Akanksha Thakur was flummoxed.
Only one thought echoed in her mind.
How could someone be so against happiness?
First, Karan tried to suicide.
Now, he wants to get his heart broken?
So people like him actually existed!
She wondered what his parents fed him.
All through the third weekend of school, these thoughts occupied her brain. So monday felt like years later.
However, when the moment finally did arrive and she reached school, after walking over to her desk, she received a surprise.
The classroom was almost empty since she was early this time and most of the students were out visiting their other friends or wandering the grounds for the nth time. So when she looked at the unsigned colorless envelope on her table, she couldn't figure out who had put it there.
Shweta returned right after she put her bag and herself down to start the examination of the weird envelope.
'What's that?' She asked swiftly.
'I dunno.' Akanksha replied, 'Is this a letter?'
'Woah! I didn't know they did that anymore. Even applications or official stuff is mailed online these days. What, is it from Hogwarts? Although it's a bit late now.'
Akanksha shook her head at her friend. Her eyes strayed over to the seat in front of hers and she recognised Karan's bag. But the owner wasn't there.
'Well, open it.' Shweta said.
'How do you know it's addressed to me?'
'Well, it was kept on your desk.'
She had a point. Akanksha hesitated anyway.
'If you're not gonna do it. Then give it to me.'
Shweta snatched it out of her hand and tore it open in a split second.
She started reading it aloud.
'Dear Akanksha. Huh, so it is for you.'
Akanksha immediately retrieved it back and read it in her mind. Shweta peeped over her shoulder to get a look too.
'Dear Akanksha,
We haven't known each other too long. But I feel like I already know you so well. And to me, you're perfect. A smarter girl never was born. You're like diamond compared to all the other tin models that surround us. And every time I think about it, I always get the same answer. It's always you and only you who captures my attention. I've never felt such a feeling before. Or even if I have, it's never been this strong. I think I've already written more than I thought I could, as I have never written a love letter to anyone before.
So in short, I like you.
I like you very much.
PS. Thanks for tolerating my nonsense, still being here for me and for all your comments. They all touched my heart, no joke.'
And there seriously wasn't a sign. No name of a sender.
Akanksha wasn't really perturbed. Whereas Shweta's eyes had widened to the size of ping-pong balls.
'Akanksha... this is a love letter...' She said her words slowly and in a grave tone.
'No, no.' Akanksha put the piece of paper down immediately, 'There must've been some mistake.'
'How can that be? Your name is clearly written on top. Besides,' She paused. And then in an even lower tone, 'I think I know who wrote it.'
Akanksha wasn't stupid so there was no doubt she had guessed it too.
'But there's nothing to look so serious about.' Shweta interrupted her speedy thoughts, 'We can talk it over.'
'Talk it over...? It's a clear direct confession.' Akanksha said, uninterested. Or tried to seem so.
And then she remembered.
The light of the soul....
The light of his soul....
That's what he had said, hadn't he?
Then according to this letter, wasn't Akanksha the supposed, so-called "light" here?
Akanksha's senses were quickening. She had thought such things did not happen in real life. Or more typically put, in a society like the Indian one, where people are more concerned about getting a good job then anything else. She had believed that such things were possible only in romantic fictions.
Moreover, it's not like she wanted such a thing to happen to her.
Shweta, on the other hand, seemed more nervous than the actually chosen person.
Three hundred years later, the bell rang and all the students piled back into the classroom one by one. And coincidentally (but Akanksha and Shweta could swear that it was no coincidence), Karan was the last one to return.
He walked in casually, waved at the two thoughtful girls casually and took his seat casually, without even casually looking back for once.
All the casualty annoyed Akanksha. However, before she could snap, Ms Preeti charged in like Napoleon and nobody received another chance to talk before the end of the first period.
And as soon as the teacher was outside the class, Karan felt a strong tap on his chair. He smiled to himself knowingly and turned around like jelly.
'Yes? How can I assist you this fine day today?' He asked in a heavy but perfectly groomed British accent. Akanksha narrowed her eyes at him,
'What is this?' She asked in a tone that just couldn't be any duller.
Karan eyed the piece of paper with his own handwriting on it accompanied by a fake sophisticated expression on his face—almost like a gentleman's. But he couldn't maintain his facade long for he burst out laughing the next moment. So much so that a few students around him stared.
'Sorry.' Karan laughed, 'It's just—'
Shweta cast Akanksha a what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-him look.
Karan finally calmed down. Then he straightened up and looked right at Akanksha.
'That, my dear friend, is a love letter.'
Akanksha barely held back her urge of throwing a shoe at him.
