Seven Years-Part 3

For once Mr. Anderson’s talks were not putting me off to sleep. I wouldn’t say I could comprehend everything he said. Okay honestly, none of it was making sense as usual. And this time it was not because he talked in too technical terms but it was because I wasn’t paying any attention. I couldn’t wait to get back home pack my begs and head off to Ria’s place. I couldn’t wait to meet her and tell her everything. Telling everything was not a very happy story but still the fact that she wanted to listen made me happy.

My cell phone beeped with a message which read “Really? And what happened to punctuality? No you are staying over. Love, R.” I was already an hour late and it was going to take me 15 minutes more.

After the dinner when Ria and I had settled on the couch we started talking and after the customary how is work and everything she asked “So what is it about Trisha that you wanted to tell me? How come she is all broke now?”

“Ria, Recession and a lot of other things hit Trisha. She has a daughter who is barely 7 months old.”

“What? When did she get married? You never told me she was married.”

“She got married right after graduation when she was in the States studying MBA. Remember I told you about her boyfriend?”

Ria nodded.

“Well it so happens she got married to him and never told anyone. He was her business partner. Well, Ria it so happens that her daughter has a disease. A deadly disease that you are well aware of Thalassemia. Look Ria she has tried every possible doctor in the US and none of them have a cure for the disease. I know your mother is a doctor and she went for a conference in Russia and has a clue about the people who are doing a research on this disease. Would it be possible that you give the number to Trisha? It would more than useful to her. “

“One minute, she couldn’t call me up and ask for the number herself? She sent you?”

“No no! Ria no way. She has no clue that I have come to you for help. She is presently in India with James and her daughter. Please Ria she is just a little baby. Please put all this aside and think about the life of that child. It is not the time to keep teenage issues alive.”

Ria was looking at the mirror the whole time that I was talking. She kept looking at it for almost an eternity and then spoke. The words that came out of her mouth were the most precious words ever. She said, “Lets go mom must be awake we will take the number from her now and go and visit Trisha tomorrow itself.”

By the time Trisha’s mom found the number it was almost 12 30 in the night.

“Oh! I can’t wait to go to Trisha tomorrow and give this number. I can just picture her smile.”

“Ananyaa, I would like to come with you and visit her. I want to meet her. IF am putting all this aside I want her to put it aside as well.”

If giving the number was going to earn her a ticket to heaven, this was going to give her the throne of god.

“Yes! We will leave for her house first thing tomorrow morning.”

To be continued....

Seven years- Part 2

"Yes, Mr. Anderson I want to cancel the meeting. I am very sorry for the inconvenience. Could we reschedule it? Oh great. I’ll see you tomorrow then. Thank you so much, Mr. Anderson.” Just as I am about to put my phone back in my bag I hear a familiar voice.

“Cancelled out on a male client to meet me. Wow! Either you have been missing me too much or the male client is not cute. I go for the second option. And can u stop looking at your watch I am pretty aware of the fact that I am an hour late. I will never understand that time is money. Anyway, how have you been?” said Ria in one long breath.

“I have been good. You should tell me all about your Goa trip. How was it?”

“No first we talk about the phone call that I got today morning. You know I am not a morning person but even for my mom 4 o’clock in the morning is a little too early for chit chat on the phone. So whats wrong?”

"Why would you think something is wrong? Can’t I just call my friend because I was missing her. Do I always have to have a reason to call an old friend. The world has become cheap I tell you.”

I could see Ria was not buying my story and her ever fast brain had formulated a lot of possibilities. And possibilities which I would never guess unless she told me.

“Ananyaa, look if you have some financial problems you can always ask me for help. I have no problems as such. Please don’t hesitate.”

“Oh my god! No no. Its got nothing to do with that. I am actually here to talk about Trisha.”Ria looked as though I had stabbed her with a knife.

After a long pause Ria spoke, she said, “Okay. So what about her? Is she in India? Why would you suddenly want to mention someone I haven’t talked to for seven years?”

“Ria look this is important. This is higher than Rahul. This is way above him. You cannot let the mere teenage issues affect what I am going to tell you right now.”

“Let me guess her ever blooming business in the states has become even more blooming right? And this is way above Rahul how?”

“Her business isn’t blooming now.”

“Oh! That is sad. Recession hit her too? Well too bad it hit everyone.”

“Ria this is much more than recession. Can you, for once, not just think about that day and try and listen?”

“Ananyaa, I might remind you I didn’t start the fight.”

“It doesn’t matter who started the fight. You both were wrong in your own ways. I just want you....”

“Wait a minute you think I was wrong. Wow! Thats great. That is just amazing.” Ria put down the money for her coffee and walked out of the restaurant.

I could see my self as the 17 year old me, still stuck between two friends. I had no clue what to do now. Ria was my last hope and she refused to listen to me. She had walked out on me. Infact she reacted the same way as the 17 year old Ria would have reacted. I had no idea I would trigger off the same emotions in Ria that were prevalent when she was 17. I had guessed she had grown out of it. But then I can see I was wrong. I put down my cup of coffee paid the bill and walked out of the coffee shop.

It has been a week since I met Ria and almost two week since I last met Trisha. I honestly couldn’t meet Trisha after the whole Ria incident. For some strange reason I felt guilty of telling Ria bits a pieces about Trisha. I am sipping my coffee when my phone beeps with a message. It is by Ria. I read it over and over again just to be sure that I was reading right. I messaged back and left the coffee shop with a victory smile on my face. I had not won yet but it was the first step to success. I was going to meet Ria tonight at her place and she wanted to know everything I wanted to tell her that for old times sake. This is what the message read. I was going to preserve the message forever.

To be continued..

I have changed!

I guess now that I am entering into my last of teens ( yes I am growing old) I want to write more about some serious stuff and not just the normal teenage issues of rejection, first relationship, first crush or further on. Please don't get me wrong I loved writing about all this and will continue with it but with a deeper meaning to it atleast I shall try to add deeper meaning to it. I am changing and so is my blog name. As "My life as a teenager" comes to an end today I want to go back to my first post (which has been deleted by now). I remember sitting on my bed at 2 in the morning and writing it on a crumpled piece of paper and the next day without knowing I had made a blog. Blogging came to me naturally. This is where I was myself and didn't need to worry about what people would think. People read, they commented and encouraged me to write. As months past by "My life as a teenager" grew and I grew with it. It matured in some stages and I matured as a person. "My life as a teenager" taught me how to take criticism, like I have said before I became a new person with every post. Its with a heavy heart that I bid good bye to "My life as a teenager" and a hearty warm welcome to "I paint with words."