The Lost Boy

By Ashwani Khokhar

Samar Nehra is a 29-year-old boy from Janakpuri, Delhi. He wants to become a famous singer. Samar is in a relationship with his school-time girlfriend, Aisha. Everyone wants them to get married. But one unfortunate evening, everything changes. Everyone suspects Samar is guilty. Is Samar guilty, or is destiny playing a horrible game with him?Why has everyone given up on Samar, and why did they make him And the most important question: Where is Samar?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Rose Publishers
• Release date: Feb 24, 2024

Book preview

Chapter 1:

The Heartbreak

4 September, 2016

Samar Nehra, a brown boy from Janakpuri, Delhi, is performing at Tyagraj Stadium in front of 10,000 people. He is of average height, with hair somewhat like Shah Rukh Khan’s. He is holding a guitar in his hands when Yash comes and puts a joint (Marijuana) on his lips. He takes a drag, Yash takes the joint away, and the crowd goes crazy. He hits the guitar with his fingers and releases smoke in the air, and the crowd goes wild again.

Samar sings, ‘Seene mein jo mere dil hai, ab vo rehta kahan main janoon na’. The people in the crowd are waving their hands. ‘Tu hi meri manzil hai, tu har jagah m jaau jahan’. ‘Tu meri kismet m khawabon m bhi, tu raat din hai khayalon m bhi’. ‘Tu intihaan, tu rehnuma, tu hi meri rooh ka aaina’. ‘Tu rehbara, tu hai mera, tu saath hai to ye dil gaayeja’. Samar takes the mic in his hand, turns it towards the crowd, and the crowd goes, ‘Nnane Nnane Nnana Na Na, Nnane Nnane Na Na Nna’. Samar turns the mic back towards his mouth and sings, ‘Dil gaaye, dil gaaye, dil gaayeja, Tu saath hai to ye dil gaayeja’.

Samar is dreaming like any other amateur singer, and his younger brother, Luv Nehra, enters his room. Samar is sleeping with his head on a pillow and his right leg on another pillow, wearing boxers but nothing above. The AC is at 24 degrees Celsius, and the fan is at 2 points. Luv turns off the AC and the fan. He looks at the cute face of Samar with compassion and opens the curtains of the room. The sunlight goes straight to Samar’s face. Luv gets out of the room and sits on the dining table. Rajesh Nehra, his father, is already enjoying paranthas with curd and pickles. Rajesh Nehra is like an average north Indian father, with an annoyed face and a heavy moustache.

Is he still sleeping? says Rajesh with a little concern on his face.

Only a couple minutes more, says Luv, who chuckles while looking at his father. He looks at his mother, Anju Nehra, who is frowning at him with a parantha on a plate in her hand. Luv stops.

He is not going to survive like this, he is so irresponsible. People his age have a decent job, a wife, and even kids. He is nowhere close to any of those, says Rajesh.

Anju interrupts He is doing well for himself. In his field of work, things take time, and he needs a good break, that’s all.

Four years ago, he left the job to get a break for himself and focus on music only. It’s been four years. Rajesh expresses himself as getting a little upset and stressing more on the ‘four years’.

Four years will be four, whether you say it once or twice, Anju says irritatedly.

You don’t see the problem in him, do you?

I see the problem in everyone, who do you think I use this expensive olive oil for? You have a cholesterol problem, not any of us. Should I rant about it?

It’s better to sit with the colony’s men in the park and listen to them talk about politics than to talk to anyone in this house.

Then why don’t you do that?

Rajesh looks at Anju with vexation and takes a long breath. Luv looks at his father, getting a little scared. Anju raises her eyebrows while looking at Rajesh. Because I hate politics, says Rajesh after taking a couple of seconds to calm himself.

You love politics, except that they make fun of the party you support and you are left alone in the argument, says Anju with a pinch of smirk on her face.

That’s what’s wrong with our country, freedom of speech is not received well by people. People should be allowed to express themselves and not be trashed every time. People should support whoever they feel like and do whatever they feel like doing.

Anju and Luv look at Rajesh with judgmental eyes. Rajesh confronts them with confidence. But as soon as Rajesh realises what he said now and what he was saying about Samar contradict each other, he withdraws confidence.

All eyes move towards Samar when the door of Samar’s room opens and he comes out of his room in boxers, a t-shirt, and with anger on his face.

Luv, did you turn off my AC? Samar asks Luv in an annoyed voice and with a tired face. Luv moves his head with a ‘no’ expression.

Your AC? Samar looks at his father in shock. When did you buy that AC?

Dad, you didn’t go to the office today? Samar asks his father while sitting on a chair around the dining table.

Sorry, son, I am extremely sorry. I had no idea I had to go to my office on a Sunday.

Sunday? Samar tries to think and then speaks after a couple of seconds: Oh Yeah, last night was Saturday night. Samar smiles. What a crazy night, Mumy, you would have loved the crowd.

This is great. You only think about parties. You are not at all serious about life. You are ruining your and Aisha’s lives. Rajesh says in a little loud voice.

How am I ruining Aisha’s life? Samar replies without losing his cool.

By making her believe you are the right person for her.

We are both right for each other. Samar then looks at his mother and says, Mumy, you made paranthas for breakfast, you are the best.

Rajesh and Luv look with amazement at Samar, but Anju stares at both of them, and they act normal again.

You go and get fresh, I will make it for you too, says Anju with a smile. A dog starts barking in the street, and its voice is loud.

I will kill this dog one day. Rajesh turns his anger for Samar towards the dog.

You want to kill the dog? I heard somewhere that you can now go to jail for animal cruelty as well. Don’t leave any traces once you kill it. Anju warns Rajesh while smirking.

