The Boy Who Never Spoke

The Boy Speaks

He stopped there and stared for a while before walking on. As the crowd thinned out, he saw clearer. A tall lady stood still at the last row, watching him progressing slowly towards her, obliging for autographs along the way.She had been looking at him with an air of familiarity. Dressed in a blue sari with golden bangles on her wrist and a diamond necklace adorning her neck, she held a copy of a book in one of her hands while the other hand rested on the chair, holding onto her position despite the crowd rushing past her. She seemed adamant about seeing her. Her intense eyes drove him towards her and as he did so, a bright smile came out on her matte red lips. She immediately held out her copy of his book for autograph. He wondered about her as he obliged her. Finally, she broke the ice,

"How are you ?"

"I am fine. Sorry, but have we ever met before ?"

She grew silent while stepping in to the row chairs as the soft murmur of the crowd drowned her feeble voice. The smile somehow dimmed as her intense eyes now sulked in nostalgia of unknown. Just then, a spot boy hinted to her to move out of the studio. Laxman obliged to talk to her outside the hall. Just as he was walking beside her, he delved deep in his thoughts. Who was she ? She waited for me to walk to her.What does she want ?

She stood near the entrance. The neon lights revealed the blonde strips of her hair, falling in a dignified manner on her shoulder that stood up with confidence. She looked into his eyes and continued,

"Your new story is amazing. I loved it..."

"Thank you. I am glad you liked it.

"...And yes, my favourite was Loknath. What a character! I love him!"

He watched with a tinge of stupefaction as she spoke on about what he liked about the story character in an exasperated manner. Her wide eyes spoke most of the time as he stared at that, wondering how easily was she relating to him. He felt an unknown connection with those eyes somehow.

"Thank you so much. I am very happy that you loved it so much. Do read the book to know what happened to him."

"I don't need to read the book to know what happened to him. I know what has happened to him. He loved writing. He followed his passion and earned a name for himself as an author, script writer, an actor. Now he stands in front of me and I can't tell how happy I am."

"Excuse me. Who are you ?"

"I am not surprised. Celebrities usually have short term memory. But, when did you change your name to Laxman ? "

His mind fell into a whirlpool of memories. That wide smile, those lustful glances,  that voice - all of them conjured a face that he barely could remember as he scanned her face squeezing her eyes in an awestruck embarrassment.  

"Lok, how could you forget your Natasha ? You meant me when you put Sneha in your story, right? That's smart of you!"

Reality flashed on his face. He couldn't believe his eyes. His past stood before him years after he had moved on. A frown descended on his face as his voice plunged

"Why have you come here ? What do you want ?"

"Is that the way an author talks to his audience? After seeing you speak, I think no" She laughed.

"Don't waste my time. Just tell me what you want?"

"I wanted to see you. Lok, believe me, I am very very happy to know about your rise. I always knew you were destined for this. Forget the past. You have come a long way since then"

"Oh, don't talk rubbish. That is how people usually explain their misdeeds to the world. I had to move on when you left me. I had a life too."

"True. You had a life and you have lived it very well. I am glad about it. But don't get me wrong. What happened then was providence conspiring against us."

"Don't call your infidelity as providence. I had given all my time and attention that I could, to you. Never expected anything of you so dramatic. Yet, you pushed me aside just like that and now you say it was a conspiracy..."

"Lok it is not like that. I loved you even then. But I was never sure about your thoughts about me. When Raghav proposed me, I kind of got carried away and I lost sight of you. I tried reaching out to you but couldn't manage to talk to you. Finally, a month ago when I landed in India, I saw a poster of this show in one of the magazines at the airport. I was determined that this time I won't let the opportunity go away. I came to just see you, Lok. This book was just an excuse. I still love you."

"Have you lost your head ?" he said glancing at the vermilion on her forehead." The fact that you couldn't understand what I felt about you proves everything about you. Natasha Verma, you never really loved me as a matter of fact. For people like you, relationships are like dresses that you choose depending on your mood, then wear it and after sometime throw it away. I was one of those whom you dumped at the right time and your silence for all these years prove it. Why have you come here ? Go and spend your life with Raghav! "

"He cheated me soon after the college finished. He left me with a promise to marry me soon. But never returned. Months later, I heard that he had tied knot. "

"What happened after that ?"

"My marriage was arranged and I accepted it. What to do ? I had no other choice left. I had lost a star in the hope of a moon. Just getting along with life. My husband works in Bank of America and we had come here for spending the vacation. Lok, if you don't mind, can I tell you something ? Promise me you will listen it out till the end."

He sighed heavily with his eyes closed. He did not know what to expect. He nodded nevertheless.

"During your narration, you said something - if you don't say it, then no one listens it and no one knows it. I think if you would have spoken out your mind even once to me, maybe our lives would have been different. Sorry, if I hurt you again but think about it"

"That's of no use. Spilling your tears on your past won't change it. If you plan to see if by recounting your sad story, you can get back your good old days of love and affection, then let me tell you that you are wrong. Our lives are well on different tracks that will never cross each other. Move on the path where you have chosen to walk."

"You speak very well. I wish you would have ever spoken like that before..." 

"Don't waste my time anymore. I need to leave." He walked away hurriedly, his footsteps almost echoing in the corridor.  It sounded harsher than the words of that man who disrupted his talk that evening.   His conscience shook in sorrow yet his mind put up a brave face. Few people truly deserve only to be in the past.Life happens in the moment. He was stopped outside the gate by a mob of young fans who got their copies signed and clicked a selfie. From being an introvert to a man whose books people fell in love with, the change had been phenomenal. Yet, her words somehow ringed in his ears. She was right. If he had been more enterprising early in his life, may be the times that followed would have been different. Just as he sat on the bench outside ruminating, his phone vibrated

"WAITING FOR YOU AT BAKERS'. COMING,DEAR ?"

He got up and moved on. After all, the boy who never spoke had come a long way in his life.