Vaanya Chapter 5(Drama)

 I have always loved acting but acting has never loved me.In my head I was the protagonist of every Shakespearen act. However that was not my reality. I had to join the college drama community by hook or crook. That's when writing got into my mind. I started writing scripts for Annual intercollege drama competition. As if a succession of failures, my scripts never got selected until today of course. "Whoaa!! Is this some kind of prank? I need to talk to Ess" I abrupted.

I hopped into the shower finally feeling some control over my life. Odd things had happened and I didn't know what to expect next. 

Ess had texted me to tell that she would be waiting in the canteen. I reached college and was walking in the hallway when Mr. Koay from Drama community called me from behind. I know its him because he pronunces my name wrong every time. 

"Its Celeste Mr. Koay not Misty", Essie has told him for the third time one day. "But Misty is a beautiful name. It suits her", he had told her off. One couldn't argue with Koay firstly because he was too old to argue with and secondly because he wouldn't listen. 

"You can call her Vanyaa aswell Mr.Koay", said a voice and then chuckled. My eyes went wide and tounge went dry. I knew that voice but what was he doing in my college?

Slow down a little

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you..."(John 14:27)

We live in a time where time is always a question. Everyone's in a hurry, hurrying their way through temporary things, carrying upon thir shoulders the load of fulfillment. They are ignorant to the fact that this speed is leading them to their fellow men in gravestones resting there permanently.

The pace of modern life has tired man emotionally, drenched him mentally and poisoned his soul. Man today wants everything to be done immediately. It's now or never. "But God won't go that fast, he will not endeavor to keep up with you", says Norman. V. Peale, the author of  the famous book" The Power of Positive Thinking".

This generation need to stop or atleast slow down. Here are a few steps to slowing down:

1. Don't fret over things. A seed won't give fruits in a day. Give things time, learn to be patient.

2. Let go of nervous excitement. Remember, " To go fast one must row slowly".

3. Atleast once on a day stop whatever you are doing, close your eyes and listen to your heartbeat, observe your breathing and relax.

4. Practice being peaceful and present in the moment. It mightnot come immediately but practice it until it becomes a habit.

5. Get yourself a mantra like " I am in peace with myself. I breathe in calmness and breathe out stress".

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Vaanya(Chapter4: Essie)

Essie aka Ess is a big mess and unfortunately my best friend. The latter would be a lie because she is a blessing not a misfortune. Apart from Mom if I have somebody I can count on its Ess. We were not always this close though.

I was a new student in  the 7th grade and she was 'Miss Popular' already. Our thoughts were poles apart. I was a nerd who wouldn't be seen anywhere else than the library and the last place she would  visit was the library. So if you ask how we ended up being best friends then the answer is music. The universal language of music was what we bonded over. She was the lead vocalist and I was a pianist for school band. Ever since then we were inseparable.

She's my best friend does not take away from her the fact that she's a mess. She's the one who fixed me with Ronan in the first place. She was desperate I find someone because apparently she had found her 'the one' but I hadn't started looking for him yet.Thanks to her I ended up being followed by a stranger.

I searched for my bag but it was nowhere to be found. All my belongings from the bag were spread out on the study table. "Oh, mom saved them from soaking " I thought. My cell phone had twenty five missed calls and three texts. All calls and two texts were from my mess. The third was from college drama community. "Miss Celeste, your script has been approved for  the annual drama. Congratulations, please contact our new literature head. " it read.

Autumn

Life's not always spring and sunshine. Prepare yourself for the autumn aswell because there comes a time where all leaves fall off you and you don't understand what's going on. You will then feel empty, exposed to the harsh wind waving through you. You are likely to fall apart . Hold on dear one! cling on to the last ray of hope as  you are to  be born again to the vastless potential of life. The change that scared you will teach how beautiful it is to let go of  things that no longer serve you. Till then just hold on.

Vaanya(Character 3: Returning Home)

Not a single thing went right. My whole day had ruined. I fought to hold my tears back. It's not that I am sensitive but sometimes it just gets hard. As if God responded to my prayers, it started to rain.I burst into tears. Atleast no one would know I was crying that way. I went into paroxysm and  lost grip over my emotions. I walked one step at a time so that I could cry my heart out. When my heart felt light and water dripped from every where, I reached home. 

"Celeste! Have you lost your mind?" my mom yelled. She was there  in the verandah, looking more relieved than angry. I stood still as she ran down the stairs to me and  hugged me tight. "Why didn't you pick up my call? she asked worriedly. I melted away in her arms.

Sometimes home is two eyes and a heart beat and that was true about Mom.

I looked into the mirror. Rain soaked clothes clung to my skin, pruney fingers and remote eyes. I didn't feel like myself. Mom called for dinner. I changed and hastened to join her. 

