It’s quite fascinating to know that people nowadays do not suffer from split personality disorder but still lead two lives. One in reality where they eat, sit and work while the other one online where they like comment and share.

 

“Come out of your room Sneha! Its dinner time. Mummy has made your favourite Halwa also.” Said Sneha’s mother, while setting up the dining table.

“Just give it to me in my room, I’m really tired.” Replied Sneha in an irritated tone.

————x————-

“Want to watch a movie this Sunday Sneha? It’s been so long since we’ve had a family outing. We’ll watch the movie of your choice I promise!” Sneha’s dad was keen to spend time as a family together.

“No dad, I have to work. Deadline is near.” Replied Sneha in a snappy tone.

————–x—————-

“Come on baby, let’s go on a drive. We’ll also go to Baskin Robins to have your favourite chocolate chip ice cream. Mommy’s taste buds are tingling already!” Said Sneha’s mom in a hopeful pitch.

“No mom. I don’t like chocolate anymore and plus I might even catch a cold.” Replied Sneha in a frustrated voice.

————-x————–

No matter how much ever they tried, their efforts seemed to wash away. They thought at first that their daughter was only an introvert and there is nothing wrong in being one, but when Sneha started avoiding even her family and wouldn’t even talk to them, they got vexed. Sneha didn’t attend social gatherings, she did not go to family brunches and she did not go out with friends, not like she had any in the first place. She even budged away from eating meals with her family. For her, her world was confined to her Samsung laptop, her cosy inviting blanket and the blazing aromatic coffee that relaxed in her mug. But the one place where she felt breath takingly alive was online.

Sneha loved to escape from reality and enjoy the virtual world where she felt secure and as if no one would judge her. She waited anxiously for the clock to turn 8:00 PM when she would open the blue and white chat box and talk her heart out with Uday. He was her confidant and the only person she found solace in. She could skip dinner but never would she let pass talking to him. It after all takes a lot for an introvert to open up, but Uday made her feel out of the ordinary. Chatting with him charged her up. It was her petrol. Sneha operated from home and was a content writer. She wrote articles, reports and even stories. People always enjoyed reading her columns and longed – for it with a good feedback. Uday knew this and had checked all this on her profile before sending her a friend request. He confessed to Sneha that this was the rationale that most fascinated him about her. According to Uday’s profile, he was into game development which was exceptionally foreign for Sneha to step foot on, hence she took very little or no interest in his work.

Seeing Sneha’s unvarying and awe – inspiring attempts, her boss decided to give her a very imperative assignment.

With that obligation, was the company’s name and reputation also at stake. It was an opportunity for budding authors and writers to take part in a writing competition wherein only one participant from each company was legitimate. It had tremendous remuneration for the employee as well as the company. With fame comes money and with hard work comes success. Sneha knew the worth of this very well and was also gratified for the immense faith and belief that her boss invested in her.

She informed Uday about all this and told him that she had to be triumphant at any cost. Sneha at first was a little perplexed as to what to write about. Then she got it. She had always written make – believe stories. Events that might have taken place in others lives but never in hers. Her life was as simple and plain as a buttered toast. But now she had something, rather someone in her life whom she wanted to project to the world. She knew that expressing her feelings through that story piece of hers would be appreciated diligently by Uday and she did not want to lose him at any outlay. In fact, she wanted them to go a step further. Uday had started taking fanatical interest in her piece or rather should I say, a little too keen! He mostly seemed to talk to Sneha about how her work was coming out to be and whenever she talked about something else, something diverting, he used to bring the focus back on her story. Sneha was over and done with with her work well before time but decided to hand over the paper on the last date. She told Uday this and he got very impatient to read her story. Sneha did get a little fractious by his constant pleas and decided to finally give in thinking that he must be extremely bothered and concerned about this thing in her life which could actually prove to be her first big break.

Uday was spell bound after reading it. He was bowled over. He was seduced by those charismatic 800 words. He congratulated Sneha for being utterly gifted and said that she would go very far, with or without him. With this they both bid each other a heart filled goodnight only to be able to chat the next day.

It had been three days since Uday hadn’t come online. Sneha had dropped around a hundred messages already and was typing yet another one that was only going to go unanswered.

She logged out of her account and decided to mail her story to her boss who would further forward it to the organisers.

She was at the receiving end of never ending praise from her boss too. Although she was all smiles from outside, from within her heart ached.

It was the result announcement day but for some reason they hadn’t been uploaded. Sneha decided to call her boss and check out but even her boss refused to pick up her call. She got intolerant and decided to go to the office branch herself and find out what was causing such delay. As soon as she reached there, she was taken to her boss’s cabin where she found two papers on the desk. One, the printout of her story with a REJECTED stamp on it and the second, her resignation letter. She could not make ends meet and pleaded her boss for an explanation. Her boss, in a bashful and soaring pitch shouted at her saying that he was a bloody idiot to have trusted her. Not only has she ruined her name in the industry, but has also managed to toss black spots on the company.

“But sir, what has happened? You told me that you cherished my work. Right? Then why are you telling me to leave the organisation instead of giving me a permanent post? And why is there a rejected stamp on my story when I have adhered to every single rule and instruction?” asked Sneha with big tears falling out of her eyes.

“Oh don’t you try to be any more naive in front of me you bitch! You filch other peoples work. I didn’t know that behind these thick black spectacles, resided a treacherous hacker too! The story that you submitted had already been put forward by some Uday guy days ago and guess which firm he is from? From our beloved rival’s and now thanks to you, we are condemned. So now just sign these papers and get the hell out of here” said Sneha’s boss pointing towards the blue pilot pen.

So Uday was not really a game developer. Sneha wondered what other lies he must have fed her. There are three things you should never break: promises, trust and someone’s heart. Guess Uday had shattered all of them.