sandhir SS The fault in our stars(Chapter 11 on pg 16) - Page 6

Chapter 6

It took me two nights to read the book that Randhir gave me. I thought to call him the following morning but instead I dropped the message that I have read the book. I did not get the reply back.

It has been almost five days and he did not reply to the message or even call back. I don't why but I am craving for his message or phone call. I know it is wrong; I cannot let myself like anyone because I know I will die soon and I don't want to give someone false hopes. This means anyone not even my parents and obviously Randhir.

I've been in search of stones
Making up the pavement of less-travelled roads
Mining for treasure deep in my bones
That I never find

Went looking for reverence
Tried to find it in a bottle
And came back again
High on a hash pipe of good intent
But it only brought me down

Tried institutions of the mind and soul
It only taught me what I should not know
Oh and the answer well who would have guessed
Could be something as simple as this
Something as simple as this
( I was completing my daily routines anxiously waiting for his call)
Travelled to each ocean's end
Saw all seven wonders, trying to make some sense
Memorised the mantra Confucius said
But it only let me down.

Tried absolution of the mind and soul
It only led me where I should not go
Oh and the answer well how could I miss
Something as simple as this
Something as simple as this

I've been falling, crashing, breaking
All the while you were stood here waiting
For me girl

Tried liberation of my own free will
But it left me looking to get higher still.
Oh and the answer well who would have guessed
Could be something as simple as this
God knows how I could have missed
Something as simple as this.

(This song is " As Simple As This" by Jake Bugg)

The sixth day we were having dinner when my phone buzzed. Maa and papa were talking about some political issue and they weren't concentrating on me. It was a message from Randhir.

"Tell me my copy is missing the last ten pages or something."

"Tell me I have not reached the end of this book!"

"A book can't end in the middle of a sentence?! What in God's name is this madness! Aaahhh!"

I smiled seeing his restlessness.

"Maa papa I am done can I excuse myself?"

" Yeah sure!" They said in unison.

I went into the backyard and I called him up.

" Hey Sanyukta Agarwal!"

"Hey Randhir Singh Shekhawat!"

"The book is good but the ending...!"

"It is bad right?" I said.

"Bad? It is evil!"

I laughed.

"I mean how can someone be so torturous, how can the author do like this to us."

"I mean, I understand that she dies, but there's...there's an unwritten contract between author and... between author and reader. And I feel like ending your book in the middle of a sentence sort of violates that contract, don't you think?" he continued.

"Okay. Yes, I...I know what you mean, but to be completely honest, I think that it's just so truthful. You know? You just die in the middle of life. You die in the middle of a sentence. And, I don't know. But I really would like what happens to the rest of it, you know, everyone after Anna dies like her mother The Dutch Tulip Man and Sysiphus the Hamster."

" Yeah you are right. Did you try to ask him like through mail or anything?" He asked.

"I tried to but I did not get any reply." I was sad about it.

"It is ok Sanyukta Agarwal, we will figure something out."

"Thank you", I replied.

"Hey I will call you later, Parth is calling."

"Okay!" I said.

I lay on the ground for sometime and as soon as I was going to get up my phone ringed. It was Randhir's call.

"Sanyukta can we meet at the city mall in around 20 minutes?"

"Why?"

"Actually Parth is at the mall and he is literally crying and he called me there to meet him. So I thought if you can accompany me maybe you will be able to pacify him."

"okay, I will be there."

It took almost 30 minutes for me to reach the city mall. Randhir and Parth were at McDonald. When I reached the table I could see Parth crying. I sat next to Randhir opposite Parth.

"Hello Parth!"

"Hey Sanyukta!"

"How are you doing Parth"

"I am doing fine."

"It seems Parth and Vidushi are no longer going concern." Elaborated Randhir.

"Oh! I am sorry Parth. Do you want to talk about it?

"She said she wanted to break up with me before the surgery, cause she couldn't handle it. I'm about to lose my eyesight and she can't handle it. I kept saying "always" to her, you know, like always. And she kept like talking over me and not saying it back, and like...it was like, I was gone already, you know? And..." Parth explained.

"You know, sometimes people don't understand the promises that their making when they make them." I tried to calm him down.

"Yeah, pain demands to be felt." Said Randhir

I smiled, he quoted my favorite book.

"I know, but, I just feel like such a loser. I still have her necklace on."

"Take it off!" we almost screamed in unison and then he threw the locket off.

"It feels better!" Parth said.

"It will take sometime Parth."I said'

It was almost 11 when I returned back. At night I kept thinking about Parth and Vidushi and I don't know when I fell asleep.

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