'Anyone can see that.' She replied, still placid. Whereas Shweta could've exploded.
Karan laughed at their expressions again.
'I know, right? Isn't it the epicest sample you've ever set your eyes on?' He said.
Akanksha noticed Shweta's contracted shoulders.
'Wait, wait,' Shweta said in her usual voice, 'So you're saying that this is just a joke?'
Karan smirked.
'Yes, my beautiful ladies,' He turned to Akanksha, 'Simply put, it kinda is.' He declared.
Akanksha didn't know what to think.
She merely stuffed the letter in Karan's bag through the chain that was open, flipped out another novel from her own bag and did not speak another word.
When the recess began, she walked out of the classroom along with Shweta.
'That was so—horrible.' Shweta commented as soon as they were in their usual spot beside the courts.
'What was?'
Shweta scoffed.
'You know very well what I'm talking about.'
Akanksha did not reply.
'But I'm so glad that it wasn't for real.' Shweta continued, 'Or else he'd just be hurt. After all,' She looked at Akanksha, 'You would reject him, right?'
Akanksha somehow did not even require half a split second.
'Yes I would.'
'Exactly.' Shweta said and paused. A few of her other friends came by right then. Shweta excused herself momentarily and walked away towards the school canteen.
Akanksha was left behind on the bench.
'That was rude, you know.'
Akanksha turned towards the sound. Karan walked up from behind a bush and sat down beside her. Again.
'Look who's talking.' Akanksha muttered inaudibly.
'You said no as soon as the last word left her tongue.' He continued in an oddly thoughtful, pensive voice, 'At least you could've contemplated a bit.'
'Okay, seriously. Stop.' Akanksha continued, 'Aren't I supposed to be the victim here?' She paused for a second, 'If it had been some other girl in my place, you would've already been complained against and most probably even thrown out of the school.'
Karan chuckled.
'You're so hilarious, Akanksha.'
The girl glared at him pointedly.
Karan stopped.
'Okay. Sorry. I was only kidding.'
Akanksha rolled her eyes.
'Really, what is wrong with you?' She emphasized.
Karan sprawled himself on the bench.
'But we've had this talk before—'
'Then repeat it.'
'Well, to begin with... writing a love letter to someone is also an experience, right? And I find it pretty amusing. Moreover, your expression almost killed me.' He suppressed another laugh.
Akanksha glared at him.
'It just took me by surprise.'
He then kneeled in front of her all of a sudden.
'Remember, I mentioned heartbreak as—'
'Yeah, yeah. I get it.'
'So,' Now he looked at her sophisticatedly again, 'Will you, my dear friend—'
'Just call me Akanksha, jeez.'
'I could if you stop interrupting me.'
A pause.
'So I was saying,' Karan continued, 'Will you, my dear friend,' Roll of the eyes by the partner, 'Help me—'
'To find a girlfriend!' Akanksha cut in yet again.
'Well technica—'
'A girlfriend in the real sense. That's what you're getting at, right? That's what the so called "sample love letter" was about.'
Karan did not reply.
'I see now. Of course. Well if you needed my help for something like that, you could've just told me so. You didn't have to do all that drama.'
Karan got up and regained his seat beside her with a dry laugh.
'Drama, huh?'
'Well, it was pretty dramatic.' Akanksha said matter-of-factly, 'And what are you gonna do after that?'
Karan looked up at the cloudy sky.
'Hm... I dunno.'
She stared at him.
'Well, the first step to heartbreak is to get into a relationship, right?' He said.
'This is starting to get unrealistic.'
'Hey, we're just two very nonsensical kids.'
'You're the only nonsensical one. I'm just an ally.'
'Ally.' He emphasized, 'Put it whatever way you want.'
'I will, thank you.'
'You'll really help me with this though?' He asked skeptically.
'No point pooh-poohing now. I'm your ally already. So....' Her voice trailed away.
They waited a few moments for nothing.
'Therefore, as a conclusion to this weird talk,' Akanksha began, 'You're basically gonna get into a relationship just to get out of it?'
'Say it with more assertion, you got the point.'
'Why are you so weird?'
'What now?'
'Dude!' Akanksha exclaimed, 'Who does that?'
Karan smirked, yet there was no humor or simplicity in it.
'I do.' He said, 'And weren't you the one who said that living my life to the fullest can help me reach heaven?'
Akanksha sighed.
'Yeah well, you'll never get my point so I think I'm not gonna try to explain it.'
The bell chimed in the distance.
'My dear friend,' He turned to her, and Akanksha could be damned.
'You are about to help me fall in love, only so that I can fall out of it.'
~~~