Bad Days, Good Weekends

A night of broken dreams

The biggest flex Ashok had was about his girlfriend, at that time, like he would go out and say it loud that "you know this is my girl, do you even have such a beautiful girl?"

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, orange glow across the city, Ashok's heart pounded with excitement. He had been planning this grand party for months, and tonight was the night he would propose to his girlfriend, Sara. He had gone to great lengths to ensure that everything was perfect, from the elegant decorations to the soft music playing in the background. His palms were sweaty, and he kept checking the diamond ring hidden in his pocket.

He had invited all of Sara's friends, and his own, to celebrate a night he had envisioned for months. The night he would ask the love of his life to be his forever...

The moment had finally arrived. David, with a glass of champagne in hand, had prepared a heartfelt speech to lead into the proposal.

But just moments before he was about to get down on one knee, Sara broke his heart with three simple words: "This won't work, Ashok." Her eyes were cold and distant, and the room seemed to spin as Ashok struggled to comprehend what had just happened. He watched in despair as she walked away, leaving him standing alone in the middle of his own party. He never thought he would hear that three words instead of "Yes, I will marry you," But just to cover up the situation he went on to say "You thought that was a real proposal? Nah, this was a joke, you all just got pranked, I had this big party planned for.....the day I had first started my....dance...yeah I dance, I love to, so this was a drama but real thing is you all have to dance with me now," Then he got off the stage and the music played in the background, everything started to disapper.

Devastated and humiliated, Ashok stumbled out of the venue and into the cool night air. He needed to get away, to clear his head. With each step, his despair grew, the pain of losing Sara intensified. He barely noticed the rhythmic honks and the bustling of the city. He just wanted to disappear into the night.

He hailed a rickshaw and slumped into the passenger seat, his mind racing with a whirlwind of emotions. He now knew that he was no longer the one who made her smile.
The rickshaw driver, an elderly man with kind eyes, sensed Ashok's desolation.

"You seem down, my friend. What's troubling you?"the rickshaw driver said.

Ashok let out a bitter laugh. "You wouldn't believe it even if I told you."

The rickshaw driver, whose name was Ragu, decided to keep Ashok's mood while giving him a company. "Try me. Sometimes talking to a stranger can help."

Ashok hesitated for a moment, then began to recount the painful turn of events. As he spoke, he felt a strange sense of feeling, sharing his heartbreak with someone who didn't know him.

But as they approached an intersection, a hurried man waved them down. "Can I share this rickshaw with you? I'm in a hurry!"

"Don't you see that I am here? That means I am going by this rickshaw?" Ashok said.

"Please, I am in a hurry and I still haven't found any rickshaw near by," he said.

"Shut up, I have seen people like you who make excuse and get on someone else rickshaw,"

"Don't you see I am elder that you? Don't your parents gave you any manners?"

"No, fuck off now," Ashok sat in the rickshaw and asked Ragu to take him away from this man.

As they went ahead not knowing the destination, the rickshaw driver said "Life can be difficult, my friend. But sometimes, you find beauty in the most unexpected places."

"Yeah I just had an unexpected rejection" Ashok said and laughed.

But something drew Ashok's attention. In the distance, the distant strains of music and the vibrant colors of a wedding celebration beckoned him. It was a lively procession, with drummers and dancers leading the way, and the street adorned with radiant lights.

A flicker of curiosity and hope ignited within Ashok. He turned to the rickshaw driver and said, "Can we stop here for a moment? I want to see what's happening."

Ragu pulled the rickshaw to the side of the road, and Ashok got out, drawn to the spectacle of the wedding. The joyful atmosphere was a stark contrast to his own shattered hopes and dreams. But then he saw a girl performance, suddenly he felt a glimmer of something different. Amid the joyful dance and laughter, he saw her - a young woman, a vision of grace and beauty.

She was stunningly beautiful, her eyes full of passion and grace. As she moved to the beat of the music, her dance seemed to capture the essence of pure happiness. Ashok was captivated, forgetting his heartache for a moment.

The world had shifted for Ashok. He had experienced the depths of despair just moments ago, but now, in the midst of this enchanting wedding celebration, he found a flicker of hope. As he watched the girl's performance, her energy and enthusiasm filled his heart with a new kind of warmth.

Sometimes, life takes unexpected turns, and Ashok, in the midst of his heartache, had stumbled upon a chance to witness the joy and beauty that still existed in the world. He couldn't help but smile, a real smile....