Token of Love

Time: 4:30 PM Place: Airport

....this is the last and final call for passengers of Flight No. 0934...

Sreya reluctantly walked towards the boarding counter to collect her boarding pass. She was going to Delhi at her maternal uncle's place for a month. She wont be seeing Aakash for such a long period. She had dearly wished that Aakash would show up at the airport. He had promised to come and see her off when she apprised him about her vacation. She had childishly asked for a rose on the D-day, as a symbol of retention. But last night they had a fight. For reason unknown to her, Aakash was behaving rudely. "Perhaps, he was a bit upset as i wont be with him for a month," thought Sreya. It is normal in love, though. But she never had thought that Aakash wouldnot turn up. She sought for him for the final time amidst the crowd. There was no sign of him. Dejected, she headed towards the boarding counter where her parents were waiting for her.



Time: 4:45 PM Place: City Hospital

Aakash tried his best to get up from the hospital bed. He tried his best to open his eyes. He needed to go to the airport. Sreya must be waitng for him. But he couldn't.

Two bottles of blood were given to Aakash. There were injuries all over his body. His right ulna has broken into three pieces and his ankle has been dislocated. His condition was critical. If it had been a few more minutes late in bringing him, he would have been lost forever. It was a terrible accident. Actually he was heading towards the airport. When he got down from the bus he remembered about the rose he had promised. Luckily, he found a flower shop nearby. He got himself a beautiful red rose. "Sreya will be more than happy," he thought. He was bit upset with himself for fighting with her last night. Actually, he didn't want to believe that he wont be seeing or speaking to her for a whole month. He knew that his thinking was wrong. But still he was unable to refrain himself form thinking so.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice that he was onto to the roads. There was no chance for the taxi's driver to break. It hit him severely, which left him unconscious.


Time: twilight Place: Near the accident spot

The little beggar-girl found a red rose left carelessly near the pavement. Stains of blood were on its leaves. Nevertheless, she picked it up. It was the first time that she was holding such a pretty flower in her small dirty hands. She had only seen them at the shop across the road. She proudly held it high. The sky had taken a beautiful hue of sepia. A plane flew by in the background. The rose was really looking beautiful.

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a pleasant morning.

It is a pleasant morning Aakash woke up to. The sun is shining brightly against the light blue canvass. The sky is clear, with patches of white clouds sailing here and there. It had rained last night. The air is full of freshness. The plants in the field has covered themselves with a fresh blanket of flowers. The squirrels are running here and there. There is the mother bird, feeding her "all time" hungry chicks. A rainbow has formed in the distant sky, but it is not very distinct. Patches of water...... o haseena zulfon waali jaane jahan....

The shrill sound of his mobile phone's alarm broke his dream. It is the third day in a row that this has happened. Somehow, he cannot complete his dream, nor can he live it!!!

Aakash got out of his bed. Yeah it is morning, but a gloomy one. All he could see were dark clouds hovering over. It had rained frightfully last night. Everything around is still wet. He glanced over his lone seasonal flowering plant. No!! No flowers still!! He is not sure how much longer he has to wait for a flower. Two street dogs are barking at a beggar. Perhaps he tried to steal some food which were meant for those dogs!!! "A mother bird feeding her chicks", he recalled his dream. Can he find something like that?? Oh, forget it!! There are no space in this jungle of concrete for a bird to nest!!! Perhaps he can sight a rainbow. No such luck either!! His day thus commenced. Again a day full of tensions, expectations, desires, hopes and finally their downfall. "I wish i could live in my dreams," he murmured.

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The most anticipated call...

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. . .
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Aakash: …..its better we go in our own ways den!!

Sreya: Dats the best thing u can say.. I knew it all the time.. (sobs) I thought that you would become a bit more responsible..

Aakash: Where is responsibility coming over here?

Sreya: Forget it.. Goodbye..




After 3 months or so…

Another morning Aakash woke up with dreamy eyes. It has been over a week that insomnia has engulfed his nights. He just can’t get her off his mind. She just comes into his thoughts and he can’t help it. In fact, he likes it. He likes thinking about her.

Actually Aakash and Sreya started seeing each other around 7 months earlier. They had met each other at a wedding ceremony. As usual Aakash was busy scanning the beautiful bongs that thronged the place. In an ethereal moment, he saw Sreya. Immediately, he began harbouring a crush on her. So it all started with a crush! After a few days, they went for a date, though the girl was a bit reluctant at first. But nevertheless, she went. Actually she had also developed a liking for him. Their dates went up in numbers day by day. Sreya was deeply in love with him. But Aaksh was never really serious about her. He was a guy with a very fickle mind. He never really gave any serious thinking on any matter. So the day she expressed her feelings, Aakash was perplexed. He did not know whether he loved her or not. After all it was just another crush. Just another!!!! He was not at all ready to take up the responsibility of love!!!

Things are different now. He knows that he loves her. He misses her. He misses her dainty smile, her lovely eyes, her feathery hands and above all her charming and lovingness character. Sreya is the best girl he could have ever find, if not the perfect. But it is too late to realize that. He has hurt her so very much. He can’t forget those sobbing eyes on the day they broke off. Its was all due to Aakash.

Late may be, but he decides to give her a call and apologize. Maybe she wont forgive, but at least he would know that. It was his first call in three months. He dials her number. The phone rings…

Sreya: (somewhat perplexed tone) Hello!

Aaksh: Hi Sreya!

Sreya: A pleasant surprise Aakash! Never in my nightmares I thought that u would call me!!

Aakash: Even I had never thought so. How are u?

Sreya: Just getting used to a life without you!!

Aakash: (speechless)

Sreya: So why did u call?

Aakash: I wanted to apologize.

Sreya: You what!!!!!! Are u kidding?

Aakash: No Sreya. I am serious. I am sorry that I hurt u so much! I was not ready to take up the responsibility of love.

Sreya: I know that Aakash...

Aakash: I…I think that I love you.. Can we patch up Sreya? I miss you a lot.

Sreya: I always knew you loved me. It was you who didn't. You still haven’t changed, Aakash. Now u miss me, you want to patch up. But where were you when I needed you? You didn’t even bothered to find out how I was doing!!

Aakash: I.. I thought you would be better without me.

Sreya: Who asked you to think so much!!! Frankly Aakash, its too late now for a patch up.

Aakash: Cant you reconsider your decision? Give me a call if you change ur decision.

Sreya: Sure I shall. But don’t expect it. I have moved on.

Aaksh: Moved on?? Still, I shall wait. Bye. Take care.

Sreya: Bye Aakash. You take care 2. And be happy with your life.


That night, Aakash received the most anticipated and beautiful call of his entire life!! It was from Sreya.

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