Sweet Somethingz

They say when you meet the person you are always meant to be with, you would have met your soul-mate. Then why didn't they know it from the beginning?

 Maybe, life had its own plan for them.

This is the story about a Boy & Girl, who met each other at a very young age and were nothing but friends. They grow up, leave their schools, choose different subjects and different colleges. As they didn't live a cellphone era, they lost their touch. 

As time moves on, they fall in love, break up, finish their studies, get jobs, and finally learn to be independent. Now the only thing left is marriage! To start a new family and enter into a new life altogether.

As the 2 families begin searching for a suitable bride and groom for their children, A chance meeting of these friends took place in a mutual friend's wedding. 

Neither one knew that this meeting would change their life forever.

Meet Nisha & Prem, who tries to find love in every wrong person, while the right one was in front of them from the beginning. They go through a roller coaster life and finally end up where they started, next to each other, just like when they were kids.

Would "one" meeting in a friend's marriage change everything forever? It all rests in their hands!

This is just a simple plot to the story I wish to write. I would really love it if you can leave some suggestions and ideas for me. Lastly, I would like to thank Get Published and Indiblogger for giving all of us such a wonderful opportunity to bring out our ideas and creativity.

This is my entry for the HarperCollins–IndiBlogger Get Published contest, which is run with inputs from Yashodhara Lal and HarperCollins India. 

Green! Orange! RED! 

Even the RED traffic light, couldn't stop us today. This was the 3rd signal that we had skipped! No idea how many other rules we had broken, but for now it didn't matter.

Ishaan was driving the car. Obviously, because no one else had the courage to just swoosh past the vehicles and break so many traffic rules. In 10 minutes we had arrived at our destination. Without waiting for the car to be stopped, we just opened the door and ran as fast as our feet could take us.

There was a lot of noise coming over. Some were shouting while some were crying. We kept on running as fast as we could. And then STOPPED! The whole place was RED! We took a step back. We were not able to believe what we were seeing. How in the world could this have happened? How in the world could we all have reached the TOMATINA FESTIVAL just when it had begun.

We looked at each other grinning. Our dream had finally come true. Me, Aanha, Nitu, Ishaan, Rohit,& Rohan, also called as the "Mischief Makers" had bunked our college just to attend this festival. Without wasting a single moment, we joined the thousand other people and engulfed ourselves in throwing tomatoes. Oh! What fun!

It was late in the evening by the time the festival ended, and hence we all decided that we would take rooms in a nearby hotel and leave for home tomorrow. As we walked to our car, we were thinking about how we just took off without a word and what awaits us when we go back home tomorrow.

"My parents will murder me", said Nitu.

"Chillax babe. Its going to be fine. Just put your head down and get all the scoldings. Then say SORRY and leave for your room. Problem solved", said Ishaan.

He was the most patient person in our group and being with him kept us all calm.

We got into the car and chatted all the way till we found a hotel. We took 2 rooms, one for the boys and other for us girls. And that's the last thing we know because as soon as we entered the room, we jumped on the bed and fell asleep, not bothering to change our clothes.

Next morning, we woke up at 6 and decided to leave before the room service comes as our rooms were total mess. In half an hour, we paid the bill, and went to the car. Only then did we realize that Rohit had gone missing. 

"I bet that fool is still asleep", said Aanha in total anger. 

Before that anger turned into a tantrum, "I'll go get him", I said and left.

I ran up the stairs and went straight into the room. It was empty. He was not there. I called his cell and I heard his ringtone from somewhere near. It seemed like it was coming from the room we girls had stayed in.

I went over there and found his cell lying on the table. Gosh! Such an irresponsible person he is. I was about to call Ishaan, when I got a call from Nitu.

"Hey Nitu..."

"Poo listen, I left my make up bag in the washroom. Can you please get it for me? Please Please?" and the she cuts the call.

I slapped my forehead as I walked to the washroom. I have the craziest friends on earth. I open the door and what I saw, made me shout out with all the guts I had, but unfortunately, no sound came out of my mouth. I was so shocked and so blank that for a few minutes, I stood still doing nothing. Then when I got some of my sense back I called up Ishaan and managed to say, "Come... Now... Room", before I fainted.

