Part-1
The city of dreams has suddenly started feeling like city of memories to her, every lane, every alley, every corner, every road showed her flashes of a tragically beautiful tale, a fairy tale she thought her life was going to be but from when did reality started mixing with the dreams, the moments where reality seemed more beautiful than dreams were so rare in her life. The stalls, the trees, even the moist breeze of the city was telling her a tale of love and friendship, of dreams and aspirations, of boy’s turned men and girl’s turned noble ladies. A tale of shattered imaginations and destinies plays. Every little feeling, every nerve of anxiety, every quirk of expression, the usual banters and screams and even the irritating traffic jam was making her heart scream in restlessness and nostalgia as her mind chanted home as her cab made it’s way towards the place from where everything has started. A place which was both her beginning and end, a place where she started and ended, where her dreams got their wings and a place where her wings changed too. A place which turned her into what she is now. A place which always will be her home. A place she hasn’t stepped in for past 8 years and maybe she wouldn’t have come today too if it wasn’t her sobbing, totally broken, shattered elder sister begging her to be here. She wouldn’t have returned to this glass house of memories if it wasn’t her family’s call for her.
Stepping out of the cab, she looked at a place she called home but nothing felt like home in the grand majestic building standing in front of her, proudly displaying Sanjivani written in red capitals. Sanjivani hospital is still dream city’s best hospital, but her home seemed to have been lost somewhere in this race of time. The new building was grand but the old building had been her world, the new building and changes looked beautiful yet the old was gold for her. The old structure, memories, fights, romance, silliness replenishing in her mind as her glassy eyes took in even the most minute of changes.
This new surroundings, the new faces, the gardens weren’t full of her fond memories. This Sanjivani seemed like an estranged friend to her, a friend who once was her world but now is nothing more than a stranger who shares many memories with you. She knows she needs to enter the premises of the hospital, she needs to meet the infamous Dr Juhi and take up her position as the Oncologist of Sanjivani and she really needs to meet her elder sister too and ask her what pushed her to this level of hysterics but she just couldn’t, no she couldn’t compel her feet to take her forward. No, she couldn’t bear to see more of what she lost, more of what has become just memory. She didn’t have enough guts to walk in an appreciate this new beautiful Sanjivani and not think about her Sanjivani and the years she spent in there. She can’t walk in and see how the place she could tread even with closed eyes has changed into a stranger. She just cant walk in and not think of the goofy and hard times. She cant just walk in without the onslaught of the bittersweet memories and see through her eyes that those places has ceased to exist.
Her eyes took in the changed surroundings as her feet carried her to one place which held her most fond and bitter memories. A place which played a major part in her destiny and life, a place who stood witness to all her moods and emotions and she doesn’t know what will her heart go through if that place also have ceased to exist. The path was familiar the surroundings not so but the relief that flowed through her system watching the court, her court where she played so many times, the place where she even got an unique nickname but to her little disappointment she wasn’t the sole soul present in the court. No, the court seemed to be in use.
“bhai rhne de terese na hoga (bro leave it, you won’t be able to do it)” she heard the guy sitting on the floor without any complaints, leaning back on his arms as he stared at the guy dripping the ball
The other boy didn’t entertain that guy with any reply as he scored basket.
“Aksar gusse mein logo se basket nhi hoti aur teri ek bhi miss ni hoti (usually when people are angry they miss the basket and you my brother score basket after basket)” from what she could guess the sitting guy seemed to taunt the one scoring basket as an itch to feel that ball against her palm generated in her body watching the guy playing. The carefree, dream filled days played in her mind when everything wasn’t this complex.
“Mn toh kr rha hai, uss Rishab ko gutter mein daal du (I’m feeling like throwing that Rishab in drain)” the guy stated angrily as he threw the ball with force and she couldn’t help but think who is this Rishab guy and what he had done to them??
