Galway Girl

I always wonder,what a  treacherous thing it is to believe that a person becomes more  than a person to you,shares with you, your thoughts, your journey, your time…

Today,after,many days,I felt like reminiscing the story which always stays dearer to me.This character portrays a very shrewd lead,Shanaya.She is a simple,indominatable,clever,bold and beautiful gal who flags onto the first row of every Grad class and record.She is a faint ,lean,svelte structure with tall legs ,grey eyes,beach wavy locks ,rosy lips and ofcourse crush of many senior and co-lads.She is also the captain of our basketball team and every girl looked up with their inquisitive eyes.She never had a fantasizing friends circle ,solitary solitaire,I call her,she belonged to the richess,royal ascedency,they say and none dared to have their attention as well as curiosity before her.she is self sustained.Every guy wanted to get noted and longed for an opportunity to get track of her personal number,but in vain.Further ,it was also rumoured that Shanaya would be leaving to states along with her parents and would be soon engaged to big shot’s son,precisely a royal blood,there.

It was the end exams time,where every other was competing for the second place.The haul of exams ended and all of us were eagerly waiting for the farewell to arrive.All gals were excited to join the prom and look the best..while boys eagerly waited for her presence,such was her grace..but the gals were quite convinced that everyone will soon forget her after a few seasonal changes,except me..i was her only best friend ,then…

Grads grew their wings,or started to act so,setting sails onto the topsy turvy rides ..so was Shanaya,all set to join the west.I took up MBA course at IIM-A,but daily left few unreplied text,voice messages hoping that shez on the edge of everything,on halycon notes..and whynot ,she was a girl with fireworks in her soul..stalking her instagram(panache clicks),did I spend my first year…haha..let me remind you again..we are best buds!!

It was my final year and I was working like dog around the clock with projects,codes,startups and what not..i had many sleepless nights but that night was not like the other.I ,finally received a call from Shanaya and was very confident that it will be her wedding invitation with tickets of business class;booked…but the story had a different script.Shanaya called me in  a cold tone,maybe she felt bad for putting me at a distance..We had a whole  long night talk,about our whereabouts..her voice comforted my rushing ,rumbling soul...my heart raced with a 100 horsepower engine when I heard that she will meet me soon,on her visit to India ,coming summer..Ah!!Cant wait to see her…pounced my heart..i could feel butterflies in my stomach..silly thoughts,I calmed myself,again.

                                    All excited ,my every atom…

                                    Sitting under the moon,by my window side…

                                    I was never more Alive or Alone!!

I started counting the days to end faster…waiting is such a pain,I thought.I started staring more at her pics,from now.I tamed my hair,tees,cleansed my nikes' now and then ,started saving my pocket money to buy her some gift....cant wait to see my best friend..

Shanaya was a girl of fire.Being filthy rich,but was always the neglected child,who was broughtup by her grand parents with a messed up childhod longing for parents love...for which they never had time.I met her for the first time,at the mass communications lab at our college,1st year..where she was auditioning and me,commenting on her failed performance.Despite, her attempts to pass through audition,i preserve all those days,where she turned out to be the best performer,center stage of the most acclaimed club of the inter college event.She was deep like an ocean but chirpy by myside..She always wanted Arts and Sports,but her parents wanted her to join management so that ,she could be their business prodigy.She struggled a lot,to chose and chase the paths of her destiny.People around her taken her for granted.Over the top,she got separated from her parents,with a signed contract of 5 years,to achieve or accept the norms of her family.Look at her A lists,she now has masters in management ,degree at theatrical work..does part time work for an add agency,coaches the basketball at our old school and carries her clout for featured theatrical events..her first hit spreadlike fire overnight,when we released our first episode on Filter copy.She hit the lime light of the internet world that week .It was her deftness that earned her a 2year internship programme at London University of Arts and Performance,latter a settlement as an assistant at Beverly.Now,there is no looking back..She gave her life a knack of everything.

            June 11,2002 finally arrived..ha I am so excited to meet her.We met in a coffee shop,our favourite one.She looked more dazzling with a touch of the U.S..wearing a peach floral dress with a pashmina scarf ,she looked like the bright autumn.Her sculpted cheeks blushed in pink,as I told her about all my waiting to meet her.I gifted her a book and diary,and ofcourse the coffee..all which I could think and match my savings..in return she gifted me a G Shock watch and a Lacoste Tee..haha,credits to all my warm behaviour …

            We had  a great talking and laughing ..the time just flew as we realised its time to leave the shop,conversations bloomed at every corner..Shes a magic,I felt inside.Never did our friendship fade I thought for myself.Shanaya is a mature girl,way beyond my imagination.Her aura surprises me everytime..i could never conquer her spirit,I thought to myself and ended the day with a promise that we shall meet often this week,her stay time in India!