When I woke up, the first thing I realized was, I was not in the washroom, neither was I in a hospital. I was in a police station. 'For how many minutes had I lost my consciousness?' I wondered. Rohan and Ishaan were busy talking to the police, whereas Nitu and Aanha were sobbing in each other arms right opposite of me. I got up and went to them, unable to believe what I had seen.

Before I could talk to them, a police comes near me and says, "Ms. Pooja, you are under arrest for committing the murder of Mr.Rohit this morning. Whatever you might want to say, save it for your lawyer".

I looked at my friends in confusion as my hand was being cuffed. I got back stares and glares. Oh my God! They also thought I had committed this murder. But why would I do so?

After a couple of hours, behind the bars, a lawyers comes over saying that he wants to talk to me. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I had no answers to any of his questions. 

But before I could say that to him, he sat down in front of me and said, "I got to know that you fainted as soon as you saw the body, and that you don't know what happened after it. Well, before I ask you anything, here it goes. After you called your friend and fainted, they came up and saw your friend Rohit lying dead in a pool of his own blood. As you already know his body was scratched all over with a knife. At once your friends called the police and we brought you all down here. We talked to the hotel people and they informed us that without the key you can't get into a room and that one key was with you guys while the other was with the manager. He swore to us that he had not given the key of your room to anyone, not even the maid. Which means that the murder had to be done by one of the 5 of you or it might have been done by more than one. When we questioned all your friends we saw a pattern which all lead to you, and why you might have committed this crime and hence you have been arrested. Now! Tell me, What was the relationship between you and Rohit?"

At once it flashed to me, as to why they would suspect me. I looked the lawyer directly in his eyes and said, "We are friends. Once upon a time we used to be together, but then we broke up."

"But you decided to stay friends?", asked he.

"Yes! We were friends before it, so we decided to be friends after it as well."

"What happened after you guys became friends?"

"I know what you are trying to imply. I didn't do this murder. Yes, It hurt that we weren't together but I wouldn't do something so selfless like this for that."

"Well, Your friends suggested that you might have done this because you were jealous that your ex-bf was now with your best friend Nitu."

I shook my head in disbelief, 'My own friends betrayed me, I see'. "I was happy for them. And for the hundredth time, I didn't do this murder. You have to believe me."

"I'm sorry dear but we have no proof that you didn't do it."

"What proof do you have that I did it? Oh wait! My feelings! I didn't know Jealousy or possessiveness would be standing as a valid proof during a murder investigation", I shouted. I was angry, real angry.

 My anger really didn't do much good to the situation. The lawyer got up and left the room without another word. 'Damn' I thought. I had lost the one chance I had, to prove that I was innocent. I cursed my impatience and wished that Ishaan would be here right now, He would have kept me calm. But then I realized that he was also one of my so-called friends who had left me suffer in this hell hole.

After 2 miserable days spent locked up behind bars, I was allowed out. Hold on! Not FREE, Out to go to the Court. The murder case was now the talk of the town. Everyone everywhere was talking about it. I felt ashamed to go out, but then I had no reason to. I didn't do anything that should make me feel ashamed, and hence, I held my head high and walked to the police jeep. Half an hour later, we were in court.

All my friends were sitting together, and there were our parents on one side. I looked at my parents, they were busy looking nowhere. Obviously avoiding me. They hadn't come once to see me in jail. I felt like standing on the Judge's desk and shouting out loud at all of them, but I knew too well that I'd have to spend my life forever in jail if I do that.

The judge came and everyone stood up to welcome him. He settled down and asked me to stand in one of those STAND thingy. I went and took my place. And then the CASE BEGAN.

First some guy came and made me keep my hand on Bhagavadgita and swear that I'll tell the truth and nothing but it. I swore to myself that I'll keep the promise I just made. I know I'm innocent and so does god.
I took a deep breathe and slowly let it out. I just have to be myself and everything will be fine.

