An online connection by Hamsini Arya (early readers TXT) 📕

complexion and absolutely fit as a fiddle. His long face cut, pointed nose and rough look, makes him look no less than a movie star. She left chatting then and there, finished her regular duties and after couple of hours, Sanchita came. Sanchita's first question was, 'Did he accept the request?'. Shubhangi said coolly 'Yes'. Then she got her phone and showed his family pics to her. Sanchita said, 'Wow! He hasn't changed much. And he has an adorable family'. Shubhangi smiled happily and said 'Hmm'. Sanchita said, 'You are such a weirdo. I haven't seen anyone like you. You liked that guy, yet you were never jealous about his girl friend then, and even now, I feel you are so happy inspite of seeing him with his wife'. Shubhangi laughed out loudly ' This is something even I never understood. I felt for him. But I had always accepted the fact that love cannot be forced. I knew that he never liked me the way I liked him, so there was no point getting jealous'. Sanchita hugged Shubhangi and said 'I know my victorian princess. You believe in John Donne's definition of metaphysical love' and giggled. Shubhangi then rushed to the kitchen and got busy cooking. Sanchita left after a while.

Days passed into weeks and weeks passed into months. Shubhangi was happy with the fact that Rohan was her online friend . Now, atleast she could see his posts and pictures. Rohan did not post his pictures much, but he used to post interesting videos and articles. Whatever Rohan posted, Shubhangi had to 'like' it. That was a gesture from her to herself that she liked Rohan. She was matured enough to understand her limits but her little heart was a kid, with the only hope that maybe she could get to meet Rohan once. Maybe, even for 10 minutes. Just a simple hello or maybe a cup of coffee. That's all. The days Rohan did not post something on facebook, she felt anxiety sneaking into her mind. Just a feeling that, maybe Rohan changed the settings of his post, so that Shubhangi could not see that. At that point, in her head she heard herself telling Rohan, 'Hope you are fine. Can you just let me know that?' There seemed to be some magic in air, next day, there was a post on his wall, and Shubhangi liked it immediately. Rohan, on the other hand, never liked anything Shubhangi posted. For Shubhangi, that did not matter at all. What mattered to her was that she knew Rohan existed.
Shubhangi's routine life continued. These weeks were little different. For the past couple of weeks, Shubhangi did not see any updates from Rohan. She waited, but in vain. She thought, maybe if she sent a simple hello message, she would get to know if he is okay. She went to the messenger. She was surprised to see him online. She was happy to know that he was fine. Contemplating for a long time, whether or not to type the message, she typed 'Hello'. She waited for him to reply. After 5 minutes he replied 'Hi'. She immediately typed 'How are you?' . He was seen 'online'. However, no reply came from him till 15 minutes. Shubhangi left her phone there and went ahead to complete her chores. When she checked her phone after an hour, she could still find him 'online', but he had not replied to her message.

Shubhangi kept herself occupied because every time she stopped, her mind went back to 'Rohan'. Just then, Sanchita came. Shubhangi smiled looking at her and said' I was about to call you. Just made pasta for the kids. Wanted you to taste.' Sanchita screamed' Pasta!!!. How much I love pasta. Get it please.'. While they sat on the dining table and ate, Sanchita asked suddenly, 'What's disturbing you ?' Shubhangi looked up startled and mumbled 'nothing'. Sanchita looked at Shubhangi and said confidently, 'I know it's about Rohan'. A drop of tear fell from Shubhangi's eyes. Sanchita held Shubhangi's hand, looked at her and said ' I know you from childhood. I know how responsible, practical and diligent you are. There is nothing that can budge you from honesty and truthfulness. Your eyes can't hide anything because your heart reflects there. Tell me what's wrong'. Shubhangi looked at Sanchita and said ,' Is it wrong to care for someone you like?' Sanchita said, 'No. But that care has to be for a real individual. If you are talking about Rohan, all I can say is, it's human to like someone. But, accepting reality and adhering to facts is more important. I know you. You would never do anything wrong. You will never forget your responsibilities. You will not do anything which will hurt your family life. But, worrying about an unreal entity is wrong. What exactly happened? Tell me. ' Shubhangi narrated all of it and looked blankly at the wall, and said ' I know it's wrong to feel for someone at this point in life. But, it's just feelings. And it doesn't fade. There is nothing else'. Sanchita hugged Shubhangi and said ' Sweety, you don't have to justify yourself. We all know you. And you are right, feelings don't fade. If it doesn't fade, don't try hard to make it fade. Let it be there. If it gives you happiness, let it be there. But, you know what it means, when he read your message and did not reply? ' Shubhangi looked at Sanchita and replied, 'Yes. It means, I am not important for him'. Sanchita smiled and said, 'Yes. You are just an online connection for him. He has other priorities in life, and you are certainly not one of them. If you understand this, you won't feel bad anymore.' Sanchita then left hurriedly as she had go somewhere.
Shubhangi stood in front of her window, looked outside at the bright sky and said to herself ' Some feelings become a beautiful lesson. Sanchita is right. I don't know Rohan in person. He is an illusion. An online illusion. But, how will I make her understand, that telepathically I am connected to him. We never met, we rarely talk, yet every-time, I talk to him in my head, someway or the other, I get an answer, even if it is indirectly via a post on his wall.It's silly, yet strong. Our online connection.... .' Smiling to herself, Shubhangi closed the curtains, hummed a song, went downstairs to pick her kids from school.

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Publication Date: 06-11-2017

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Dedication:
Soak yourself in her beautiful world.