Can Love Be a Reason or Mistake? - PART 1

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“It was a mistake. Look I am sorry. You trust me right? ….”

Shreya was reading the line again and again in disbelief. Her eyes were brimming with tears and had reached her spectacles, blurring her vision. Shreya had known Samarth for the last 11 months.

A young, aspiring girl all the way from Jharia, the land of the coal mines in Dhanbad, Jharkhand; Shreya had made it to Chennai with the sole aim of becoming an accomplished copywriter. She was fluent in many languages and since her childhood friend was from Tamil Nadu, she spoke a little of Tamil as well.  This was one of the blessings of having brought up in Jharkhand, she took pride of.   A petite youngster in her early 20s, Shreya had gotten in touch with her college senior Samarth to find a job in Chennai, a city and its vibrant culture she had always wanted to explore. She had made a few phone calls to him and Samarth had gone out of his way to help her find a job. Reaching there was sheer destiny, she believed.  The place had a lot of Ad agencies and the cost of living was lower when compared to the other metro cities. She was supported by her father, a Government Official by profession, to give her best shot in Chennai and he had arranged for a stay in a Paying Guest accommodation in the heart of the city. Upon enquiring, Samarth said that it was hardly 30 minutes drive from his place and that it was a safe locality. This was truly an assurance.

When she had booked the tickets and packed her bag, she sent an email to Samarth and also said that she had managed to arrange a couple of interviews by her own.

He replied, ‘Welcome to Chennai. All the best, Shreya, to become an ace copywriter.’  She smiled as she read. His words boosted her confidence. She was eager to see her cool friend in the new city.

And on her first day in Chennai, Samarth was there to receive her. Shreya had heard Samarth over the phone during their conversations while she was still in Jharia, but when she met him in person in Chennai, she was over the moon. He was a handsome guy and had oodles of energy. She loved his curvy smile and the spark in his eyes when he spoke. He was a perfectionist when it came to his looks. His hair was short and he had a French beard. He treated Shreya with care and trust. There were days when Samarth would wait in the office even after he finished his work, just to ensure that he dropped Shreya home safely. He would crack jokes and lighten her mood, when she was down.

Samarth helped her overcome her fear of interviews with mock sessions. He would be really harsh to her as an interviewer, but she knew it was for her own good. After a month of job hunt and rejections, she finally joined an advertising agency referred by Samarth. It’s been 30 days in Chennai and it was time she had some money in hands.

Shreya was ambitious and hardworking. Under Samarth’s guidance, she was evolving as a good copywriter. She had begun reading a lot of books and learning different writing styles. Her ads were out on leading national dailies and she felt like a great achievement. She shared her happiness with him. Samarth was from the city of the Nawabs, Lucknow and his style was unique. He had the pride and an unassuming nature in equal measures. Shreya would at times, visit Samarth and his parents, and relish homely food. They were fond of his naïve girl from small-town. She was overwhelmed when they bought her a pair of jeans for Holi. Samarth later said that he was proud of her achievement, especially the recent laminated brochure content that she had written at one shot.

 Samarth was a good listener and Shreya ended up sharing every little detail about her life. He also gave her a glimpse into his past and his girlfriends. Shreya loved listening to his stories. She would love to hear about his adventure trips and his feats when he would help people selflessly.  Perhaps somewhere within she had started idolizing him and never ever found a flaw in his character. She knew that he was always there for her as a good friend. She would always make small creative bookmarks and paintings for him. Samarth was always himself with her, she believed. He was not her boyfriend but she cared for him a lot. It was his honestly, humanity and humbleness that made him special for her. He never gave her gifts but he was a gift himself who made her smile and cross her fears in life with courage and self-confidence.

The biggest surprise for him was a big A3 sized laminated card that she designed and printed to wish him on his birthday. He was speechless and sent an email, ‘This is one of the BEST gifts I have received in live, I shall treasure lifelong. Thank you so much. Love, Samarth’. She was glad seeing him happy and the thought that perhaps she was a reason for his smile.

Work was getting hectic and even then their friendship was fun and she never wished for anyone else.  Once a while she would go for dinner with her friends and Samarth would call up by 10 pm to ensure if she was back to her room safe. He knew she was very simple and innocent while the city of Chennai and the advertising world was not so. He was a marketing professional and knew the world better than her. He was working in the UK before he came to Chennai and so he had learned much about the corporate world. Shreya respected his words and she strongly believed that he would always want her good.

Once, when there was a heavy downpour in the city and the whole of Chennai had come to a standstill. Shreya finished her work and left her work at the usual time. By the time, she had reached her hostel, wading through the water; it was late in the night. The warden asked her to shift to a temporary place for some time as the hostel was flooded with water. Shreya was blank as she didn’t know anyone in the city other than Samarth.  Though she had a few friends in her hostel, they had moved in to their respective relatives’ house and were an obligation themselves.  That’s when Samarth called her.