I Faded days and n0n-faded Memories
“Faded memories are abiding stains that stay on our souls”. As soon as we hear the words faded memories our heart jumps back to school days and then college days. At times it even travels to those days when love started and ended without our knowledge.
Foremost faded days are with friends. They make our lives. We spend most of the days with friends starting from the very beginning: schools, colleges and then our workplaces.
Speaking about me, I am a kind, who has friends everywhere. We may have as many friends in and outside our country but what really matters is who is worth having us. As soon as I read those words “ Those faded days and those non-faded memories” my thoughts and heart traveled almost one and half years to be exact.
I love cricket to the core. An addict too. It was an RCB Vs SRH match held in Bangalore. I reside in Puducherry. My cousin is a settler in Bangalore and it’s my favorite spot too. The match was on a good flow. I, being an RCB fan, was very exhausted. We were the chasing team. Almost, 5 wickets down and we need around 60 runs from 24 balls if am not wrong.
Virat Anna was batting and actually, it was not an lbw, but the umpire gave them an lbw. And it counts the sixth wicket. They had a check on the third umpire later. Am a kind, who weeps for nothing but when it comes to cricket, am that childish. I am mad over it. I was not able to process that wicket which was actually not. Being that impatient, I broke my hand in the glass shields over there in the stadium without my own consciousness.
My brother who was already in bad temper because of the match was even tenser after seeing me with blood bleeding hands. The guy who was seated next to me, also an RCBian, was panicked after seeing me. Had been panicked about the situation, there was a video call from my dad, as he knows that I will go mad after this wicket. We were not in the situation to attend the call. The brother didn’t give any attention to me. Actually, he didn’t get along with the situation. He was so shocked. The guy who was sitting by my side was the first one to react. He took his handkerchief and covered my palm with it. Then he gave me a slap. I was totally stunned. We don’t know each other before. We just met that day at the stadium. My brother did not ask him a word about what he has done. The match was over. RCB managed to win the match anyway.
We came out of the stadium, I was bleeding until then. But I didn’t feel any pain. I was so happy about the match so much that I forgot about the bleeding. The guy who slapped me came near us. My brother and that guy greeted each other. Another shock of the day. Later, I learned that that guy was his junior. And they were good friends too. His name is Rashid. Then, we went to the hospital. As soon as the doctor checked it, the first question that he posted was, isn’t it painting. In contrast to his question, I answered, “RCB won.”
My brother gave me a sharp look. I kept quiet. Then I had six stitches in my palms. But honestly, I didn’t feel the pain that day. We came back to our home. My sister-in-law was shocked to see me with band-aids. Then we described the whole story. She smiled at me saying that Rashid, the guy who gave me a slap was her classmate. Actually, my bro and my sister-in-law are love couples. Such a cute pair I would say. My brother was 23 and my sister-in-law was 20 and I was almost 17. Irrespective of age, I used to call my sister-in-law by her name.
I was on a stay in Bangalore for 2 weeks. The next day, when I and my sister-in-law went out just for a ride. I again met Rashid. As soon as I saw him, I just raised my hand and said ‘hi’.
My sister-in-law just smiled and said to him me that am so friendly. He looked at me, gave a smile, and said am sorry Priya, I wouldn’t have slapped you, but you were wrong. I just smiled at him and said your eyes are gorgeous dude. My sister-in-law came to my aid and said to him, never mind, she is a bit straightforward. We got along well. My plan shifted from 2 weeks to one month. We were the ones who were roaming together, we went to matches together & became close friends. He was 20 yet we had no age difference. I used to call him by his name. He never considered me as a girl, used to be that friendly and he used to share everything.
It was the 3rd week, we went out. We had a good time. He introduced me to his friends and we really had hectic schedules because as of now, we both have to take care of all the things together. My brother and sister-in-law were happy that I didn’t cause trouble over there. The one thing that I missed was I couldn’t ride with the broken palms. So Rashid used to do it. It was the 4th day of the third week. We met with an accident which was totally unexpected. But nothing was serious about it. We were safe only our car got black and blue by the roads. It was not a big deal. Then, we just laughed at each other and just carried on with our other works. It was now the 4th week.
Remembering that this is gonna be the last week, we four planned the full week with full stuff. And we were all into the week. It was the 4th day of the 4th week. We were discussing our family. Rashid said to me that he was brought up by his dad and he had lost his mother when he was 10. It took me a long time to console him. I have never seen him that dull. Days passed on and it was time for my departure. Waving goodbye to my brother, my sister-in-law, and Rashid, I reached home. The hardest part was missing Rashid.
He was such a good friend. In just a month, he was confident enough to say to everyone that I was his best friend. Though I was not that mature, being born in a family where being the only girl child, I was brought up with boys, so, I was good enough to get along the society well. Rashid often says that he has got contacts all over India yet he has felt comfortable as he felt with me. Though I came home and started enjoying my life over here with my parents and friends over here who care about me like their own. Still, I and Rashid were in contact. Though separated by distance we spend most of the time together via calls and texts.
