Gone By

by Hajong, Beatone

  Everything I let her do what she wanted. Moreover she had been trusting me for so long which I never wanted to create a new reason to break that trust.

  “I would love to get a signed copy of your Novel” Priya muttered.

  “Surely..I’ll remember that” I added.

  Isha was offered with some documents. In fact, it was a whole bunch of papers which she had to unfold later.

  “Here contains all the information that you want” Priya handed that bunch of papers to Isha.

  Isha gently accepted from her.

  “So, you have been a great historian. I have read about you” I muttered with an applauding tone.

  “Thanks for that wonderful appreciation. I have been struggling to uplift the department of historian in the country. Recently, I started a new project” said Priya.

  “So, you’re alone in that project” I intended to know more about it.

  “Well, it’s me and my Husband. He has gone to Delhi for its recommendations” she added.

  “I would love to know about that, how so ever it sounds interesting” Isha interrupted.

  We spent more than hour with her. In the later part of the day we engaged ourselves into our own world of fantasy. We were back to the shore again. As usual we roomed one part of the beach area and comforted ourselves. Isha was seated by my side. Isha had been helping me in completing my diary. Although she doesn’t know anything about the story until I would narrate her.

  “So, you’re still in business” Isha muttered.

  “Business”.

  “Yeah! You and Peter”.

  “Oh! Yeah I’m still in business” I answered.

  “I know you wrote the diary last night” Isha squinted.

  “Yeah..I did”.

  “How did you know Priya” I was keen to know about that.

  “Well, I met her when I was alone here. You weren’t there”.

  “Oh! I see that” I said softly.

  “Hand me your diary” she took the diary from my hand.

  Flipped out the page where I had written the last night.

  “You have been skipping out your college hours for a week” Isha questioned me again.

  “Yeah! That’s why I’m here”.

  “I’m so sorry I did harmed your life for no reason” Isha said.

  “No, it’s not your fault and I’m not harmed dear” I replied with strong clue of no fault. She nodded her head.

  “You have always been special to me. It’s because of you I could write the deep scars I had in my heart, I wouldn’t be here if I would not meet you. I feel I’m lucky I met you” I said looking deep in her eyes.

  She stared at me for a while. We were as usual sitting at the shore but this time we were not far from the rest. It was that same crowded place where people spent the evenings with their loved ones. She had my diary in her hand. She wanted to write up the next lines of my story. She had been very keen to know with all the things I had been narrating her for the last few days. More than me Isha was eager to write my whole book. She asked me to narrate again. As usual she had been sitting beside me. I knew she was in complete zeal in completing my story. I would definitely credit her more than myself for the work she had been joining with me. Now writing a story sitting along the beach shore was a different kind of experience which I had been experiencing for the last few days of my life.

  My life began to take turn out of nowhere. It leaded me into a path which I couldn’t think of doing myself at that age. Our business had been expanding as we extended our works to various connection we could. I wouldn’t forget the way Peter and I did contributed ourselves in developing our business market. We did enjoyed with every visiting meetings we conducted. We were indeed a business man by that end of the year. Something beyond I couldn’t think of that, although we were not expert but we began to learn the rules of being a professionals . Yes, that wouldn’t happen if Peter wouldn’t have contributed himself in joining my hand. It was the last month of 2011. Yes, the winter wasn’t much freezing. I had just completed my exams and was preparing to fly back home within few days. Peter had left me early. He fled to Delhi where his Parents had been dwelling. For the timing we had stopped working on our business. Though it wasn’t that big business, there was no loss that affected our financial background. We still had lots of cheques to spent which we thought of spending at home.

  On the second week of the month I flew back to home. As usual my Dad had been waiting for me in the Airport. This time I could see Mom standing beside him. Mom waved me her hand from distance as soon as she saw me. I smiled after a long time. I embraced both. Headed towards the parking lot where our car was parked.

  “You changed” muttered Dad.

  “Do you think so” I replied.

  My Dad was always a man of happiness. Sometimes I think I want to be happy like him. I had no idea what’s the reason behind what kept him happy always. Was it Mom? I never knew that. Mom always had smiling face, knowing that her Son would become an engineer someday. She was proud of me. Not only that, she loves Dad very much. I’m really lucky I had a Parents of such kind. They had a wonderful love chemistry between them. I applaud them for whatever they had done for me. Now, it was my turn to do something for them in return that’s what I thought. When I see them together smiling in joy I could only think about Anannya. Wish I had someone beside me with whom I could share my life. But, then it almost about a year with no news about her. Seemed everything faded away from my mind. But, that wasn’t possible to do so. I still love her more than myself. With passage of time and distance between us, an enormous space had taken, that was not reasonable enough to be filled all over again. I can only live with the memories I had, with the lessons of my life that I could learn.

