Love That Stayed!

Chapter 6. Seher

~ Mubarakein tumhe ki tum, kisi k noor ho gye,
Kisi k itne paas ho, ki sabse door ho gye~

The club was blasting with loud music, and yet, people found a tone suitable for conversing. Anurag stood silent, with a beer in his hand, his peers surrounding him as the other guys animatedly discussed the success of the project Anurag was heading for the past few months. They had finally signed the deal today, and were celebrating, the entire team. They cheered for him as he gave them an awkward smile before moving away, unable to bear the loud chit-chat.

How cursed his life was, he thought, as he gulped his beer down. Complete strangers and his colleagues were being so melodramtically happy about his success, and he, the one everyone was so proud of at office, had no one to share his joy back at home. He had felt alone before but this was an entirely new territory, the feeling of being unwanted. Unloved.

He gulped down a few more beers, before switching to Vodka. Neat. Anurag had never had a liking for alcohol, though he did drink socially, at parties or get togethers. But today, he wanted to get drunk. Totally out so that he could forget everything clawing his heart and he could feel the euphoria that made people drink regularly.

The ringing of his cell phone irritated him, and he saw the name on the screen with a chuckle. Mannat was calling him? For what? To ask if she should sleep with the main gate open? To demean his some more? In that moment, Anurag didn't care. That would be a first in life, that he didn't care about Mannat, and that he was so drunk he could see two bar tendors instead of one. But there is a first for everything, so be it.

The clock striked twelve, and Anurag's reminder went off. With shivering hands, he unlocked the phone and surfed through the call log. One of his good habits was also remembering every one's birthday. He loved wishing people at 12, and this was special. It was one of his closest friend's birthday.

"Aditya bro! Happy birthday!!", Anurag exclaimed into the phone, and Aditya laughed, thanking him.

Aditya was one of the other friends from their school. Him, Shaan, Mannat, Adi and a few more were close knit friends and after school, while Mannat and Shaan chose the same college, Aditya had sticked to him and they had done their MBA together.

Aditya talked to Anurag for a few more minutes and it took him less than a few seconds to decipher he was dead drunk. That was shocking, because Aditya knew Anurag always stayed within his limits.

"Anu, you are not okay, are you? Do you want me to come over?", hearing Aditya's concerned filled voice, Anurag felt a lump in his throat. He hadn't heard that tone in what seemed like ages.

"I am feeling terribly alone Adi. Take me away, please", he choked, as he felt the burden in his heart. Whoever said love was synonymous to pain, was absolutely right.

Aditya felt terrible, to hear Anurag's voice break down. This was why he didn't want him to marry Mannat, but Anu was stubborn, he was ready to live in pain if that meant Mannat would be fine. Well he didn't know about Mannat anymore but Anurag wasn't fine for sure, and Aditya could not have felt more helpless as heard the sound of the call disconnecting because with a plaster in his left leg and left arm, there was no way he could go to his friend.

Anurag walked out of the club, his feet staggering to find his car. He could not. Dejected, he sat down on the side of the road, watching the night sky. His eyes were dry, his body numb from the cold outside. He sat and thought about Mannat, and her words, and her actions. If she really did hate him, why did her actions proved otherwise? He had never wanted her to love him back anyway, he was fine with his unrequited love for years, but all he had wanted was to respect their friendship. She had failed to do exactly that.