PROMISE (Part 1)

I don’t know what exactly you are to me my prettiest charm….all I know is that our relationship needs no name but is beautifully framed everywhere.

“Esika”, she is not only a friend for me, she really means something for me and that something is just not only the special but is everything for me.

I really don’t know what made me to come to Bangalore. But I believe if you have a bigger dream you will have a clear destination. Yes, I have a dream and Bangalore is a pipeline for my destination. 

The first day when I landed in Bangalore International Airport, I realized I will be missing a part of my life, a part of my dream. For me it was not so easy to leave the land that taught me the meaning of life, gave me my own identity and illustrated my dream destination. But I did, because to gain something we have to lose something. And still I fail to spot that golden time with my family, with my friends and with Kalpabrichha (an organization that I founded).

It was April 5^th and my first day in college hostel. I was totally alone. Everybody was there, but nobody was mine. A new place, a new language and new faces.  I hate how I was ragged that night. But I didn’t lose my hope. I was still brave. And my dreams were still alive. Oh no! I was missing my family. It was not a first time that I was away from my home. I shuddered as I found my eyes wet and I smiled. My mom used to say, “If you feel alone then call your heart, it will surely heal your pain”. I appealed my heart, “Be quiet tonight and I will get a friend next morning”.

I have no count how many such mornings passed away. Yes, I got new friends, but something was going astray inside me.  I just hate the life with a fake smile and a fake relation. That dark walkway of the hostel and the same boring lectures were distressing me.  

And one day I saw a girl in a yellowish green Kurtha in front of InfoTech block. She was really looking very beautiful and that black circular tika on her forehead and dark gajal on her big eyes were making her stunning. I feel astonished. How she can be so beautiful. I was staring at her. OMG! At the same time she turned her eyes towards me. I got confused. I tried to move my eyes. But these stupid didn’t help me in right time. I was standing helplessly. “Babu you are gone”. I didn’t get any idea to escape. Thank to god, she walked away silently with a serene smile and it took me a whole semester to investigate the reason behind that smile.

It was after a week of a second semester that I saw her for the second time. This time she was in light red Kurtha and with no tika and gajal. Then also she was striking into my eyes. But this time I took control over them. She was with her friends. Luckily Rojina (my hostel friend) was also in that group. Rojina called me. I never wanted to join the girl’s meeting and I tried to avoid her. But she sought a help from me. Okey, it was like a chance for me to be near with that Red Kurtha wali. I went close to the group. But that Red Kurtha wali was giving a damn care towards me. All the girls were circling me, but she was sitting little far away with her heavy orange bag silently. Actually, it was no worth for me to talk with other girls as my intent was different. They requested me to arrange one camera for the occasion from the hostel. I was supposed to ignore that, but the word occasion took my attention.

“Occasion???” I got a right to question them because they got a purpose with me.

And one of them replied, “Ya, Its Esika’s Birthday today.”

“Oh! Birthday…. Who is that birthday girl?”

And beyond my prospect, the birthday girl was none but the same Red Kurtha wali. I didn’t believe when Rojina told me that Esika she requested her to tell me to arrange for a camera. Actually, she was updated with all my activities, my behavior, and my interests. But I was such a silly fellow who even didn’t know her name also. I was blessed out to know this, but I needed to confirm whether it was true or not. I wished her for her birthday. She was feeling shy to speak. But she gave same serene smile again and requested me to join the celebration. I was delighted, but because of the survey lab I couldn’t make it. I arranged the camera and promised her to join at the end. Actually, that time her birthday was more notable for me than the survey lab. But I still hate the way I became formal that time. I couldn’t do the survey lab finely as I was thinking only about her. I was rebuking myself for my mistake and at the same time I got the message from new number.

“Please come na, just for a few minutes”.

OMG! It was Esika. How could I refuse her first request? And I had also promised her to attain the celebration. I was a lucky man. I geared up my speed and rushed to join her. And those ten minutes were a most memorable moment of my life.

It was just a beginning. My Red Kurtha wali was now my friend. I had her number in my cell. And how could I forbid those conversations only for a few minutes.

“Hi Birthday girl, how was your day?”

It was my first text to her. And I may not even count how many texts she sent to me till the date. We chatted till 2:15 that night. I don’t believe how she became so close to me just in a single day. She started to share every secret of hers. Even I was trusty to her.

“What you want as your birthday gift?”

“I want a promise. Will you keep it?”

I was a little bit puzzled with that question. It was the first time I came through in my life. But as I got such a beautiful friend I fixed on taking risk.

“If you believe me then I will”.

“Will you be my friend for forever?”

Now I was startled. I myself was in search of a friend who listens to me and talks to me, with happiness and smile, in my pains and tears, who always will be there throughout my life. I realized it was nothing that I was missing inside me, but it was a friend- a best friend. And is that Esika? I became emotional. How could I snub such a sweet proposal.

“Of course, I promise you. I will always be there with you my friend. I will never let you go away, forever”.