He introduced me to Rehana, his girlfriend. We didn’t interact that much. Days went on well. Though Rashid is now a guy with commitments, he managed to spend time with me most of the time. I used to say he that spends time with Rehana, she may get annoyed. He never cared and he was casual as usual. Days rolled on. And it was time for the grand finals of the IPL where RCB faced SRH, which is to be held in Bangalore. My tickets were ready. As per the plan I was to reach the previous night of the match day. I and Rashid already planned a schedule for the match day. The match starts only at 7. So we planned our schedule for the full day.
I landed in Bangalore at 8 pm. Actually, Rashid just stays next door to my brother’s house. So, it was Rashid who came to receive me. I was really tired so didn’t have much time to play and giggle. Just went straight to my brother’s house. My sister-in-law served me my food. They were really caring. They already prepared me for my favorite food and my bedroom was also well cleaned and prepared. Had a good sleep. Then the next morning, that is the day of the match. We have planned our schedule. As per that, we planned to go for a long ride, that was the first move. We were ready even helmets on heads. Rashid had a phone call. It was from Rehana.
When we are together we attend calls in speaker mode. Rehana called Rashid for a movie. Rashid in his casual tone said to her that he was with me and reminded her that he already said her about today’s plan with me. Rehana didn’t say a word, she just hung the call. I said Rashid to go meet Rehana and accompany her to the movie. I was not that mean about it because possessiveness is quite natural with girls who love. But Rashid really looked odd and he just stared at me and asked me “ aren’t you angry? Aren’t you hurt?”
I just nodded my head resembling ‘no’. Though I felt really hurt, I had to cope up or else Rashid may lose his relationship or he may feel worst for leaving me and going. So I just gave him a smile and moved home. He went to meet Rehana and accompanied her to the movie. It was shaped at 2 pm when we caught up with each other again. He came to my house( I mean my brother’s house).
Though I was upset I didn’t show any sort of difference in my behavior from morning to my sister-in-law. She asked me about the ride, I just said Rashid had emergency work so I let him go. Rashid came home he looked at me and apologized. I gave a smile and send him not to mind. I was not in the mood to go on with our planned schedule. Our next plan after the ride was to go to a movie. Since Rashid already watched that movie with Rehana so I just don’t want him to waste time watching the same movie again. He called me for the next plan. I said to him am gonna sleep and will catch him at 6 in the evening and we will go to the stadium at 6.30, for the finals.
I had a short sleep and we were ready to go for the match. My brother and sister-in-law planned their schedule and went out for dinner. It was 6 in the eve and we got ready. It was about 6.25 pm, we were about to reach the stadium in five or ten minutes. I had a phone call. It was an unknown number. As usual, we attended it in speaker mode. It was Rehana on the other side. He asked me where Rashid is. I said to her that he is with me and we are on the way to the stadium. She asked me to pass on the call to Rashid. Now, he started speaking. She said him that she and his friends are going for a party tonight and also added that her friends wanna meet him. So he called him for a party at 7 pm. “The match starts at 7 pm too and is with Priya and we are on the way to the stadium“ was Rashid’s reply. You will be well aware of the response now!
Rehana asked him whether he wanted the match or he wanted to be with me. And continued, if she is important or is important to him. Rashid looked at me and I just smiled at him. He was such a friend who noticed the pain in my eyes. And by now we were already in the stadium. The match was about to start in the next 15 minutes. I kept quiet. Rashid said in a soft tone, am on the hot seat. He seemed to be restless. I don’t want him to let me alone in the stadium. To be honest, my concentration was not on the match which was to start in 5 minutes. At the same time, I don’t want him to be here with me in this worst mood.
I looked at him and said him to go and join the party. He looked into my eyes and said not when you are this broken. I just tried hard to hide the tears and said to him “Am alright dude.“ So he left the stadium. I followed him outside. He was shocked and asked me why I was out. I said, felt odd, and requested him to drop me back in my home. He knows that I was broken and tried to convince me, he was also ready to watch the match with me. He stressed, again and again, I can get another girlfriend but not a best friend like you. I was not in the mood to listen. It was also clear that I should not hurt him. On the way home, I got a call again. Of course, it was from Rehana, calls on with speaker mode off this time, I guessed what would happen, so I didn’t turn on or neither said Rashid it was Rehana.
Before I would say hello, she started speaking. “Kindly let me and Rashid be happy as usual. Try to understand my situation l what will my friends think of me if I say them he went to the stadium with his friend from Puducherry named Priya. I request you to stay away from him. He cares about you more than me. You are stealing my time too. He is spending more time with you though you are away. He speaks much about you. Everybody around him knows your name and not mine.” She took a breath after this. I was just listening. I took a deal breath and said, “Yeah I am going back home tonight. My health is not supporting my mind.
