When Society Turns Judgemental, She turns JudgeMENTAL!
People question all the good
things they hear about you, but believe all the bad without a second thought.
- Anonymous
Chapter 1
Bheemli Beach, Visakhapatnam
The sun was ready to set in an hour or so, all the rays turned red
turning everything it touches to gold. The waters were gently kissing the shore
and the people around are in a trance of that beauty. Every couple of legs were
walking or running out of excitement and relaxation from that beautiful
scenery, but this was not the case with one couple of legs.
Those couple of legs was walking slowly as if it would take
forever to reach the shore. The only thing that was not stiff was the gently
blowing hair that was up to her shoulder. Expressive eyes, sharp nose, and rosy
red lips, that girl had everything that was a beauty must-have. Yet they didn’t
add up to the prettiness of this young girl. Striped shirt and ripped jeans
with a high heel made her look urban and to the trend. Thin platinum chain with
a locket that read “Diana” hung by her neck.
Those couple of legs just passed across a youth guy sitting on a
rock. The beauty of this girl in her twenties didn’t probably attract him to
glare; he turned away at the first glance itself.
Those reluctant legs finally reached where she wanted to. It was a
beautiful wooden bridge on the shore that gave a feel of floating over the
water. The scene was empty as that was away from people. It just had a small
stall a few feet away. A middle-aged man in just a brief and lungi was making
some hot tea and milk. I wonder who would come to him away from the center for
a tea. He probably never felt alone as he has a small radio hanging to
his stall that played songs and news.
Diana’s expressive eyes indeed expressed her pain in terms of
tears. She probably felt the pain like a prisoner in handcuffs. The still water
before her was in symphony with her still heart full of pain. The ripples in
the water recalled her past as if it was a slideshow. She never forgot the
first love that gave her not only memories but also pain.
//30 Minutes Ago//
Rock Garden Cafe, Vishakhapatnam
It was the first anniversary of the Rock Garden café and the
entire setup was different that day. The employees greeted customers with a
bigger smile, the exterior, and the interior was adorned with various
decoratives and banners showing today only offer. The glass doors and windows
were polished and adorned with “Today only offer!” tags. The steam from the
coffee machine also added to the aura of that day.
Everything matched the scene except a couple sitting at the corner
beside a window. Their scene was completely different although their silhouette
against the window adorned the café.
A barter came to them to ask, “May I have your order please?”
“Leave us for some time” she replied
“Are you out of your mind Diana?” he screamed with his muscular
hand hitting the table hard.
“Yes, I’m Fred. After all, I couldn’t sense the real you till
now.” She replied
“It’s just a perception and nothing else.”
“No, it isn’t. We are in a relationship for 3 years now. You have
never understood me. Not even now.”
“I have—”
“No, Fred. Don’t say that. If you have, you would have never asked
that to me”
“What happened that day may not be disturbing for you, but for me
it is. I had to know clearly what happened that day.”
“What do you expect to happen with a friend in the classroom soon
after the class?”
“Nothing, if everything went normal. But that day, something
happened that shouldn’t”
“That was just an accident”
“Can you please explain how hugging each other is an accident?”
his voice raised again.
“I was about to fall and —”
“He supported you by hugging? You are really great at making
stories.”
“I have always been faithful to you Fred. What hurts me is you no
longer believe in me.”
Meanwhile, the barter came back to them to ask “May I have your
order now sir?”
“We said, Give us some time!” replied ignorant Fred in the same
voice.
Fred probably went out of patience. He turned towards Diana and
yelled, “Enough of all this discussion! Now tell me the truth about what happened
that day and I will let it go. I will forgive you this time.”
“What do you want me to say? I have already said what happened.”
“Don’t test my patience, Diana.”
“No, I’m not.”
Diana also lost patience. She began to get stiff. She no longer
wanted to explain Fred in this matter. She folded her hands and turned her
looks away from him.
“Many of my friends said that Diana is not the right choice for
me. Yet I wanted you. Now I realize: what that I heard as rumors were true.”
“What are you talking about Fred?” Diana’s eyebrows were pulled
down, her eyes opened wide open and her lips pressed tightly together. Probably
she is ready to hit him outraged.
“The same what you are thinking about. The scene that proved that
you are a bloody Bi**h & —”
Diana took no time in thrashing him down with a single slap
altogether. The slap was so strong that Fred literally leaned to the other side
at once.
