The Bracelet

By V G Sathve

Aditya alias Aadhi woke up to a fresh smile welcoming the light hearted morning rays. It was a bright monday morning, but suprisingly Aadhi didnt have the monday blues, he had only excitement vibes for his work. He hogged a simple sandwich with the same sparkling smile, spilling some of his coffee on his pillow by mistake in a hurry. He placed an extra for the maid servant to eat when she comes. Aadhi zoomed away with a childlike curiousity and warmth towards the office tower. Aadhi did love his job, maybe thats why the excitement as you all think. He braced himself towards his office cabin, trying to catch a glance of a neighbouring cubicle, but it was emptiness that greeted him instead. Little did he know, there was another pair of eyes catching his glimpse.

Aadhis team was like a dream come true,they had a close friendship and felt like family. His school best friend, Nitin was in his team. Working and being with your best friend 24*7 , how cool is that.Nitin was like a brother from another mother type of friend, he was there through all ups and downs and he was the only one who would point out Aadhis faults openly. He never hesitated to speak his mind. Fierce in appearance, but warm hearted, that was Nitin.

Nidhi and Megha are his other two remaining colleagues, with whom he forms a strong bond. All the four got along very well and often hanged out together apart from work. Nidhi was always bothered about her looks, and groomed herself very well. She was more into dressing, make up and fashion talk, and would easily agree to others opinion even though her opinions were better. Megha was a bit tomboyish, she basically did whatever she loved. She usually wore casuals, never had make up, didnt bother if guys looked at her, she was very comfortable in her own skin. She would dance and laugh in the streets if she felt like, she wouldnt care. Aadhi on the other hand was very considerate, looked very gulliable but was strong as a marble inside. Four completely different people got along very well like pieces of jigsaw. Things were very smooth, beautiful and surreal until some feelings got in the way.

Aadhi’s heart started fluttering whenever Megha came near him, beneath all her tomboyish nature, he fell for her innocent and kind heart. Nidhi fell for Aadhi because of his considerate nature. And for Megha, she did like Aadhi back, but wanted to take time in taking anything forward. Nitin was the silent spectator who wondered where all this would end up. One of their usual outings, the four of them go street shopping and then plan to head for lunch. They parked the car nearby, left water bottles and other essentials due to the burden of carrying them, and they started walking. The girls were aimlessly going from one vendor to vendor, and the guys were wondering when it will become lunch time. Suddenly, a beautiful blue bracelet sparkling in the bright soon but yet a very soothing tone caught Megha’s eye. Though she loved the bracelet, she decided to pass it this time as she already had a huge collection that she didnt use. Nidhi noticed the bracelet too, and thought of pursuing her idea to buy it. Suddenly Aadhi interrupted her, he asked her if she could get the water bottle from the car parked nearby. Nidhi sped away , because of the affection she had for him. Meanwhile, Aadhi wasted no time in buying the bracelet, without Megha or Nidhi noticing this. He told Nitin to keep it in his bag, and he will take it when the right time comes.

An exhausted Nidhi comes running with the water bottle, but gets highly disheartened seeing that the bracelet is sold to someone. Aadhi was the reason, little did she know, but the rest of the day went one with each others company. After their goodbyes, late in the night, after the girls left, Aadhi takes the bracelet from Nitins bag and goes home. The usual welcoming silence greets him, he places the bracelet in his drawer, thinking to gift Megha on her birthday. Exhausted after all the happenings, he plunges on his pillow and drifts off to sleep.

Two days have gone past this incident, nothing has changed. Aadhi goes to pickup his milk in front of his door and he sees something stuck to it. A broad piece of letter.

“I know, you have the bracelet. Dont be a sly fox for your own good.“

Aadhi was just shocked at first, where was this from, suddenly out of the blue. He decides to ignore it as a harmless joke. Daily he keeps getting such messages, telling him, that what he did was wrong. He cant escape even if it seems to be a small mistake. Many more threatening things which was starting to mess up his mind a little. He decides to get to the bottom of this. It has bothered him so much, he doesnt even feel like looking at the bracelet anymore, or even give it to Megha. He analyses the whole situation.

1.Nitin was the only one who knew he bought the bracelet after fooling Nidhi.

2.Nidhi had gone a decent distance way when he bought the bracelet.

3.Megha had gone to the next shop for shopping.

4.Nitin was the only one he saw.

5.Aadhi never spoke to anybody on this.

6.Nidihi – if she saw, then maybe this was her revenge

7.Megha – maybe she thought the bracelet was for Nidhi

8.Nitin - maybe he has a backstory for his actions.

Aadhi decides to keep an eye on all the three for a while, to find out the person behind all this.

“What is your birthday plan, Megha?” - Aadhi

“Nothing much. Maybe see a horror movie, its nice to haunt people”. Megha laughs.

Aadhi’s face went silent, what on earth did she even mean.

“You are scary enough, you dont need to see horror movie. You can see yourself in the mirror” - Nidhi

“You can see yourself in the mirror” - Megha

“Dont be a sly fox” - Nidhi

“Girls, cut it out, atleast you people dont need to keep secrets” - Nitin

“What secret are you hiding?” - Nidhi

“Deep dark secrets” - Nitin

“Very funny. Lets change the topic guys” - Aadhi

They changed the topic to a spoiler on game of thrones, while Aadhis’ mind wandered away into thinking on what these three spoke. They seemed to confuse him even more, and he was only losing his mind over this. Again, a same flow of converstaion started.

“Stop drinking my milkshare, Megha” - Nidhi

“It is so tasty “ - Megha

“You cant get away doing this” - Nidhi

“I am getting a headache with these two, do you girls also have any secrets? “ - Nitin

Aadhi excused himself and decided to go for a walk. He decided that he would return the bracelet to the shop and be done with it forever. Making up his mind, he reaches home.

