God is the author of the story of our lives. He knows when to add climax and colours to everyone’s life. She had waited a lot for colours in her life. Now she had all yet, one colour was missing in her life.
Though summer had started, It wasn’t hot yet. I called her, in the morning when I was done with the jogging. Come home, they miss you, a lot. Don’t do this to them. I knew what would be her answer but yet, I had to try. It wasn’t easy for her either, to forget the past, to forgive and go home. It was she who picked up the call but her past replied. After I hung up, I took a walk along Kakaria Lake. I sat on stone made railing and thought of how to convince her. For you, always, she had said once but now those words meant nothing. I looked up; thought of how different she was before she left home. She changed and changed everything around.
I stood up and looked around. Peopled seemed as busy as they may have thought for me but everyone has a story, everyone was struggling and alone. At least I thought so. Amid so many people, I felt alone. I missed her.
***
Can you help me with my tent, her polite smile could convince even Hitler. I was just about to open the zip of my bag to pull out my tent. I kept my bag aside and stood up, thought for a moment and looked at her. She leaned more on left leg. Her arms were gently folded. her hair was tied in a ponytail. Grey track pant and light pink t-shirt seemed little dark in the absence of proper sunlight. I helped her and we exchanged a few words. Though my job was in Ahmedabad, I was sent to Bangalore for work for five months. She has been working with Qualcomm, Bangalore since last two years. Kudremukh, it’s beautiful, isn’t it? She looked around, filled her heart with nature, closed eyes for a moment and said. Kudremukh, located 300 kilometres away from Bangalore. That’s where we met for the first time.
We were nine people, strangers but trekking together. We talked a lot after dinner and played a few games. Whole the time, I was focused on her. She was different. She made everyone laugh with her jokes and whatnot. Her cool attitude told me she was a free girl, who didn’t care what others think of her; who didn’t give damn about people. And that’s what made me curious. I wanted to know more about her. I didn't know why but, it felt like she was hiding so much pain behind this “cool” mask on her face. Out of nine, only we two were Gujaratis and so we got along really well. Next day while trekking, we exchanged name, numbers and much more. Now I knew what she was holding back in her heart, that pain. Girl I met on the trip, Aneri, her name.
We met a few more times after that, exploring different places in Bangalore. After five months, I came back to Ahmedabad. I asked her to come back but she would cut me before I could ask her. She had decided to never come back.
