Virtual Girlfriend
Part 1
“Beep, Beep”, a message tone rang on his phone.
“Beep, Beep”, the phone rang again.
Shivay woke up and saw the time. 2 a.m. the clock declared.
“Who is this at this hour sending me a message?” He muttered
to himself and closed his eyes again.
“Beep, Beep”, the phone rang again.
He ignored it again.
5 minutes passed, and he picked up the phone thinking that
it may be urgent, he opened Whatsapp.
“Hi Shivani, I know I am messaging very late but I am unable
to sleep, got late from office, was working on some stupid presentation”. First
message read.
“I thought you will be awake as generally you come home
late, thought of buzzing you and ask ke let's go on a drive to marine lines
yaar, what say?”, Second message read.
“Oye, Devika here, number save nahi hai kya mera?, Chal na
Shivu”, Third message read.
Shivay got up from the bed, drank two glasses of water and
read the messages again.
Why an unknown girl is asking him to go on a drive? This late?,
who is she?, he read the message again.
“Hi, I am sorry, I apologize, these messages are accidently
sent to you, I was sending these to my friend Shivani, actually I bought a new
phone and synced all the contacts from linkedin, may be your number is added in
my list from that network, sorry to bother you, Bye, Devika.”, another message
came.
Shivay typed “Its ok” and he was about to press send button,
he paused.
He saved Devika’s number and checked her Whatsapp dp.
Devika was a beautiful girl in mid 30s, married, an aspiring
singer, carrying a lot on her sleeves, and responsibilities of her parents
being the only child, with her husband working in a shipping company and
earning well, Devika wanted to peruse her singing and explore the world.
“Wow, she is so beautiful”, Shivay told himself.
He pressed backspace and started typing…
“Hi Devika, it's ok, I will not complain that my sleep is
disturbed by your message, I am Shivay and not Shivani, I hope you both are on the drive now, be safe”. He sent the message.
He looked at the clock, 2.15 a.m., went to the hall,
switched on the TV.
“Beep, Beep”, The message tone rang.
“Hi, I am so sorry, I disturbed your sleep, I should have
seen the name before sending the message, yes, we are going to marine lines,
thanks.” Devika Replied.
Devika also checked the dp of Shivay however he had not put
his picture, rather a quote which read”
“I get turn on by good music, conversations and gorgeous
faces, if you don’t have any of these, you know your way”.
Shivay checked the message and started typing…
“Now nothing can be done, I am awake now, will watch TV,
thanks”, he replied.
“I am sorry again”, she replied.
“Your status message is very rude”. She sent a message.
“Thank you, you are safe, I have checked your dp, you
fulfill third condition, nothing to worry, ;).”He texted back.
“I look ugly in real life, it's photoshop”, she replied.
“Really?, oh, that’s sad, hope Shivani is not like you”, He
replied.
“No, no, she is better than me, bye.” She replied.
“Ok”, Shivay replied.
“Tu kisse chat kar rahi hai itni raat ko”, Shivani asked as
she was driving the car.
“Are kisi se nahi, tere chakkar mein kisi aur ko message
bhej diya tha”. She said.
“Kaisa dikhta hai?”, She winked.
“Pata nahi, ek rowdy sa status daal rakha hai” She read the
status to her.
“Interesting”, Shivani said.
“Check if he can come to Marine lines”,She continued.
“Have you got insane?”, Devika said.
“Are chill, check kar na”, Shivani smiled.
“No”, Devika replied.
“Try Paav Bhaji in lane no 3 on the left of NCPA”, Shivay
sent the text.
“Listen, we know Mumbai, we have been staying in Mumbai for
last 20 years, thanks”, Devika replied.
Shivani and Devika sat on the pavement on marine lines, the
cool breeze was doing the magic, calming both of them, both were silent and
were staring at the sea. The sound of waves was good enough for them, a
peaceful silence, no questions, no judgments.
Suddenly Devika checked her mobile, realizing that she could
have been nicer to Shivay in replying to his message earlier.
She started typing…..
Part 2
‘I am sorry, I was
rude in that message, Sure, Will try Paav Bhaji, Thanks for the suggestion and
once again sorry to disturb your sleep’, Devika sent the text.
The sound of waves of sea was comforting her, taking her
back in the memory lane, she always wanted to be a singer, how she fought with
her parents to get her into formal education of music, how she learnt the
music, its sensibilities, its impact on the soul, she knew music will be her
true companion.
She considered Bollywood music as the original form of music
as it connected to masses, she believed if she would practice on Bollywood songs,
she will learn fast, but when she realized that Bollywood music is just a
fraction of overall music, she focused on learning classical music with notes
and expressions.
She had changed herself as a person while learning music,
she started believing that like music one should express everything, every
emotion, every tone. She got married to a man who was working in a shipping
company, who was wandering in worldly waters 6-7 months of the year, leaving a
sense of loneliness in her.