Those days just flashed before me,her struggle to join the drama squad ,to launch of her first youtube video..Sharing her tears to slaying  down her fears..She could handle both Critiscism ,conviction,competetion to core..The money she borrowed to those earned at doing petty jobs at radio centers,advertising media has slowly paved for todays youtube sensation for hitting hard all those tough shots..400 thousand users...cannot believe i am going to hangout with a celeb :P,why not i was her first paparazzi and old critic.Every gal has one best guy in her life ,whom she shares  her everything..There were infinte sparkling stars in her head and the struggle gets real,once you are out of nest..jumping down the tree to fly high.

                        I was very much excited to meet her ,..but never asked her,a ridiculous affair,I thought in mind.After,2 days,I received an invitation from Shanaya to her home.I was already waiting at her door step by then.Silly me,she caressed me.Her parents were very cult and warm.Shanaya took me along her balcony,where she showed me all her childhood photographs,College magazines..our crazy weirdo snapshots,which I have seen for the 150^th time…but then, her abroad addictions.From those time shots ,amidst a few vodka shots..i came to know that shanaya found another person whom she can share her glass of wine with. Ah! that scorched me,I was jealous. He is one dashingly looking guy ,whatsoever,called,Farhan.Out of community,hard shot,I laughed inside.She gave me a continuous ranting of this chikna,which bored me for a while.The worst part came to an end, when she asked me to get him to her home, tomorrow morning straight from the airport.

            Farhan can never matchup with Shanaya,I comforted myself as I reached the airport.There ,I saw him,the so called dude,with,bose headphones and Armani tracks ,hiding behind the Tomford glasses.Girls ,fall for the riches,I complained.All the way long,I dint give an eye..Bloody Foreigners,I sighed.

No gestures and questions,no whispers made..

a wave of questions in the falling rain..

Subsided my pain..subsided my pain

We got from the cruiser..he dint thank me,utter arrogance,I thought.As soon as my car honked,Shanaya ran to the gate,to give him a Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum wala welcome,.  

Reading between the lines,i could secretly figure out that Shanaya has finally chosen someone for her ,i felt some pain..the pain and pair seemed breathtaking.

   “When you love people ,you want what’s the best for them,and sometimes what’s the best for them isn’t you.”

I thought for a while..right now am a freelancer ..but i have a management degree to earn in a while,shouted my ego,from the deepest hauls..with a sulken heart..We partied that night for our reunion.Farhan was not that bad at all...friend's friend is a mutual..i sighed.Shanaya threw the best party as we had only two days left.Never in my life would i rejoice the extravagance..mid class Indian.

Next morning,the same mobile,buzzed again ,waking up the same lazy me..with the same caller.The high spirited gal wanted to meet the boozed up boys in an hour.She planned for a trip to the Muchhal Waterfalls,crazy trek followed with camping,sunset,camfire and drinks.Seriously,she is the organiser for our trio.We packed our essentials.Shanaya hopped onto Farhan’s bike and me on mine, RE for Life.She was our guide there,I followed her avoiding Farhan…however at times,he bragged a lot on me(is he a gay?…I wish,I thought for a while).The trekking began.Farhan could easily outbeat both of us as he doesnt belong to the padaaku gang ,bugger born with riches I thought.Shanaya and I were behind,but together.We clicked pics all the way long..enjoyed every bit of the trek.After the lunch,it was the team event.We were divided into 5 teams.And this time,we were both in different teams.There were  three rounds to decide the winner.Winning team gets remitted from the closing events’ expenses,which include food and drinks.Each of us were in high spirits to win the deal.There were tasks like,muddy pool volley ball,making up a tent house,treasure hunt..all were very proactive.By the end of the league,it was a tie between me and Farhan..Baat izzat pe aagayi I thought to myself.Lo,Izzat gayi..

We sat near the campfire as losers ..while Farhan gulped the free wine and scotch..Under the starlight with nothing stopping around ,as the whole night was sleeping..i sat at the edge of the mountain with thoughts wandering seeking no stay.From tomorrow sunrise ,everything gets back to the routine ,regular life i thought and sat writing those three words,which i never told her..My feelings were withered,hold back,covered,confused and compromised..Still,today,i wait for the day we meet again,maybe just in a while..to hear something or anything from her...#an introvet guy..one of the cofounders of Filtercopy media works