Sakhya: a short story

Sakhya

Friendship is a unique bonding! 'Friends' are the humanised form of trust, affection and care, all dwelled in one.  Friends are a family! These buddies are the ones who are always with each other, for each other. This is the story of two such friends Sakhi and Maithri from a local high school in a village called Sakhpur.

 Sakhi was studying in high-school when she met Maithri. They both were new students in the class. With new faces all around the class and difficulty in studying languages, Maithri approached Sakhi, the girl in the same boat, for help. They both helped each other, talked about overcoming their situation and eventually became friends. Close friends. 

They started sharing everything; be it food, family matters, school, gossip, every damn  thing with each other. Even their families knew each other now. At times, Sakhi even felt like going to Maithri's home and spending time with her, doing combined studies, playing and all. 

They shared lunch, played, and studied together. Eventually, they got better in studies day by day, and like this they got adjusted to the surroundings of their new school. Both overcame their fears together. Teachers supported and encouraged them.These two friends passed the first year at their new school with flying colors. Vacations came.

In vacations, Sakhi visited Maithri's home with her family. It was a great get together. Holidays came to an end. Schools reopened. Both were doing well academically and physically.

Few months passed.

Now, Maithri slowly started taking advantage of Sakhi's friendship. But Sakhi was innocent to understand by then. She thought friendship is meant for sacrifices and she was ready to do anything said by Maithri. Whenever Sakhi talked about Maithri at her home, parents said, 'she doesn't like you or care for you as you do'. But Sakhi didn't understand. She thought the parents were not happy with their friendship, and just blamed Maithri for that sake. So, she didn't care and limited sharing things about her dar friend.

Another year passed.

In the midway, Sakhi's parents learnt how Maithri used Sakhi for her selfish deeds. They tried telling Sakhi, 'She is using you. Come out of her clutches'. Sakhi didn't believe.

Later one day, Sakhi learnt that Maithri had tricked her and she had spread false news about her with her classmates. Sakhi understood what her parents said but was not courageous enough to fight her. 

She waited for Maithri to stop doing these things against her. She didn't know the reason for her behavior.

Maithri slowly started mocking Sakhi in front of other friends. Now, Sakhi couldn't stand it anymore.. Enough was enough. Now Sakhi stood up against Maithri and they broke apart. But the incident left a deep wound in Sakhi's heart. She couldn't believe in friendship anymore. She took time to recover. 

Though she had few friends, they were just 'naam ke vaste'. Meet when necessary. Talk nicely. Return. Leave. No attachments. 

Currently, Sakhi is studying her masters in an esteemed college. But she fears having close friends. A question is still pricking in her mind, unanswered. What if I find a good friend? What if she turns bad later? Is it right that I stopped making friends just for one bad friend? Should I find a new bestie for myself?

If once, 'trust', the main element of friendship is broken into pieces, no one can fix it. The impact of such a "small incident!?" at a very young age is not so small! 

Deep down, Sakhi is craving for a close friend with whom she could share all her feelings. 

Burst out to laughter on lots of jokes, incidents and people. Cry as hell after having a fight with her brother, share her amazing experience, send her friend her favourite gifts, exchange clothes, hear to her friend, help her friend in need, wait for her besties birthday and surprise her and do everything that normal, loyal besties tend to do. 

As years have passed, she has realised, Sakhi own mind and her favourite books are her only best friends except for her parents. She knows they are there for her till her last breath!

World has many good friends too!

A good friendship is valuable even though selfish-friends-for-benefit aren't. You do not know how lucky you are if you have one such bestie for life! Do not lose him/ her at any cost!

~ Sri pada