A LONE SOUL

Lost Days

In 2007, I made the move to Delhi for my higher education at the age of 18, brimming with excitement for the newfound independence and the adventures awaiting me in college.

The institute I enrolled in was a far cry from anything I had experienced in my hometown of Allahabad. But before I delve into my Delhi escapades, let me give you a glimpse into my nomadic past. Born a wanderer, my journey had taken me from Bareilly to Sahibabad, finally settling in Allahabad in 2003. Those four years in Allahabad were a whirlwind of memorable experiences, from excelling academically to becoming the cultural captain of my school. My friend Manusha and I shared countless moments of joy and mischief, creating memories that would last a lifetime. A sweet and sour relation with Anoop during those days became a lifetime memory to cherish.

But I digress; let's return to Delhi, where I was about to meet my new roommates.

"Hey, I'm Mingo. And you?" "Hi, I'm Anuja." "A unique name," I remarked. "Yeah, my full name is Mingshati Manjunath Roy. But my friends call me Mingo."

Mingo exuded a carefree, tomboyish vibe that I found intriguing, and soon, we struck up a friendship, bonded by our shared living space. Our room also housed two other girls, Anushree and Pooja, each pursuing different courses. Despite our diverse backgrounds and academic interests, we found common ground and camaraderie.

Back then, I was a bit of a conservative dresser, often clad in traditional attire that set me apart from my more modern peers. But I was adaptable, recognizing the need to blend in and evolve with my surroundings I did what can be called as the need of the hour.

Poetry was my passion in those days, and I poured my heart into writing verses and shayari. I maintained a diary filled with my musings, although I eventually burned it before leaving that chapter of my life behind. Memories from that time are scarce and often hazy, but those fleeting moments laid the groundwork for what was to come.

During Diwali that year, I seized the opportunity to escape the confines of our PG accommodation and visit my childhood friend Piyush in Meerut. Our families shared a deep bond, rooted in years of friendship and neighbourly affection. Piyush and I were inseparable as children, our bond strengthened by shared experiences and mutual affection.

Upon arrival, Piyush regaled me with tales of his family, including his macho cousin brother, who was something of a local celebrity. Little did I know, they were already familiar with me, thanks to Piyush's fond reminiscences of our childhood that became lifetime memories.

Our visit took an unexpected turn when Piyush suggested we spend the night at his cousin's house. Despite a nagging sense of unease, I agreed, unaware that this seemingly innocuous decision would shape the course of my life for years to come. He took me to his cousins house who had recently lost his father. I was introduced as someone with huge importance, the reason was obvious, I and Piyush have been together for years and have shared a never ending bond that has withstood the test of time.

Here I met Prabhas, Piyush's cousin, a tailormade handsome boy with enigmatic looks and whatnot to charm and infatuate a simple looking girl like me. I was to be true and prcise highly attracted towards his appearance and intriguing smile that he carried with ease.

We shared our stories, three of us together soon discovered a beautiful bond and our continuous talks and reminiscences made that gathering a memory of the distant past that now shows me the prospect of decisions that I made in haste.

Prabhas was tall and a muscular boy, fair enough to charm many and witty in his talks to influence anyone around him. An idle figure to be discussed between cousins and friends. He had been a matter of extreme inspiration that his cousins drew from him as he boasted about his casual relation with every other girl in the area. How the bhabhi's of the colony offered to chance upon and the ease of handling number of girls at a time. Had I been aware of these tales and odysseys of Prabhas, the influencer in the age devoid of technology, I would have never ever stepped in the lane of darkness that was devoid of the rays of hope, happiness and humanity.

My meeting with Prabhas made my hormones work faster on me. At the age of 18, when I was having no sense of differentiating between right and wrong, I stepped on the path of infatuating a man who had no sense of respect and love for his female counter parts.

Amidst laughter, I stole a glance at Prabhas. Tall and strikingly handsome, he captivated me despite my average appearance. But I possessed a peculiar intuition—a knack for reading people and situations with uncanny accuracy. May be that was the last day when I misjudged my intuition or I was overpowered by the feelings that said, "he is the one".