The Past : Part 1

What are you saying arjun, I don't get it at all... Shiva is a normal person who aimed to become an artist... how he can be.... he is not a person, who would do something like what you said... the truth is painful Akia and we have to accept it... Shiva is the one who did it but there are some circumstances.....

I think... I should begin the story when I was eight years old… it was the day I met Shiva…

Today was the same as other days for me... I'm a person who seeks the knowledge from the books unlike the others who surfs on the internet... I'm studying about the book called "tree utilisation"... unexpectedly a van has parked beside my house, I have seen it from the window but neglected it... my left eye is twitching, I didn't realised it was indicating a bad sign... the books in the shelf are falling on the ground randomly one after the other.... the calling bell has started ringing... my father opened the door... I thought something is about to deliver but I never thought it would be my bad luck... the form it obtained was none other than the Shiva... my happy days are over for the first time...

Shiva barged into my room and ofcourse into my life too... he placed his things all over the room by destroying some of my antiques... he introduced himself to me with enthusiasm but I came out the room by closing the door on his face...my father was making a conversation with Shiva's father... actually Shiva father is a close friend to my father. He left the place by saying thank you and good bye... my father closed the front door and came inside... I requested my father directly, father I don't want Shiva to be in my room... Prepare a separate room for him or leave somewhere else...

Arjun, you shouldn't jump to conclusions... I know you are not good at mingle with the others… but as you already know Shiva's mother died a few days ago and he was totally depressed by the fact… Currently Shiva's father had transferred to another place... it will be difficult for him to take care of his job and his son at the same time. So he will be staying with us for a while until his father made it to a recognised position. You shouldn't treat him as your enemy, treat him as your brother... you will do it right!... yes father, I will try to be friendly with him but until his father returned... I came back to my room and opened the door... he is looking at me with the same smile... I closed the door on him again, opened... smile... closed..., opened... smile... closed... this continued for several times... at last I entered inside my room and started reading the book. My name is Arjun... I said normally looking at the book... he was about to start a conversation... wait, Stop... knowing my name is enough... and also don't touch my belongings... don't sit in my bed... and also you shouldn't open any books in the shelf... more importantly never try to touch my antiques....

I continued reading the book and noting the information in a paper for my project... somehow I felt something is wrong when I observed his face... what is it? You look somewhat troubled.... arjun, according to what you said recently... there is nothing left for me in this room except the room door... I have observed my room for once and what he said was true... my room is filled with books and old newspapers... do one thing Shiva, stick to the door for now. we will make some amendments later... arjun... really?....

I forgot about him and concentrated more on writing the necessary information for the project... Shiva sat on the floor by facing his back to the door... an hour later, I finally finished it… I stood up from the table and turned towards the Shiva... he was drawing something on the paper with a little bit of broken mechanical pencil... I approached him to check what it is?... it was my room interior design from Shiva perspective... I didn't thought but the drawing is highly realistic... everything in my room are perfectly fitted into that small piece of paper. I asked him without a second late... where did you learned the drawing?... he was a little bit mood off and replied after a few seconds... my mom taught me how to draw... I became quite after his reply... Shiva, my first amendment is you can share fifty percent of my assets when I didn't use them... really?... yes, but there are some terms and conditions... as expected.

thirty minutes later... because of Shiva presence, my room had became more worst than before... I shouldn't have changed the rules....

My father joined him in the same school which I'm currently studying and he is in the same class... I used to be the class topper and he is the person who comes in the last... but when it comes to our personal interests we are the perfect rivals to each other... I wanted to become a RAW agent so I used to collect the old news papers about the crimes and also I used to note down the crime rate day by day. On the other hand, Shiva is different compared to me... He used to draw the portraits and landscapes at the home, at the school, on the way to the school and where ever he gets interested in the outside scenario. All he knows was nothing but the drawing.... day by day we improved ourselves and finally we became professionals at the end of the schooling… still Shiva is a complex person for me to understand. I dont know whether he is happy or sad because he always expresses his ideology in the artistic manner. I had seen him quite a time when he was observing his old arts with a small smile on his face... because drawing is the only thing which his mother left for him....

the days were passed and almost ten years were finished in a snap...it was the time for our exams in the final semester during the college days... one day, Shiva's class teacher asked me to meet him in the staff room. I made a visit to him in the lunch time and I have heard from the teacher, Shiva is skipping the classes and sometimes he is not even visiting the classroom... I know Shiva used to draw when he has free time but he had never skipped the classes like this before... we used to come from home by walking but we are in different classrooms now, so I didn't observed him too much. I thought Shiva is hiding something. I asked the teacher about his attendance but when I checked the report he was absent once for a week... this is going to show a massive impact on his final results. Since the school days, Shiva was an average student with a normal score but at this rate he is going to be failed and he has to start everything again... I used my privileges and requested the teacher to improve Shiva's internal percentage... he was convinced somehow but that won't last for long...

I came out the staff room and looked at the outside environment from the glass window... and I had seen Shiva was going outside of the college lonely... the thing is he was going outside during the class hours... I followed him from a distance, but I lost track of him in the middle of a subway... I started thinking, what is the most important thing to Shiva?... where did he went?... what would be the place? After thirty seconds, I had realized where he would go... I rushed to his mother's grave but I didn't find him there... I don't know Shiva had another important thing in his life... I came back to the home thinking about the issue... when I opened the door; another surprise was already waiting for me...

It was Shiva's father... he was discussing with my father about the past... I came inside like nothing happened... I started walking towards my room and my father stopped me... he asked me... arjun, where is Shiva? His father was here for him... yes, yes... I had seen him... Shiva have some special classes today, I think he might be late...

I went inside my room and started working on a solution for a crime which I found in the news paper recently. Im sure Shiva is going to leave since his father was here. I know he is the one and only childhood friend for me and no one will replace him. A few minutes later Shiva has returned and his father was full of joy, seeing his son after so many years… both of them were happy to look at each other. they chatted for a while... my father called me out and he said Shiva was about to leave give him a proper send off. I was normal after hearing it but Shiva didn't... he said without a second delay... sorry father, I'm not coming home. It was a shock for the three of us. what do you mean by that?... Shiva's father asked him, actually I thought of asking the question... father, I grew up here for a long time and I wanted to stick with them till my graduation. I thought, Shiva's father would be sad instead he was happy after hearing Shiva's reply. he talked with a formal tone, since my work is done here... I will be on my way... I will visit again when I have the free time. his father entered the car and he was about to leave... I walked to the car and asked him something which I was curious to know... Uncle, you are still happy even your son didn't want to be with you... If you dont mind, may I know the reason?... Arjun, I was a little sad but I know the feeling of leaving someone whom we love... I had gone though it once and I don't want my son to feel it... he is more stubborn compared to his mother so, take care of him for sometime, thank you and good bye... the car had left....

I was always confused with one thing... when I had seen Shiva father for the first time, he was a normal employee but now he is the chief executive officer for the entire organization. He achieved the highest position in a small amount of time now; I was able to find the answer..." if you are not perfect at something means there are other things you are already perfect". if he didn't left the Shiva with us ten years ago, maybe he would be the normal father like the others. "People with creativity are complex to understand"... I think the world is not the only thing which revolves around...

I turned to come inside the home.. suddenly a taxi has stopped near to me. I turned back slowly to see who is coming out but I never thought my worst nightmare would be delivered in my happiest moment...my sister has returned from the hostel... My days are about to over, finally she stepped her foot on the ground....