He still cant believe that one of his friends could do this to him, someone he trusts and admires so much. He strongly feels its Nidhi, she was trying to prove the point to Megha with the milkshake. She also told about a sly fox, something that was in the letter, maybe she saw him buying that slyly.

To end all this, he just thought of returning it , the very next day. He didnt want to confront Nidhi about her actions. He feared it might spoil the friendship all the four of them share, but he couldnt behave the same way also. After lot of thinking, one thing he understood was, its the best to be open about everything, he cant live with this burden of this thoughts forever. Even if its at the cost of his friendship, he needs the emptiness in his heart, not the burden of his guilt. If the friendship was not strong enough to bear the truth, then let it go into the winds, he decided.

Suprisingly, after some soul searching, he felt light and had a very good night sleep.

He decided instead of going to the shop, he will go to Nidhi instead, tell her the truth and ask her the truth. He got ready and dressed. He picked up the bracelet from his drawer and headed towards the bed, while he slipped on his side table in a hurry. He sat on his bed for sometime to heal the pain and kept his hand on his pillow. He noticed the coffee stain on the pillow. He removed the pillow cover and something very small fell from there. It was a very strange looking device not bigger than a pendirve but was very strange, he wondered what it was.

He noticed it was the time for his maid to arrive, he decided to hide and check what was happening, as this was fishy. He put the pillow back and hid inside the cupboard and waited for sometime. The maid came to the room after some time and looked around. After that, she removed the pillow cover, took the device and started examining it with some other device. Aadhi slowly catches her hand and confronts her to what the hell is happening right now, he is just very confused.

His maid explains to him very bravely, though being caught.

“This is a mind reader, this device records everything a persons subconscious thinks within a distance of 100 m around them. When a person sleeps, is the time where they think all the important things in their subconscious, their guilt, their worries, their fears, everything they fear their worst enemy to know. The only place your head would be in prime contact while sleeping is a pillow, and while sleeping only you would have many thoughts in your subconscious. That is why I put this mind reader in your pillow. I was looking for anything related to your guilt or anything I could use it against you. One week back, you felt guilty for buying the bracelet Nidhi wanted and also using her affection towards you as your benifit. That got recorded in this. I thought of using this against you, that is why I had dropped a letter everyday, which messed you up, I didnt mess you up, your guilt did.” - Maid

“But whyyyy? What did I do to you ? Do you need money” - Aadhi

“I dont need money. I already have a lot. I need your realisation of your guilt. I am not a maid. I came as a maid for revenge. Do you remember when you were in school, there was an internship seat being offered, and my daughter got the last seat. But you wanted the seat though you were not of merit, and your father got you. My daughter is a scientist now. She made the mind reader. I just wanted revenge for what my daughter had lost.”

“I never knew what about it when I got “ - Aadhi

“Ofcouse you know. You knew in the last moment but you didnt want to lose the opportunity in your hand. “ - Maid

“You got your revenge. I am lost in my guilt, I might never be out of it. It will keep haunting me forever.Are you happy now. Is there anything else you want still” - Aadhi

“You are eased of your guilt after meeting me, I am sure. Go met Nidhi and ease your other guilt. “ - Maid

“I didnt understand “ - Aadhi

“First, I came to teach you a lesson. But I realised something important. A person locked in his guilt, needs a key, not a victim of revenge. You are considerate and kind, you used to make me an extra sandwich, you didnt have to do that for a maid but you did. That is why I thought, let me ease that guilt you bore for so many years, and tell you about everything and leave. You can report me to the police, for giving you trouble mentally. I am resigning my job now” - Maid

“Please take the full month salary. You taught me the biggest lesson of my life, Why will I report you. I beg you for forgiveness and thank you for everything” - Aadhi

“I am sorry actually. Have a good life” - Maid

Aadhi was still in shock. He gave the bracelet to the maid and sent her away. He thought of telling everything to Nidhi and confessing to Megha. He went straight to Nidhis house and repented for his actions.

“I will be your best friend, my heart is with Megha. I wont mess with your feelings for me” - Aadhi

“I will find a better guy than you, until then you are always my best friend “ - Nidhi

“Where is the bracelet?” - Nidhi

“I gave it to the maid” - Aadhi

“ok alright, go confess your feelings to megha and tell Nitin he doesnt need to keep any secret” - Nidhi

Aadhi goes and meets Megha, confesses his feelings and narrates his story.

“I am sorry for everything. I really really love you” - Aadhi

“You really gave my bracelet away” - Megha

“Yes, i felt i should” - Aadhi

“Then that is the reason, I really love you” - Megha

After spending some quality time, he goes to Nitin’s house.

“You dont need to bear my secret anymore” - Aadhi

“I am so relieved now” - Nitin

“Next time, only bear those secrets which are in good intention, not anyone’s guilt” - Aadhi

“I will keep that in mind” - Nitin

Exhausted with the unfolding events, Aadhi goes to his car, but wait.

He wakes up, with the bracelet in his hand.

He remembers the conversation from Harry Potter.

“Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?” - Harry

“Of course, it is happeing inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” - Dumbledore.

Guilt is the worst place to go, once we are trapped, it haunts you, and doesnt allow you to come back in one piece. Ease your guilt everytime there is a chance, better try not to do anything to get that annoying guilt. Any considerate person can make mistakes. Aadhi was very considerate and kind, but the love he had for his close ones, Megha, made him do actions causing the guilt. Lets not be blinded by love, only truth should unfold in love. Free your guilt today. Confess those things to those people, because of which you can have a sleep like an innocent baby everyday.

By V G Sathve