In the late nineties, the world was developing at an unimaginable pace, but in Jaipur, life was still simple for middle-class families. The only influence on the young generation was the pop culture of the Western world. A nineteen-year-old boy named Parth, bored with his usual life, was no exception. Things got worse for him when he was informed of his failure in one of his subjects.

One gloomy day, he went for a walk in the park and saw a couple arguing with each other. Adolescence often brings a life-changing feeling to every individual’s life. When the girl decided to walk away from the ongoing argument, she passed by Parth. Just from a mere glance, Parth felt attracted. He refrained himself from dwelling on this, considering it a random thought.

The next morning, Parth's father asked him, “How are your academics going?” Fed up with his monotonous routine, Parth responded in a frustrated voice, “Why do you always have to ask about my studies? There are so many other things happening in the world.”

Parth’s father was furious, saying, “Nothing other than your academics is important in your life right now.” Saddened by his inability to discuss his studies, Parth returned to his room and slammed the door in the heat of the moment. In these situations, it’s often beneficial to have a conversation with oneself, as sometimes the answers one seeks lie within.

After returning from school the next day, Parth sat in his room with a dull mind. As great people say, “Some things are destined to happen without prior planning.” Nobody knew what this boy was up to; he simply left his home. After walking a couple of blocks away, he saw a group of people entering a club. Parth followed them and found a place where nearly everyone was lost in their own world. This was the sight Parth had been searching for lately.

Completely amazed by what he saw, Parth had an immediate thought, “How can everyone be this happy? It’s as if they’ve won everything in life, or maybe they’re all just pretending to be happy.” He hadn’t experienced such happiness around him for a long time, so he didn’t know how to react to the situation. Out of peer pressure or for some other reason, he started to dance, and it’s important to note that he wasn’t drunk. Suddenly, he spotted a familiar face he had seen in the park the other day.

The girl he saw arguing was dancing right in front of him. This thought again consumed his mind, but this time he couldn’t resist, and he let all thoughts overwhelm him. After nearly two hours, Parth decided to head back home, as it was nearly 11:30 pm. As soon as he stepped out of the club, he once again saw that girl arguing with her counterpart. He overheard her saying, “I cannot come with you right now. Please try to understand. We can do this some other day, please!” The boy eventually pushed her away, saying, “You always talk like this whenever I ask you out.”Parth deliberately walked away after witnessing a small scuffle between them.

After the boy left, the girl was not in a position to walk properly due to a leg sprain. Parth couldn’t bear it any longer, so he went straight to her and asked, “Would you like some help?” She replied in her drunk voice, “Yeah, if you can drop me at the next crossroad, it would be a great help.” He instantly replied, “I can bring you a cab if you want. If that’s not okay with you, then I can walk you there.” “Yeah, please,” she said in a sense of calmness. As she was unable to walk properly, Parth lifted her up and carried her on his back until they reached the crossroad. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and he could feel something he hadn’t felt before.

While walking, Parth asked her name, and she replied, “Shaina.” Shaina then asked him, “Don’t you feel scared offering help to a stranger, especially one who is drunk?” Parth wanted to tell her that she was no stranger to him, as he had seen her in the park once, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. Instead, he cross-questioned her, “Don’t you feel scared taking help from a boy and agreeing so easily to be carried on his back? Maybe he could take you anywhere.” “You seem like a nice boy; just by seeing you, anyone can tell you’re visiting such a place for the first time,” she said jokingly.

After fifteen minutes of conversation about life and more, Parth said to Shaina, “Could you please remove your fingernails from my neck? It’s hurting a bit.” “Who says they’re nails? Maybe it’s a knife you’re feeling afraid of,” she said in a very playful way. Parth burst into laughter.

Finally, when they reached the crossroad, Parth bid farewell to Shaina. He wished that moment could have lasted a bit longer, but time is like an endless river; it doesn’t wait for anyone. When he reached home, he noticed some specks of her clothing on his shirt. In no time, he decided to keep that shirt as a memento.

The next morning, while having breakfast, Parth’s father taunted him, saying, “If you don’t want to talk about academics, at least read the newspaper. You wanted to know what’s going on in the world, so go ahead.” Parth smiled and took the newspaper. Just as he was about to finish reading the newspaper, his eyes caught a small section that talked about an incident where a boy named Aftab was brutally murdered with a knife in a flat registered in the name of Shaina Malhotra.

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