The Waves: In the ocean of longing

By Narender Kundu

This world is a deep ocean of desires and half of the world's population is youth. Yes! One of every two people on the planet right now is under 30. Youth people worldwide mostly prioritize these things:

An education that prepares them for the real world, a Top position in the office, The chance to start their own business, choosing their favourite life partner, a safe and secure life, achieving their dreams etc.,

Everyone jumps into this ocean to fulfil their desires but sometimes the waves push them back to the shore, But if there is determination and good intentions then they move forward breaking the waves and achieving their destination.

The characters in this book also have a similar story. Rajveer Singh goes to a big city away from his hometown to fulfil his dreams and desires. He needs a cheap flat and fast. Reshma works in an event management office and she needs more cash. She lives with her younger brother and shares her Two-bedroom flat with Rajveer. It's strange but the perfect solution right now: Reshma and her brother occupy one bedroom while Rajveer occupies another. All three work hard all day and enjoy one another company in the evenings or weekends.

But another girl's entry into the same apartment, Distracting Rajveer with her beauty and being defrauded by her and some such facts which you are going to know after reading this book. They are about to discover that if you want to enjoy your work, perfect partner, health and wealth You have to be alert and focus on your goal in the ocean of longing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Rose Publishers
• Release date: Dec 27, 2023

Book preview

Preface

It was very urgent for me, I have to go back again soon," Rajveer told me as he placed his bag on the back seat of my car outside the Delhi airport.

But in the last year, you never made a call, where were you? And suddenly at midnight you make a call and say, I have to come to the airport to pick you up. ‘I said angrily.

Look, I don’t have time for all these things right now. I am very hungry, quickly start the car and go to some nice restaurant nearby,’ he said.

I will not take you anywhere, I am not your servant who will listen to your orders, I said angrily.

Bro, I’m really hungry, I’ll tell you everything to you Narender Bhai, please let’s go now, Rajveer said shredding crocodile tears.

Ab aya na apni aukat par - I said smiling.

I looked at the clock. it's 4 o'clock in the morning, No restaurant will be open at this time, Let's go home.

I drove the car and reached my apartment in Gurgaon while talking.

So, you are in Bombay, I said while holding the mug of coffee.

Rajveer was sitting in front of me on the sofa in the hall.

Yes! Brother, Rajveer replied in tired words.

Have you signed any films? or you are just giving auditions, I asked him while putting fruit jam on the bread.

I asked him because Rajveer was with me in college, Although he opted different course, his bed was in my room in the hostel, He had a different image even in college, more than six feet tall, perfectly fit body, fair skin, black hair, dark and piercing eyes. His hands were also long. In spite of being seated, he seemed to be of full height. Often half of his shirt buttons were unbuttoned and he used to wear a shirt bigger than his size, always surrounded by friends, all our friends always used to tell him that Rajveer you should try your luck in Bollywood., But he would have avoided our talks by laughing.

Oho! Nothing like that, I only do the job there he said with a full mouth as while eating the bread.

‘So, you went there just for the job, did you lack jobs here? The morsel going towards my mouth stopped a little away from my mouth.

‘It is strange! I was thinking that you ‘…. I paused in search of the right word.

how do you work there? I asked.

I am an advisor in a real estate company there.

I was shocked and kept staring at him. he was gobbling the bread speedily, might be he was very hungry.

‘But you have done BCA and as far as I know, BCA is related to computers’ I said while extending another breath towards him.

It is not necessary that we should make our career in the same subject that we have studied, If you have skills and passion to learn, ‘you can do anything' he said putting the coffee mug on the table.

‘Very well!’. I agree with you, but how did you get there…., I mean this was your first job out of college?

Yes! Dude, it was only the first and the matter of going there, then telling the truth, friend., Maybe my destiny took me there.

No! it's not! that was a weird answer, as I know you very well, you must have taken someone's help,' I said, reaching out for the packet of bread.

Just no more food, that’s enough for now ' Rajveer said while stopping me.

