~Sometimes life ties us with some unknown relationships. And those relationships leave some scars behind which we can never erase...
I was exhausted after a long tiring day. From school to coaching, coaching to home then to swimming classes back to home again to a friend's birthday party. Phew! I really had a very hectic day I thought. Back home I switched off the lights of my room and tried to relax a bit. It was a hot summer night, the air conditioner was already running yet I was not comfortable inside my room. I decided to go to the veranda to enjoy the natural breeze and have a look at the stars above. As I went outside, a cool soothing breeze touched my face, it felt as if all the tiredness of the day would vanish if I stood there for sometime. I took out my cellphone and turned on some light music as I gazed at the stars, thinking about the day I had. It was full moon night and I could see almost everything around. The leaves of the trees brushed against each other as more and more wind blew. I was really enjoying my time.
Suddenly my cell phone started ringing. "Which idiot is calling this late?" I thought to myself as I picked up my phone. An unknown number flashed on the screen. "Now who is this? must be some random wrong number again", I pressed the answer button. First there was silence from the other side, I don't know why but I didn't speak either. "Hey, Raghav." said the person on the other side. It was a female voice, her voice was melancholic, it seemed she had been crying. Unexpected to the situation and trying to guess who she was I forgot to speak."Look, I know you are upset with me, but please listen to me for a minute." she said probably trying to stop her tears and wiping them from her face. I tried to imagine how she might look from her voice. "Sorry, but.." I tried to speak but she cut me, "no please, I should be sorry for what I did." She stopped for a while. I got my chance "I am sorry but it seems you have ended up calling a wrong number, I am not Raghav nor do I know anyone named Raghav please check the phone number again" I said and hung up before she could say anything. " Was I right in doing such a thing? The way I hung up the phone." I cursed myself. The clock had already struck two. I went inside my room and tried to sleep although the thoughts of the mysterious girl kept running in my mind.
It was a Sunday next day and I woke up really late, but anyhow I got ready for my coaching classes after having my breakfast. I was already late and had to rush. The thoughts about the phone call had completely gone out of my mind. I returned home at noon and after a little rest I switched on my computer, just to surf the net and kill time. It was nearly about 4 PM when my phone started ringing again. The incident last night returned to my mind within a fraction of a second. I saw the same number flashing on the screen again. I decided not to answer the call and disconnected the call. Just a minute had passed when it started ringing again, I knew that it wouldn't stop until I picked up the phone. There I was in it again "hello" this time I was the first one to speak."Why did you cut the line, the first time I called? last night too you hung up when I asked you to listen to me for sometime.Please I know I was so stupid when I left you like that. But I know realize my mistake. Please I don't want anything, just forgive me for what I had done and set me free." she aid all this in just one breath and I could hear her crying again on the other side of the line. "Please, talk to me Raghav" she said again in that deep melancholic voice. I didn't know what to do. "err see you are mistaken, there is no Raghav here. You are dialing the wrong number." that was all I could say. "You haven't changed at all Raghav, I know you re trying to avoid me? Or are you joking?" She questioned back. I had no clue what was happening with me. "May I know who is calling?" I asked, thinking I could figure out if she would reveal her name."See you are still the same" she said. "I miss you so much my dear, I am your Megha." I could hear her sobbing stop and could almost sense that she was smiling. I just couldn't make out what was going on, so I hung up before she could say anything. Again I felt guilty of what I had done. I closed my eyes and started thinking, trying to figure out who she was, but I couldn't. Hardly five minutes had passed when there was another ring. My heart pounded as I saw the same number again. I picked up the phone and could hear her voice again which was now little calm. "I know you are a bit angry on me but I am happy that you are finally back." She stopped for a bit and then asked "You are my Raghav na?"
I had no other option I thought I had to become Raghav that moment. "Yes baby I am you Raghav." I replied. As I said those words I could hear her almost jump and then scream about "Yes, I knew you would be back. I love you, I will love you till my last breadth." The words struck straight at my heart. "Tell me that you love me" She said. I had chosen the path and couldn't walk back. "I love you " I said. "This is the happiest day of my life, I have found you back. I won't lose you now...and.." she wanted to continue as I cut her, "Megha, I am little busy now I have my coaching classes. Will talk to you later. Bye." I said "Oh, it's ok I will call you at night, I love you and I miss you...." I could hear her say as I hung up the phone for the second time that day.
I immediately rushed to Debu's house and narrated him the whole story. Debu was my good friend and I knew he could help me. "Nope, buddy I have seen this number" Debu said looking at my phone. "Well I will ask some guys about it, She told her name Megha right?" Debu asked. "Yes, Please see to it" I said. "Switch off you phone tonight and don't switch it on until we get some news" he suggested. "Hmm all right. See you tomorrow then." I left really worried.
I switched off my cell phone immediately before saving her number as 'Megha' after I reached home. I couldn't get a wink of sleep that night. Next day I hurried to school hoping to hear from Debu. "Yes, I have got something to tell you." he said. I listened to him without speaking a word. "I called some gys out yesterday night. What I got to know is that a girl named Megha frequently calls up trying random numbers. And when it is a boy, she takes the person to be her old lover who died in a an accident few years back. She is mentally challenged." Debu concluded. I gulped. Debu understood my situation and said " She thinks that you are Raghav, today night you call her and say you want to speak to her mom, she must be knowing about her daughter and should help you out." he tried to calm me down.
As the clock struck twelve I called her. I was standing in my veranda trying to find the stars and stay relaxed but couldn't see any as the clouds had covered them. "Yes" Someone with a mature voice picked up the phone. I assumed it was Megha's mother. "err aunty, umm is Megha there ?" I asked. Outside the weather grew stormy as furious winds started to blow. "Who are you?" she asked. "umm actually...I..Megha was calling me from last few days." As I was trying to make up my mind on what to say next, the lady spoke "Yes, beta I am Megha's mother. So it was you whom she had been calling since the last few days." It felt she knew this habit of Megha. "Well son, she was mentally challenged you know that?" she asked. "Yes I got to know it today itself" I answered silently as the winds grew faster and stronger outside. "She is no more" her mother said as a lightning struck with a terrible sound. I couldn't say anything more. She continued."Mega told us yesterday evening that she had finally found Raghav back we didn't pay notice to it. She told us that his phone was switched off since two hours and she was worried. We knew another poor boy must have been troubled so we didn't do anything much. She was missing this morning from our house. We found her body this noon from the riverside.." her mother broke into tears. "She left a note which stated that Raghav was not answering her phone, and she might have lost him again.I then realized what I had done. She must have gone to search him and..."she again broke into tears. I disconnected the line. It had started raining heavily outside. My phone beeped, I had a message from my operator it read 'You have 57 missed calls from Megha.'
I looked up at the sky looking at Megha~ or the clouds which rained and rained the whole night. I couldn't cry, I couldn't shout , I could do nothing, I stood still and watched the clouds as the cell phone dropped from my hands.
