Freak'd OUT : Episode #2

SENTIMENTAL

It’s about two friends - Alex and Nola. They proved that there can be “just friends” between a guy and a gal, but also covers it with a black, very dark sheet of doubt and disbelief.

Alex went to Delhi for his high school. Nola was already in his class. They became friends and best friends for life in consequent months. Alex was all alone. Away from family and friends for the first time, he got exactly what he wanted – a friend, a family. He became a member of Nola's family. You know why? Because when Nola shifted from San Francisco in standard eight, she had just lost her 17-year old brother, who looked astonishingly like Alex. I met Alex a year after that and also saw Hena’s brother in a family photo. He looked so similar, except for the width and fairness – every bloody damn thing matches.

They were strictly “best friends”, annoying all sorts of comments around. In the meantime Alex followed to cyber cafes with his friends at hostel and soon got addicted to the new world of Internet. He also made a chat friend – Riyanka. They just enjoyed each other’s company. Nola missed Alex and their evening walks to unknown, never visited domains of the city. And one day at school, when the chemistry teacher was solving a solved example, she asked,

- What are you doing these evenings?

Alex knew Nola’s exact concern. Till this time he avoided this issue as Nola would take a promise from him on not visiting cyber cafés. But now he had no option and he never lied his best friend. Alex replied

- I’m chatting on net over some time.

There was sudden advent of silence. Nola broke it.

- With whom do you chat?

- I got a friend named Riyanka. I chat with her every night.

- "Every night???”, Nola almost stumbled.

Alex continued pretty casually, “Ya. Infact we are each other’s first chat friend”.

- How does she look?

Alex now turned towards Nola and saw those eyes, which mesmerized him for the first time. He looked into Nola’s lips and it was waiting for a reply, so he replied in a hurry

- I don’t know. I didn’t ask for her picture.

Then after a pause he continued, “Don’t worry. I’m studying hard”.

Nola didn’t talk on the issue anymore. Alex was pretty surprised that Nola didn’t object his late night visits to café. Basically she didn’t say a single word – Not a single word ever after that. Alex never heard from her again. It was January 6^th, 2002.

Till recently, I used to think, he visits his girlfriend at Delhi. Now, I know, he visits Nola’s parents. Maybe this terrible incident made him over emotional and over insecure for this world. Slightest argument with his friends makes him sick. You know what he fears most??? Loosing somebody he loves.

A terrible guilt feeling was killing him until recently Riyanka found him at an online social community, orkut.com and messaged him. Alex never talked to Riyanka but I think he doesn’t feel that much guilty after you find Riyanka at his friend list. I just pray for him, pray for somebody could understand him, whom he loves.