A Girl from London : Episode 1

It was one, the same old snowfall time in London, but that day the window coverings were wide open, the sunshine from the window has fallen on to her soft face. She can feel that warmth of the sunshine, she was not a morning kind of person but this day is very valuable for her.

She has numerous notions about how to say to her grandparents about her opinion, she realizes that it is the only opportunity she has to follow her dreams, but at the same time, she cannot go against the will of her grandparents as they are the only family she has.

Finally, after tossing to the side she managed to wake up early at least today, her eyes were red which reveals the past horridness which chases her every night, but she always finds a way to make a smile on her face by the morning.

She got prepared for her big day. When she got down, she can see her proud grandparents, of course, they will be happy as it was her graduation day. But despite all those accomplishments she misses her parents, she was happy and unhappy at the same time but she always puts a smile on her face and moves on with it.

She took the car out of her garage and they were on the way to the university, the computerized voice of the google directions was making her crazy, she has lots of thoughts in her head like how would her grandparents respond to her decision. As she was driving, she was looking constantly at the front case of the car it was constantly running in her mind” How am I supposed to tell that to my grandparents”.

In the lost daydreaming of words in her head, she heard the voice of her grandfather asking her” Diya! What are you thinking? we have passed the college”.

“Sorry I was just thinking something”

“Is everything alright Diya?”

“Yes, I am fine now shall we go?”

Diya got out of the car and wandering the same hallway of the university which she used to pass by in these past 3 years, she was having a glance of all the memories she has in those hallways and the university.

But the only thing Diya was able to recollect was the discomfort she went through in the final year; College is not easy for anyone if it’s the last year. The mental pressure also intensifies with it.

But all in that trauma the only fortunate thing occurred to Diya was her best pal Indu, without her she might not be able to come out of her grief.

Diya and her grandparents went to the auditorium the Chief of the university has already started up his speech. In all of those commotions, Diya was only worrying about the notion that how is she going to assure her Grandparents. Out of nowhere, she got a warm hug from behind from her pal Indu “Hey! Diya we finally made it right! have you been given a thought about our decision, Namaste Grandpa and Granny it’s nice to see you in here”

“Good morning Indu, it was so nice of you. How can we not come as it is the graduation of our only granddaughter and what is the decision that you guys are discussing?”

Suddenly Diya intruded them “Indu it's’ time for us to go, grandpa stay in here we need to get to the stage, love you “and she took Indu with her from there.

“Why are you so uneasy Diya? Haven’t you explained to your grandparents yet?”

“No after graduation I was going to discuss it with them thanks to you as now this will be the subject for us to talk while we return home”

“however, discuss it out soon Diya we need to make arrangements right, and you know that Vikram is here with his new girlfriend”.

“Why do you do this Indu, why do you want to make this day more annoying for me, he is gone I do not need him! let him go with his life either it might be with Christy or Nancy I do not care, do you get that?”

“Wow just cool down, that’s my girl, you are showing some improvement regarding him”.

Diya just gave an expressionless look to Indu, she might not think about Vikram but deep down she still cares, that’s what people commonly feel for their first love. But right now, she is more eager about discussing with her grandparents regarding her goals.

“Hello! What are you thinking about? Are you sure you are fine or maybe I shouldn’t have told you about him, I am sorry Diya.”

“No Indu I am fine as I have said it’s just an aspect of my life and I have to pass it as easy as that,” she said and sat on the seats which were allocated to them.

The graduation ceremony has begun the head of her department was naming one by one on to the stage to accept their graduation. Some people were giving speeches and getting sentimental and some were like “whatever we’ve just passed.”

And after a long wait, Diya was called up to the stage, she was proud, happy and sad all at the same time. This was her parent's dream and Diya misses them a lot, and from that stage, she can see the gladdest faces ever, of course, it was her grandparents. She is not in the mood to give a parting speech so she silently got down from the stage and went walking slowly towards her grandparents. Every step she took she was feeling lighter step by step.

She reached her grandparents her eyes were filled with tears they were the reminder for all her effort and her grandparent's confidence towards her. Diya was happier for them rather than herself, she hugged her grandparents and she got a bit of emotion.

“Diya! We made it finally” said Indu.

“We are happy for you Indu and thanks for always being there for Diya when she needed you the most, you guys are youngsters and I know we will not be able to understand you, but we are glad that Diya has you in her life, we mean it”.

“No mention grandpa she is like my sister and I will always be with her no matter what”.

