My First ever Short Story - Swecha

Swecha is tensed, rambling aimlessly in the room. Although her best friend Ria is trying to comfort her, it's not helping! She couldn't calm her mental turmoil. It's been 4 hours since her brother Shiva 's gone, he went out with Ria, saying that he needed her help in picking up the right plants for his garden, a hobby he started pursuing just recently. Although Ria was back almost 2 hours ago, her brother was still gone. Ria said Shiva asked her to go home and that he will be joining in a while. That is what is bothering Swecha, all through the years she was with her brother he never behaved so irresponsibly.

Though Shiva and Swecha were brought up in a very very conservative environment, both the siblings share a very strong emotional bond. Perhaps the fact that they were only one year apart also contributed to it. She knew it's getting late. She knew they already crossed the deadline their parents had set for them to be home. Although she was frustrated with her life, her brother and her best friend were the only two things that fuel her life. Both Shiva and Swecha forget themselves when they are at Ria's place. Ria's older brother Rohan, her parents, her grand father and grand mother, everything about her place is warm and refreshing, unlike her home. She always wondered how can God create such a contrast of things.

She looked at her watch and it's already 8 PM. It's 2 hours past her deadline. It was amalgamation of emotions in her mind. She was angry at her brother, at the same time worried for him. All the memories of herself and her brother started flashing in her mind.

She was 11 years old and her brother was 12. Her brother would ride her to school and help her with homework. One day few of her classmates got Holi colors to school and with the excitement of Holi around the corner, she just forgot all about her parents and played with them like a child. Shiva was terrified looking at her uniform and what their parents would say. They both went home fearing what would happen next. Luckily their parents were not home and Shiva and Swecha together used up a whole cake of detergent until the stains were all gone and how their faces were glowing when the uniform got back it's previous glory.

She laughed for a second and then suddenly she realized it's 8 30 PM already. She is praying to God that nothing should happen to her brother. She closed her eyes and went back into memories.

As children they were never let out on any picnics the school would organize. For them school is not a place for fun and you don't go there for entertainment. She remembered a lot of picnics she missed going with friends and how her brother would take her at later time. Her favorite one being the one to the exhibition, although they had to comeback home hurriedly. She loved that place, somehow she always found it fascinating when she is among crowds. She liked watching people and always used to find happiness in other people's joy. She felt the whole world was happy and she had no right to complain about her life when everyone else is enjoying it.

Swecha's parents marriage had no elders approval, they ran away from home and got married and since then they didn't have any close family. As Swecha started growing up she somehow felt her mother was never happy with her marriage and that she always repented her decision. That could be one of the reasons for their conservative upbringing. She was always annoyed by her name, 'Swecha' which meant freedom and she was not the privileged one to carry it.

As Swecha turned 16 she was accompanied by either her brother or her parents everywhere she went, even to her college. Shiva on the other hand didn't get enough freedom for himself. All this made the brother and sister bonding even stronger. Shiva had to drop her off in her college, go to his college and had to pick her up on the way back home. It's been 5 years since they have been doing this, now Swecha is 21 and Shiva is 22. Swecha is doing her MBA and Shiva his M Sc in Math.

OMG it's already 9 PM. She looked at Ria, and she can see the anxiety in Ria's face. Rohan just left to look around for Shiva.

It was her first day in MBA and Shiva just left after dropping her off at the campus. She was both excited and tensed at the same time. She always wanted to do MBA and be an entrepreneur. She asked the attender for the first years classroom and nervously stepped inside and found a seat for herself. She looked around and found both fear and excitement in her new classmates faces. As she was making herself comfortable and setting her things up, a petite girl with a nice smile on her face came to her and asked if she could sit next to her. Swecha made some room for her and started noticing this girl. She was fair with sharp features and carried a cute smile with her. She can see she had a lot of confidence in her attitude and started liking her from the very first minute.

She Said 'Hi! I am Ria'. Swecha smiled back and said 'Swecha'

'That's a very pretty and thoughtful name. It means freedom.'

'Yes. It does' said Swecha again hating her name as usual.

The professor came in and there was this introduction with all the faculty members and the professor wanted one of them to come forward and say a few words on why they have chosen this college over others. Swecha was tensed now and she was really not ready for this. Ria went ahead and started speaking! She spoke with so much clarity that alarmed Swecha. She felt amazed that Ria did so much of research on all the MBA programs offered in the city and had very clear reasons on why she had chosen this particular college. The whole faculty looked impressed. After she is done and came back to Swecha's desk, Swecha was looking at her with astonishment. She couldn't stop admiring her. Ria just smiled at her.

