Hi, I am Kunj. I had this friend since childhood in whose house I lived secretly and with who I used to play with since my childhood. Her name was Twinkle. I mostly used to be there in her room or wherever she went, I also went along with her. Whatever she had to eat, I also ate, whatever she did, I also did. She was my only friend and I knew nothing about my family. But there was a problem, that whenever she introduced me to someone, they would reply back like “who friend? What are you talking about?”
I never really understood why. When she would be gone to school, she would take me with her, again same response came there too. Whenever she would be talking to me, people would point at her and say, “hey look there at that girl, she is talking to the tree beside her.” It literally boiled my blood that someone was calling her mad in front of me and I could do nothing about it. Then it struck me, they can’t see me right? Or that’s what I think? Or maybe they just joke around to tease her badly?
I stood up from beside her. “Where are you going?” She asked me. “To teach these notorious kids a lesson,” I answered with venom in my voice. “Let it be,” she said trying to stop me but I didn’t stop and went to those kids. “Hey, what’s your problem?” I asked but they continued talking as if I m not there. I couldn’t control myself and punched them in their faces. They got scared looking here and there and then ran away from there, I laughed pointing at them with my hand looking at Twinkle. She shook her head in disbelief.
“Tum bhi na,” she said and laughed. Later when we grew up a little more and she was in 8th standard, a boy teased her daily on talking to something invisible. I just don’t understand why everyone keeps joking with this poor soul. Just leave her alone. Get away from her if you think of her as some mental case. Well the boy was named as Yuvraj. Whenever she would be with him, the duo would always talk while roaming around. She would be in between of us, I would be on her right and he would be on her left.
Whenever she would turn to talk to me, Yuvraj would pull her wrapping his arm around her shoulders irking me. He would hold her hand, hug her even when she didn’t need it, he would also react as if I m not there. Once when he held her hand and pulled her, I held her other hand and pulled her too but she wouldn’t even move an inch. I remember once he tried taking her somewhere forcefully and I pushed him with full force, I still remember the expression on his face when he got pulled up in the air and collided with a walk sinking on the floor.
Since then, he got away from her and used to be scared of her. Once again, she had her full attention on me only. When we turned 18, these problems grew serious and she got involved in getting bullied and ended up in a long lasting trauma and a serious mental condition. She had isolated herself from the world. After years of gentle persuasion, Twinkle who was my best friend since childhood, finally agreed to seek professional help for serious mental problems. Much to my dismay, as she began to improve, I slowly started to realize that I am her imaginary friend.
Now I knew why everyone reacted that way. Because I m a ghost who grew up with her and was only visible to her. Because of me, she never got friends. Now I roam around in heaven thinking of those times when we both had a lot of fun.
Main aur meri tanhayi, aksar yeh baatein karte hain.. tum hoti toh kaisa hota.. tum yeh kehti, tum woh kehti, tum is baat pe hairaan hoti, tum us baat pe kitni hassti.. tum hoti toh aisa hota, tum hoti toh waisa hota.. main aur meri tanhayi, aksar yeh baatein karte hain.
I died the moment I realized that she won’t see me anymore and that I would be totally alone.