Immortal Love_True Love Never Dies

by Shreya Suravajhala

  I pushed her away hard from myself. “Even you wanna get rid of me huh ?” “No … no , no babe not at all. You were the one with whom I shared every special moment of my life and how can you even think that I would ditch you ?” Nervousness could be seen on her gloomy face. “I saw you trembling because of fear and pain of loss and now I think that time has come for you to go for an all new life expedition wherein god would be kind enough to give you all that you have lost in a new form. You would meet new friends , feel free and independent.” “But Becky …”

  “No but-what okay and I want you to wipe your tears and show me your effervescent smile which would stay with me even after you leave London.” “Oh Becky !!! I can never forget the fun times that we spent in the school corridors , hideouts and in every corner of this magnificent city.” “Trust me Sia , if not your destiny at least your goodness will fetch loads of happiness in the future.” “You’re right. I believe in my conviction and also am optimistic that I would overcome all the odds like I did before.” Becky consoled me like a friend in need and left the room with a glimmer of hope that I would have a better life in America. Maybe she was correct , I became sentimental getting flashes of my bitter past repeatedly but now I have regained my self confidence and began recuperating.

  U.S.A CALLING

  The world is well acquainted with the word “AMERICA” , a superpower , developed nation , economically prosperous and a liberal democracy in real terms. Living in the US is like a dream come true for many even today. USA has a large Indian diaspora which comprises 35% of the Silicon Valley. Most Indian engineers have bagged jobs through placements from reputed Institutes like Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) & National Institute of Technology (NIT) in India. There are Hispanics , African Americans , Chinese , Polish natives and immigrants from different parts of the world. I’m now a British Indian citizen who is migrating to the western most part of the world. America has a population of about 318.9 million and has 50 states occupying North America along with Alaska in the north west and Hawaii ranging into the Pacific Ocean region. Until now I have only read about US , its culture , etc. But now I will get an opportunity to further explore the various aspects of life in United States. As classy as it sounds ask anyone in India where would they desire to go and the reply would be America. I was a bit nervous for not having friends in a new land which I’m about to enter. A place full of strangers , new buildings , different cuisines and a modern , liberal state which never gets tired of praises showered on it.

  It was my last night in London for the next maybe 5 years or even more which I don’t want. My luggage was intact , all set , memories collected , tears controlled and curiosity awakened. I had tons of emotions running through my veins like blood. I wasn’t upset any more rather stronger than what I was few hours ago and convinced that I’m destined to live my college days in no other place but USA. I couldn’t sleep the whole night thinking what would happen next and that too in America. Questions popped up again and again not allowing me to even breathe with ease. It was 7: 30 in the morning and my alarm kept ailing my ears and I got up suddenly viewing the mirror in front of me and stood there. I could notice sleep marks all over my face which made me appear like a young girl who was marked by the ‘TRACKER’. I quickly ran into my washroom and had a fresh shower , did my hair and had a final look at my baggage checking whether I didn’t forget anything in the last moment. “Sia , May I come in ?” it was my ecstatic aunt. “Oh my baby ! You look cute as ever” she kissed me on my forehead. “I will miss you very very very much my little niece” unfurling my hair strands. “Aunt , I will miss you even badly.” I hugged my aunt forgiving her for the aggression that she showed on me all these years and knowing that without her I would be helpless in this enormous world. “I have made all arrangements for you in America.” “You will live in a well organized hostel with all the facilities that a student would require. Don’t worry about anything at all , try to erase the past memories and pray to the almighty in times of trouble.” She wept , hugging me tighter. “I will visit you whenever I get some time off work.” “Aunt , C’mon don’t cry. You gotta be strong like always and bless me for a successful life ahead.” “My blessings are with you always my baby, I know what happened to you was scary and brutal. Losing parents is the last thing that a child could ever think of.” The sorrowful saga ended with my aunt blessing me with both her palms on my head and bidding me goodbye with an emotional smile.

