The Virtual Girlfriend

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