The pain brought out another face of Fred. His eyes turned wide
and red. His tightened fist made his arm more muscular. Probably anything
around would break on the way of his arm.
The same happened to the window glass alongside. It got shattered
into pieces by a single hit. A hanging tag that read ‘Anniversary!’ near
that window began to fall down. People around stopped to see what happened
there. The tag fell down and the hall turned silent at once.
“Accept it or not you are a bi**h, a bloody Bi**h!” yelled Fred
pointing his index finger —hand full of blood— to Diana and left the table
towards the exit.
Diana’s eyes started wetting. Tears were ready to roll down
anytime now.
“I always thought you are the only one who believed me, I was
wrong!” her mind sounded off.
She could do nothing but watch
Fred moving away from her into the light out of the café.
Chapter 2
//Present//
Bheemli Beach, Visakhapatnam
The ripples in the water were still on; all she could get is more
pain now. Her hands and legs continued still in balance to the calm nature
around.
Her mind sounded off, “Indeed, something worse had happened with me
a half a decade ago. Everyone perceived me in their own way. Almost every one of
them hated me. But I never felt abandoned with Fred beside me. But today, I
feel alone for the first time in my life.”
//5 Years ago//
Corridor, Diana’s Graduation College
“Where are you going without replying to me?” bawled a smart guy
in ironed uniform. His other attributes were: brushed back hair, neatly groomed
beard, fossil watch and a pair of Gucci shoes. He was probably stalking Diana
however she didn’t respond.
“Hey, listen!” he bawled again
“What do you want John?” she replied realizing there is no other
chance.
“I love you! Accept my proposal and we will be happy here on!”
“I already said I have no interest in you.”
John held her hand and pulled her towards him. “Don’t show
attitude! I can love you, I can even destroy you.”
Her eyes turned red, she thrusted back her hand with a look that
would literally kill him.
*
The other day
The corridor was filled with students rushing towards their
classrooms; some were with books in their hands, some others with mobile
phones.
“This is the last time I’m asking you. Accept me!!” John yelled.
“This is the last time I’m saying, I’m not interested in you”
Diana yelled back
“I’m gonna end your name and fame!”
“Do whatever you can.”
She was exasperated and went away from him rather abruptly; those
couple of legs worked too fast.
John lost his patience and decided to wreak revenge. As she was a
few feet away, he yelled, “I’m gonna leak all our videos!”
Everyone over there looked at her on the spur of the moment.
Their face turned judgmental. She refrained from him to avoid complications, notwithstanding
it she had to face it. She ran straight away in grief.
That moment, various thoughts inculcated their brains. Various
stories began to spread in the university. Some said that they are in a
relationship, some said that she is a bi**h. whatever may be the hearsay is it
incapacitated Diana.
A few Days Later
Diana entered the main gate to see a couple of seniors
sitting over their bikes. One of them saw her to bawl, “Hey beauty, why don’t
you come and sit with us. Don’t worry we will pay you!” Both of them began to hoot
with laughter.
In no time the watchman sitting over there came to guard her,
“Shut up stupids!” He turned towards Diana, “Beti, you go!”
This was just the beginning; Diana had to yet know something
bigger is coming her way soon.
Class Room
The literature class has begun. The lecturer —male, probably in
his 30’s, and formal attire—was illuminating the last chapter of the book.
After it was finished, the students were instructed to go through other books
of Shakespeare’s to absorb literary knowledge.
He began to read out some of the popular books; in this lineup,
Shakespeare’s “Whores” popped up. In no time a voice from the other end of the
classroom came, “We don’t need this, we have Diana!” Few of the backbenchers
began to laugh out at once.
The lecturer shouted at them in defense of Diana. Tears rolled
down her eyes by now.
He could defend her now, but it was none who could defend her
whenever she needed. This made her even low. She could no more stay there.
*
Days passed and the issue began to get even worse. The rumors
began to spread out of the college campus and it took not too long to reach
that into her ears.
A few Days Later
All the girls in the hostel were busy in making their chores.
Diana and a few of her friends were busy washing clothes and other cleaning
works.
“Would you like to fill up all your day with these chores?” asked
Diana.
“Well, you have any idea?” replied Riva —Diana’s best friend.
“In that case, why don’t you join me at a movie in the evening?”
“Which one?”
“M.S.Dhoni Darling!”
“Whoa! That’s great, let’s get it on!”
