The Decision

Iksha, pale skin with jet black hair, dark chocolaty eyes, thin nose and pointed chin, was walking aimlessly wondering how much her life had changed. Her thoughts consumed her, thoughts about the decision she had to make in life. A Decision which would break hearts, hearts of people she loved and cared. She had always tried to avoid this one decision, but it had become inevitable. Her mind was throwing flashbacks at her, life was so simple before.

She was so nervous about her new school, her father a big industrialist had sent her to a top rated school; she couldn’t sell “will miss her friends” as a reason to her father because he knew she didn’t have any in her old school. Teacher introduced her to the class and pointed her to a seat; she took her seat and fixed her eyes on the board. She waited for the lunch bell to ring, it felt like she waited years together for it to ring; she decided to eat at her table itself, that is when she met him first, tall and russet skin, black hair and dark eyes. He had a beaming red smile like a shooting star on the night sky: “Hi, I am Jyran… would you like to join?” there was no uneasiness or nervousness in Iksha when Jyran asked her, for the first time on the entire day she felt she felt better and she joined him.

Iksha: “hi I am Iksha! I am new to this school”

Jyran: “Nice to meet you, where are you from?”

“I live here but I was in residential school but dad wanted me to be in the ‘top’ school!” Iksha said rolling her eyes. Jyran laughed: “I know! My dad did the same to be 4 years back!”

Iksha smiled: “what is your dad?” the question seemed to have made Jyran uneasy. His wide happy smile disappeared hearing that. “He is in Politics, leader of the opposition party” in a very low voice, his dark eyes fixed on Iksha as if waiting for a reply. Iksha couldn’t understand why the answer made him so uneasy; she kept looking at him hoping for an answer. At last Jyran spoke: “listen it is alright if you don’t want to have lunch with me, I understand.” He gave her a weak smile. Iksha: “what? What do you mean?” Jyran: “generally girls don’t hang out with me because my dad is a politician, they think I am ‘evil’ and might create ‘trouble’!” his voice sounded as if he was controlling his anger. Iksha: “that’s lame! I don’t mind who your dad is! Can I have lunch with you?” his pink lips spread like the sun on the horizon, her gaze went straight to his lips and it melted her as bright emotions came right of his face. The beginning of a friendship, Iksha found a true and strong friend in Jyran; They started spending lots of time together in school as well as at home. She missed him badly when she was alone. It was same with Jyran, he missed her too. Jyran was first person Iksha would think of if something bad happens or if something great happens or if she just wanted to talk. A beautiful friendship had blossomed between them.

Time flew by, it was time for them to join college, and both of them had applied for same colleges, hoping they would get in to same college, they were waiting anxiously now. But life had different plans for them, Iksha received acceptance in a college 70 miles away home while Jyran received acceptance from a college close by. They were shattered, they decided against going to college but their parents intervened and convinced them to go to college as they can meet at weekends. Reluctantly they agreed, life started becoming very busy for Iksha, while Jyran was patient for weekends. They would meet at weekends and chatter away all the stories of the week happily.

Only two weeks into college life Iksha was finding it difficult, again she had no friend, but Jyran had few of his friends with him in the same college. She would eagerly wait for the weekend to come. Iksha was trying to concentrate what the professor saw showing them in lab but somehow she couldn’t keep her eyelids open. Her pen slipped out of her hand; She was about to collect it when a boy standing next to her collected it for her. He was 6’2”, had perfect and angular—high cheekbones, strong jaw line, a straight nose, and full lips. His hair was messy; he had slender but muscular body. Iksha couldn’t look away from his eyes; the eyes that you can look into and feel like you are getting lost, eyes you can relate to that are truly windows to the soul. The boy cleared his throat; she thanked him with a sheepish smile and took the pen. After the lab, he came up to her and held out his hand: “Inesh” His voice was so warm and comforting even the ice berg in Antarctica would melt. Again Inesh cleared his throat, Iksha’s cheeks turned bright pink, and she shook his hand and said “Iksha”. Inesh spoke in musical warm voice: “I believe we are in same class, in fact your number is right after mine”. Iksha was so mesmerized in his voice she forgot that she had to respond. Inesh cleared his throat again; Iksha snapped out of the serenity and blurted out “that’s great!” as soon as the word left her lips, she felt stupid that she couldn’t come up with a better reply. Inesh smiled, the corner of his lips hooked into her heart “would you join me for lunch?” she could only nod in agreement.