They all were in the cafeteria having lunch that was the happiest little circle of Diya all she requires for her life was her grandparents and her friend Indu. After some time Indu asked Diya grandparents “Grandpa as it is the last day of our college, we guys are planning to go for a party and I need your permission to take Diya with me If you guys are ok with it”

“Of course, I think you guys should go and have some fun make sure that you drop Diya home by 11 pm”

“Ok just let me drop them home come to your house Indu so that we can go to the party together, I will come to pick you up by 6 pm, would that be fine?”

“Yes,” said Indu.

Diya drove the car back to her home and dropped her grandparents and she went to her room with the graduation certificate and the letter which she was going to discuss with her grandparents about. It was a strainful day for Diya so she just went to bed closed her eyes and kept her head back on the pillow.

After some time, she woke up and got ready for the party, she was always obsessed with black so she dressed with one of her black party outfits and went to Indu's house to pick her up.

After a long waiting, Indu just came and got into the car “Why do you always do this Indu can’t you be on time once in your lifetime. I hope your boyfriend won’t get rid of you for this reason”.

“Who Varun? Haha even if I leave Varun, he will not give up on me that easy so it will be just your intuition that like this would happen with me”

“Haha that’s what I love in you guy’s, wish I have somebody like that”

“What do you mean by that? Am I not that somebody Diya? This is what I get after all these days attaching with you?”

“Don’t be so dramatic Indu you know that you should stop seeing those Hindi serials, now a day’s you are acting like those serial heroines.”.

“What do you mean by that?”

“You know what I mean”

Meanwhile, they arrived at the party it was in the house of Nancy. All those fancy lanterns and all the arrangements were made for the party were pretty good, as they went inside all their final year friends were there by the time they arrived at the party. Most of the people were already drunk and sober, that's how the final year celebrations would be.

As some time had passed in the party Diya saw Vikram, he was with Nancy, when Diya saw them both she went back into all those anguish and affection which he gave to her. Diya went on thinking what had gone wrong between them, all these days the suffering which she suppresses from the world is going to be an outbreak, and she began to cry,

Indu saw this and said” Diya take that bloody baseball bat from that corner”

“But why?” Diya asked her with tears rolling down from her eyes she was shattered.

“Are you going to get that or am I supposed to do it?” said Indu and took Diya to that bat and made her take it.

“Now listen closely Diya I want you to do this ok do not worry I will be there with you. Now I want you to take this bat and hit that bloody A*hole as hard as you can, do you get that?”.

“Are you nuts Indu? how am I supposed to do that? I can’t”.

“Yes, you can, if you do not do that now I am going to do it, so choose which is better!”.

Diya was scared to do it but she managed herself to do it. so she took the bat and walked towards Vikram and hit him on his legs as hard as she could strike.

Everybody was speechless for a moment and all began to take their cell phones out and take a video of it and begun to encourage Diya. She felt lighter by doing that so she took the bat again and begun to beat him.

“This is for cheating on me, this is for leaving me on my own”.

And finally, Diya shoved him and kicked him into the swimming pool. She was feeling better now, all that suffering that she has been witnessed this long all begun to get lighter, she began to understand that he was never worth it for her, she was the one who madly loved him.

“Now this is your last day for this Diya, just cry and let it go after today you shouldn’t be crying for him and do you get that “. Said Indu and took Diya to her car.

After crying and making herself relaxed Diya asked: “Where are we going?”.

“To the place where you can be comfortable you dumbo,” said Indu and halted the car at “London Eye”

“If you are done with your whining, we will be going to the top of that Ferris wheel, so shall we go?”

After a while, it’s been 11 pm and it’s time for Diya to go home so she dropped Indu at her place while getting out of the car Indu said:” Diya make sure that you talk to your grandparents, we do not have abundant time so hope for the best, Goodnight!”.

While driving back to her home she gained the courage to talk to her grandparents regarding the decision and went home. When she went home her grandfather was awake and waiting for her.

“So how was the party Diya did you enjoyed it?”

“Yeah it was fun Grandpa and there is something I need to talk to you,” she said.

“Yes Diya, I am always here for you, tell me, what is it?”

This was difficult than she had assumed but she had to do this “Grandpa! Indu and I have applied for Indian literature in the ‘University of Calcutta’ and luckily we both got selected and I want to go there”.