*
That evening In Diana’s room
Diana and
Riva was getting ready for the movie. Riva is a makeup freak, she was applying
lipstick as a final touch.
“Why don’t
you try lipstick, its awesome.” she insisted
“No, I’m not
interested in makeup darling!”
“Give it a
try, it would be incredible.”
“No, thank
you, madam!”
“Let me help
you!” Riva went to Diana and began to apply some lipstick.
“Mmm… stop
it!” knocked back Diana.
“Only once,
come on please….”
“Ok fine,
only once.”
“I think you need a large amount of lipstick,
you will look hot.” Insisted Riva as she was applying; she has done what she
insisted to.
Diana went to
the mirror to see how she looked. “Isn’t it too much?”
“No buddy,
you are looking hot now. Ok, we are getting late, come on let’s go.”
*
Outside Diana’s
Hostel
“Surprise!” called a middle-aged man with a thick grey mustache
all of a sudden.
“ Papa? What a surprise? How come you here?” replied Riva with a
blossoming face and big smile.
“I had a small work near your college, I felt like catching you up
before I leave.”
“That’s great papa! She is Diana, my friend!” Riva pointed her
hand towards Diana.
“Hello, Uncle!” greeted Diana with a humble tone.
“So you are Diana?” asked that man looking disgustingly at her
lips crammed with lipstick
“Yes!” replied Diana with a dubious face.
“You’re leaving to somewhere?”
“Yes, papa! Diana asked me for the movie, we were leaving, you just
came on time.” replied Riva
“How are your studies?”
“Going good uncle!” replied Diana.
“Good, what are your future plans?”
“Not yet decided, but I’m planning for a master's degree after
this.”
“Great, you don’t seem like other people at your age.”
“Thank You, uncle!”
“What about your friends… and boyfriend…?”
Diana turned hesitant towards Riva.
“He is straightforward and friendly!” replied Riva in answer to
Diana with a smile.
Diana turned towards him to say, “I have a few friends but no
boyfriend, I’m not interested in a relationship.”
“That seems great; you are indeed different from others of your
age.”
Diana replied with a hesitant smile while she kept her head down.
“So, what about marriage?
Any plans?”
“Not yet decided uncle!”
“I know, you are busy with some activities in college itself, how
would you think of marriage?”
In no time the aura of the scene changed, Diana’s hesitant smile
was all gone. Her eyebrows were raised as she looked up to him, her eyes got
ready to shed tears.
“What are you talking papa? Stop it!” defended Riva.
“Don’t interrupt me!” replied her father in a high tone, he
continued looking at Diana, “I don’t know what you are up to, but what you are
doing is not at all good. It has passed all around and reached my ears too.”
“This is not true!” tried Diana to convince him.
“I don’t care what happened, what people are talking about is the only
thing that matters. A person like me who lives in society wants only good
feedback, we believe what we hear, and that’s it. It’s not healthy to keep Riva
here with you. I have come to take my daughter away. ” He turned towards Riva,
“Pack your belongings Riva, we are leaving.”
Riva probably may not always be an obedient daughter, but this time she obeyed her father.
This scene devastated Diana completely. What else would happen
worse than this? That day Diana completely understood what extent this has gone
to.
That night, the sky was filled with clouds and the entire city got
wet. The power cut added to the darkness of that night. Diana was alone in her room;
the empty bed beside her reminded of her best friend. When she looked outside
through the window, all she could see is the rainwater falling on the tin roof
shattering it just like the pain does to her.
“How judgmental people are? Why do people judge others based on
hearsays? Diana, you have faced many obstacles, and this is one hell out of it.
Think something that would put you out of this.” sounded off her mind. She knew
this is not going to end until she does something.
A few Days Later in the college corridor
“Did you see Diana?” asked Riva to a nearby classmate
“No” the classmate replied.
“Where is she? She was absent even yesterday.”
“She was always with you, you should know about her.”
“She didn’t even say a word to me.”
She got a ping from her mobile phone. That was the message from
Diana that read:
Riva, this place is no better for me. I perceived that my journey
in this college would be memorable, but all that is ruined. I’m leaving this
college. I don’t want to talk to anyone about this. Please be in touch with me
only if you promise that you will never talk about this to me again.
-Diana
“Probably this is the only solution she
thought of.” Riva said to herself.
Diana was never seen in that
college thereafter.