“Gutter mein...mera bs chale toh Pacific Ocean k centre mein drop kr du usse (In drain.....if I could I would have dropped him in the centre of Pacific ocean)” the sitting guy said snidely grumbling about something and she felt bad listening to their conversations like this but she just couldn’t make herself leave this place.
“Uske iss kand k baad toh, uske peeche Dr Ishani ko chodna bhi km saza hogi uske liye ( after his this act, even if we leave Ishani after him it won’t be sufficient punishment for him)....I wont even feel pity if Ishani acts her worse with him" the guy with the ball grumbled angrily
“teri har baat mein Ishani ki entry kaha se hoti hai be (in all your talks how does Ishani enters)” the sitting guy asked and she couldn’t guess the mood between them.
“Ab tu firse mt start ho yrr (don’t start again dude)” the ball guy grumbled
“Naah, I’m just making sure tu usse meri position na de de (naah , I’m just making sure you don’t give her my position)”
Her eyes traced the old building behind the basketball court, a building she didn’t thought she’ll see again, a building she was sure has been demolished by now but to her utter surprise it still stands there telling tales of her time. In her surprise she didn’t notice the new member who has joined the boys in the girl. She hasn’t notice the girl in the guy’s embrace first but when she did it ignited so many memories in her mind.
“areey humari dhakad ladki rote huye bilkul acchi nhi lgti (our awesome girl doesn’t look good crying)” she hasn’t even noticed when the guy sitting on the floor has stood up and was embracing the girl. She didn’t know what the girl has said but rage could be clearly seen in both guys body language.
“Asha....listen you’re not weak to run away and no one, I mean no one will snatch away what’s your from you. You know you can tell us anything right, anything and I promise I wont act rashly like Aman" the ball guy reassured the girl about something and she couldn’t help but think how good they look together
“I know and only you guys know about this. I’ve not even told baby doll about this" Asha told the boys still leaning in the ball guy’s arms for support and she thought of her days.
“Your baby doll would have started a rebellion if she knew btw Asha I’ll tell you the same thing I told her. Here, we are a family and family always looks out for each other. We may be super annoying, we may have different point of views and we may not always agree on something but at the end of day. We will be there for you all, you all are my friends, my family and I’ll fight for you no matter what.”
“Yes, Asha...Sid is right and see how his jaddu ki jhapi has brought back that stunning smile on your face.” The scene was touching but she just couldn’t think beyond the word Sid. Even she knew a Sid, a Sid who was a far cry from perfect. He was flawed deeply flawed with his own issues and imperfections. He was no angel, neither was he a devil. He was a human, a human with right intentions and lovely smiles, childish behaviour and caring nature. Even she knew a Sid, a Dr Sid who was a saviour, full of life.
“Asha....sun girlfriends and boyfriends are going to come and go but this...” he said pointing towards them standing with their arms around each other “is for life. Tum log Jaan ho meri"
“Humein toh laga baby doll voh hai ( we thought that was baby doll is your life)”
“not you too, Asha" the Sid guy grumbled as their laughter ringed in the air and she thought about her friends, friends that become estranged friends, friends she lost contact with ages ago and isn’t aware of anything in their life “hum toh chale the dost bankr, jane kaha dil mil gye"
“Dil toh mile huge hai pr dosti bikhar gyi hai....kn kisse kiss baat pr naraz hai, kisne kisko kiss tarah se toda hai ab kisse kn pucche, dil mein gham hai, shabdo k jhakham hai ab kon unhe bhare....kis kisse maafi mange??” she thought bitterly as all shattered pieces of life along with what if’s and what notes presented themselves in front of her as she stood in the place where it all started, sparing another glance towards the now laughing trio she left the court with her haunting memories and bitter thoughts “bacche hai abhi jald jaan jayenge, koi relation for life nhi hota....sb toot jata hai, choot jata hai waqt k sath....jinhone ne kaha tha aapk bina jee nhi skte voh bhi jee lete hai"
