Chapter 1

Walk Of Life

Check List

Perfect Job - Check!

Big house - Check!

Best Friend - Check!

---

"Perfect!"

Kria said while checking her personal check list. She kept her book aside and saw Ritika coming out of her room yawning . She was kria's roommate for few days as well as her best friend.

"Good morning kria."

"Morning! Here you go some pancakes."

"Thanks girl."

Kria smiled. The two conversed with each other while having the pancakes. Finally kria went to her room to get ready for her job.

---

Kria was an orphan. She was lucky enough to be in an orphanage which gave proper education till 12^th. After which due to her hard work she got scholarship in a good college and now had a great job. She had recently shifted into her new spacious flat , after taking loan from the bank.

Ritika was kria's friend in college and they had become best friends. Ritika wasn't an orphan and her parents supported her a lot in matters related to money. She and kria had jobs at the same place , and ritika was staying with kria for a month because her house was getting renovated.

Kria thought she had a perfect life. The feeling of deprivation of parent's love in her life was always there lingering in her heart but she had managed to overcome it. Her being an orphan had never made her weak.

She was an emotional yet strong girl. She had made a bright future for herself with her own hands and without any help. After being well settled her dream was to renovate the orphanage she had stayed in during her childhood , because it meant a lot for her.

Kria was extremely happy with her life , only if she knew her life was going to take an ugly turn soon.

---

It was the time of recession , people were losing their jobs . Kria and ritika were scared as any moment even they could lose their jobs. So when they were called by their boss in his cabin , their heart beats had started beating very fast. And as expected they indeed lost their precious jobs.

---

Kria entered her house . She was tensed. She had no job , and not that much savings plus her EMI for her home was still left . She didn't know what to do and knew that it wasn't a good time to break down. So she took the newspaper and started searching for a job.2 hours later she was sleeping among a pile of newspapers and notes.

---

2 months had gone by , kria's savings were depleting and there was no job to acquire , she was losing hope.

She was making herself some light lunch lost. When her phone rang , she picked it up immediately.

"Hello."

"We are speaking from the bank. You haven't deposited your EMI for the last two months. We would have to seize your flat ."

"I will give it , just give me 3 days more."

"You would have to pay a fine of 2 thousand."

"2 thousand! The.."

She chose to remain quiet. She took a deep breath.

"Okay."

She cuts the call , and fell down on her knees. So she was going to be homeless in 3 days.

"Kria , you need to arrange money soon. So get up and do something rather than crying."

---

She was going out ,when ritika came and hugged her.

"Kria. Can you believe it! I got a job."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah."

"Where?"

"Dad helped me to get a job in his friend's business. Cool na?"

"Ya."

"Chal , my party!"

"No. Actually I need to go for an interview."

"Okay."

Kria gave a smile and went. She looked up and said in mind while looking up.

"I don't want to say this , but why does she get a job just cause of her dad , when I am much better than her! For the first time I feel you're doing injustice to me universji."

---

2 days later , kria rang ritika's door bell. Ritika's mom opened the door she smiled at kria. Kria smiled back.

"Aunty ritika?"

"Voh kaam par gayi hain."

Kria did sense the taunt in her voice. But ignored.

"Tum andar aao na beta."

"Okay aunty."

Kria came inside and sat on the sofa. She was looking around , when ritika's mom came and gave her water.

"So , you got a job?"

"No aunty , I am actually looking for one."

"Oh!"

Ritika came. She gave kria a side hug.

"Hi kria."

"Hey ritika."

"So..?"

"Uh actually ritika I need your help."

"I'll be glad to help you. Shoot."

"I need some money. Look i didn't want to ask but I have to."

"How much?"

"10,000."

Before ritika could say something.

"10,000! For what?"

They look at her mom , who came out while saying this.

"Beta , ritika aapko paise nahi de sakti. Usse abhi kaha salary mili hain."

"Mom! Kria actually I really don't have money right now , but I can give you 3 thousand. Would it do?"

"Yeah. Thanks a lot Ritika."

Ritika smiled at her. She went and was bringing, ritika's mom also went behind her. Kria could hear them.

"Aaj 10 hazar maange , kal 20 , parso 30 maangegi! Ritika dost hain toh kya? Tu kaise use paise de sakti hain?"

Ritika came out.

"Ritika , you know what , chod. I'll arrange it."

"Okay."

Kria looked away , and got up.

"Bye!"

She got up and went.

---

She wasn't angry on ritika. Why should she be? She was giving her money , but kria knew it's not good to take loan from someone to repay some other person's loan and not at the sake of her ,self respect.

---

Kria was disturbed and decided to call ritika. She dialled her number , the phone was picked up.

"Riti.."

She was cut by ritika's voice.

"Mom! Enough , it's not as if I did something wrong."

"Of course you did ritika. Pehle toh tumne kria ke saamne mujhe villain bana dia. Secondly tumse help hi toh maangi thi na usne. And you have money you could have given her! Usne tumhe kitni baar diye hain paise."

"Toh maine return bhi kar diye the. Kria toh return bhi nahi kar paati , you know she is broke up to that extent!"

"She is your best friend beta."