Yes, you said it right. I had taken the help of Lokendra Bhaiya, he was there at the time, and it is just because of him that I have reached this point. ' Rajveer said keeping his empty mug on the table.

Who is Lokendra ? I asked him frowning.

Arey apne Lokendra bhaiya …. forgot room number 111? Two rooms next to my hostel, apne lauki bhaiya, whom everyone used to call a bookworm.

Oh! Apne Lauki bhaiya, apne guruji, kya baat hai. It means, tumne apne guru ka peecha abhi tak bhi nahi chhoda, sahi hai bhai"

So. how did Lauki Bhaiya help you?? ‘I asked while lying and keeping both my legs on the sofa.

Bro! I asked him for help, I needed a job and wanted to go there, then one day I got a call from Lokendra Bhai., He said to send your resume and book a train ticket to Mumbai. I did so and reached Mumbai.

Oh, wow great! So, you stay there with Lauki bhaiya?

I lived in the beginning, but there were already three people living in the small flat, I shifted to another apartment after a few days, said Rajveer while lying on the sofa

You must be tired, Take a rest on the bed. I spoke

Now, I’m fine here, it was only a three-hour journey.’ he said while rubbing his eyes.

‘I picked up the leftover plates and mugs and went inside the kitchen.

so, you live here alone?’ he asked me.

Yes, I live alone, and by the way, let me tell you for your information that a writer is never alone., He is always in his own world surrounded by the characters of his story.

I came back with water from the fridge, he had his bag in his hands, some of those old notebooks, whose covers were old and their corners were also bent, the pages looked yellow from the outside, some pages were separated and came out of them.

Something was written on them with a pen.

I was offering him water but he didn’t pay attention to me and kept on fixing the pages that came out of the notebook. It seemed that he did not care much for my hospitality.

What is this? I asked.

I had a friend; these are her diaries

Her Diaries Aha. Girlfriend’s?

Flat-mate

What? I was hearing this for the first time and I was quite surprised to hear this from Rajveer.

He shrugged his shoulders.

You mean, you were in a live-in relationship with her?

No, we were four people in a flat, I, Reshma and her younger brother and Poo….ja… He lowered his brow and spoke.

I thought it was about Pooja because he couldn’t speak her name properly

‘Oh! so what are these diaries doing with you?’ I asked.

I have found these in her cupboard and I cannot read them. ‘He said.

Then go and submit it to a publisher. ‘I said.

No, I want you to read these diaries. Whatever is worth reading in this… because I am not able to understand anything… please read these for me… His heart was filled while saying this, I saw that he was swallowing saliva to save himself.

I looked at him with astonished eyes.

What is there, not to understand in this, I said.

He didn’t say anything and kept looking down. I took a deep breath and started thinking what to say now.

A faint light was coming from the curtains swaying with the air of the fan. I looked at the clock, it was six in the morning.

I have to bath, where is the bathroom? He asked while taking off his shoes.

I got up and switched on the bathroom light and brought bathroom sleepers for him. He took off his jeans and put them on the sofa and after that as soon as he took off his full-sleeve T-shirt, I saw a large part on his left-hand wrist. There were burn marks which I had never seen before.

I had some doubts and asked.

It happened because of an accident?

Yes. consider it an accident, Terrible accident,' he said while staring and rubbing his hand.

He took out a towel from his bag went to the bathroom and latched it from inside.

I was noticing his gestures and trying to understand him by going deep. Those diaries were kept on the table in front of me. I picked up all the diaries and opened the first volume. Most of the pages were in such a bad condition that it was not possible to read them. Still, I kept trying to understand him.

There were many old memories on the very first page. In this 21 August 2012 date was noted. It was written about Reshma's 18th birthday. then I turned to the next page, I wanted to study as early as possible before Rajveer came. some words were lightly erased, But I tried my best to understand them.

I was reading but I was confused because questions were arising in my mind as to whom this was about Reshma or Pooja.

