The closest strangers

Chapter-1

---

"Give me an another bottle of whisky", Abhi said to the bartender, he was wearing a blue shirt , black jeans and white loafers. He was all drunk but still craved for another bottle as if he wanted to forget something. "Here's your bottle Sir . Your total is Rs 950". Abhi looked for the card in his wallet and handed over to the bartender. After the payment was done, he left for his hostel.

"It has been three months since she broke my heart" Abhi started murmuring to himself as he reached his room and looked in his mobile. It contains a list of friends who were strangers now. Lost in his own thoughts he lied on his bed and closed his eyes but he couldn't sleep. He has not slept properly from last three months. Every night around 2 and 3 when everyone at hostel has slept. He comes out of his room on dark empty roads and look at the sky. "Why, why you did this to me. I have loved you with everything , I have trusted you with everything" cried that boy who lost his girlfriend and his best friend. The cold breezes blow, one can hear the silence of night. The eerie stillness was broken by the hustling of the trees. The same question he asked every night and he never gets the answer.

The sun shines bright on the the clear sky and its warmth makes you to stay in bed for a little long. It was around 9 in the morning and calender says its 28th October 2015. The most remarkable day of Abhi's life. The day he will never forget all his life.

Abhi is in his second year of Engineering. He was one of the brightest student of his class But these few months have changed him completely as if he is trapped in a box and afraid to come out.

"Hey look at this video, its funny" said Abhi. He has stopped worrying about his future , his studies. Joy who was making marijuana bong ignores him. "Put the chair and table in balcony" said Joy to everyone in the room. The chairs were arranged in a circular manner with the bong in middle. The sunlight warms the cold skin and a drag of bong numbs their head. "Hurts are not as painful, problems aren't as bad, people are funnier, people are less boring, places seem awesome. I think this is a nice place to be and I find socializing with a little bit of alcohol and meth is pleasurable" said Abhi relaxing in his chair. He closed his eyes and tried to cover his pain with another drag.

Chapter-2

---

"Abhi, we are going to play football. You have dinner and then come on the ground?" someone shouts from the window. "No, I am good you all go". Abhi put his clothes on and left for the same bar.

As Abhi entered through the door. A girl was sitting on the corner table and was having vodka. Anyone can tell from her face that she doesn't drink. Her silky black hair were fit neatly into a stunning chignon. Her deep-set chocolate brown eyes looked at you like a puppy dog. The girl had orange lips surrounded her small mouth with perfect alabaster teeth. Dimples were pressed under her high cheekbones. She was 5'7" and had quite a figure.

Abhi reaches the counter and ask for vodka. "Let me observe her for a little while and see what's wrong with her.." Abhi thought in his mind. "Okay, she looks good and has dressed well that means she is coming from some party or date. Her mascara is all over his face and has dried. So she must be crying for a very long time. She doesn't have long nails so she is not into fashion that much, she must be studious. She is checking her mobile after every second so she must be expecting someone's call. She switched-off her phone. She must be expecting a call from the same person who breaks her heart and now she doesn't want to talk to him or her" this was all the observation from Abhi.

"Hello ma'am, may I have a seat?"

"No.. you can't", that girl looked Abhi with crying eyes.

"I think you must switched your phone on. He may call you", Abhi said to her thinking it might be a boyfriend problem.

"What the fuck! who are you?" questioned that girl.

"I can see in her eyes that my hunch was right"

"So its the boyfriend problem, I know what its like when someone who means a world to you stands up, forget all their promises and leaves you in a lurch as if you are nothing to them and How cruel this world is that even then you have to live with it because this world stops for no one. " said Abhi who has mixed his own feelings in those words.

"Hmm.." she node her head in yes.

She was controlling herself but vodka took control over her. She broke down and cried so hard. The rock music in the bar overpowers her loud cry.

"Hey, don't worry. Its okay." Abhi tried to console her.

"Lets take a walk and you tell me your story"

She did not resist as she was not in her complete control or she wanted someone to hear her out.

"Vicky and I were in a relationship for almost two years. He is my classmate. I have loved him so much that i cannot imagine my future without him. He start acting weird from last two months. He used to get angry for small small things. I started feeling his frustration. But still for the sake for our relationship I kept pushing myself. Last week he called me at night and asked to meet him. I wanted this to work so I decided that I will sort out everything with him and we will start afresh. I was so excited, I wore my favourite dress. So when I reached there my bestie Priyanka was also there. I thought that he has brought Priyanka with him to sort out everything. But that bitch, that fucking bitch.. She came to me and said that Nishu, Vicky and I are in love and we want to tell you before you caught us. I thought at first that this is all a big joke but soon it turns out that my boyfriend and my best friend ditched me. " . I tried contacting him but he just don't want to talk. I tried to talk to him in class, been to his house but he simply ignores me. I am no one to him now. I have been to a party today and I was thinking about him all the time and suddenly realized that it's all over, the reality hit me. He has moved on with his life and I should too. I ran to the washroom and looked myself in the mirror. I just wanted to run from everything, run from this pain. So I end up here."

Once that first tear broke free from her eyes, the rest followed in an unbroken stream. She sat on the road crying and covering her face with her palms.

"Nishu, Its okay" Abhi picked her up and hold her hand. She hides her face in his chest and started crying. Abhi didn't stop her , he wanted that she lets everything out.

She cried for sometime.

