The Secret, in her diary... (part 1)

(Sam. A 23 year old engineering student who had lost his friend recently was sitting in his couch, lost in thoughts, remembering the incident…)

Dec 23^rd 1998. A day that marked the sad demise of our dear friend Riya, which was also her birthday. We were all heading for her birthday party which she had planned in a restaurant, ‘7 bees’ - a place we used to hang-out often…  I still have her message in my cell…  “hey there, yo coming right? I will kill u If don’t turn up ok…  c you there @ 9 :)” … huh… (wiping the tiny tears)… She was always this fun loving, energetic and charming girl in our group… To be honest she was the one who kept us together…

Someone rightly said - you know the real value of a person, when the person is not around. But god, what has she ever done something wrong in her life, that you took her away so early!? She was the one who made us believe that in every dark side of the life, there is always a bright side just around the corner… Now, can anyone explain where is the bright side in whatever happened with Riya?

 

.. .. ..

 

It’s almost a month since the day we lost our friend. For one second, if I had not called her – she would’ve survived? Even though it is neither my fault nor Riya’s, how can I ever come out of this guilt which is haunting me since the moment I heard that crash! The scene, every bit of it is played again & again in front of my eyes… it has been torturing me since then…

(Sam, was not able to sleep. He rose from his bed out of discomfort and headed towards the kitchen for a glass of water. He stood still when he reached his study table, when he saw the thick brown cover with dried blood stains… the blood of Riya... it was her diary.

Riya was very open in all the matters, but when it came to her diary –  she was very much possessive. She always kept it safe from others reading it. That is why no matter what, she always carried her secret diary… Sam took it when that incident happened. During Riya’s funeral Sam wanted to send the diary she loved so much – along with her grave… But something stopped him. He never understood why he didn’t let it go…He turned on his table lamp and sat on the chair)

We never knew what Ria was writing in her diary. But we all knew she was very much fond of it. I still remember when she broke-down into tears as someone snatched her diary, just for fun. Usually, she wasn’t that secretive. As far as I remember, Naina and I were her best friends with whom she never hesitated sharing anything personal. But we always knew there was something more…. Something she never discussed... Something that always remained buried in those pages of her diary. I decided to know what she was up to... I wasn’t sure if I was doing right… But again, the same thing that stopped me from keeping it in her coffin, hinted me to read it…  I wasn’t sure if it was my instincts or sixth sense… But, it never happened before…

(Sam sat there starring at the book for some time, before his shivering hands finally took the diary out of the stack. For some reason, he opened it backwards…)

  … … …

 23^rd Dec 1998

Huh.. Happy b’day to me! Shh.. I am 22 years old today! Aw… 22 already! :( My mom says it isn’t that bad… Yeah, after all it's better than being 30! Anyway, I have planned for a b’day party today. Yippee…. And guess what, he is coming for the party with all my friends. :) ;) Hmmm! Wish  I could have a candle light dinner with him tonight… but you know he is such a dumb! Still doesn’t know that I love him! These guys na, I tell you… Anyway… I hope he buys a nice gift for me… What say, should I give him some clue? Nah.. let him figure it out :) Ok then, will write more once I am back from the party and tell you what all happened...

 ... … …

 

 (Sam, stopped reading at that moment… as tears rolled down from his eyes… thinking that she would never be able to write again…)

wait a minute… she was in love with someone from our group!? Sanjay, Rocky, Tarun…. who else was there in that party!!

(for a minute, his thoughts drifted… but the last two lines brought him back)

I wish you could write more Riya… I wish, I could never had your diary… (he closed it, as his mind played the whole incident yet again… like a flashback)

To be contd...

Disclaimer: All the characters & incidents in the story are purely fiction. Any resemblance to living/dead is purely a coincidence. 

Image courtesy by - http://compton.nu/ & http://szalowski.wikispaces.com/