VORTEX OF LOVE

                                                  VORTEX OF LOVE

The day was muggy and a young sturdy boy with an American bully was strolling, enjoying the evening sun with the cool breez. It seemed he had all the time on this earth .He was relishing the moment stroking his companion, Rowdy’s ears. Soon his phone rang and looking at the name a strange expression came on his face, the natural smile vanished and his forehead creases with the lines of worry. His heart became the battleground and the war between self respect and love started. The phone kept ringing and the name Zara kept flashing, his self respect won the battle. He did not take her call but deep inside he got perturbed. The serene sea of emotions got disturbed by her single call. A few months back he was dying to receive her call. He looked at his hands the cuts he made to prove his love for her got healed but the scars left on his soul were there which no one could see.

No one could know how much he loved her, no one knew how bad he felt, no one was there during those dark hours when he found his world crumbling down and thoughts of suicide pervaded the thinking ground.

The memories flooded back and they planted him in August of  2015. He could see himself as bright and happy  as the morning sun, standing   elated, jubilant with eyes exuding confidence .Life was lovely for him as for every young heart blooming in the spring of one’s  life. Like most of the youngsters he used to spend time on social media. It was on facebook, he met Zara. Initially it was a normal friendly chat but he did not come to know when it became an addiction. His day became a long wait for night so that he could talk to Zara. Soon after they started video calls. Hemant found Zara soft as a morning dew on the rose at dawn. He got mesmerized by her beauty. Sometimes Zara fell asleep and he felt like protecting her as if she was a child. Hemant fell for her and his heart desired to encage her forever in the four walls of his heart and thoughts.

Hemant wanted to be with her forever so he worked hard day and night to get job, He competed hard and eventually got job in  Mumbai. On 29 November 2016 Hemant left for Mumbai.Hemant during his night duty used to chat and even video call to talk to Zara.The long distance was covered by mobile.

The days passed and after two years of chatting Zara proposed Hemant in July 2017.In August Hemant got leave for a week and he was to come home and he was super excited because he was to meet Zara for the first time. On 20 August it seemed to Hemant as if  the arms of the clock had stopped moving.. He took out his best shirt , red in colour and wore with ripped jeans. When the train stopped at the station, his heart started racing and started pounding hard, he saw Zara waiting for him. It was a matter of chance or love that Zara too was in red ,one piece dress. She giggled and said that she was plump. Hemant said that he was skinny. Physically they were diametrically opposite . Hemant believed that physique did not matter when the hearts and souls connect. In the car Hemant asked for permission to hug Zara. They both hugged and kissed for the first time. Hemant acted as a navigator for Zara and she drove Hemant to his home. A lovely home exuding warmth stood among the coconut trees. Hemant’s parents and elder brother were eagerly waiting for him. Hemant had already told about Zara in his family so they were not surprised to see her and welcomed her with open hearts and arms. All sat together and relished the favourite dishes of Hemant specially cooked by his mom. After some time Zara left. Hemant went to his room and changed his clothes and dropped himself on the bed and smiled and recollected the warmth of the first hug which he got from Zara and the moist lips on his cheek, the lingering fragrance of Zara seemed to have seeped in through the pores of his skin. He was extremely happy. He considered himself to be the luckiest person on this earth.

For all the seven days Zara came regularly driving 20 kms to meet Hemant at his home. They spent a family time together. Zara looked more like a family member, going to the kitchen and helping Maa  in cooking. Soon that day came when Hemant had to leave. Zara came to meet and begged Hemant not to go. She came and sat beside Hemant and held his hand in front of his parents and requested him with tears in her eyes not to go. Hemant felt helpless. He being a man of words could not get his leave extended. While leaving for Bombay ,his heart sank and saw blurred image of Zara through his teary eyes. Hemant left with the hope that Zara and he would talk on video call. The video calls continued . The days passed and it came September, Zara insisted that she would come to Bombay to celebrate Hemant’s birthday  in The Taj on 12 September. Hemant refused and told that he did not want her to spend money on him. On 12 Zara celebrtated his birthday on Video call.She surprised Hemant by sending Video in which his Mom, dad and brother wished him. Zara went to Hemant’s home to record wishes of Hemant’s family. This surprise moved Hemant a lot.

 One fine day for no reason Zara started avoiding Hemant. He used to call but her phone used to remain busy for hours. On asking she would say that she was talking to her cousins in the USA. Hemant could see through the things. He could see Zara wearing slips and could not digest an Indian girl talking to her cousins in night dress. He felt disgusted . Zara told that she was going to Mysore to visit her sister and Hemant should not call her and after coming back she would contact.

Hemant felt very bad , his night shifts became heavy with silence and time. Hemant found himself suffering from loneliness, he became so addicted to talking to Zara that he became monophobic.To  avoid  all this he talked to another girl for fun sake. Every day Hemant  would expect a call from Zara but in futile.During these days just to pull himself from the depression, he kept talking to the girl Muskaan and told her while chatting that her lips were lovely.

After some days Zara started calling Hemant and his happiness had no bounds.

Alas! She gave more tears than smiles. Her phone most of the times was busy , on asking Hemant would get the same answer. They kept talking. After a few days Zara said that she is getting engaged to Rahul. Hemant could not believe his ears and  collapsed, his whole world came down as if made of stack of cards. He sat on the floor screamed, clenched his teeth and cried whole night. On that day he thought of ending his life. He found himself in the dungeon of depression. The next day he gathered the broken pieces of his heart and the splinters hit him hard.Hemant wanted to talk to his love but Zara started avoiding. Hemant could see Zara online that was all the more hurting. Hemant started getting bouts of depression and one day he cut his hand and texted to Zara , Zara ‘s reaction was very cold and asked Hemant to send pics of his bleeding hand.  Hemant felt very bad and thought she could see his bleeding hand  what about the bleeding heart which bled profusely.

