Cubicle No.79

How we met..
 

It was one of the important days of my life..My first day at TCS in my new project. I went to my new office with all new people around, not knowing what to expect..As I followed my PL to the new ODC,  I was every bit nervous and felt like fleeing from the place. "Ours is a pure development project and you can start working right away. Your cubicle is ready.", she had told me as she led me to a cubicle near the entrance door. They say, everything happens for a reason..if that is to be believed, the thing then happened was indeed for a reason. The PC in that cubicle was not working and it was like god's plan. Howelse can I put it. She then took me to him and I believe we were destined to meet..Me and my cubicle no.79. He was located towards a corner of the ODC. He was pretty much alone, with no joint cubicles. There was a pillar to his left side and a wall behind him. The moment I saw him, I felt like, he is my saviour. "You can occupy this cubicle. The person who was using this has moved to onsite yesterday." , My PL had told me and from that moment I started believing in destiny. I walked in..sat on the chair and smiled looking at him..that was our first rendezvous..
 

Our days together..

Cubicle no.79 was like a safe zone for me. I felt secure in his company. I was myself, when I was with him, without any pretentions and inhibitions. In a whole new place, where every one was a stranger, he was like a long lost friend for me, shielding me..making me feel comfortable at a new place. Our days together were fun. I used to get gifts for him.  During boring office hours, I used to sleep on his lap or we used to browse some entertainment sites. We used to have food together. The view of skywalk in Vivantas hotel, through the adjacent window was something both of us enjoyed. I could talk on office phone for long hours and nobody seemed to notice. He had this unique power, which none of the other cubicles had. When I'm with him, no one could see me unless I stand up. People were envious of our relation. Many have even told me that I'm so lucky to have him and I used to feel happy and proud. I knew many people in the ODC were eyeing him, afterall he was such an eligible cubicle. We are in a beautiful relation for more than 4 months now, our bond growing stronger every day.
 

The fateful day

05th Nov 2010, It was a nothing-special day, just like many other days, when it started. But as the day progressed, my new PL walked to us and told me, "Divya, you will have to vacate this cubicle. Our portfolio manager will be occupying this. I have arranged a new cubicle for you."I was devastated by the news. By around 1'o clock that day, I shifted all my things to my new desk, as a new person took posession of my very own cubicle no.79. As I walked towards my new cubicle, which was in the middle of the ODC, my feelings were nearly similar to those of a kid sent away from his parent.

Later Mirror told me,"Cubicle no.79 was your guardian, when you were new here. He protected you when you were a kid. Now you're quite familiar with the ODC and its not new to you any more and the people here, not strangers.You got to realise, you're not a kid anymore, to hide behind parents.  It is time for you to move out and be on your own legs. Who better than a guardian would know when is the right time for his child to face the world and start his life. Cubicle no.79, has detached you from him, as he knew its time for you to start a journey towards your goals..all alone.. "

The Wedding.

 August 8th,2010, 6:00 am
She opened her eyes to a pleasant day. It was a sunday morning and she lay on the bed staring at the ceiling.  She loved to laze around on sundays and never used to get up early on sunday mornings.
'But today isn't just another day.  ', She thought. Its one of the most important days in her life and she can't afford to laze around, atleast not today. She couldnt sleep last night, but she had forced herself to sleep. She wanted to feel fresh in the morning. She had planned every single minute of this day and didnt want anything to go against the plan.But now she wanted to be on her bed and feel its warmth for somemore time. She knew, this would be her last day in her room.
"God, what will I do with this girl. You are to get married and go to some other home and there, you cannot sleep like this. They'll blame me for not bringing you up the right way", Her mom used to scold her since childhood.
She smiled at the thought of her mom and stretched her arms wide and glanced at the beautiful ring on her hand. The ring, he had gifted her a few months back, when he proposed marriage to her. She felt as if it had happened a day back and she still felt the happiness, the same way she had felt then. By looking at his eyes, she could understand the depth of his love for her. She brought the ring close to her lips and gently kissed it. "Love you, Vishal", she whispered, as though he is there, listening to her. Her hands reached beneath the pillow and pulled out their photograph. She smiled, looking at her smiling face in the photo. It was he, who brought smile and happiness back in her life, who brought a ray of hope in her life, who brought LIFE back in her living.
She had lost her family, her parents and sister, in an accident, which happened in front her eyes. Her friends had tried to help her in coping up with that grief, but it didnt help her and she had even thought of ending up her life.But somehow she couldn't. Now lying on her bed, she knew why she had not ended up her life then.
 It was one year after that tragedy, she met Vishal. Initially, she was hesitant to get close to him, for she feared to love someone again, for she feared if she starts loving him, he'll also leave her and go. But he was determined to change her and she had no way other than loving him back, with all her heart. He was the only person she could love, she could care for, she could call her's..he became her reason for living..
And after 2 years, when he proposed marriage to her and she had readily agreed. But, She was worried about what his parents' reaction would be, to this.
"Your parents will never accept me, Vishal", She had told him.
"I know them, I'm sure they'll like you." He had reassured her with a smile.
She was brought back to the present world, when her mobile alarm went off. She checked time, 7:00 am. She got up from the bed, moved towards the table and opened the wedding card, which he had sent her a few weeks back.
"Vishal & Priyanka" , She smiled. He had used her favorite wordings in the card. She read,

"We can't honestly say if we were looking for each other and we doubt if we were looking each other,
........But it happened.........
And here we are....two people, So much in love, just happy being together......, inviting you to share our happiness, as we start a new journey together,
On 8th, August, 2010, at 11:00am..from Pride Hotel, Richmond Road, Bangalore..
Not sure about where life will take us..........
But very sure that, wherever it is, We'll be going there together...."
Vishal & Priyanka.

