Shruti’s life was changing but not for the better. It had been two years after she left her first job but she couldn’t seem to adapt to any new workplace. In that time she had lost her self esteem, confidence, faith in herself and was a complete wreck.
She was plagued by insomnia and growing anxiety and restlessness. She tried her best to fit into her role at work but always failed and then quit. It was winter when things got worse. She had started at a new position and just resumed her work when both her parents took ill. She had to cope with their sicknesses and manage her workload. She was still very young and all this didn’t come to her as easily.
One day at the goading of a friend she went on a date with a man on her suggestion. She didn’t know why she was doing this at a time when everything was in a state of flux. She walked to the point she said would meet him. He arrived no sooner stepped out of a cab. Tall, fair and well built she felt drawn to him. They greeted each other rather coldly because they didn’t know each other yet but they walked on and began to speak to each other.
He was working for a real estate firm and was confident and blunt in his manner of speaking. They sat together and she realized she could speak to him quite freely. it wasn’t the usual arranged meetings where the only conversation was what are you doing? Where do you work?
Thus they began their courtship. It was a rough one because Harsh lived in town and she in the suburbs. She was often reluctant to travel. It was tough for him to meet her everyday. So they exchanged emails filled with love.
Even with the presence of Harsh though she had taken him to be someone she would endlessly confide in. Her condition didn’t improve. She grew more nervous and anxious combined with panic attacks it made work an impossible task.
Harsh understood her condition and was mature enough to lend her support. Until one day when Shruti who often broke down in tears around him started to cry. Harsh didn’t appreciate her constant crying and melancholy. He kept threatening to visit another country to meet his family. Shruti needed him in her time of need and didn’t want him to go away so far from her. She felt they had just started their relationship and he was already thinking of leaving her when he could save her from completely breaking down.
In one of her breakdowns on the telephone they met less and less in person they argued and hung up on each other.
Shruti felt terrible later. She understood his point of view but when she tried to reach him again. There was no trace of him. He didn’t answer her calls, reply to her emails. He didn’t want to see her.
Shruti in the middle of a breakdown had been ghosted by him. The same man who held her hand like a friend, let her confide in him, reassured her on early mornings while she nervously head to work, spoke of love and marriage. She realized he had been in his life for a season and a purpose.
She then lost her job.
Shruti is sitting alone near the window side isolated from the world, rocking herself. She was haunted forever, the ghosted one.
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