Some lawyer came and started asking me the same questions I had answered million times before. Where had you been that day? Why did you miss college? What were you doing at that time of the night? What was my relationship with him? Why did I kill him? Oh God! If I had to answer them one more time, I'd kill myself. Torture this is, pure mental torture.

Picture Credits:jeanetteshealthyliving.com

Yes, Its true. I have Anthropophobia!! Woah, that's a big word. Actually I never even knew a phobia like this existed until today when I Google-d it, but I always feared people. 

The thing is Humans are totally different creatures from everything else that is around us. Of course, we all know that. But the thing is, we are gifted with the power to think. What can you think about? Anything and everything. You can think about bad things and good things. I mean, the guy who invented Atomic Bomb, didn't invent it so that it could be used to destroy. But someone else did that thinking. They found out that this bomb had the power to kill lots of people and destroy many places.

Another thing is that people are unpredictable. You never know what's going on inside their heads. They might be smiling at you but planning to kill you for all you know. This is what scares me the most about them. How they can never be understood.

Till a month ago, my only fear was to meet with new people. Because, as I said before they are unpredictable. They might act as my friends but back-stab me. This kept me from making any friends for a long time. I decided that I won't make friends and be alone. Atleast I'll have myself to lean on.

But this isn't possible for a long time is it? For 2 years I have been alone and I can't take it anymore. Maybe  that's why they call us SOCIAL beings? We always need someone. So I decided that when I get to college I'll actually start talking. Make friends. You can never know anyone by one look, you have to be with them and get to know them.

While I was planning all this, I decided to do some research about people and learn about them. As my grandpa recently expired, relatives after relatives come to our house almost daily to talk to my grandma and my parents. So, I decided that I consider this as an opportunity and start my research.

Anyway here is what I learnt.

Firstly, older people are way too stupid, and they don't understand the feelings of this generation kids. The best explanation for this was the day some function had to be arranged for my grandpa.

I was crying cause I missed him, and one of my so-called Aunt(I don't even know how she is related to me) comes up to me and says, "Whom will you call as GRANDPA now? The only one you had is gone" 

For a minute I was startled, I was like, "What the hell is she talking about? Does she have any sense? I mean, Yes he died. Yes, I can't call anyone Grandpa now, but why in the world does she have to say that? 

I ran to my mom and told her, she was like, "That's how older people speak."

I got really angry. I mean, come on guys make some sense. Just imagine how she would feel, if her husband died, and I go up to her and ask, "Whom will you call as PATI or HUSBAND or whatever the hell you call him NOW? The one you had is gone" Wouldn't you feel like punching such person? Cause I certainly did.

Next thing was that, people are CRAZY. When my grandpa was alive, all everyone did was fight with him or scold him because he was so strict. Everyone used to say, he doesn't allow anyone to take responsibilities, he wants everything done as soon as he says, he gets very angry, and so on. But once he died all I hear is praises for him.

That man was a man of action. He never said He'll do this or that but just did it and proved. He always did his job, giving no trouble for anyone. He was a very strong man with awesome thoughts and will always be an inspiration to everyone.

Everytime I heard someone saying all this, I used to remember whatever they had said before. I just can't understand this you know. Why couldn't you have said it when he was alive? Why couldn't you have tell him what a good man he was? You only wanted to fight with him. But now that he is dead, you wish peace for him. What the hell? Yes, I want my grandpa to rest in peace too but I when I never scolded him when he was alive and praised him when dead. The man was a HERO, and I made sure he knew that I thought so.

Till now we have had like 3 functions for him. The first was the day he died. Next after 11 days, and the 3rd was after a month. On all the three days, and almost the whole of this month, the only food cooked in our house is what my grandpa loved. Those 3 days, his most favorite food was kept on a banana leaf and was kept on our terrace so that my grandpa's soul could attach itself to a crow and come and eat it.They made Holige with Mango Rasayanam for him, and his favorite pakoras and all. 

This thing freaked me out the most, because whenever he was alive, and he asked for pakoras and all, everyone used to say they were busy and they can't make now or that they have no mood. But once he died,  they made it everyday. And as a matter of fact, they had even more work than they usually used to have.

