2 LITTLE LEGS IN RED LIGHT

Teenage, A age where no one is aware of when it attain and when recede with inestimable mistakes. From all change in hormones to all mystifying decisions, we couldn’t decide between rights and wrongs.

Suddenly, attentive towards relationships became front-page of our life. We gained all disturbance, irritation and misconceptions.

Sehaj was also one of them, totally different in his concepts but always lost had residence at new delhi. Apart from his personal issues he was a failure, failed in scoring bond between his parents. Never did he had a family seat nor he try to put into words. I don’t know, Why?

It was Spring and he was 15 years and 7 months old, A great age where all was going to start. Just completed his 10^th and decided to go along with different school, as with the present one he never connected to his friends. All because he never tries to interact much But his stubborn behaviour lend his parents to put their knee beside him.

A new atmosphere, surrounding was more cordial. Students were much involved with rejoicing and messing around.

“IAM ALL FOR KOLKATA” he whispered and smiled with glee which he never had before.

Days passed down, and slowly he began wrapped up neighboring. He was down into Hostel department which too was hitting his brain. Others use to be around sonagachi, the north Kolkata. A very famous place all over India, But did Sehaj was aware of it ?

No !

He wasn’t, But soon was going to.

Next Day, the sun was more brighter but the breeze was blessed mild and to cheer it up, after lunch chemistry classes were bunked. Sehaj with his friends were on the back side of school campus and were playing truth and dare. All participated and after 3 truths, which were hardly enjoyable comes sehaj’s turn and he choosed DARE. Sudden a call from the front door “Ayesha mam is calling you people” one of their classmate reetu just reported them the order and left, abhishek looked to tanay and smiled, a very evil one. Since they have to leave for class but sehaj’s friends were curious for the dare. Tanay cried out loudly like a bat out of hell “ your dare is to drive through Sonagachi, talk to a girl and ask for her phone number. Sehaj accepted without hesitation unknowing about the prostitution area, and said “bas itna hi” but innermost he was so unnerved as he was new at the city. Sehaj asked tanay about why sonagachi, the place is really far. If don’t mind give up with an nearby place for the dare, said sehaj. Tanay and abhishek rolled in laughter and asked to do the same. And I accepted without any more questions.

The classes were over, it was exact 3:15 and abhishek reminded him of the dare. Sehaj was nervous but to prove himself great he left for sonagachi which was hardly 34 kms from his hostel, abhishek and tanay left for their paying guest house. Sehaj was on the middle of the way and was just going to reach sonagachi, he was anxious and scared to rest his next feet towards the area and WOAH ! just 1 km before the north sonagachi place he got out of the bus and at the same time a lady too steeped her legs out, his eyes were stucked. He stopped and was unconscious for 9.134 seconds She was , her brows were brown and prominent eyes were admirably radiant, without even thinking once he straightforward asked her for the phone number. And without What’s and But’s she smiled so deep and replied with 98271*****. He was still stunned and she walked away. What a beautiful day, isn’t it ? The bedtime was like a fine fairy world, he was in love. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. He didn’t slept the whole night kept on thinking about her and early morning he blinked  his eyes into sleep. It was 7:44 in the morning and school starts at 8:00am. He got out of his catnap and started getting ready for the school, so fast that I can climb Quarter the height of  Everest in that time period. And as daily routine, after an hour of National anthem, Thought of the day, News headlines and 6 Exercises (which never worth my physique ) We went to our 1^st period, English !

Mam was just not in mood for an chapter, so she asked us to read chapters and go throughout the units. But that’s what not we did, Sehaj was still in his dreams about the girl he met a day before.

That day abhishek and tanay was late for their classes, and after 16 minutes and 31 seconds of English class they reached, and got beside sehaj’s bench. Tanay before setting his back on the bench asked for the sonagachi’s dare. Sehaj was still quiet. God this Boy !

They shaked his head out of his dreams and asked again, did you got number ?

Sehaj awakening his mind out of his head back and forth as an immature fellow and said YES YES !

( hahahahaha I wish you could have seen this insane boy )

Abhishek asked for her name, sehaj then got back to real life and realised about how fool he is that he forgot to ask her name.

“He surely have been forgotten to ask” tanay replied and laughed.

Okay Okay, did you got her number ? abhishek asked and waited him to respond. Sehaj giggled and replied YES and the Bell ranged.

 Chemistry classes have always been lengthy, so they all continued with classes and then left for their places.

The Dawn was again so mild like it was yesterday and he kept on looking toward that number on the paper kept on the corner side of the table.

He hesitated but called on the number, the bell rang twice and he cuts the phone, he does this every single time.

The same night was also tough for him, as he cannot resist himself talking to her.

Next Day was a normal day and alike that many days passed on. He was quiet and alone as nobody calls him.

I still remember it was 5 Days, 6 hours, 31seconds and 0.2649 millisecond from the day I’ve seen her, and just after 0.2649 millisecond I received a call from an unknown number.