She smiled while she ran a finger over his name etched in golden colour on the card. She thought of calling him, but then changed her mind, 'It can wait', She told to herself.
"Dont you have any plans to get up or what???? Everyone will be here soon", Her friend, Devi's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"I'm up and will be ready soon..Give me some time", She replied, keeping the wedding card back on the table.  
She checked the time.It was 7:30 am. 'I cant take more than 3 hours to get ready', she thought while hurrying towards the cupboard. She opened it and took a packet out. There was a red saree inside, which she had bought for that day.
"You look your prettiest best in red", he used to tell her. He loved to see her in red and red had occupied a major portion of her wardrobe in last 2 years.
It was 10'o clock, when she got ready. She looked at herself in the mirror and she liked what she saw.
"Girl, you look stunning." Devi said when she came out of the room.
"Thank you dear, Got to go out, I'll be back in sometime" She replied,before going out.
 "heyy, where are you going? We are getting late."  She ignored her best friend's question when she drove away her car.
She had to go there today, the place where she had lost her parents and sister. It was the place she used to go whenever she felt alone. She felt her parents' presence there. Her frequency of visiting that placed had reduced after he came into her life. With he in her life, she never felt lonely. But today, she wanted to go there, she wanted to talk to her parents.
"Where did you go just like that?" Devi was there at the front door when she returned.
"Somewhere near only. You were worried?? " She replied hugging her friend before going to her room.
"Now come out soon.Its already 10:30.", Devi called after her, as she locked her room.
 "Yep", she called back.
Once inside, she dialed Vishal's number.
"Hello", A female voice, which she couldnt identify, took the call.
"Vishal? can I talk to him?", She asked.
"Just a second. He is about to start to the hotel." , the female voice replied.
She waited for around 2 minutes before she got him on line.
"Hello", She heard his voice at the other end.
"Hi, Vishal..So all set for the wedding?", She asked.
"Yeah..you got the wedding invite?", He asked her.
"Yeah. All the best, Vishal!! You and Priyanka make a nice pair.", She said
"Thanks" , He said, "and thank you so much for understanding my parents and making it easy for me. "
"Thats all right, Your parents are happy right?", She asked him
"Yeah..they are..Priyanka is dad's partner's daughter", Now she felt as if she is listening to a stranger and she remembered feeling the same way during their last meeting,when he broke up with her, when he told her about his parents not approving of their relationship.
"Thats nice! I'm happy for you and Priyanka", She replied, "Have a great life ahead, Vishal!!"
"Thanks again. Wont you be there for the wedding?" , He asked.
"Yeah, I will be!! So byee, see you!" She said, her voice now stronger.
"Byee" ..The line went dead.
It was 10:45. She switched off the cell and lied on her bed, waiting for the pills she had, to do its work.. To take her to the world where she wouldnt feel anymore pain..To take her to a world, from where, no one returns..To take her to her parents and sister..To take her away from a world, where she had no one to love her..
"When will you be ready  girl?? We are getting late for the movie..All are waiting.. Come out fast!!" , She heard Devi's voice, before darkness engulfed her eyes and then she fell to a deep and peaceful sleep....

Epilogue:-
"Our heroine can't be a coward who flees from life..she should be some one who fights against odds.", Mirror gave her feedback when I narrated this story to her.
"I just wanted to add a twist. So what would your heroine have done?" I asked her.
"She would have gone to that idiot's wedding and would have found some better looking guy there and would have dated him." Mirror concluded with a wink.
"Now that sounds pretty much like me.", I replied winking back at her.

The First Cry!

                                          

                                       "How to start writing a blog?", After asking this question to myself and to google search engine so many times, I was, as always, confused with the replies. That's when I thought, who better than my blog could give me an answer to this. Since my blog,like the writer in me, is an infant, she couldn't come up with a satisfactory solution to my problem. But still, she was really of help to me, as you could see, I have already started blogging. :) When the whole world out there is celebrating Diwali, I'm lying on my bed, giving birth to a blog, my very own 'Mirror'. And what could be a more auspicious day than the day of festival of lights, to bring Mirror to this world. Now that she is already born, I'm unsure about her fate..she might die young(considering my past record in leaving things unfinished) or she might celebrate jubilees..and like every other parent, I just wish and pray Mirror lives for years in good health..for the writer in me looks forward to growing up with Mirror.. On this Diwali night, me and my Mirror start a new journey together, sharing all our happiness and sorrows, our sane and insane thoughts, our dreams and nightmares..and as we start  our journey from darkness unto light..We wish you all a bright and safe Diwali - Mirror & Me..