There was an awkward silence after that she can’t conclude by noticing her Grandpa's expression, he looks somewhat surprised by her decision after awful 10 mins silence finally her Grandpa started talking.

“But Diya I thought that you were going to the University of London for your master’s, I cannot understand what made you interested in going to India. We haven't gone to India since the mishap, you know what I mean right”

“Yes, I know you are concerned about me that if I go to India, I might miss my parents we have to accept it, Grandpa, it’s my past I don't want to run away from it, I would like to face it”.

“I just want to live the life which my parents had lived in Calcutta it might be my last opportunity to live my childhood and future jointly, and I don’t want to abandon that behind because of my past,” She told her grandpa with the most enthusiastic voice.

“I can’t see any possibility for you in India Diya, what would you do with a degree in literature?”

She taught exactly this would be the question she would be asked but luckily, she was ready for it.

“I just want to learn it Grandpa it is nowhere connected to my future or my career. I promise you once I am done with that course I will be back in London and complete my master’s.”

“However, by the end of the day we want you to be happy and we are fine with it but as you said you need to get back to London and complete your master’s”

Right now, she cannot illustrate how happy she is that she made it finally.

“Thank you, Grandpa, you are the best,” she said and hugged him.

The next day evening, Diya joined Indu and her boyfriend Varun. The next person who Diya can believe and discuss anything was him if Diya had to have a brother Varun would be that brother after all he is one of her extended family friends.

“Heard that you just ruined Vikram’s whole college career and his love life too,” said Varun sarcastically

“Haha! it’s not so funny. I was frustrated and mad and if you want to talk about this I would suggest you talk to Indu she was the person in the first place who made me do it.” she said.

“You know what, that is what I will tell you to do too, he deserves it not as he abandoned you but he was never worth it, So as now your mind is clear than ever who knows what is waiting for you in Calcutta!”.

“You know what Varun I’m done with this love and romantic happening in my life, I am seriously done and don’t want to get myself into the same circumstance again,” she said firmly.

“Ok, that’s soothing and disturbing as well, aside from this my major concern is can you please take care of Indu for me? I have never been away from her and these 6 months will be dreadful for me,” Varun said.

“Looks like someone’s going to miss me badly,” said Indu.

“Of course, I will and you too take care of Diya over there”

“Well, in that case, Mr. Sensitive it would be best for you to come with us so that you can watch over us,” said Indu

As Diya watched them, she thought “ok this is how couples converse it’s kind of horrible and romantic I would rather stay away from this stuff from now on than going for it”.

“If you guys are done, we need to go shopping we need some stuff for us in India,” said Diya.

“Of course, and when are you guys planning to leave?” he said.

“Next week maybe, and it’s my first time to India since my childhood it’s kind of exciting and in another hand I think that it might be a terrible idea also, so I am trying to catch a glimpse of the only positive side of this decision which you guys made me do. Like seriously if you guys didn’t have applied for me too, I would not have got this idea to go to India,” said Diya

“As speaking of this Indu said that you always wanted to go to India, but you are scared to do so, this entire course and the trip to India is for you, look Diya people get effected or people face problem’s but for that, you cannot stay in the past, I want you to go for it and face your past and get back here as a new and happy person, “ said Varun.

He was right, despite many tries, Diya is still connected to her past when Varun said this Diya had numerous thoughts in her head but at least this time in those thoughts her ex was not involved thanks to Indu.

After one week:

It was the first time that Diya is going somewhere without her grandparents she thought it would be just 6 months but now she began to think that is it the best idea? as she was not ready to leave her grandparents, but deep down she knows that it is essential for her to this so that she can live her life with peace.

“Are you ready Diya?” asked her grandfather.

“Yes, Grandpa I will miss you guys over there,” said Diya with tears in her eyes.

“We will also miss you Diya but as this makes you feel happy, we are happy for you, you are going to fulfill your dream so do not worry Diya. We will daily call you and make sure that we are always available for you”

Her grandparents were silent while they are driving, it was one of the hardest moments for them and Diya also, however, they reached the airport and its time for them to say goodbyes.

“Indu please take care of Diya we trust you in this and we know that you will be able to do it”.

“Trust me in this grandpa I will take care of her, now shall we go Diya,” said Indu and they both were walking towards the terminal. After all the procedure is done they were finally into the flight and went to their seats, Diya was watching outside the window and thought that “ Mom and Dad hope you are looking after me I think I am making you guys proud and India here I come, let’s see what is there for me in Calcutta”…