Then I heard the sound of the bathroom latch opening, Rajveer came out wrapped in a towel, The diary was in my hand.

This is Reshma’s diary, But I thought you wanted to say something about Pooja,' I asked him.

Yes, it’s Reshma’s notes. ‘He said.

so where is she?, I asked.

he ignored me, He took out a yellow T-shirt and black pyjamas from his bag and started wearing them. He had a towel in his hand and was looking for a place to dry it., I understood.

There is a clothesline outside on the balcony, let it dry there.’ I told him.

He came back after drying the towel and again sat on the sofa. He heaved a sigh as he sat down.

It's about both of them, it really hurts me, life has played a strange game with me, I don’t want this to happen to anyone yes| it His voice became a bit heavy while saying.

I did not get it…’ I spoke.

because it happened to me…’ He spoke.

I had never seen Rajveer so serious before. He was always very happy Nor did he ever mind anything. Always used to joke with everyone. I used to love to read stories, but here the matter was of friendship and the friend was in trouble, The burn marks on his wrist did not appear to be of any accident. I could not see him in this condition. I stood up and sat down beside him.]

I put my hand on his back and said - Rajveer where were you after college? what were you doing? I don’t know anything you tell me your whole story, don’t hide anything, if you are comfortable with me….

He looked at the floor in silence for a while and then took a deep breath, then looking at me, he started smiling.

Will you listen? He Spoke.

Yes I replied smiling too.

Where to start, when I met Reshma for the first time?

Nothing better to start a story than, I said.

Chapter 1

What address did she tell you, Bhaiya? I looked around and asked Lokendra Bhaiya.

Near Aarey Colony of Goregaon East, the big buildings built on small hills in the midst of lots of greenery looked really spectacular., It seemed as if a part of Himachal Pradesh remained here as well.

Lokendra Bhaiya and I were standing outside the building.

Lokendra Bhaiya looked into his phone and said [while looking towards the building] – Rajveer, this seems to be the address. ….. Let's go there and ask the guard.

A short distance away, a middle-aged man wearing a guard's uniform was sitting on a chair with his legs spread wide and talking to someone on the phone. Both of us went to the guard and Lokendra Bhaiya asked the guard - bhaiya where is this twenty-one hundred one?

The guard took the phone away from his ear and said - there is a lift in front, press 21 in it and make an entry in the register here.

After making an entry in the register, both of us went to the lift and pressed the number twenty-one button.

The flat was on the 21st floor and the same floor was on the top, above that was the roof of the building. Film City was also nearby from that place and most people lived in that area who had come there to try their luck in Bollywood.

we were standing outside the flat, I put my hand forward and pressed the button to ring the bell.

Then there was a sound of latch opening and the door opened.

Yes? Dressed in a T-shirt twice his height and with thick, black hair braided, a beard in fashion, A boy of about twenty or twenty-one years old was standing in front of us.

I wanted to see that flat, talked to Kaveri ji's reference last evening, said Lokendra Bhaiya.

Didi…. ' That boy stood there and shouted inside.

Who is it? A girl's voice came from inside.

They have come to see the flat, Kaveri Aunty has sent it' he said standing there again.

From inside came the sound of sandals marching towards us on the floor., she was wearing grey skin tight formal pants and a white shirt, there was brightness on her face. She was putting pink lip gloss on her lips. Her hair was going down to her waist, waving somewhat.

Fixing the watch band in her hand she said - I was also just leaving for the office., good! you guys came on time, please come inside.

Walking quickly, she opened the door of the room. A bed inside and a stool placed nearby. There were curtains on the windows. The room size was OK!

It has an attached bathroom, water comes 24 hours, Saying that she quickly came out of the room.

That is mine and Shivam's room. Shivam is my younger brother she said looking at us.

this is the kitchen; you can share this.

she opened the fridge and said, Consider this also as yours.

which of you will stay here?

Yes, I will stay. I was silent for a long time, then suddenly I stuttered a bit while speaking.

Ok, what do you do?’ She said glaring at me.