Hemant realized that he cannot see Zara moving away from his life so in order to save his relation , he resigned from the much desired job. His heart overpowered his head. He video called   Zara and in front of her he wrote his resignation. He pleaded Zara to save their relationship. He tried to express his love through his actions now, thinking his words have fallen on her deaf ear. He risked his life and career for her. It is true ,the thing for which we live is the one for which we die.

Hemant had only one thing in mind and that was to save his relationship. He left his job without serving notice and rushed back to his home. He met Zara and she could see how madly he was in love with her. She started fiddling with his phone whereas Hemant never dared to touch hers. Zara found the message “ Your lips are very curvy” which Hemant complimented to a girl with whom he flirted while Zara remained busy online with her so called cousin. Zara blamed Hemant that he cheated on her and did not listen to Hemant and broke off. Hemant went numb, he did not want to say anything. His head spinned and in a second his castle of dreams was razed by the rage of Zara. Hemant reached home , his parents were surprised to  see him because he came without intimation. His face, his red eyes spoke that something had terribly gone wrong. He concealed as much as he coud and just told his parents that he fought with Zara.

He bolted his room dropped himself on the bed and tears rolled down his cheeks, the floodgates were opened by the words of Zara “ you cheated on me” . It was the same room and the same bed when he dropped and smiled and considered himself to be the happiest person. The only difference was of time and emotions.He cried for whole day then he thought he should give one last try to save his relationship.

For whole night he painted quotes and wrote his heart out in the form of quotations. The number he could manage was fifty.In the morning he rushed to say her sorry and invited her the next day for the surprise.Zara agreed to come.

Hemant thanked God and got excited to plan out things for her. Hemant bought two T-shirts on one it was written Mr. and on the other Mrs. He was in the market buying stuff when he got a call from his Mom asking him to come because all of a sudden they had to go to their village.   Hemant  rushed back. His parents left.Hemant started decorating his room. He decorated it with red heart shaped balloons and the quotes he wrote for her. In the evening he ordered for a chocolate cake.

The night went in apprehension that will he be able to save his relation or not?

He prayed to God hundred times. The sun peeped out of the palm leaves, it was a lovely morning full of hope. At 11o’çlock Zara came. Hemant welcomed her with a broad smile and moist eyes. He took her to his room, Zara was overwhelmed with emotion to see how Hemant decorated the room for her. She hugged Hemant and planted a kiss on his cheek.Hemant’s heart started thudding. Then he gave her second surprise, he gave her the T-shirt with Mrs written on it and this brought smile on Zara’s face. She went to another room and changed it. By the time Hemant changed his T-shirt and wore the one  with Mr. written on it. Both of them were looking damn cute and took selfie. Hemant then brought in Zara’s favourite cake . It was day full of surprises for Zara. While eating they were teasing , there were only sounds of laughter. Zara was very happy. Suddenly Zara took Hemant’s face in her cupped hands and smooched. Their bodies melted in search of each other’s soul. They made love, the T-shirts of Mr & Mrs casted some spell and were staring hard at the lovebirds from the chair where they have been dropped. The lovers lived in the moment and relished exploring each other’s body. It seemed as if they have unearthed some hidden treasure. They exhausted themselves, laughed and started eating cake again which too was witness to their lovemaking. As they were alone in the house and had exhausted themselves, they planned to sleep for a while. Zara fell asleep in his arms and as he always wanted to protect her and love her, Hemant kissed her forehead and fell asleep.

Hemant was very happy to save his relationship, he really loved Zara, unfortunately after two days Zara started behaving whimsically and called up Hemant to tell that she is breaking up and can not continue with the relationship.

Hemant could not understand and was very upset and kept thinking what made Zara push him away. Zara started avoiding Hemant and whenever she talked she abused him; insulted him. Hemant begged for her love but to no avail. She just kept saying  that she is going to marry Rahul and Hemant cannot afford her.

Sometimes she would comment on Hemant’sfinancial status, sometimes on his physique. She belittled him so much that Hemant thought that they must meet for last time and part.When they met for the last time, Zara told that she is putting on weight day by day, Hemant teasing her asked if she was carrying his baby. To his shock she told that she would never like to have his baby.These last words seeped deep into Hemant’s heart and  he plunged into deep depression. He confined himself  to his bedroom and became insomaniac. He could not sleep at night. His eyes and heart only knew how to cry. He oozed out his pain in form of poems on a diary.  Then one fine day he saw Zara sitting with a mature person in a Café , Hemant took that man to be Rahul and texted Zara. To his utter shock he came to know that, there was no person named Rahul in Zara’s life.She was dating a mature, married man. Now, the picture was clear to Hemant , Zara was no more interested in Hemant. Hemant questioned himself that why did he cry for seven months for a girl who never loved him.  Hemant started  publishing his poems online in March and many follower showed faith in him. Some became very close friends and understood what he was undergoing and encouraged him to fight back.

Hemant who was dejected because he was rejected by his love, wiped off his tears and stood up to become a storm. He worked very hard, got a job again. His rejection made him dream of becoming a fitness model and now he has become one. A sturdy boy wearing black T-shirt with his biceps and chest oozing out looked at the phone, which kept ringing. Hemant moved on the road flanked by lush green trees.