  I had just come for fifteen days winter vacation. I knew Dad would keep work for me. That wasn’t something new for me. I enjoyed performing his task. This time he repaired his cubical room. He coloured it’s interior in blue. He even added many number of shelves. The number of books also did increased this time. He began to collect books belonging to other language too. Initially he had only English titles, now he have books from all over the state language. I never knew how he got that idea run in his mind. I had spent the last fifteen days of my vacation back to my home. Now that one more new year was to add in my life. Still those memories fresh enough to remind me about her. Sometimes I did smiled to myself the way I had been in love with her. Every evening hour I did used to visit a sight. My home wasn’t that far from a hill side. It had a wonderful valley surrounded with flora and fauna. Even the birds added the beauty to the nature. The morning sun rays penetrates through that valley until it did used to touched our roof. Every morning, me and Dad took a morning walk across those valley. We did spent lots of time together. The reason that brought us more closer was the every morning visit to valley. The lure of adventure decorated our lives with the new zest of zeal which were exhilarating. That fifteen days of my life was something new I could feel within me. Most of the time I had spent with my family rather visiting friends around the colony. I never had any friends over there. The only company of friend was my Dad. His company of friend were the huge library of books. A learned man with the complete view of life experience he had been.

  Anytime I return home I feel I’m stepping into new town. Tura had never been a native place to me but now it had to be. I just spent my time there only during the time of my vacation. I have only my family there with no one belonging to me. I had been building my life out of the place where I belong. No proper settlement of my heart. Perhaps it won’t be any more in my life. At the time of extreme desolation I only thought about Anannya. I wanted to meet her once for the last time in my life. I knew very well the year has gone now we haven’t had any contact between us. I have decided I would see her the moment I would go back. With no expectation anymore I just wanted to pay my gratitude to her for becoming a reason of my life. Something which I could do once for the last time before we finally
close the chapter between us. In addition to that I would get to see her new life partner. Indeed, it would be privilege to get to know a better person for her life.

  My days had passed and I was supposed to return by the first week of next year, 2012. I had to leave my home for the next semester. Dad came up to drop me into the airport. Mom couldn’t and I did wanted that. Because I could never see her tears fall before my eyes. It would terribly tremble me. It was the last time when she had come to drop me. Her eyes shed tears seeing me leaving away far from them. That moment somehow I had consoled her to be strong, promising I would come back in my next vacation. She loved me very much. The only Son was I. Lots of expectation they built on me which I had to fulfil in order to make them happy. I was a an obedient Son of my Parents. I never intended to make them dissatisfied with all of my doings. So, by the first week of January I flew back to Pune. Later I travelled down back to Satara.

  Peter had arrived the day before. Without any further delay we began our proceedings with our business. We also started attending our regular theory classes. Peter was smart student. I did always appreciated his talent in the field of academic. He was unlike any other people. In many occasion our thoughts are similar, to say our thinking skill acted to be the same. Debate management on any topic relating on our business skills were almost similar. Both had the similar concept of approaching and chasing things in life. Perhaps, that’s the reason we both matched out to be the best buddies throughout the year growing up together in the institution. I was little bit more philosophical in my thinking. He just used to trust upon my way. He was like brother to me, more than anything else in the world we cared each other. He never had any girl friend till now but he wishes to have someone. He never shared about that to me yet. But, to my knowledge he has someone whom his heart beats for. I would never try to lose a friend of such kind who is so rare to find. As usual our days began to toggle in with every hectic schedule we had to work out. People around us began to notice us. Peter always explained them something irrelevant. We were not much appreciated with our doings in life but we were happy. We know we had been doing something different for our own lives. We never needed anyone who would be so kind to be a part of our association.

  I had learned lots more with broken beats of my heart. Now that I wanted to grow up in a new way. Someone new I would create into myself. I now belongs to me, where I had one good friend of mine, Peter. Not only our business did succeeded but we got many other fields of interest too. Peter had a great interest in Photography, while I was very engrossed with my writing. This vacation he gifted a camera for himself. I began to create a collection of Novels, stretched my dream to become a filmmaker someday. I always thought that every Novel I would write would turn them into movie. It was my early perception which I had kept for long with my dreams awake.

  “I have no words to say you” Isha looked into my eyes.

  She grew slightly pale. I kept looking at her. We were in direct contact with our eyes for seconds. She shifted closer to my body. Closed the diary and stopped to penned down. She leaned her head upon my shoulder. I firmly raised my arm through her shoulder and engulfed her into my warmth hug. We were still seated enjoying the sunset along the beach shore.

  “Imagine me as Anannya” she added.

  I smiled and glanced at her. I couldn’t say anything just to offer her a kiss on her forehead. I knew, inside I was filled with emotions and feeling which roused up in course of my narration. “So, did you meet her up again” Isha inquired.

  “What do you think did I?” I questioned her back.

  “Well, maybe” she smiled.

  “I think we should go”.

  “Yeah” said Isha.

  We began to stroll down the area back to hotel. I had held her close to me and walked together.

  “Hey, Isha I’ll be missing you very much”.

  Isha stared at me with deep emotions in her eyes.

  “I’ll miss you too” she said.