He works with me, Kaveri ji did not tell you?, Lokendra Bhaiya replied in between.

I handed over my visiting card to her while reading the card, she came and sat on the sofa in the hall and asked us to sit too.

We sat on chairs in front of her.

she remained silent for a while.

I am Reshma and an event planner; my brother Shivam is a dancer. She said.

I've only been here a few months, but do you know how much inflation here…. That's why I am sharing the flat. I have some conditions that no one other than you should come here and if you drink alcohol or smoke, then tell me in advance because if I come to know later, I will throw you out without any notice. Come on time and leave on time. If you accept this condition then we can discuss it further.

Yes, I agree, This time I spoke with full confidence.

She shook her neck and looking at me said - okey.

We talked further and after all discussions, I paid one month's advance rent to Reshma. I accepted all her conditions and the next day on Sunday morning I came there with my bag and put the bag in my room.

There were eight more flats on the same floor where people associated with the film world lived in most of the flats. While coming and going, I got acquainted with those people also.

A Muslim family also lived in the flat opposite mine. In the day a young man who was about thirty-five years old and a small boy whose age would be about seventeen eighteen years old. A woman used to come there at night and leave early in the morning.

For the rest of the day, the man and the boy stayed there and occasionally went out for a walk. Four young boys lived in the adjacent flat.

A man of about fifty years lived in the flat in front of them and he lived alone.

In another corner flat on the same floor, there was a Tamil man living there and he also lived there alone and in the opposite flat there was a very fairy girl who always wore designer clothes and lived alone.

I used to go to my office at nine in the morning and come back at six in the evening. It used to be off from the office on Saturday and Sunday.

While coming in the lift, I used to meet people living on my floor. There were two lifts in the building, but only one of them used to work and another one was always closed. So, the wait for the lift used to be long and while waiting there everyone started talking among themselves. And also used to curse the owner of the building.

Slowly with time, my acquaintance with those people kept on increasing., I also started visiting his flat in my spare time as my nature was such that I easily acquainted with people of all classes and made friends with them.

Sometimes he himself used to call me. I had also become good friends with Shivam and Reshma. For the first few days, I used to eat food outside in the morning and evening, then slowly started making it at home as well., I used to take only tea and bread in the morning and during the day I used to have lunch in the office restaurant.

But now, Reshma and I used to cook the evening meal ourselves and eat it together. Sometimes we used to go out to restaurants together.

I and Reshma used to buy home ration and vegetables together. Reshma had a speciality; she was very careful in accounting and used to keep account of everything but I used to be careless.

Often, seeing me and Reshma together, the tenants of the building there had been a misunderstanding and they used to see us from the point of view of a loving couple. They were also right in this because in Mumbai most of the couples staying away from their homes live in a live-in relationship together [without getting married] and it was common there but there was nothing like this between me and Reshma and there was no chance to do so. because I, her brother and the three of us used to live under the same roof. We were having a good time and almost two months passed.

Today, it was Friday, and around 10 am, It was a sales team meeting in the office, The team leader was waiting for everyone in the conference room with a marker in hand.

All team members; Ganesh, Rohan, Tejas, Siddhartha, Miracle, Lalit, Javed, Vikram and me, sat on their respective chairs with diaries and pens in their hands.

Rajeev Sen who was our team leader, looked at everyone as if a big decision was going to be made today., we all were sitting very quietly.

As I see all the sales managers have arrived and before starting today's meeting, I would request everyone to put their phones on silent mode. , said Rajeev Sen looking at everyone.

Everyone takes out the phone from their pocket and puts it on silent mode. Sen ordered.

Rajeev Sen looks at everyone in a strange manner and then starts speaking - So the first and most important thing is that now the probation period of all of you is over., As You all know and those who do not know, let me tell them that there is a rule in the company and that rule is that the team member who sells at least one flat in a span of three months stays here for the next three months. And the one who cannot sell, the company fires him.

Everyone got afraid and started looking at each other.