Inesh: “where are you from?”

Iksha: “70 miles north from college”

Inesh couldn’t stop the smile: “I am from the same place; I studied in the residential school”

Iksha mouth dropped open out of disbelief that was her old school, her father moved her into new school. If she had not been moved they could have met before. It sounded silly to her, why was she so excited about him, this was the first time they are meeting and she was acting like mindless!

Iksha: “I studied in same school until my father moved me to another school!”

Inesh with a surprise tone: “Is it? That’s nice, what is your father?”

Iksha with little frustration in her voice: “He is an industrialist; he wanted me to study in a top school so he moved me out of that school”

Inesh chuckled: “You didn’t like it, did you?”

Iksha: “Not at the beginning but I was fine later” she wanted to tell him about Jyran but she resisted herself. “What is your father?”

The question made his eyes melancholy, it was like she knew this situation before, the change in reaction but she waited for an answer. Inesh: “He is in Politics, leader of the ruling party”

She felt like she had walked into a wall. Inesh noticed the change in Iksha’s face, he took a deep breath “I get this reaction a lot, I understand if you are not…!” before Inesh could finish the sentence Iksha replied with a smile: “I don’t mind who your father is!”

Iksha knew something was special about the relationship with Inesh, it was like the taste of water, you cannot describe it yet it is the elixir of life. Life in college improved a lot; Iksha was falling in love with Inesh. In college Iksha spent most of the time with Inesh and in weekend she would spend time with Jyran. She told Inesh about her good friend Jyran and Jyran about her love Inesh, they were happy for her. On a beautiful valentine day, Inesh proposed to Iksha with a smile like bright summer, Iksha was breathless, speechless, heart pounding and shaky hands, she wanted to say yes but she couldn’t find her voice, her eyes filled up, all she could do was say an yes with her eyelashes. Iksha felt she was the luckiest person in the world to have Inesh. She considered she was tremendously lucky with a friend like Jyran. Inesh and Iksha’s parents agreed and announced the engagement, she loved her life. She had the life every girl dreamed about.

In final year of the college, things changed dramatically. The elections were around the corner; this seems to have great impact on Iksha’s life. Jyran’s father and Inesh’s father were competing for the same position. Iksha was with Inesh, his eyes were very dull today, he didn’t have the same charm: “Iksha, I have a request…” the sound of his voice made her shiver, she nodded, “elections are coming up, you might be knowing who dad is competing against, the problem is… dad… dad doesn’t like his future daughter in law to be friends with opposition party, especially Jyran”

Iksha felt the ground beneath her shake, it was an intolerable request: “But how is going to affect his election?”

Inesh: “They might try to get information from you or try to make you get information, emotional black mail! You will be in danger”

Iksha trying to control her anger: “but I don’t know anything and no one is going to kidnap me for information, please!”

Inesh: “Iksha you don’t understand…”

Iksha shouted “I don’t want to!” and stormed out. After reaching home she called Jyran and wanted to meet with him. She met him, Jyran was calm and composed, and he had the “happy” smile on his face when he met her.  Iksha narrated her incident with Inesh to Jyran, to her surprise Jyran was calm as always, she was expecting him to explode with anger. She tried to read his expression but his eyes were lost, she was waiting for an answer from him, but he remained silent.

Jyran: “Iksha… Inesh is right, you have to choose…! I am sorry!”

Iksha whimpered “No… Please”

Jyran angry and frustrated “You don’t understand, you could be in danger, these guys would do anything to win. I don’t want you to be in danger; please it would hurt me even more if I knew I put you in that situation!” 

Iksha didn’t speak, she couldn’t control the sobs, she mumbled “I’ll go away for few months and come back after elections!”

Jyran clenching his teeth’s: “No… results can go either way, even after the results if you meet me or meet him, they would consider it as treachery or cook up stories! Understand Iksha…!”