Chapter 3
//Present//
Bheemli Beach, Visakhapatnam
Those couple of legs was still on that edge of the wooden bridge,
the tip of huge water waves tried to touch her feet but failed. Her past was
full of pain, what happened at the café added to it.
“Diana? What happened? Why did you call me here?” came a voice
behind her. It was Riva coming towards her. She has not changed a lot in this
course of 5 years. Grey shirt and black jeans, high heels, and platinum
earrings, all showed she is rich enough to own anything she wanted.
“What happened? You don’t seem ok.”
Diana gave no reply.
“Say Darling!”
“Am I really a Bi**h Riva?” asked Diana
“Why are you asking so?”
“Just answer my question, Riva”
“NO! Not at all, just try to forget whatever happened Diana. It
has been 5 years. You even left that place. Why are you calling up all that
again?”
“It is not about what happened in the past.”
“Then?”
“Even Fred says the same. He claims that I’m a bi’’ch.” replied
Diana with a low voice. Tears were already rolling down her cheeks by now.
“Hey, don’t cry!” Riva wiped those tears with her hands.
“After I left that college, I never talked to anyone except you.
Because you were my only friend and you are. This is my loyalty. I never break
the loyalty of my loved ones. How can he understand that?”
“People are so Diana, we have nothing in our hands. All we can do
is adjusting ourselves accordingly.”
Diana turned her face to look at Riva.
“You are not new to it Diana. You have done it before; you should
do it now too.”
“Do you want me to repeat what I have done 5 years ago?”
Riva nodded her head depicting, “Yes”.
“Well, I started the same already” replied Diana with an Archaic
smile.
“So, how is John? Have you met him after?” continued Diana
“No, I have not met him. In fact, he was missing before you left
Diana. I have never seen him ever since.”
“You know what happened to him?” asked Diana as she turned back to
the dawning sun.
Riva’s eyebrows came together in uncertainty and she looked at
Diana for the answer.
Few Days before Diana Fled away
“Hey, Babe! Why you called me here?” asked John to Diana waiting
for him at the old abandoned godown away from the city. There was complete
darkness all around, the only source of light they had was the moonlight and
that from John’s car.
“I wanted to talk to you, John!” Diana replied.
“Oh! I thought of something else, it’s ok let’s see what it would
lead us to.”
“Look John, I know you have yelled that day to take revenge on me,
but this has gone out of my hands now. People are spreading the worst of the
rumors about me. Let’s do something to stop this.”
“What can we do babe?”
Diana thought for a while and replied “We can do one thing, I
shall set up a meeting with help of some teachers, let us state openly that the
rumors are all wrong.”
“What an idea madam! Super! Do you think I’m a fool?”
“No, I didn’t mean—”
“I can’t just say openly to everyone that I was the one behind the
rumors that too in an organized meet.”
“In that case, we can do one thing. We shall make a video together
that that’s all fake and post it on social media. This would not need any
official meet.”
“That seems fine, let’s do that now itself.”
“Great, thank you, John, come on let’s do it.”
“But what would be my reward for saving you?”
“Reward? You are the reason for all this, are you expecting
rewards?”
“The need is all yours. If you want me to help you, I want
something in return for sure.”
“Ok, what do you want?”
“You know what I want.” He replied with a cunning smile.
“What?”
“Something that started all this. I want you, now itself.”
“You are again going out of your mind John; I have enough problems
now, don’t complicate and please help me.”
“No way babes! In fact, I will have you even if you don’t agree.
You see this place– perfect for what I want.”
“No! I would never agree to that.”
“That all depends on you, I’m gonna take what I want anyway” and
he started advancing towards Diana.
“No, you are making another mistake John” Diana made her steps
backward.
John increased his speed, he looked uncontrollable. His cunning
smile grew bigger than probably said, ‘finally I’m getting you!’ His smile showed
that nothing could stop him from consuming her that day.
He came near her and was about raised his left hand towards her
shoulder that the scene took another turn all of a sudden. His smile evaporated
in the dark. His face showed shock at what happened. He looked down to see a
sharp knife in its halfway inside his intestines.
Diana was holding that knife— firmly— ensuring all of his
intestines would shatter in no time.
“Am I a fool to expect a rogue like you would help me out of this?
I have my own plans beforehand.” low-pitched Diana.
John began to feel the pain, he closed his eyes tight and opened
his mouth wide open, he was about to shout of pain. Diana pushed her other hand
against his mouth ensuring the air in his mouth was imprisoned. In no time she
pulled back and stabbed him again.
