weren’t teasing me this time. They were serious.
My birthday passed and so did this whole fiasco from my mind. But the same wasn’t true for my uncle and aunt, who were my guardians. And hence, began the process of selecting a groom, to my great disapproval. No one cared to take my consent. All they were interested in was how to send me off from their home tying me in an almost unbreakable bond.
What no one understood was that I too had some dreams. I wanted to be a businesswoman. I had my own plans, my own desire.
“You can continue after your marriage. That’s how the 21st century women are.” is what they said. “Yah, I know, but I won’t be able to devote much time in my plans then.” I used to reply. However, it was of no use. So I pretended. It must have been really good because no one doubted a thing. They thought I had agreed. That was far from the truth. I planned, secretly. During this, I also learned that no human being is simple. Everyone has a darker side. I had to bring out my darker side. Because I had a dream to fulfill.
The most surprising thing of this arrangement was that it didn’t take much time for my relatives to find the groom, thanks to the matrimonial sites. I rejected many, yet somehow, nobody wanted to let go of this one. Corporate Lawyer, after all. His earnings were huge. Free as I was, I refused to be dependent on another person for a living, or to start my own source of living, as a matter of fact. As if he would allow me to follow my dreams after we tied the knots.
What followed the next few weeks was totally out of my understandings. No engagement, it was a direct jump to marriage. And today was the Big day. I was and am devastated.
And now comes the big question – “Should I take a step forward?” I smiled, went inside and came back with a bed cover.

The mirror seems so clean and bright,

Yet it has got two faces.

One day, while the other night.

Not what the world embraces

One face says it is honest

Claims it reflects the best.

The world thinks that is it,

The mirror is the perfect fit.

The other is darker but true,

Seen to the people so few.

Hidden and locked somewhere inside;

A side, the mirror can’t confide.

A lie is what’s outside

The wicked grin as I try to hide,

Try, but you can’t solve the phrases,

Coz my mirror’s got two faces.

And I fled towards a new world, towards my dream because I dared to envision it.