  I sat in the flight beside the window and fastening my seat belt when I saw a guy walking towards me. He sat next to me dressed in a white hoodie and grey pants with a Wildcraft Aro backpack. He didn’t bother to look at me and was already pre occupied with his I-Phone 6. The air hostess asked me whether I would like to have something and I ordered a coffee but this guy paid no heed to the conversation still stuck with his phone. “Sir , do you want anything ?” He finally raised his head sidewards and spoke. I was more than dying to hear him speak and was at a weird sense of ease. “No thanks. I would ask when needed.” A pleasure to the ears , I never heard a guy speak so directly and without much exaggeration with an air hostess but this person was one of them. The entire journey was super boring , neither he spoke nor me. I was frustrated because being a talkative person I would expect my co-passenger to talk to me or at least say a Hi. This guy was testing my patience all through. He looked a bit older than me maybe 2 years or less. I was about to land in America in an hour and something amazing happened. “Excuse me , may I know where you are heading ?” His voice sounded like gold. “Harvard.” “Oh ! great new admission ?” “Yup , what about you ?” Half- smile on his white face. “I’m a student in MIT.” “Really ? That’s awesome.” “Which course ?” I asked with a hesitation. “Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.” “That’s excellent.” Before he could ask me further the flight landed. Anyway I was happy to know that he didn’t ignore me neither his I-Phone 6. Both of us parted ways. A man in blue T-shirt was holding a card which had my name written in bold letters “SIA WALIA”. I waved towards him and shook hands with a smile. “Welcome to Massachusetts !” he made a screeching sound. “Thank you , pleasure indeed.” “Ma’am as per instructions I’m supposed to guide you towards your hostel and give you adequate details about all the facilities that you can avail in this beautiful country of ours. “Sure. Go ahead.” There was cab in waiting that would drop me in the Hostel where I was supposed to stay for the next I don’t know how many years. Boston the capital of Massachusetts was the hub of higher education in the state and is one of the oldest cities that enjoys the legacy of the American Revolution. I read in my history book that this glorious city was found in 1630 by Puritan settlers who originated from England. The greenery impressed my curious eyes giving a feeling of effervescence and freshness. St. Francis Hostel was the place where I was supposed to seek accommodation. It was located in Charlestown , the oldest neighborhoods of Massachusetts adjoining Mystic River and Boston Harbor along with the lovely Charles River to its north paving way into the Atlantic Ocean. I was bedazzled when I saw a huge building made of red sandstone surrounded by artistic red maple trees and inches of shady grass all over the ground.