Blood was flowing out as if it was a fountain at a rapid pace. He
collapsed in a couple of seconds.
“I still wanted to give you a
chance John; you could have lived happily ever after if you would have helped
me. Anyway, killing you will finish the problem.” replied Diana to his pain and
uncertainty.
Chapter 4
//Present//
Bheemli Beach, Vishakhapatnam
The water waves continued trying to touch those two couple of
legs.
Riva got the answer, but
she was more tensed than before despite getting the answer. Drops of sweat
began to flow down to her chin; she tried to tap them off with a handkerchief.
“You killed him because he was the reason for the rumors?”
“Yes, I thought his death would mark the end of the rumors, but it
wasn’t. People centered me in the rumors, not him. Many of these people never
noticed that this guy was missing, Crazy isn’t it?” replied Diana
“I don’t know what to say. But I didn’t mean to do that now,”
“Riva darling, you already asked me to do the same, and I also
started to do.”
Riva’s face turned bewildered again.
The middle-aged man in the tea stall nearby switched on the radio
for the evening news. The first bulletin read, “Breaking news! A young guy aged
about 25 is found dead near Rock Garden Café. He has been stabbed twice in his
belly to death. His name is found to be Fred in a preliminary investigation.
More details are to be out and police have already started their investigation
regarding this.”
Riva’s face turned yet more strained. She shifted her look
downwards. She found Diana’s hand was full of blood. She was still holding the stained
knife. This increased Riva’s heartbeat to many folds. Tears began to roll down.
“Why are people judgmental Riva?”
Riva has no words to say, even if she had, she had no courage to
open her mouth by now.
“Judgmental people have already ruined my life once. I don’t want
this to happen again.”
Riva is still standing frozen without a word.
“All these days I thought that people are genuine by themselves
thus they were judgmental towards me. But I was wrong. Filthy people who have
done worse than me are also judging me.”
Riva’s frozen face was now added with a pinch of bewilderedness
again.
“Let us consider Fred for instance. A half an hour ago, he yelled
at me to state the truth about what happened that day in the classroom when
there was nothing that actually happened. Here, he has already been in an
affair with you and cheating on me for months together already. ”
Riva was at the peak of fear and tension. She understood she was
caught, Diana knew everything. She understood she is done now; there was no
other way than to run away.
But Riva got it late already by then. The stained knife already
entered her throat.
“You people taught me an important lesson yet again.” Diana was
already frustrated and angry, her face with spilled blood now made her look
more violent. She brought back the knife and stabbed Riva’s neck again. Riva
collapsed.
Past has taught many lessons to Diana. But this was a new one.
Interestingly, she grew mature now. She also planned to get out of this scene.
She wrote a suicide note reading:
“My name is Riva. I have been in a relationship with Fred. I love
him so much but he betrayed me. I gave him a chance, but instead, he judged me
back for my loyalty. Thus I decided to kill him. After he is dead, for whom
would I live for? Thus I decided to self-slaughter. I’m stating in full of
senses that no one else is responsible for my death.”
She gently folded the note and tucked it in the pocket of Riva’s beautiful
grey shirt.
Diana’s face showed signs of a pure smile. Why wouldn’t she smile,
she had been relieved from her handcuffs yet again now. She washed off all her
past with the water along with her hand of blood.
The clouds above too probably wanted to wipe her past with rain.
Her mind was craving for a good coffee now; however, Rock Garden café wouldn’t
be possible. She has many substitutes. She went to the stall and asked the
vendor for tea. The frightened man handed her with it in no time. He seemed
to know what needs to be done; he shut and left his stall soon after.
Her couple of legs walked out of the beach at full pace towards
the nearby bus stop.
The same youth guy on the rock earlier was standing out there due
to rain. This time he couldn’t stop glaring at her beauty. He didn’t know that this
beauty came from inside of her now made her beautiful, look prettier than
earlier. This Belle made his day.
That’s the end of the story, but I still have one question in
mind. Why people are so judgmental? Even if they are why they do turn
judgmental based on the hearsays? I sometimes feel Diana is right. Getting
JudgeMENTAL is the only answer to this. I know at the end of the day, it is all
the perception that one has.
Nice
ReplyDeleteSuper nanna 👍
ReplyDeleteGood keep it up 👍👍👍
ReplyDelete