She came back from her trip of memories.
Why is this guy not replying back, is he angry at me for
disturbing his sleep? I shouldn’t have been that rude, a sense of wait started
in Devika’s head.
‘Chup kyun hai ab’,
Shivani asked.
‘Are nothing, I am
liking the silence & Peace, Sea is soothing’, She replied.
‘Hmm, kahan gaya wo
ladka, aa rahahai kya yahan, hame paav
bhaaji khilaane’, Shivani Chuckled.
‘Are kahan, wo to
reply bhi nahi kar raha’, Devika said irritatedly.
‘Oh ho, to madam
intezar kar rahi hain message ka, are aaj ke zamaane mein koi wait nahi karta
madam, baton ko dil mein rakhne ka, kar use ek message sorry ka’, Shivani said.
‘Kar diya’, Devika
said.
‘Oh, Phir bhi koi
reply nahi, main dekhti hun use, zara number de uska’. Shivani said.
‘Are nahi nahi, chhod
use, kaun hai wo, chal paav bhaaji khane chalte hain’, Devika said.
‘Oh ho, nahi dena
number to mat de, ek baar photo to dikha de jaaneman tere aashiq ka’, Shivani
pulled her leg.
‘Chup kar, ye le dekh’,
Devika showed her his dp.
‘Hmm, Handsome hai,
bula na ise yahan’, Shivani said.
Beep Beep, Message tone.
Devika wanted to read the message alone, fortunately Shivani
was walking 10 feet away from her.
She opened whatsapp.
‘No problem maam’, I liked
that two women are exploring marine drive streets in the early hours of morning
like I used to do’, Shivaay replied.
‘How do you know that
we are two?’ Devika replied in anger.
‘It’s easy, I figured
out from different tones of messages you sent, i believe there is someone else too to influence you’, He replied.
‘Very smart’, she
replied.
‘Hope its beauty
storm out there’, he texted.
‘Beauty storm?’ She
asked.
‘I mean two beautiful
women, Sea, Breeze, Peace, Perfect combo’, he replied.
‘Are you flirting
with me? I am married.’ She replied.
‘No, I am not, but
all people are beautiful, what beauty has to do with beautifulness, Please don’t
divide the world in married and single, World is one’ he replied.
Devika looked at her dp again, she was wearing a traditional
blue suit with white duppatta, long earrings, bangles, she got this one clicked
at one of her friend’s birthday party.
Shivani was looking at her from a distance, Devika didn’t realize
that Shivani was staring at her from last 20 minutes.
Devika was so immersed in his phone, she thought not to disturb
her.
‘You know Devika,
sometimes strangers help us realize what we are missing in our lives, they
have a role, a perfect role, they play
their role so that we meet ourselves, you know this is best job, to make people
meet themselves, why have you stopped singing Devika, people love your voice,
sing again, Shivani said.
‘There is always
something unspoken between two people Devika, always’, and that unspoken holds
the key’, Shivani was unstoppable.
‘I have an idea, sing
some random song and send the same to this stranger, he will go mad after
hearing your voice’, she continued.
‘I don’t know him’,
Devika said.
‘That’s the beauty,
you don’t know him, let’s do this sin’, Shivani said.
‘What will he think,
a random woman texting him in late night and sending him a song, what I am up to’,
Devika said.
‘That’s why it’s
called sin baby, Now, come on, be a sport, sing a random song and send to him’,
Shivani was adamant.
‘You are mad Shivani’,
Devika screamed.
‘I know darling’,
Shivani said.
Devika was not believing what she was going to do, to sing
after 5 years, for a stranger.
The blood was rushing in her veins, she was going to attempt
singing.
What will happen? What will he think?
Have I gone insane? What if someone comes to know? What?
Is it a crime sending
a song to someone? What if he likes it? Don’t I need some appreciation?
Don’t I deserve it? Does he understand music?
Am I wasting my energy? Its 3.30 a.m. Aren't you beautiful and he wanted to say the same when he saw your dp?
In her head, Thoughts were running at a speed of thousands
of horses.
Finally she decided to sing, sing again, to live again for
that moment, that very moment.
‘Ajeeb Daastan hai
ye, kahan shuru kahan khatam, ye manzilen hain kaun si, na wo samajh sake na
hum’, and she continued to sing, a real melody to ears, to soul.
She recorded the song and sent to him.
She switched off the data, fearing what if he messages back.
What will happen now?
But she was also waiting, waiting for his message
unknowingly, and message from a stranger, whom she just interacted 2 hours ago,
accidentally
.
She couldn’t wait and switched on the data.
Beep Beep, message tone.
Her heart was pumping the blood at an alarming rate.
She opened whatsapp again….
Vikas Sachdeva