  “Excuse me , I’m here to join the hostel.” A hefty woman in her 50’s with dark blonde hair and tanned skin stared at me. “Hello , may I have a look at the required documents ?” her dimples glowing like lemon lights. “Ya !” I handed them over to the over weight yet charming maiden. “Everything’s fine and here are your keys.Welcome to the most prestigious hostel in Boston and I wish that you would adapt with the new environment.” Hopefully. “Thank you so much.” Room No. 209 , 2nd floor adjacent to the elevator. The door was open and I had two serious looking girls waiting for me. I didn’t know how to react , talk to them or stay preoccupied as usual whatever. “New entrant huh.” The girl looked a bit like north east Indian with black , round eyes rolling. The other girl seemed like a senior who isn’t interested in befriending a fresher but wouldn’t mind sayi
ng a hi. “Hey ! Come sit. Both of us were bored with each other but not anymore coz you have arrived.” “I’m Haruka Suzuki , from Japan.” She grinned with grace. But the senior didn’t make a move still testing my curiosity. “Sia Walia. I’m a British Indian.” I never missed the word Indian as I wanted to highlight my nationality wherever I went. I was dying to know why the other girl remained quiet and reluctant. I quickly unpacked my luggage and arranged all the stuff in the closet alongside my bed. The room was spick & span exactly not my type as I was terribly messy and disorganized. The rest of the day was spent idly on the soft , fluffy bed which was somewhat like the one in my bedroom. It was 10 PM and my phone was ringing. I picked it up still in a sleepy state , “Sia , dear how are you ?” my aunt spoke with a bit of emotional hesitation. “Aunty , I’m doing well. I was too tired and fell asleep.” “Did you have your supper?” concern struck in her voice. “Nope. I will after sometime.” “Take care sweetheart and call me whenever you want , I’m always there for you.” “I know. You don’t worry about me and I promise that I will never let you down.” She hung up the phone. I didn’t feel any emotion for the first time. Maybe I was now convinced that I have to solve my problems myself and stop dreaming about things beyond my control. There was a hallway downstairs with long tables made of oak. Haruka beckoned me with a big smile. Although the senior was still in her uncanny mood I was glad that one of them has shown acceptance. I wasn’t really hungry but still I had to eat. After finishing off with the meals I headed towards the washroom. I sprinkled water on my face and told myself looking at the mirror , “You don’t know what you destiny has in store for you. But now onwards be focused and try your level best to adjust with the new surroundings. Haruka knocked the door. “Sia , are you okay ?” I wiped my wet face with a towel and stepped out. “I’m fine. So tell me something about how you ended up here.” The senior slept already because of which I confidently began chatting with Haruka. “I was born in New York and my dad wanted me to study in the best educational institution so I came here.” Her tone turned polite. “My dad left Japan in 1982 when he received a call from an MNC that he got a job.” “Doesn’t he miss Japan ?” I could relate to her story. “Yes he does , I mean all my family members do.” “My grandma always narrates tales from my country about its history, holocaust , everything. But the funny thing is we are living in a country which wanted to destroy us but we bounced back.” Her eyes turned red expressing a lot of pain. “Anyway past is past and I’m content with the present USA.” She sighed a little. The whole night I just kept thinking about my country which I never visited and didn’t know whether I would do so or not. Nostalgia crept into my body parts which missed the essence of being at home. God only would know when I would get rid of pain , agony , nostalgia and paranoia. I wondered what if I would be studying in India , my homeland , place of origin , my second mother. I imagined how different it would be than London and Boston. The people , places , culture which I never saw but heard about often from my mom in childhood and narrations by Anusha , my only Indian friend. I woke up at dawn and walked on the lawn staring at the red maple trees which were too contagious for dreamy eyes. I was blank in the grand silence of Boston before sunrise trying to figure out my future plans.

  METAMORPHOSIS

  I had four classes each day with a 20 minute gap in between but that didn’t affect my behavior too much. My economics professor Daniel Webner was of medium height , stiff muscles, light brown eyes and a black mole on his left cheek. He looked quite impressive at first sight but had stronger emotions than I expected. If any student failed to answer his question then he/she would be instructed to leave in a harsh manner. Thank god I wasn’t one of them on day 1 which kinda relieved me. During lunch break I sat far away from the crowded areas in the cafeteria. I felt a bit dizzy after listening to the professors attentively which I never did in London. “Hey , watcha doin?” a french accent hit my ears all of a sudden. “I’m Simone Castillon , fresher in psychology department.” Pinkish white , pearl earrings hanging on both sides with a wide smile , Simone was someone who could charm any guy. “Hi , I’m Sia Walia , Ist year economics.” I was eager to know more about her. “Lovely name with just three letters , I mean it sounds so good.” She simply couldn’t get rid of her widening smile. “You’re from?”her facial expression changed. “I was born in Paris and was happily settled there until my dad decided to send me Harvard for higher studies. Honestly , I never wanted to be here despite all the craze , fame and status which this institution enjoys across the world.” I gazed at her gestures which kept on changing every second. “Never mind. Sometimes life has different plans for you than what you actually anticipated.” She agreed with a nod. “Absolutely. Meet you again maybe tomorrow ?” The next class was about to begin and I wasn’t even aware of it as I got embedded in the conversation. “Yes, sure. See ya.” She beckoned me not forgetting to smile again. I don’t know what was so captivating about this French beauty that I kept thinking of her all through the day. Was she my new friend to be in the future ? Well that question would be answered only if tomorrow comes.