"Tell me about today", she suggested. I kept quiet and started encircling my fork around the plate pretending not to have heard her. "Whenever you feel like, okay?" she said, gently patting my shoulder. That was a relief. Mom didn't allow me to do the chores. "You need rest sweetheart, she said in her warm tone. I kissed her good night and went to my room. 

I woke up to Mom's voice. She told me to check my phone. "Essie has been trying to reach you all morning, she told me she'll come over if you don't pick up her calls" mom giggled.

Vaanya( Chapter 2 The Cover Girl)

I nodded and glaced  away totally baffled.

I should have panicked but I didn't. No pounding heart, no sweaty palms. A sense of serenity surrounded me instead . The aroma of his cologne added to my selcouth state.

" I must be imagining things", I thought to myself. May be he's just a random person who's going home. I then decided to  turn a blind eye to him and  stared out of the window. I checked my phone to see if Ronan had called but there was nothing. I felt sorry for myself.

"What's the time?", he asked. My eyes naturally fell on his  expensive looking wristwatch. I lost my cool. "You'll get lots of working watches if you sell this", I responded irately pointing at his wrist. He

laughed wholeheartedly. Holycrap! how could anybody be so alluring. Anyone would go weak at knees watching him laugh. I could feel collywobbles in my belly.

"Just wanted to know if your's work Vanya" he replied with a silly grin. He left me mystified once again.

My busstop had arrived. I excused myself and got down the vehicle."Why did he call me Vaanya?" He looked too sober to be drunk", I said to myself. I hurried down the road with out turning back. But I could hear somebody running to catch my pace.

" Hey, wait! I didn't mean to scare you but I need a favor", he said in a raspy voice.

" I knew you were following me" I said turning back.

 He was standing a few meters away with a huge camera hung around his neck. He didn't have it before  or may be I paid no heed earlier. "What do you want?" I shouted throwing my hands up in the air.

"Can I take your picture Vaanya", he pleaded.

"What did you say? And who is Vaanya?", I asked utterly bewildered.

"A photo", he replied sheepishly

" Do I look like a celebrity to you?" I asked but regretted it immediately because there was nothing "celebrity like" in me.

He thought for a while and asked me if we could talk about it. I had started to feel dizzy. In the middle of  road I was talking to a stranger and none of it made  sense. "You don't know me, I don't know you, end of story. If you follow me, I'll call the cops", I told him off.

"Vaanya's  the title and protagonist of my novel. It's a love story I'm writing. You are exactly the Vaanya I've imagined in my head, so I wanted your picture to be  in the cover page of my book. I promise I won't misuse your picture. If you have doubts, you could read the draft of the novel", he said with a sigh.

The word "Love" reminded me of my failed date. "I don't believe in Love Stories, not at all", I yelled more to myself than him and ran.

Vaanya (Character 1: An Unusual Meet)

After three unsuccessful endeavors to cover my dark circles, I am going for the fourth attempt. Why? because I don't give up so easily. Okay, let me be honest. I can't go out with this pitchy shade of eyeshadow under  eyes for a date, can I?

Oh woww!! the fourth trial has changed me from a panda to a racoon . May be my date deserves to see the real me today. Never mind, its time to face the truth.

It's 3 already. This zoonotic trasformation will cost me my love today. Wait, what did I just say? Love? Ha-ha not all love animals. But hey! I can't be so cruel to myself. Apart from the silhouette under my eyes, I look fine. I am smart atleast. No, I am not being boastful, it's my way of self love.

Forty minutes and he is nowhere to be seen. I hate  waiting. Yes, I am impatient. So, impatient that I never go to movies because it's nerve racking to stay in a place for that long.  

I don't call because it'll make me look desperate. But common he could text atleast? How can anyone be so mean. I loathe him already. Did he backout because of my panda eyes? Or he had doubts on his intelligence after knowing I am sapiosexual? I'll feel better if I go with the latter. But seriously, I don't  care anymore. I pay for my coffee, grab my bag and leave.

The air smells of earth outside and ahh these blue mimosas. A cool breeze touched my cheeks and neck as if trying to pacify me and surprisingly it did.I want to walk home barefoot feeling the moist soil beneath me but I am too tired to move. I drag myself a few metres  away to the  busstop. The wait  never seems to end. 

I always have had a strong intuition. Not as strong as Spider-Man being all conscious of danger around him but you know, my hunches are pretty sure. And now I can feel eyes on me. Just to make sure I turn.

His hazel eyes widened in shock. He ran a hand through his glossy hair looking away as if to cover up. He looked familiar. I was scanning my memory to see if it clicks when the horn blew. Ignoring him I got into the vehicle and sat by a window seat. "May I sit here?" said a husky voice and I knew it was him.

to be continued...