Neither of them spoke for a long while. At last Jyran in soothing and calm voice spoke: “Iksha I can understand if you choose him, you are engaged to him. I am happy for you, I am sure you will be happy!” again there was a long silence between them, Jyran tired to make it less painful as possible “Good bye Iksha…!” he turned and started walking away from her. She was there alone, not sure of what she had to do or where she had to go. Slowly, Iksha started walking to her home, but she had lost the track of her path and surroundings. She kept walking aimlessly and consumed by her thoughts. She loved them both, Jyran was her very close friend, only one she had, she spent infinite amount of time with him. To faze him out of life was impossible. Inesh was her love; she knew life would be impossible without him. Why couldn’t they co-exist? Why is life playing tricks with her?

It was a crippling feeling, that a huge hole had been punched through her chest; it bleeds despite the passage of time and the pain never stopped. She knew her lungs must still be intact, yet she gasped for air. She stopped abruptly, the road before her diverged into two, she cannot walk in the middle and she had to choose a road. The decision was her to make, which road would she choose…?

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The Theft

Deepak was clear, very clear, the theft has to be done, he needed it badly, very badly, and the question which remained was “how” he was going to do it.

It was a bright afternoon; he couldn’t make a perfect plan. If not this afternoon he will lose track of it, perhaps never see it again! The thought made him shudder; he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He practiced this for long but reality was much bigger on him. He took deep breath again and turned to the guy next to him; “George”, his voice croaked: “I need your help, I am not sure how to tell you about this but I am planning for a robbery…!”  George just laughed thinking it was a joke, but seeing Deepak’s expression, the look on his face changed dramatically from a smile to frown.
George: “what is it you are planning to steal?” Deepak’s reply brought a change in his look again, stiff and nervous, his eyes were just a gash now.

Deepak: “So are you in…?”

George, deep in thought: “hmmm… yes I am in… what is your plan?”

Deepak: “Yeah… about that, I don’t have plan but this has to be done today afternoon!”

George: “You are INSANE! You could have told me this before and why today? Can’t we work out a plan and do it later”

Deepak: “No it has to be today, I have been tracking it for almost a month, it comes back today, and if we don’t get it today it will be lost, perhaps forever!”

George: “What time are you planning?”

Deepak: “12:00 PM, I have double checked that’s when he comes with it”

George his voice hesitant: “Let’s do this!”

George, short and stout, stood up adjusted his belt and straightened his shirt. Deepak, lanky and smart, pushed his spectacles deeper into his pointed nose and checked his watch it was 11:50; “Nothing is going to stop us”

But right then they heard a rumbling voice, which sends shivers across the spine: “Deepak and George, if you both open your mouth again I am going to throw you out of the class! Do you have any shame? Act matured, you are in Tenth now!” They both sneered hearing that, she had no idea what they were about to do! Ten more minutes they will have their “Lunch Break”.

The bell rang; noise erupted unanimously from all the classes, kids ran out of classes like Wild River! Deepak and George walked cautiously making sure that they attracted no attention upon themselves. They reached the third floor corridor and lurked in the corner, George: “are you sure about this?”

Deepak: “I held them in my hands and the feel is too addictive; you have no idea how much I want it, I was stupid enough to let it go, and I got to have it back! I am not changing my …!” before he could finish his sentence he saw the person whom they were waiting for! He remembered him well, for he has been tracking him for more than one month, he was a ninth standard boy, too short and thin for his age, they could easily knock him down and get it but that would draw attention. He went past them, Deepak and George followed the boy, as expected he entered the last door in the floor, they followed him. Room was filled with students of all ages, some of them searching the shelf, few reading magazine, few chatting in corner, the “LIBRARY” was a big room. They saw the boy carrying “THE BOOK” and produce it before the librarian; the librarian scribbled something and threw the book into a box.

