Story Named Life

Story Named Life(Nilava) Monday morning. Ravi was in a bright mood. He entered the classroom and put his bag on his desk. Suddenly, he noticed Vikram, “Hey, you seem to be lost in some deep thought!” he moved forward and asked, as Vikram was looking straight outside the window.

“Oh! You!” Vikram was distracted, “Naw! It’s nothing” he tried to escape.
“No, you can’t escape” Ravi replied, “there is something, I know.”
- Okay, I confess. There’s a girl.
- A girl! Who?
“That one” Vikram pointed outside the window where a bunch of girl were chattering. “Which one?” Ravi couldn’t get it.
“The new one” Vikram answered with a sight of shy in his eyes.
“What! You mean, the new girl in our class?” Ravi was somehow amazed.
- Yeah. But is that a problem? Why do you look so surprised?
- Come on, man. You can’t love her.
“Why not?” Vikram asked astonished.
- You don’t even know her name!
- Yeah, of course I know. Her name is Jen….Jen…..Jenny….
- It’s Genelia.
- Yeah, yeah, right, I knew that.
- No, you didn’t…….whatever, tell me, why you love her?
“Look at her, man! She’s so beautiful” Vikram showed a sign of greed in his eyes. “Sexy” in the meanwhile, Ravi added.
- Yeah, yeah, sexy! Right!
- That isn’t love, Vikram. That’s attraction.
“So, are you going to teach me what is love, now?” Vikram seemed angry.

Ravi didn’t talk anymore. He came back to his seat. He couldn’t realize how people fall in love so easily? Maybe because, Ravi hasn’t ever fallen in love. Not because, he hasn’t got a girl. There are tons of girls waiting for him at the door. Ravi just needs to open it. Ravi doesn’t know why he can’t.

In the meanwhile, Sulagna entered the classroom. Ravi’s heart started beating slow. He felt like his breath had stopped. Ravi just doesn’t know why he has this same feeling every time he sees Sulagna.

“Good morning” Sulagna smiled towards Ravi. Ravi smiled back. Maybe he was waiting for her to wish. Otherwise, why would he feel so much joy?
Later, after recess, when Ravi had totally forgot about his conversation with Vikram, someone came and informed the class that Vikram had proposed Genelia and somehow amazingly, she accepted. Ravi’s amazement became even bigger. Still, he couldn’t get the answer, why do people fall in love so easily?


2

“Hey Ravi, show me the second math in algebra, please.” An exam was going on in the math tution. Ravi doesn’t usually cheat; neither has he helped other in cheating. But Ravi doesn’t know why he couldn’t turn down Sulagna’s request. Instead, he felt a great joy in helping her. But why? Well, Ravi does have an answer; an answer to all these strange feelings that Ravi had started feeling towards Sulagna in last few days. – Love. But, no! Ravi is not sure. Actually, he has never fallen in love before. So, he doesn’t know. What should he do? Should he discuss about it with his friends? – No. With Sulagna? – Never.

Later, after the tution, Manish and Ananya were discussing something at a distance, as Ravi and others could see. The discussion ended with a slap that fell on Manish. Everyone easily understood what the discussion was about. But, Ravi was surprised to see that Manish came back smiling.

“That bitch didn’t accept my proposal” Manish explained the situation, “but never mind, I’ve got a few more girls on the list.”

Ravi asked himself, then was it really love? But couldn’t get the answer. As Ravi’s mind was occupied with Sulagna, he didn’t want to waste his thoughts on this. So, he moved on.


3

“I told you not to call me.” The daily drama had started between Priya and Raj.
“But I will call you.” Raj seemed pretty determined today.
- Why don’t you understand, Raj? I don’t love you!
- But I do.
- You just leave me alone, please.
- No, I won’t, never in my life.
Ravi wasn’t paying much attention to them, while many other were enjoying it. Ravi was waiting for Sulagna. Today he is determined too. Today, he’ll tell Sulagna what he feels about her. But a new question has come up to his mind, why does he love her so much? Anyhow, even after a lot of effort, he still hasn’t got the answer.

Interrupting Ravi’s thoughts, Sulagna came in. A wave flew through Ravi’s heart. He stood up and went near Sulagna. “Good morning, Ravi” Sulagna wished, as soon as she saw Ravi coming.
- Yeah, good morning.
- You seem a little depressed today. What happened?
- Uhm…I…I need to……confess something.
- What? Tell me.
- I….I think, I’m in love with you.
“What?” Sulagna shouted. The beauty of her eyes, the cuteness of her face was gone in a moment. “But, I thought we were friends” she looked very angry.
- Yes, we are. But I want this friendship to be a little special one.
- Ravi, I thought you were different. But you are just like those huge numbers of boys who are always flirting with me, who are always running behind me like pets. You are no way better than them.
- But Sulagna, I…..
- I don’t want to talk with you anymore. You just get out of my life. I don’t even want to see your face.

Ravi was hurt. He couldn’t understand what to do. Then suddenly, he calmed his mind and asked, “Will you be happy, if I stay away from you?”
“Yes, of course I will” Sulagna replied.
“Then I’ll be happy too.” Ravi turned back and walked towards his desk. The whole class was enjoying the drama.
As soon as it ended, Sonali tried to take her chance, “Ravi, I have something to tell you.”
“I’m not in the mood” Ravi replied.

Today, Ravi realized one thing, in the story named life there’s nothing called a happy ending.