Sehaj picked up the call with no expectations, and a very broad but warm voice said Hello ! Don’t know why but I felt the presence of that girl, “your clothes are washed, you can pick them up from our shop” she replied.

OMG she was a laundry girl, she wasn’t her and got back in grief.

 He was immense to talk to her and called again with all guts in his frozen mind, didn’t he cut the phone but what he did was waited !

After 13 and half rings, a man picked up the call said hello and asked me about How can he help me ? I was scared and cut the phone.

I don’t know who he was, but her face was still running my mind so bad.

Within an hour I again called on the same number, but this time again a man picked up the call and he was not the last one, he was another man. I was confused but instantly hooked up their (tanay and abhishek) faces of laughter during the dare. I then googled SONAGACHI, KOLKATA. And after 0.52 seconds I got to know about the reality of the place.

I was shocked with faking my own belief about the very first time I  met her was 1 kms before the prostitution area. Maybe she’s not from where I was thinking. My heart was beating fast, negativity was dominating positivity. I was again alone but this time no expectations from anyone. But God had planned something which had a lot of ridges and furrows. That night I was sleeping, sleeping so deep inside and then at midnight my phone rang. I picked up saying hello in my deep sleepy voice. “Hello” she replied, it was more attractive. More than any thing in this world. I replied asking about her name, but before I can ask she said “I know you’ve been calling me from a long time, I am sorry not to respond you” that was not enough answers to all my question. I kept my silence beyond. I was curious, but her call gave me satisfaction. I was unable to say even a single world. And before I could say anything she hang on the phone by saying bye. I was shattered, I was needing my answers.

Just after 2 minutes and 40 seconds I got an message.

“Hello, I am Ruhi. I am sorry for not responding but I was scared, scared of someone I don’t know.
I just called you to say I love you”

This text was a lot to me. I was happy, but who was someone she’s scared of. There was more spice which was going to come up in my life.

It was 4 days and 8 hours I’ve not been to school, Tanay came to meet me up in the hostel, But was continuous talking on phone, atleast about 1 hour and then something happened which made me even more frightened. “okay bye ruhi baby” this is what tanay said before hanging up the call. Without waiting a single second I asked him about who ruhi is ?

“she works up under red light area. I use to approach their block, their house. She is a prostitute.”, he replied. Without permission I checked his phone, I was praying not to match her phone number with this ruhi, and that was it. She was my Ruhi. She was a red light worker. All my feelings shattered. I instantly left from the hostel for sonagachi, On the way I called her up to meet up in the same place where they’ve been met for the first time.

She was there at time and I was late for 10 minutes, I was unable to estimate the exact minute this time. Same place once again, she was waiting for me. She had a lot to say, maybe her feelings for me. But here what I did a big mistake. Biggest of my life. Without listening to her, I spoked up all my anger away. She had love for me in her eyes and I did said all bad things to her. I betrayed her in anger. She was making me understand about things going in her life, but I never listened.

That was the last time I met her. I made a mistake, and slept over night with pills, I didn’t wanted more tears. I was tired, I was empty inside. At night I started bleeding due to excess drugs and was unconscious. Tanay was at my hostel that day so he took me to the hospital.

At morning when I was woken up I was stunned with 31 missed calls and 5 paged text message from ruhi,

I was literally crying to read it :

Hello sehaj,

Theirs a lot for you here, I wished you could have been listened.

That’s a harsh truth that we are from red light background, my mother use to work before for my studies and future, I’ve never been there.

From the very first day till now Its been 10 days 22 hours and 15 minutes when I caught your eyes in my mind, I started loving you. I had more love for you in my life than anything. Fragrance I feel deep inside was so mesmerising that I kept waiting for your phone call. I knew those 2 rings were yours. Days passed on I opted to wait for you. You was the only one from whom I expected. Try to behave like nothing happened nor anything matters but was surrounded by a strong appeal like you were an magnet and irreconcilable pole was my mind. I wanted to share this to someone I believe. Tanay, he was one of my good friend and use to study at your school as well, so I decided to tell him everything. Unknowing about his bloodthirsty intentions were so bad that ruined everything. He slapped me and asked to be with him, when I refused. He came up to my house and beaten up my mother, I admitted my mother at hospital and came back home to look after the house. My mother was at the same hospital where you were hospitalized. Last night he called me, abused me and tried to kill my mother.

Sehaj she died. Now theirs nothing in my life to live breathing, neither my mother who loved me more than everything nor you whom I loved the most. I wished your 2 little legs have never been to red lights, I wished ive never met you.

I LOVE YOU.

Yours, love.

That broked my heart, it was all tanay’s deed. I  mop my tears and run fast and fast to the same area where we met for the first time. Huge rush, at the place. My tears were rolling down fast, I stepped towards the house, and everything was over. She was gone, gun in her hands. Blood was all on her face.

I wished my 2 little legs have never been to red light.

Never end your life, find a new way to opt. sehaj is now back to new delhi with his parents and still improving himself.

Thank you.