  Weeks passed in the campus just attending classes , munching hot dogs and hanging out with Simone , my new pal from France. She taught me a little French as well during our leisure and shared her views about fashion , culture , religion , etc. She was pretty clear about the way the world operated and had strong opinions about the social structure. I couldn’t disagree with her as she was too good in making her point. I never saw a girl until now who was so headstrong and opinionated like Simone Castillon. She blew my mind away altogether. “My mom was a pious lady who did her prayers sincerely but god took her away two years ago although she deserved to live.” I was shocked when she told about her mother’s death. “But how ? I mean you seem so content even though she died a couple of years back ?”(Pause). “I was very deeply attached to my mother and most of my traits are inherited from her. I remember the day when she called me to her room after dad left for office and explained me why it is better to be alone and independent especially for a woman because life is uncertain. But what I didn’t realize is that she was indicating me about the future where she wouldn’t be with me to absorb my pain and wipe my tears.” I saw Simone crying which didn’t suit her at all as I just loved the energetic and ever smiling friend of mine. “I feel terribly sorry for you but trust me wherever your mom is , she is watching you and wouldn’t want you to weep like this.” I moved my fingers over her soft facial skin and wiped her tears. She held both my hands for a while and then gave me an affectionate hug. I felt like I found a lost sister of mine from the world war. It was in true terms a rejuvenating experience which strengthened me as much as it taught the art of living. One day I told her about my past , recovery and the remains of pangs which keep haunting my memories. Simone was after all a Psychology student and knew exactly what was going on in people’s minds. She was my midnight therapist , friend in need , partner in crime and someone whom I needed to heal my emotional wounds. “You know what , today my cousin Gustave de Balzac is joining Harvard. And he’s gonna teach economics.” I was surprised initially but was more thrilled than I should be. “Really ? A French professor who happens to be my friend’s cousin ?” She gave an awful gaze. “Don’t expect him to be a cute and kind person like me. I know Gustave as a disciplined yet charming person who accepts nothing but perfection. So, you’re gonna have a tough time baby.” I hate that statement she gave describing his trait which I might not like maybe. “Anyway , wishing you good luck with the new Professor.” She left winking at me. This French connection didn’t bother me as I had great respect for people from every part of the world. Curiosity was its peak and my thoughts were revolving around one person – Gustave de Balzac or my new economics professor or Simone ‘s cousin. OMG ! web of connections. I entered the class with a totally high level of enthusiasm which was caused because of Gustave’s arrival. The entire class was discussing about him and I heard someone say that he was in his e
arly 30’s and was a topper in HBS Class of 2008. He makes a dashing entry into the huge classroom with his unique aura. Tall , lean and irresistibly handsome looking professor and I could have only dreamt of such a man like in fairy tales. I wanted to forget all the warnings Simone gave me about him being not so cool but really strict sort of description. He appeared like a Greek god with his green eyes sparkling every second like stars on the sky. “Good Morning everybody ! I’m Gustave de Balzac. I’ll be teaching you macroeconomics this year.” His voice was awesome. “I want cooperation from your side which perhaps is the only thing to bring us closer.” So close that …. I kept admiring his excellent words in my mind. I never thought that looks could not just kill but completely transform me as a person. It seemed as if I got a reason to live , staring at his evergreen eyes , soothing gestures , giant gaze which caused great warmth. I used to attend every class regularly just to look at his killer face and incredible expressions which rarely changed but made an impact on my emotional front. I started writing poems on love , passion , attraction and imagined only Gustave while doing so. The funny thing is that Simone who is such a fabulous mind reader couldn’t even realize that I was smitten by her cousin. I wanted to hide it from her as I enjoyed every bit of having the stupid teenage crush which every person has in college. I was happily fantasizing myself in Gustave’s arms and dancing to the tunes of ‘Thinking Out Loud’. The change was much needed and something that I always aspired for.