Deepak: “You kept wondering what I was doing in lunch time, I’ll show you what I was doing… wait here, don’t come until I signal you”. Saying this Deepak went in the direction of the librarian, raised his hand in a saluting posture and said “hello sir…!” he struck up a nice conversation with him, slowly he gestured towards the box and asked him if he could help him with it, librarian nodded in agreement, Deepak collected few books and started placing them in respective book shelves. He came for the second round and collected few more books, this time he signaled George to join him. They met in a corner, Deepak was clutching “THE BOOK” as if his life depended on it, and he spoke in a whisper: “do you see the window on the left; it faces backside of the school, it is a over grown waste land, I want you go there and stand, I’ll throw the book out of the window when no one is watching, collect the book and lets meet in class!” George could hardly breathe, what if they were caught, he had no idea what would be the punishment. He nodded and ran as fast his leg could carry him, he jumped over the cycle stand and came exactly below the library window and waited. It felt like he was waiting for years together, the staff room window also faced in the same direction, what staff would think if they saw a school boy standing outside school compound and gawking into the sky! Just then he saw, no hand appeared in window, it was as if someone aimed and threw the book out of window, it came down faster than he anticipated, but still he managed to grab it before it hit the ground. He didn’t wait to take breaths, he ran, like his life depended on it, he made it to his class on in record time! He pushed the book into Deepak’s bag and sat down, still and unmoved, his gaze fixed on something far far away!

He waited and waited but Deepak never came, bell rang again, lunch break was over, yet Deepak never came, was he caught? Was he in trouble? He started to take in sharp breaths, just then Deepak walked in pushing glasses deep into his nose and with a triumphant smile!

Deepak: “did you get it?”

George couldn’t even nod his head, but made an eye gesture towards Deepak’s bag.

 Deepak sat down next to George: “we are in luck you know! The next book comes in tomorrow! I need this more than the one we got!”

George almost screamed in fear, again and that too tomorrow, he needed more time “how do you know?”

Deepak: “Just like last time, I checked the library register and checked the due date of the book, and I know who took it too, she comes in my school bus. She must have finished reading it; records show that she has been extending the due date for many weeks now. We will follow what we did today, it will be fine, no one will know”

George gulped down a lump which kept forming in his throat, “yeah sure!”

Next day, things went way wrong, it was raining cats and dogs throughout the day, and backside of the school had formed a puddle. George felt a big knot in his stomach; Deepak seemed to be more focused.  George in a meek voice: “can’t we do this another day?”

Deepak: “NO! We will find a way!”

The lunch bell rang, the sound seemed to be too loud for George, he felt weak, he tried to stand up but his body wouldn’t budge. Deepak was already walking out of class, somehow George caught up to him. They checked the girl’s class, she was not there; panicking they ran to library. They arrived just in time to see her returning “THE BOOK”. Again Deepak volunteered to return books to the shelves. This time he signaled George to join him sooner, Deepak shoved the book into George’s hand and said: “put the book inside your shirt, tuck it in with your pants near your belly” George’s eyes were wide in horror, he fumbled with the book, Deepak pushed him into the corner of the library, George tucked the book inside his shirt and turned around. Deepak’s face turned pale, the book was protruding out of his big belly; one could see the shape of book even a mile away! Deepak asked George to remove the book and put it in the shelf near him, Deepak continued placing the book in the respective shelves. George just stood in corner, breathless; Deepak returned with last set of books, he grabbed “THE BOOK” out of the shelf and tucked it inside his shirt this time. He held his lungful of air; the small bulge because of the book seems to have disappeared now. Now it all depended on how long he could hold his breath. He continued placing the last set of books in shelf, after placing them he took a magazine and sat down in the last row of the reading section. He waited until the lunch break bell, he stood up and walked in heart of the crowd, everyone was hurrying to get back to the class. He increased his pace but also making sure that he didn’t draw attention. Deepak reached the class and smoothed “THE BOOK” into his back and crashed into the seat taking deep breath.

Just then the boy sitting behind him patted him on his shoulder, Wordsy: “Did you just pull a book out of your shirt?”

Deepak was shocked, his heart skipped a beat, and how could he be so careless at the last moment. George was by his side now, the look on George’s face was even worse. Before George or Deepak could react, Wordsy took the book out of the bag; it had school library seal over it. He turned to the duo and asked: “did you guys steal this from library?” neither of them spoke, but from the look on their face Wordsy understood from where they got it. Wordsy smiled, “Cool! Neat!!!” George and Deepak looked at each other and then looked back to Wordsy, “Stop worrying, I am not going to turn you guys in but what is so special about this book that you had to steal it from the library?”

Deepak sounded thankful: “you have to read it to know it!”

Wordsy: “so do you mind if I borrowed it to read?”

Deepak knew he was in no position to refuse: “Yeah sure, but please do return it to me!”

Wordsy nodded and smiled, he turned the book to see its name and it read:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

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