Abhi holds her face in his hand and looked in her eyes. "Oh my god! If you have applied a little more makeup no? You look no less than that of an alien. No doubt he left you. Even I would prefer having a handsome guy over you :p " Abhi said in a funny tone. Nishu hit him on his arm and smiled, "You are stupid.. whats your name Mr Stupid ?"

"Its Abhishek, friends call me Abhi."

"Then I will call you AB because I am an alien for you, right." whisper Nishu .

"Can I have the opportunity to have dinner with a beautiful alien?", asked Abhi.

"I don't feel like eating anything."

"I think good food and good sleep will make you feel better. And you have the best company in the world, me"

"Okay!"

"Lets go there , El Classico! I think its a fine restaurant" suggested Abhi.

"Sure and see they also have tables in the garden area. Lets sit there and have dinner under the sky. This corner table is just fine." Nishu said.

She looks as if she has forgotten her pain or may be its just the alcohol talking.

"Cheese sandwiches and coffee, this is what you like", Abhi said to Nishu.

"Yes sir, this is what I like."

They both were comfortable with each other now.

"Where do you live ?" enquired Abhi.

"My friends and I have rented an apartment in Govindpur."

"Really! My college is walking distance from there." There was excitement on his face as if he wanted to meet her again.

"Its already late let me drop you to your room."

Abhi booked a cab and they reached Nishu's place. He get off the cab as he was expecting a hug before she leaves. Also he wanted her number so that they can meet again. He was attracted towards her. He himself had no idea why because he has shut his heart for everyone then why he has this feeling for her.

"Okay, bye Nishu. I'll see you around."

"Bye AB, Thank you." she turns towards her apartment's door and started walking.

"AB... wait. You said a nice sleep will do good for me."

"Yes, ma'am I do said that."

"But the thing is I don't want to be alone tonight. Would you mind to stay with me, just for today if you don't have any problem", Nishu bow her head down as she immediately realized that how embarrassing that sound.

It was a genuine request actually. You don't want to be alone knowing that all those things will come back again to you. You are getting over the shock and start to realize that they will never talk to you nor they will call. You start to think to yourself that maybe this is real. You fear that you will be lonely forever. You fear that you will have nobody to talk to. You fear that you will not be able to make it in this big scary world without them. You fear that when you are sick there will be nobody there to comfort you. You jump into bed and hide under the covers feeling lonely, sad, depressed and feeling sorry for yourselves. Talking to friends and family is not an option. You want nothing to do with what is going on around you. You will sit and cry and listen to “your song” a million times. Its best to have someone who can hold your hand and can give you shoulder at such times.

He looked her and said "Yeah sure! I can."

He understood that when you’ve been left behind by a partner, your feelings of self-esteem are likely to dip and you may feel sadness and perhaps anger. It is just a desire to ease the pain, this is not a payback or revenge.

We hold onto people who hurt us because letting go of them would hurt us even more. Sometimes, people that we love, break us because they make us feel complete. That's what doesn't make sense. We live in the darkness that they give us just because they also bring us light. We breathe through the pain because they make us happy and we keep holding onto them even though — deep down — we know that we should let them go. Sometimes, we keep those who hurt us close to us just because they make us happy — and that's what doesn't make sense about us.

It was around 3 in the morning. Abhi couldn't sleep not even today. When he looked at Nishu, he saw the sliver of moonlight falling on her skin. Her skin was sparkling like a chocolate in that dim moonlight. He covered her with the blanket, left his phone number on the table near her photo frame and left for his hostel.

Chapter 3

---

The phone rang the next day. It was an unknown number.

'Hello! who's this?', Abhi said after attending the call.

'Hey! Its Nishu. Remember?'

'Ofcourse, Nishu. How are you?" Abhishek said. "You slept very well last night".

'Thank you for been there, btw what's up?'. There was a rejoice in her voice.

'You sound good, actually very good. Well its good to be happy. And I have no plans as such.' said Abhi.

'Okay, Great! Then meet me in 30 minutes at El Classico, that same coffee house'. Nishu said getting all excited.

'Ah! Let me see if I don't have anything else...',

'Oh hello! I am not asking you I am telling you to be there in 30 minutes otherwise I will kill you with my own hands', she said in an authoritative voice.

In a very long time, someone has assert possession over Abhi as if he belongs to her.

Abhi smiled and said, "I will reach there before you and order cheese sandwich and coffee."

"Yeaaaaaaaahhhhh !!" her cheeks flushed with excitement.

They had breakfast together, laughed together and they become very fond of each other.

One fine evening when they were at El Classico, the place started getting crowded. So Abhi took Nishu to a place which was on the bank of river. There were greenery all over, few benches lying under the tree, the aroma of the place was great, cool breeze flowing through your face makes you feel alive and the sound of river flowing bubbling and churping soothes your inner self.

'Wow this is a perfect place to be' said Nishu and took a deep breath of fresh air.

They sat on a bench under a banyan tree. Nishu hold his hand, put her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you for everything, no can understand me the way you do. You are just amazing", tears flow from her eyes.

Abhi put his hand around her and said nothing.

Your action speaks more than your words. You can say beautiful things to people, flattering things, things what people want to hear but it is the action that proves how true your words were. It proves your intention, proves that you are genuine and real and not fake. Words can lie and are not trustworthy but action is the true reflection of yourself.

This is the place where they always meet when they want to cut off from this selfish and mean world. For them, this was the paradise on earth.

Chapter 4

---

L