That is the day their friendship started and they both stayed together through thick and thin. In this whole process Swecha learned a lot from Ria. She always felt confident when Ria is around.

She would always go to Ria's house on the pretext of combine studies and Shiva would always come to drop her off. Shiva, Swecha, Ria, Rohan have all become good friends and enjoyed each other's company.

Swecha was amazed how a person can be so responsible, matured and at the same time be so humorous and fun loving, looking at Rohan. Rohan was such a support to their parents and sisters and at the same time he maintains balance in life. He never misses going out with friends and at the same time will be there around for his family. Swecha was slowly falling for him and how much she hated herself for it. She felt she was betraying her mother. All these days she used to feel bad that her mother never trusted her and had brought her up like a prisoner. But she was proving her mothers fears to be true and she hated herself for it.

It was Ria's birthday last Saturday and Swecha really felt she was the blessed one. Her dad got her a new SLR camera and also got her tickets to Andaman Cruise where she can be at peace and put her mind best at work. Ria had this hobby of photography for a long time and is even taking part time classes on the same. She sent her pictures to various competitions and won few prizes as well. This time she really wanted to participate in this national level photography competition and her family is standing by her side as a pillar. She really felt happy for Ria.

Rohan came back and was frantically shouting 'I can't find him, I can't find him'. Swecha looked at her watch and it is already 10 PM. She has to do something, but don't know what. She is saying to herself 'Think! Think! where can he be!'
'Why would he do anything like this to me?'

Ria was holding back all this while since she didn't want Swecha to get anymore nervous and tensed. But she felt it is high time for her to tell what has happened.

'Swecha! I need to tell you something! Now please don't get panicked and listen to what I am going to say. We can all think and see what we can do.'

Swecha was not expecting anything like this from Ria at this time. She was confused and looked at her with a puzzled face.

'Shiva took me out to propose to me! I was in such a shock myself! I always liked him but I never had any intentions for him. '

Swecha was listening to her with her eyes wide open.

'I didn't want to hurt him, at the same time I didn't want him to live with any false assumptions. probably I was a little rude. He was upset and asked me to leave the place. I thought he will comeback and was waiting for him as eagerly as you have been.'

'I am so sorry Swecha.'

Swecha fell down. She felt her world had come to a stand still. If only this were a dream, if only I wake up in the morning to find out everything to be normal. Swecha was broke, she was mad at her brother, how could he be so foolish? at the same time she felt sorry for him.

'Swecha, calm down, we have to put our brains at work. Just think where he can be, he must be really dejected. We have to find him soon.'

Swecha controlled herself. She realized she has to be strong, she learned a lot from Ria, now is the time for her to be a strong woman. The world has not been kind enough to her and her brother, she has to fight back.

She went to restroom, washed her face and cameback with a renewed energy to fight back. She started thinking, where can he be? where can he be? if she knew her brother well where would he go? She went back into memories to see if she can find any lead.

It was a lovely morning, the sun is shining yet you don't feel the heat, there was a nice breeze along with it as though the sun is playing hide and seek with it. Shiva usually becomes very thoughtful with nice weather like this as though someone had plucked an emotional cord inside him. On that day he wanted to visit NTR Ghat and Swecha accompanied him. Swecha still remembers how overwhelmed he was visiting the place. He was so disturbed and he had so many thoughts going on in his mind. He was annoyed that a legend like NTR had to die like any other person. He realized God created everyone the same way. You come to this world like anyone and you break the ties and leave it like anyone. It's your achievements in life that define you as a person. He was amazed by thinking that how a place that signifies death can be so full of life. He was experiencing an amalgamation of emotions and was not sure if it was making him a stronger or a weaker person.

Swecha all of a sudden cried 'NTR Ghat!'

Rohan and Ria were puzzled not understanding anything.
'We need to go there! RIGHT NOW!' said Swecha.

Rohan, Ria and Swecha all got into the car hurriedly, Swecha was praying to God all through her drive. Rohan was driving and he jumped a couple of red lights persuading himself that rules were only created to save lives. As soon as they reached the place Swecha got off the car and ran inside frantically.

She found her brother, buried his face in his palms. She ran to him, Shiva saw her and hugged her tightly.

'I was this close to death. But No! Life is a gift, God created us all for a purpose. I could not cheat Him and face Him. I know why NTR had been a legend. He was a fighter, he never gave up. '

'Swecha, all this made me a better and a stronger person! I am going to seek my purpose and give a meaning to this beautiful life God had gifted me.'

Swecha couldn't control herself. She was crying and thanking God at the same time. She was happy to find her brother back. She felt she won over life, she felt a new confidence in herself. She realized life never gives opportunities, she has to grab one.

All four of them started walking towards their car with a new approach towards life...