Why it freaks me out is because when he was alive, you could have made and given him, he would have at least been happy. What's the use in making them now and feeding it to the crows? If a crow comes and eat something from the banana leaf you all clap your hands and smile that my grandpa ate it. You guys have proof? How can you say he came and ate? Can you feel what you eat? For god's sake the only thing we know is that after you die, you are, well dead. And after years after your burial you'll turn into some kind of product for the plants to grow nicely. How can you say that he will come and eat? Instead of feeding crows (which I'm not saying you shouldn't do) why can't you just feed the person when they were alive? They would have felt thankful and probably would have blessed you nicely.

So, that's the 3 things that I learnt.

1. Older people are Stupid or in other words they don't know what to talk, where to talk and when to talk.
2. People say all crazy things to you when you are alive, but once you die, no matter what you were, you always would be termed as GOOD.
3. People feed crows thinking the dead person's soul would have come to eat it, but not really feed the people when they actually need it.

Nice session right? After I learned that all people behave this way, I stopped my research. I don't want to know what all others can do. I'm tired of learning these three. 

I know many of you might feel there its wrong what I have stated, but that's what you think, ok? When I was a little girl, even I believed that people's soul would actually get attached to some animal and then they come eat it, but as I grow up and started to think, I got these doubts. 

Some wise man once said, "Don't believe in what you hear or see until and unless you can prove it with a solid proof." For once, I'll actually listen to someone and ask you, show me the proof that its they who come. You can't can you?

So, you now have two options, and both are absolutely blind ones, cause none of them have proof. You can either believe in what your parents have heard from the great-great-great-grand parents and think that its their soul who visits. Or as a ration man, who has brains think about it and believe in what you think.

I believe in what I think, and that's why I say this again. I FEAR PEOPLE. But this time, in a very different way.

Oh! And conclusion. I swear to god I'm not going to do research on people again. NEVER!

Picture Credits: msmassmedia.wordpress.com

C.Jinadatta Raya aka C.J.Raya is my sweet Grandpa. It seems, that I opened my eyes as soon as I was born, and that he was the first one to kiss them.

This man, had 3 kids, and 4 grand kids, including me. His love for his grandchildren was too much. He looked after us as if we were his own kids. My brother and my 2 cousins got to see Circus and were able to visit parks because of him. He was the one who taught them Lagori, Marbles, Gilli Dandu, Cricket and all the games. 

As I was born way, way after them and as I am the only Grand Daughter he has, his love for me was much more. I was his little angel :) <3. Everyday, he used to take me on a ride on his vehicle. When I was 3, I got a tricycle, and he used to run behind me, everywhere I went, making sure I was safe. He used to daily drop me to school. And he even took me out wherever I wanted. After his retirement, dropping me and picking me up became his job. 

When I was a little girl, being with my grandparents was heaven. But as I started growing up, everything started to fall apart. As they were of older generation they never accepted anything I did, and it used to make me angry. I did what I wanted, nevertheless, but still I used to fight with them and hurt them. I always felt bad for doing that because, they didn't know about the world know, I should have told them calmly just the way they had taught me life. But I never did :(.

No matter what happened, there was a strong bond between me and my grandpa. We fought like hell and everything, but this unspoken bond was always there. It all started the day, we both PLANTED a Tulasi Plant in a pot. He had held my hand and made me dig the mud, then made me keep the plant and close the mud. Then he made sure I watered it. Everyday, I used to water plants with him. That's how our bond grew. With nature.

Soon, one POT in our home, turned to a full Garden, not only in front but in the backyard as well. We used to plant them together and water them daily, and silently watch them grow. Even when we were angry with each other, we did this, and we understood each other through the silence.

This is how I came to love nature. Whenever I was sad, I just climb up to my house side terrace, and sit there as long as I want. All the trees in my house bend over there and sitting there is like sitting in the midst of nature. Its a very blissful place.

Anyway, Nature was the one which kept the bond between us. Even though we never told it to each other, We loved each other like anything. My grandpa was just an ordinary man, yet he is an inspiration for many.