  “This one week has been the best part of my life and I’m sure I won’t get any more of this kind for the rest of my life”.

  We stopped to walked. Twilight had gone down. No more sign of any rays. Shrunk down below the horizon. The faded light was the last torch of the day. People strolled along the beach. Isha’s eyes filled with floating tears, slightly got moistened.

  “Don’t say that. I’ll be back for you” her palm placed on my cheek.

  She slugged into my arm and I embraced her. Before we did turn up to move to our rooms we had spent some little time watching the party hour. She was so soft to handle, her tender behaviour always touched my heart. I couldn’t know was I in love with her. What about my first love. I know Anannya was gone. Only I had her memories in me. Someday I had to wipe out those too. After spending certain time amongst those party people we shuffled to move into our own rooms. That night Isha wasn’t in her room. She wanted to spent with me the whole night.

  By 10:30pm we were in my room. The moon took its shape to rise above the white clouds. It spread the whole of its reflected light over the city. I pulled out the curtains of my room. Far across I could glimpse the blue ocean turned into different colour under the effect of silver light that fell on it. Even the silent breeze hissed softly. It shook up my spine with its first touch that blew in to my room. Isha inched closer from behind. She opened her arm and hugged me. The curtain blew violently due to the rush of wind from deep ocean. I turned to her, her face gloomed out like the silver glow. I pulled her more closer to me. Gazed deep into her eyes. Until I could feel my lips touched into her, I had been pulling her harder into me. I gently began to kiss on her lips. The seconds turned to minutes, gradually we began to grow wild. I knew I was turned on with my orgasm. Kissed her neck and every part of her body that came by. She was gradually rising higher. Pulled my shirt out. Her wildness crawled in, she couldn’t handle anymore but to let go with the orgasm. I pulled her clothes out. Carried her into the bed. Her orgasm seemed much more stronger than me. Her hands never wanted to leave my body so was I in state of strong desire. She pulled out my jeans and I was on my underwear. I couldn’t wait anymore but dropped her covering on the floor. She screamed with low voice out of strong emotional orgasm. I knew I was completely into her. I continued to her kiss her with every drop of love I shared with her. It continued for hours. Wild roars from the ocean waves induced us more to know about our body relation.

  We made love for the first time. The day broke out but wasn’t aware of that. We were still on bed consciously asleep. The rays from sun shimmered in. I could feel the heat before I could wake myself. I woke up, shuffled towards the window side. I was staring at Isha. She was still in peaceful sleep. I picked up the diary from the table. I had nothing more job than writing my story. Handled a chair to comfort myself while the morning air blew refreshing through the window. I touched my pen into the blank sheet of dairy page.

  Twenty Nine

  ............................

  21st Feb,2012, the month where every person dreams to get a valentine. The day was over while I had no more valentine alongside me. I could create a network of people through my online business, that’s the only thing I had to do other than my books. I had visited Pune city on that day. But before I had come out from my room I thought something different about that day. It gave me a nostalgic memory of those Sundays, where I did used to come out the same way to visit Anannya. I had to come in course of the business policy. The whole day I had been attending various presentations. Entrepreneur from all huge enterprises did come to share their view in money making policy. I wanted to meet her up. Perhaps for the last time. But, I couldn’t get any more reasons to find if it would be fair enough to see her one last time.

  I was over with the event I had come for. The whole day was spent in hearing the policies. I knew nothing whether she would be impressed by me if I say her that I had become a businessman and earns quiet handsome amount. How far she will appreciate me, seeing me changed after one y
ear. Although we both know we can’t be together anymore. I was desperate to see her. I still had her number in my phone diary. I immediately dialled her. It was 8:00pm. She picked up with no hold. “Hey” she said.

  She still remembers my voice. It’s been after a year I heard her voice. It sounded very capturing into my ears with the huskiness she has got. She spoke with husky whisper. I couldn’t say anything more that moment but stood stable for seconds with my phone placed into my ears. “Hello” she repeated again.

  “Hey” I said softly.

  I didn’t knew what to say, it was never like before again. Felt like we had become stranger to each other. The way we used to talk, it seemed we lost that bond.

  “How have you been” I asked her.

  “I felt like I lost someone in my life” she replied with slow voice.

  I couldn’t add more into that neither I couldn’t express out what I had in my mind. I don’t know was it so true to her. Had it been she would have concern about me for the last one year. But, that wasn’t the story we had. Yet, I could feel we could never hate each other.

  “I have been here in Pune, wish I could come to see you once if you don’t mind”.

  “Really you are here”.

  “Yeah” I said.

  “I would wait for you” said Anannya.

  After exchanging some more talk between us we hanged the phone. That day after completing with all my business officials I had shuffled to meet her up, maybe once for the last time or could be the new beginning but I didn’t expect that. By 8:00pm evening I was in her place. I was waiting for her. Besides, the surrounding had different phenomena that day. I was seated at a place just next to her college. Somehow I came to know that place was called backyard market. I waited for long.

  “Hey, good morning” Isha muttered. She was still on bed.