I will be off tonight.” Before she would respond I hung my call. We reached home. Rashid was totally upset. I gave him a smile and said “Take care dear, will catch up later, am leaving home tonight, safe journey, go and catch up Rehana soon, you are already late and kindly convey my regards to her.” He said, “Am sorry, I spoiled the whole day. I just patted him and said let it be dear, I understand your situation too.” My bro and sister-in-law went out for dining. We went home and I was all alone. They returned at 9. Before they would ask me anything, I said, I had a headache. And honestly, that was the first match I ever missed. I didn’t even note the scores. And unfortunately, adding fuel to my pain, RCB lost the finals and the IPL winner was SRH and was totally broken.
I came home and didn’t share anything with my family. According to them, I was broken because of the match. From then on I didn’t make a call to Rashid. But he used to call. I tried to be normal but I couldn’t. The time we spent together became less. Rashid was also upset. He fought with Rehana. Rehana thought that I said to him about her last phone call and she herself had said Rashid about that saying, “So Priya said all those to you and you are fighting with me for that if she had been a good friend she wouldn’t have done it.”
Hearing this Rashid started to hate Rehana. Rehana called me and she wept. I called Rashid and asked him not to be rude to her and said to him all about girls and possessiveness. I even quoted talking to him after that and used to get calls and texts every day but I didn’t respond. It was his born day on November 2. I called him up and wished him. He was so happy. But I just wished him and hung the call. He tried many ways to reach me. I didn’t hear those words nor read those messages. The thing that hurt me was Rashid changed a lot after he fell in love. We both were that addicted to cricket but the party seemed to be more important to him. That had hurt me. Anyway, he loved me, he cared for me, yet he changed and had the thought that I should not be the cause for them to hate each other.
Finally, at 8 pm that day, I picked up his call. He realized where he went wrong. He apologized. I said am your friend, not your love, so no more deadly feeling like this. He was saying to me all about the past out days. He even felt bad for falling in love. I apologized for not talking to him. We were speaking for hours after a long time. There was a heavy sound. The only thing I understand was there was a clash of vehicles.
I became cold-blooded. I was shouting at the top of my voice he gets connected with Rashid. There was no response. It took time to sort things. After one hour there was a call saying Rashid was no more. Someone called me from his mobile go informed me. I was already in shock. After hours of weeping and traveling, I and my dad reached his house in Bangalore. He was actually from a well-to-do family.
His father is a businessman. Everyone was in their whites. His dad and mom grabbed me and cried when they saw me. It took me months to come out of it. The soul that cared for me, the soul who was meant to be with me for life long was no more. It was really hard to process. The one who use to talk to me daily, the person who just came in without any intimation went away the same way. Life at that moment taught me many things. Think, why should he enter my life for staying just 9 months. God is so cruel, isn’t he?
But if he has not entered, I wouldn’t have got my life lessons. I decided that I should never quit talking to people for any reason. Should not show attitude to those who love us. Nothing and no one is permanent. We really know what will happen. Twenty is the not age to die. Life is really fair. A person with the best quality and such a helping mind left the world so soon. Just love and live life as you wish life is really that short. Before you would realize what’s happening in your life it will end. So just enjoy life as it is. Don’t have any hatred towards anybody. Love happily and do keep others happy. These are my faded days but those memories keep visiting, keep giving joy, and then totally breaks and vanish. Yet memories are stronger.
His last words were “ Thousands enter our lives yet only a few stays, I just want you to stay”. But fate he left me all alone and went. We usually say souls won’t die, it will have a new body to exist isn’t it? I don’t believe those, yet to our extreme level of shock. Exactly after 1 year of his death. My bro and sister-in-law gave birth to a boy baby on November 2. And we named him Rashid. And we believe that that soul is our Rashid’s soul. The thing I admired was those eyes that had the same glittering gorgeous effect that our Rashid had. One of my life’s nonfaded memory is this.
Title: Venture of Life
Published By: Droplets of Ink Publisher
Reviewed By: Kriti at Writing Quill
Order Book: Order on Amazon
About the author
Padma Priya S is a budding crazy scribbler from PUDUCHERRY. She is an alumna of St. Joseph of Cluny and Amalopavam. Padmapriya S is pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Maths at Pope John Paul II College of Education. she likes books reading and cricket playing. She entered Literature, as she was inspired by Mr. Victor Inbaraj ( her English teacher) and Mr.Chetan Baghat (author of many best-selling novels). Being inspired by Chetan Baghat, her favorite novels are those written by him. Being a Maths student she is much dedicated to the Literature world. A very jovial and easy-going person to carry on with.
A soul that loves to live life rather than grumble. A peacemaker and stress buster for those who feel an emptiness in their life!
Padma Priya S has the habit of writing things, when she is happy or sad, either to feel excited or to pull down her sadness. She has the habit of jotting out the points that disturb her mind and having a brief examination of it. Thus she started writing for her inner peace. And now she shares those to make people come out of those sinking thoughts and unsaid feelings.
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