Love at First Swipe ✓

Karan - Arjun

Sometimes, you can't help but wonder how some coincidences are so beautiful yet twisted, just like the names Karan and Arjun. In a typical Mahabharat setup, they'd be the perfect rivals. But again, that would make Karan a kind-hearted, pathetic, abandoned child with great values, which is an absolute contrast to his original self.

I've been calling Arjun for the past one hour and he hasn't answered. I almost furiously lift my phone in the air to smash it and stop, realizing that buying a new phone would be too expensive. I frustratedly sit on my sofa, biting my nails and my phone rings. It's Arjun. Phew!

"Hi, is everything okay? I'm so sorry I didn't pick up earlier, I was busy", he explains as soon as I answer the call.

"No, it's alright. I just.. I need a favor, Arjun. I know it's too early to ask you for help and we barely know each other, but I currently have no other option".

"Hey it's alright. What is it about?"

I tell him everything that Karan told me and explain how he approached me for help.

"This is serious, okay? You have to file a cyber crime complaint and both of them should be charged. There's no other option", his voice clearly tells me that he's furious and deeply concerned.

"Arjun, I can't do that. Karan is really guilty about this and he claims to have sent the pictures by mistake", I explain defensively.

"And you believe this Karan? Who is he? Your bestfriend? Office crush? Ex-boyfriend? Why are you so keen on helping him?"

"That's a lot of assumptions, Arjun. He's just a colleague who needs my help, and I want to believe him".

"Why do you want to believe him, Trisha? Give me one good reason why".

I can feel a series of emotions piling up inside me, flashbacks replaying in my head, my lips almost quivering and for once, for once I want to scream out loud and face the truth instead of being trapped. It's true that sometimes people don't realise the mistakes they're making, because they're in a state of desperation but that one weak moment can really change their entire life.

"Are you there?" he says interrupting my thoughts.

I take a deep breath, rubbing my hand over my chest and calming myself down, "because I know what living with guilt can do to a person.. I want to pull someone out of it, for once; to make them realize that you can rectify your mistakes if you try and that there's always scope to be a better person.. Karan isn't my friend. Infact, I never liked him. But if he's hopeful that I can help him fix a mistake, I'm ready to keep that hope alive".

"Trisha.. I really don't know what to say. It almost sounds like you're talking from some personal experience, like there's some part of you that you're trying to accept or justify, and I understand that. But I want you to know that sometimes, there's a line between a mistake that can be fixed and a mistake that is driven by some seriously toxic mindset. I hope you can see that thin line. We'll see what we can do to help him, okay? I'm in this with you", he reassures me, "but if I were you, I'd do things differently. I just want you to keep that in mind".

One thing I learnt from everything he said is that he doesn't believe in someone doing something like this as just some mistake. He thinks it's driven by a sick, toxic mindset and he's definitely not happy that I'm trying to help. He's probably judging me too.

"Thanks Arjun, I'm really sorry for dragging you into all this".

"I guess we're friends now, and it's okay for you to dump all your problems on me", he says and I chuckle lightly, "so anyways, I want to talk to this 'Karan'. I think you should figure out if he's actually feeling guilty or just worried about the consequences that would affect him and his career".