This is absurd, going to jail for a dog? Samar chuckles and, within a second, gets very serious. He blurts it out while standing up. Oh fuck, I am going to jail for a dog.

Did you just abuse? says Rajesh, getting astonished.

Samar smiles weirdly and says, No, no, no, I don’t abuse. But I am going to jail for a dog.

Everyone looks at Samar with amazement and confusion. Luv tries to break the tension by asking, You killed a dog?

I forgot Bella’s birthday, Samar replies while biting his nails in a hurry.

Who is Bella? Are you cheating on Aisha? Rajesh seems concerned.

If I had cheated on Aisha with Bella, that would have been gross. Bella is Aisha’s dog, and I forgot her birthday.

Luv expresses his concern, She would be so mad at you. And laughs.

Samar looks at him and takes parantha from Luv’s plate and eats half of it at once. Luv gets angry, and he blurts out, Asshole.

What did you say? says Rajesh in amazement.

Luv gets nervous, and now Samar smiles. Rajesh is finding it hard to believe what Luv said. Luv folds his hands in front of Samar, asking his big brother to get him out of trouble.

Casserole, he said. There are more paranthas in casserole, he was referring to that. By the way, Mumy, this is the best thing for breakfast. Samar rescues Luv and compliments his mother in a single sentence. He smiles and feels proud of himself.

This is lunch, it’s 2:37 p.m., Rajesh says, looking at his watch.

You are joking, says Samar. Rajesh puts his head down with disappointment, and Samar looks at the clock. It’s 2:37 p.m. Oh shit, how long did I sleep?

12 hours, Luv replies to Samar with a smile. Samar looks at him and then realises he is very late.

Oh, I am so late, Mumy. You pack two paranthas for me. I am going to get fresh. I have to go to Aisha’s office in Gurgaon. Samar goes to his room and locks it.

But today is Sunday, what will he do in her office? Rajesh says, looking at Luv with a little concern.

Maybe he’ll wait for her tomorrow morning, Luv replies with a sharp smile, feeling he's cracked the code.

So he will celebrate Bella’s birthday tomorrow.

But only if Ayesha takes her dog to her office.

Does she?

I don’t think so.

So, he is going to jail.

100 %. Luv chuckles while saying this, and then his father joins him.

Samar is sitting on the pot and smoking a joint, the exhaust is on, and he is looking at his chats with Aisha. Aisha: Are you coming for Bella’s birthday? Aisha: Please pick up the cake from Raj’s Bakery. Aisha: You are not picking up the call. Aisha: Baby, only one hour left. Aisha: Where are you? Aisha: Baby, only 5 minutes left. Aisha: Are you planning any surprises? 12:25 am, Aisha: Go to hell.

Aisha is online. Samar texts her: Hey, sorry for last night. SEEN. Samar: My battery died. Aisha: Massages had double ticks. Samar: Yeah, I put it on charging, it must have turned on. SEEN. Samar: I am coming, baby. I will make up for last night. SEEN. Samar: I love you. SEEN. Samar calls his friend Bhavna. Bhavna is a school friend of both Samar and Aisha. She lives in Gurugram, near Cyber City. Bhavna picks up the call.

Bha, I need your help.

What happened? says Bhavna.

I forgot Bella’s birthday. I am coming to your flat, we will decorate it.

Okay, come.

Samar finishes the joint and uses the shooter to clean up his business. He stands up and flushes. He looks in the mirror, and his eyes seem to be bulging out. He opens the tap and washes his eyes and mouth. He looks at the mirror again, his eyes look normal now. He breathes a sigh of relief. He goes from the attached toilet to his room and takes out his jeans. He puts on his jeans and t-shirt and comes out of his room, takes the rolled paranthas, and eats them. He runs down towards his bike, starts it, and leaves. His mother comes, following him on the balcony, but he is gone. Samar is riding his bike very fast so that he can reach Bhavna’s flat on time. He reaches Bhavna’s flat at 4:15 and calls her.

Hey Bha, Come down. Let’s get some things for decoration. Bhavna comes down in her shorts and t-shirt. Bhavna is a beautiful, chubby girl. She is 5’2" but looks very hot with her white skin and round, fluffy face.

Listen, after the birthday celebration, if you didn’t help me clean this time, there will be no next time after that. Bhavna threatens Samar, but Samar finds it amusing because she looks very cute saying this.

Are you threatening me?

Of course, I am not going to clean it myself again.

You don’t scare me a little bit. Samar chuckles while saying this. Bhavna takes the keys off his bike and looks at Samar with a smile. Okay, we are late, let’s go.

But you don’t have the keys, how will you start the bike?

I’ll hunt you down and take those keys from you.

But I am right here, Bhavna says while smiling and shifting her body weight from one leg to another.

Okay, then I’ll beg you. Please give the keys, Bha, we are already late.

No, I’ll not. This creates tension between both of them, and Samar stares at the white, chubby cutie. Samar gets off the bike, and Bhavna moves back a little. Samar puts his helmet on the bike and looks at Bhavna with all seriousness. Bhavna looks at him with a scared face.

Run, run for your life. Samar alerts Bhavna, Bhavna walks backward slowly and then runs away. Samar also starts running and chasing her. Two boys are walking towards Samar, and there is also a pole nearby. Samar calculates that he has to save the boys and also avoid the pole. He is running directly towards the pole and wants to move away but can’t because he is high. He tilts a little to his right and gets hit in the leg by the pole. He falls with full inertia exerted by his body towards his right side, on one of the boys. Samar and the boy fall on the road.

Oh sh*t, somebody call 911, says Samar.

The other boy picks up his friend but leaves Samar there. "Motherfucker, are you