A hope found, A life lost

'Fuck you, Jai! I wish you had never come into my life', she said and banged the door as she left.

For next hour, Jai was just sitting in the corner of his house, murmuring, 'Priya, No. Priya, please'. Tears rolling down his eyes. His mind went back to the time, when he first met Priya.

It was during the summer vacations after finishing his 9th grade exams. Jai was on his way to the standard 10th classes, when Priya had entered his society with her parents. He was starstruck by her. Priya had been his first and only crush till now.

After 7 years and changing multiple boyfriends, Priya had finally come to see Jai's love for her. This had been 3 months ago. But now, it was all lost again for Jai. Priya D'Souza had finally decided to settle down with her ex - Rohan. She used to tell (Jai), that her family was forcing her to marry a catholic guy. But today, it seemed as if, she had been lying all this time.

Overcome with grief, he went to the kitchen, picked up a bottle of Old Monk and filled up an entire glass. As he was pouring, he remembered the times, they used to go out with her friends for parties. Priya used to always take Jai with her, because her parents trusted Jai to take care of their daughter. Jai had been a sincere student back then. He stayed with other guys from his village who had come to pursue higher education with him. And he was the most decent of the lot.

As he took the glass to his mouth, all the memories of - parties , night outs, trips - came rushing back. He couldn't take it in. In anguish, he smashed the glass against the wall, shattering it into tiny pieces. The same way Priya had shattered his heart.

He fetched a pack of cigarettes, from his pocket and went at the balcony. As he began to light it, he recalled the first time he had one. It was during his second year of graduation, he took his first puff with Priya, just because she thought it was cool.

He tossed the pack right off the balcony. His every single breath reminded him of her. For past 7 years he had done everything just to please her, only to succeed in the last 3 months. Right now, all he wanted was to end this.

He climbed over to the side wall of the balcony. Nine floors was sufficient to end this life. But, he couldn't find the courage to take that one step. His courage had also left with Priya it seemed.

Instead, he just sat by the edge, thinking of what his life would have been without Priya. The times he wasted entertaining Priya. Had he used that time, how successful he would have been. He had rejected an 100 thousand per month package, just because the job would take him away from his love. He had been so foolish for her, for nothing. Now, Priya meant nothing to him.

At the edge, so close to death, he realized his mistakes. He had cried out his heart, for hours, for nothing. Now it all made sense. He decided, he will go back to having a normal life. He will finally live for himself, after all these years. And then show off his success to that bitchy Priya.

He finally put himself together, wiped away the tears off his face and began to get up. As he got up, his leg slipped. Not knowing, he began to fall. Life flashing by. Before he could make a sound, he was down on the ground.

That story of hope, had ended with a blood smeared ground.