ELEVEN
Maya had a strong need to be understood and loved, and this was not being fulfilled. She had already had an encounter with love; her first love was Abhay, the guy whom she met at chemistry tuitions. That happened when she was in school.
She liked him very much and he seemed interested in her too. One day, while he was walking along with her to home, he suddenly pulled her close and kissed her. Shocked, she pushed him and ran away. That night, lying in bed, she thought about it. An arrow of pleasure shot through her when she thought of his kiss, his body touching her's.
It was a disaster. She had allowed him to kiss her and it did feel wonderful only fora particular moment. As she was stepping into tuition class the next day, she overheard Abhay boasting about last evening's kiss to others. Her liking for him turned into contempt, forever, at that moment. Her heart felt the pain caused by pleasure for the first time. Little did she know it was just the beginning of the game called 'life'.
She felt rotten, but her teacher walked in just then. Shankar had started teaching them about how molecules mix to form various elements and sub-elements in the universe. He told them how two molecules of hydrogen and one molecule of oxygen have to combine to form water. The water that we drink without any thought, day after day.
It is one of the wonders of nature that all the elements, be it air, fire or water combine in the most perfect order to form all molecules in this universe, she thought. Perhaps her love for Abhay was not the right mix. The formula was not in place, that's why what happened, happened, she told herself. That evening when classes were over, Abhay called out to her.
Maya stopped and turned to look at him. “I heard it all, Abhay. I heard you boasting to others about last evening!”
His face fell. She looked at him as he fumbled for an explanation, but without success. She felt humiliated and angry. “So you have nothing to say to it. I hope I never see you again,” she said as she sighed and walked away.
This was her first lesson in life. A moment, she realised, could bring joy and make you feel special, but the same moment can transform into pain a wee bit later, and make you feel worthless. Life is a matter of perspective, she thought.