Unheard the wedding bell

Hand in hand and on my shoulder you rested your head

Life on fleek, sun shines and a beautiful future ahead

You then promised me to never  leave my side 

You filled me with hopes,you said I'll be your perfect bride

I am not gullible but your words were bona fide

I spoke my heart out, no secrets, no nothing to hide

My heart  healed, letting go all that ails

With you magic felt real, I believed in fairytales

And then as if the moon envied my happy face

You had no time for me, you started seeing me less

You walked with me under the starry night

But vanished when my days were not so bright

Perfect was my world, bedlam it would be I had no clue

You left me at my darkest, should I still be loving you?

You picked me from and threw me back to hell

I then unwalked down the aisle,  unheard the wedding bell.

To the Unknown

Have you ever been in love with the unknown? There exists an eternal feeling of affection yet there's noone to think of. It sounds scary but I swear it's the most beautiful feeling. You feel as if there's a part of you that is missing; you are made in fraction and the one to make you a whole is the unknown. You feel them in the rays of sun and the cool breeze that gently kisses your skin reaching your bones and finding it's way deeper. It's such a magical feeling, so enticing that no words can describe it. As if somebody somewhere is calling you home to their loving hug and you melt away such that their essence becomes yours. No, you don't lose your self then, rather you realize your 'being',you become a part of them and they become yours.

What is love?

Love is when you give and give to a person and you still want to give. It is when you can't help but smile seeing them laugh yet you fear something might go wrong. Love is when you forget yourself but pray for their wellbeing. Love is when you get contented just by the thought that they are yours.

It's in their joy and their happiness. Love is getting mad at eachother and wanting to talk to them again. Love is when you fear you might lose them. It is when you apologize for your fault even if it's not. It's such a powerful emotion that even terror kneels in front of your love. A feeling worth suffering.  Love cannot be true or fake for it simply 'IS'. Love is when two eyes and a heartbeat becomes your world. It's not that complicated after all, is it?

Born this way

Did women come out of man's spine or do men come out of women's womb? Does carrying heavy loads make men great or bleeding for a week make women strong? Are men and women equal? Who will answer these questions? How will we know the hierarchy? You might say 'of course the society does'. The same society that talks about rights of women and censures short clothes at the same time? Who will clear this ambiguity?

Why are women blamed for their own harrasment? Why ain't men taught to respect them? Why is a woman maltreated by another woman? Why is it  that a woman waits to be saved by a man every time? Can't they be their own superhero?

Cover yourself, speak less, cross your legs, fat is ugly, agree to what he says or he won't like you; do women really need validation from men to exist or to be themselves?! You are different from all other women I have met; who gave men right to distinguish and difference between women? 

It's time the world know that all woman are same. We are alike because our spines are made of steel and bones of star dust. We can melt you with love and burn you in fury. Love is our language but I bet you wouldn't want to see us distorted with rage. All you have seen is a soothing ocean, little do you know why tsunami was named after a woman.https://www.google.com.np/search?q=articles+on+womanhood&oq=articles+on+woman&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l3.10750j0j7&client=ms-android-huawei&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

I am a woman

Don't tell me I am beautiful, pretty or cute

Call me strong and brave instead

It's my courage that makes me shine

not the shape of my body or the beauty that fades

Tall or short, perfect or not

Black,white or what ever be the color of my skin

The freckles, my curls or the straights

Look beyond them, for that's not me from within

It's not in what I look that I am

Or the lines in my forehead, bags under my eyes

It's in my poise, my grace and gratitude, the beauty lies

Don't think I am less, don't underestimate me

I am made of stardust, I am divine

I am a woman and that should be enough

To make you think , to make me shine

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Just a little bit of effort

Isn't it fun to swipe down the newsfeed related to global environmental issues? Why bother reading them anyway. And then sometimes you can't help but browse such articles when their dramatic headlines mesmerize us. Then what? The next step ofcourse is for you to be the Umpire. Who didn't do what and who is to be blamed? Ugh! the snail paced road construction, the futile government and not to forget money-grubbing industries.

Wait, did you miss something?? No? What about you? Have you been contributing to this tragedy? Now you might snort thinking how on earth would the tobacco smoke I puff into the air for fun contribute to global air pollution. Or, how the plastics I burn in my backyard add to it. Well, stating the fact, your little mischief adds to the huge adversity. Can you do anything to abate the pollution? Good news for those willing to contribute, the answer is an yes.

A report by The Nature Conservancy has qualified the fact that nature can help cities address the problems of air pollution. A global investment of 100 million dollars per year in tree planting and maintenance can provide and offer 68 million people measurable reductions in fine particulate matter pollution. What if we plant a sapling each? Like the quote says, "Together we can do great things" your little effort as a human won't do any harm. Let's be self less and make an effort. We didn't inherit earth from our ancestors rather borrowed it from our descendants.

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