innovate-issue-005

That night, at Hard Rock Café`, I was nervous for my performance for the first time in 5 years.When I stood before the mike that evening, I realized that everything had changed. I was not openingfor someone else 's show that night, it was my own show. People were cheering for me and girls weregoing crazy at my sight, I had their attention well before I climbed the dark stairs to the stage. The spotlight burning eyes and 100 odd eyes were staring at me, with anticipation and great expectations.I noticed Anita, Sivang and Rihanta were sitting a little distance away from the stage, they weresmiling broadly. She was wearing white that night may be it was just a co-incidence.I got over with my performance as soon as I could and before I knew it, the evening was over and itwas time for us to leave. I didn’t want to leave; I wanted the evening to go on and on to infinity.“We must be leave, thank you for a wonderful evening!” Sivang said and extended his hand for awarm handshake. We shook hands; it was like admitting defeat. Rihanta was long asleep on her mom’slap.“Thank you. Let me drop you all home.”“We will take a taxi, thank you for everything.”“No, I want that we walk back home. It is just 20 minutes away. There is no better way to end anevening than to take a walk in this blissful weather. Come with me.”“It would be lovely” Anita said and Sivang agreed, although reluctantly.So we started walking, I took Rihanta on my lap and she was sleeping with her head on my shoulders,her soft breaths was warming my shoulders! We walked one step after another into the cold. It was justlike the walk I took 5 years ago, but then that night, I was alone, cold and hungry. We didn’t say muchbut there were lot of conversations going back and forth in my mind. May be she knew and he alsoknew about what I was thinking. But somewhere deep down, I had a fear that, they will have a fightabout it when they return back home that night. They will close the door as Rihanta would be sleepingin the other room.He would ask- does he have any feelings for you? She would reply- he is lonely, he just came here forsome company. He would raise his voice and say- Company, my foot, he loves you, it was written allover his face. Why would he come to our house for his holiday while he could afford any holidaypackage he wanted to? She would cry and say- he is lonely, can’t you see, can’t you have little mercyfor that guy. He would reply- oh wow, you are taking his side now. He is lonely!! Go marry him then,why are you standing here. This fight will be followed by one week silence then they would make it upfor each other on bed later one night by a steamy sex. He will say, sweating and his breath coming outin spurts- I am sorry for all the rubbish I said. She will moan out in pleasure.I should leave before it was too late, before it was too late to be made up by an after fight sex. It waslike a rusted knife going back and forth in my belly. I was choking and I seriously wanted to cry.It was then something happened that threw our lives out of course. It just struck us out of the thin airwith such a momentum that changed everything that I ever held dear in my fucking life.“Give your wallet and anything valuable you have, if you want to spare your lives!” said a goon,pointing a revolver at us. He was wearing a black mask to hide his identity.Sivang was quick and calm; he took out his wallet, pulled out his credit and identity cards and threwthe wallet toward him. He caught it in the mid-fight and put it inside his big black shawl.