Sen took a pause and spoke again - and as far as I can see, no one from my team has sold a single flat except Karishma and Tejas, so it pains me to say that if the rest of the team members will not sell the flat, then the company will not be able to tolerate them for a long time and they will be forced to evict them., You, people, have only one month left, if you sell the flat in this one month, then you can save your job, otherwise you will not be able to stay here for long.

Saying this, Rajeev Sen kept silent for a while and started looking at everyone's withered faces and then started speaking again after a short interval - So this was the first and very important thing and now I come to my second point, Due to which the shine can come back on your withered faces.

Everyone's face turned up after listening to Sen's words and the flow of blood in everyone's body increased.

Sen said – well, tell me how many of you have seen the cloud project?

all raised their hands together, after all, who does not know about the cloud project, The building touching the sky in Parel, when looking from below, the neck also started hurting and when looking down from its top floor, a person looked like an ant and the whole of Mumbai was clearly visible from the top. That building of fifty floors in which buying luxury flats was not in everyone's cup of tea. And there was not much need to explain the project to any customer.

Sen said with a smile on his face - Most of the flats in the cloud project have been sold, only ten flats are left., The cost of each flat is at least Rs 4 crore, which means that if any one of you sells a flat, you get Rs 4 lakh and a free trip to Goa apart from your salary. And selling a flat in this project is very easy as well as very difficult for you. Because its buyer just has to be told that the flat is for sale in the cloud project, he will buy this flat without any question because every big industrialist knows about this project and all its information is available on the internet as well. It is a great pleasure for you guys that you are getting a chance to work on this project., This project will make you rich overnight. Not only this, the company has also decided to give a commission to the seller of the flat in this project, so according to me, you will rarely get a better chance to change your luck again in your life.

If anyone wants to ask anything, he can ask."Sen said keeping the marker on the table.

But sir from where will we find a buyer for such a big project? ‘I raised my hand and asked.

Sen smiled and said - It was a good question. You don’t have to scramble out to find a buyer to sell it, I'll help you guys with that, I have e-mail IDs of many VIP people in Mumbai, and I will give them to you. All of you have to send all the details of the project to him sitting in the office., Any interested buyer will respond personally, He can even call you for a meeting, He may also fix a meeting with you and may not ask anything and may just reply to you asking you to book the flat, the booking amount of the flat is fifty lakh rupees.

If the answer comes to any of you, then, you will tell me directly, I will help you people in that.

I and all the team members sitting around were happy to hear Sen's answer and all started looking at each other and started talking.

Sen finished his talk and said - Okay, now all of you will go to your respective places and start working from now without wasting any time. I am giving a hundred email IDs to each of you and also mailing all the details of the project.

From Monday we will start working on this project completely. Those of you who want to see this project can go and see it and those who don’t want to see it can start their work. You guys can go now.

Everyone started going out one by one from the conference room, I put my diary and pen on the table near the computer and sat in my chair, Others sat down and some went outside the office to have tea and cigarettes.

Then, Ganesh came to me and said - Come on, let's go out for tea.

I said - No dear, you go, I have to work.

It seems as if you are trapped in Sen's words, let's go down, do it later, said Ganesh.

I stood up and came out with Ganesh, he took out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket., He took out a cigarette from it and extended the packet towards me.

I said - Brother, how many times do I need to tell you that I do not smoke.

I know that's why I come down with you to smoke.' Ganesh said while lighting a cigarette.

Here we are not able to sell a flat worth Rs 40 lakh and Sen is talking about selling a flat worth Rs 4 crore. it's useless to work on it, there's no point in working on it, Ganesh said a puff of a cigarette and said while exhaling the smoke upwards and looking towards the cloud.

As always, today too I did not respond to Ganesh's strange words and kept standing and drinking tea, after some time, we came back to the office.

Sen was already there; everyone was sitting on their respective chairs.

Sen said - I have mailed the details of the project to all and also sent the email data to all., now you guys can start your work, I'm going out for a meeting, You guys do your job.

Saying this, Sen