The Insta Talk
The blue light fell on Aman's face, accentuating his enervated eyes. A series of bizarre thoughts rushed through his mind. He felt dazed. A cool breeze wafted into the room through the gaps in the windows. He flung the blanket aside and drowned in it. He wished the wind carried his soul away with it. His grasp around the blade grew firmer. It left a deep striation behind. The blade was about to nick his veins when a voice beamed from his laptop.
"Do not give up on yourself." A woman spoke.
Her enchanting eyes had a tenacious appeal to them.
'Easy for you to say,' Aman smiled sardonically.
He ran his fingers on the keyboard and was about to shut the laptop when he heard a plop.
"Hello, Avanti here," read the message.
He sat upright and rubbed his eyes. A chat box was open. What had he done?
"Aman here," he typed reluctantly.
"How are you? What do you do?" The response came in a jiffy.
"I'm a nobody," He wondered what made him say that to a stranger.
"We are all nobodies."
A wink emoticon followed.
"Are you an influencer?' he asked.
"A wellness coach." He imagined her smile.
"What's troubling you, Mr. Nobody?" Her words were charming.
"I'm not comfortable in opening my box of skeletons to someone I don't know anything about." He typed faster.
"I'm a professional. You can talk to me," she was persistent.
"Also, you can pay me later." A laughter emoticon grinned at him.
He wanted to end the conversation. But something prompted him to keep going. He needed someone to empathize with him. Tell him it wasn't his fault.
"A year back, my performance at work was at its peak. I was engaged. Happy. Then she ended it all. Now, I'm alone. Everyone is disappointed in me. I wish I died." He waited for her response.
There was a lull. A short pause. Was she gone too?
Minutes later, she replied, "Are you happy with yourself? I understand the woman you love broke it off. But what are you doing? Life isn't easy Aman. Everyday is a new chapter filled with challenges, struggles, triumphs and loss. Be there for yourself. Love will happen in due course. Even if it doesn't happen, you might not have any regrets."
"Do you say this to all your clients?" He overstepped.
She evaded the question.
But they spoke for another hour. She asked him about his parents.
“Think of them. Everything they do for you.” She gave him a glimpse of what contentment was.
Her words offered solace to his aching heart.
"Can we talk again tomorrow?" he asked.
"Yes. But I would like to talk to Aman. Not to a nobody." He pictured her eyes twirl.
He didn't know if it was brewing friendship or mere attraction. Did a tiny bud of love take seed in his heart? He didn't have any answers. But he looked forward to living another day.