Even at the age of 85, he used to ride his vehicle and go to market to get stuff for home. He never allowed anyone else to do. Whenever someone pointed it out he would just say, "They are too young. Moreover, Its my job, and I don't like asking for help".

It was his policy. Whatever work there was, no matter how difficult, if it was HIS JOB, HE HIMSELF has to do it. He would never ask or take another person's help. He never even told someone to do something, which he himself could have done. He believed in WORK IS WORSHIP.

One another best thing in him was that, He never asked anyone for money. He would starve forever rather than asking someone. Even though he didn't study much, he worked hard, saved money, and constructed a new house, the house where I live in, the house I call my home.

Whatever money he had, he was content with that. Even though his salary was less, he managed the whole house hold activity. He had even given some money to his wife saying, when I die, use this money to make all the further things. I have never been in another man's debt and I never want to. Even when I die.

He has seen the whole of India, and have even been to all the places of the world except US and UK. It was dream to visit US and see everything over there. My cousin had even told him that he would make sure that he took both my grandpa and grandma there within another 6 months.

He had only one DREAM, and that was to see me SETTLED. He wanted to see me standing on my own legs, totally independent, head held high. He was really eager to see my 12th board results. No matter how good or bad the results might have come out, he would have been proud of me. He is the only one who understood my DREAM.

Everyone in my house was against me when I said I wanted to take up animation right after 10th. But my grandpa took my side. He made very valid points, but alas it was all left to my parents and they said, "No animation till you degree is over". While I suffered in silence, my grandpa collected all the flyers, brochures, and the made some cuttings in paper, all related to animation. He kept them all in a file, and used to show it to me. He used to sit and talk to me, asking me which I think was the best of them and which I should join.

My parents never knew about this, till date they don't. It was something secret that me and my grandpa had. Another special bond. He would do anything to see me happy. And I just love him for that.

My only regret is that, I wasn't with you during the last few moments of your life :'(. Everyone keeps telling me how you had asked of me :(. How you had asked of your Pooji :'( </3. He has asked, "Where is my Pooji? I want to see her", and before someone could call me and tell me that you wanted to see me, you left us all :'(.

Why grandpa? :( Why did you have to leave so soon? :'(. Why did you leave your Pooji alone? :( 

You were so eager to see my results, and just a week before it, you had to leave? :(.

Now whom will I go show my results? Whom will I run to with a big smile on my face and give a hug?

Who will write down all my MARKS, and show it to EACH AND EVERY PERSON that came to our house, saying My Granddaughter scored this much? :(

I still remember the last thing I ever told you. It was when I was taking you to the hospital and you were not able to walk. I took hold of your hand, looked into your eyes and had asked, "You have become so weak Tata. What happened to my Strong Man?" And you, you had just given me your beautiful smile and patted my head <3 :) :(.

I miss you gramp :(, and I need you :'(. Its been 2 days without you and every morning I wake up hoping to see you sitting on the Sofa, waiting for me to wake up, and to tell me that it was all a bad dream :(. But you are never here :'(. Are you never going to come back? :( Will I never be able to see you again? :( Will I never be able to listen to your voice? :'(

Today I tried something. I climbed the terrace and sat there among the trees, waiting to feel your presence.

I might have felt it, if I had stayed there. But I couldn't. Seeing all those trees brought back the memories of me and you planting them together, of you holding my hand and it hurt me :(. I wanted to be with you :( and I came back down.

Being with nature is the only way I can be with you now, but its hurting me to go there Gramp :(. Please gramp give me some of your strength, otherwise the plants we both looked after will leave this world, just like you :( and I can't lose it too :'(. Please be with me Gramp. Even though you aren't here, I want to feel as if you are here. Please just be with me Gramp :( Or I would crash and burn :'(. You are my strength <3. 

I'm sorry I never told this before :( but I LOVE YOU Gramp <3 A lot :). And I miss you :(. I wish you were here <3 :(. May You Rest In Peace <3 :). And I hope you are having a great next adventure :) :* <3.