"She was! Till the time she had a job , she was my best friend. See mom , I used kria for my benefit! College mein she helped me pass , and professionally also she did. But now she is of no use to me, so forget it."

"I don't believe it! Ritika what is wrong with you."

Kria couldn't hear more and cuts the call. Tears finally formed in her eyes . This was the last thing she had expected. She held her mouth and cried bad. She cried and cried.

---

The next day , she woke up exhausted. She saw her diary kept beside her. She opened it and tore the check list page. She held her head. No she couldn't break , she had to do something. She couldn't let her future get destroyed. She just couldn't.

Kria freshened up and came out. She slowly started packing her things. So what if she wasn't going to have a spacious flat , she can shift into a small one , it didn't matter.

The bank would seize her flat in 2 days and in these two days she would have to find a good home. Her doorbell rang. She opened the door and saw ritika.

"Hey kria! I need your.."

Before ritika could complete , kria closed the door on her face , and spoke through the intercom.

"Ritika , why don't you go to someone else and use them as much as you want , I am sure they won't be broke."

"Kria what are you saying?"

"I you're conversation with your mom! Now get lost from here."

She heard ritika laugh.

"Good that you did. Your anger is not going to take you anywhere kria. I had my parents who helped me. But you don't have anyone. Tch tch ."

"You know what ritika , I don't need someone's support to achieve something. But you.."

Kria laughed.

"Can't do a shit without anyone. And yeah I promise you one bloody thing , I'll be more successful than you! Now get lost."

She cuts the intercom call.

"Bitch."

She muttered under her breath and got back to work.

---

Kria stood outside her new house's building. Her flat was as expected seized and she had to shift to this building. She picked her luggage and went to her flat , she opened the door.

It was very dirty. She groaned and started cleaning up the house. She finished and sat down exhausted.

She had a very good mind of not doing anything today. So she sat down and thought how her life had changed in these two months.

Recession had indeed hit kria very hard. First she lost her job , then her so called best friend , and then her home! But , she was happy that she got to know ritika's true colours and thanks to her , she was now more determined to be successful.

Now she had set up her plan. She had bagged a job as a waitress at a caf , small but she would get at least some money and that was more than enough. Doing the job she will side by side look for a better job .

She was going to walk this journey in small steps , and she was sure that at the end of this journey all her aims would be accomplished.

---

The next day . She went to work. The first day was going well , when a guy entered. Kria looked at the guy and thought she had seen him somewhere , ignoring that she went to take his order.

"Order please."

"One cappuccino and sandwitch."

"Okay , anything else sir?"

"No."

He was too busy on his phone to even look up. Kria went and after a while bought his order.

"Thank you."

He said , and then finally looked up.

Kria looked at his face , she was sure she had seen him somewhere , seen those eyes somewhere. He looked at her , his expressions seemed as if he was thinking something looking at her.

She shrugged and went to take another order.

---

2 weeks passed , he daily came there. One day , kria had got half day , and at that time the guy was leaving.

Kria went behind him.

"Excuse me!"

He turned.

"Yes?"

"Have I ever seen you somewhere?"

The guy looked at kria. She gulped.

"N-no! This wasn't a pick up line at all! I just really thought that I had seen you somewhere."

"Yes you have seen me somewhere kria."

Kria looked at him with wide eyes. The guy smiled at her. Kria now thought really hard and it struck her.

"College general secretary Reyaansh Singhaania right?"

"Yeah!"

"I never knew you knew my name."

"Oh , you really don't know how much I know about you."

Kria giggled. How could she forget him. He was her first crush , yeah she had a tiny crush on him during college. But he had left college in the second year , so she had forgotten about her crush upon him.

"So , how is life?"

Kria asked him.

"Pretty much perfect."

"Cool."

"Yours?"

"I work in a small caf , extremely perfect."

Rey laughed.

"Recession hit you?"

"Very bad!"

"It hurts?"

He asked jokingly.

"You are drunk!"

"So you spiked my cappuccino?"

"Yeah! Oops I revealed it."

They both laugh. Rey's car came , he was going to sit when he turned.

"Kria , come on I'll drop you."

"No , I'll go."

"Get inside."

"Rey , umm."

"I won't kidnap you kria."

"Okay fine."

They sat. They spoke and both were actually shocked to know that the other knew many things about them . They had never conversed much in college.

---

Days passed kriyaansh became extremely good friends. He used to wait till her duty ended and then drop her.

One day.

Kria was inside , when one of her friend came inside.

"Kria , you're reyaansh is here."

"He isn't mine."

"Ya right! I know you like him so shut up."

Yeah , in these few days kria had actually developed a soft corner for him. She blushed , and then went outside. Her smile disappeared when she saw ritika with rey.

She was shocked would be an understatement. She saw ritika holding his hand and on her finger was an engagement ring. She was in tears and ran inside.

"Kria?"

"You take the order."

"Okay!"

She came out after her duty. When she heard.

"Kria."

Kria turned and saw rey with ritika , who was shocked.

"Ritika she is the girl I was talking about , my new friend , none other than your best friend."

"She is not my best friend!"

Kria said in anger. Rey looked at her confused. Ritika looked at kria.

"Kria. You are getting it wrong. Rey is not my fianc , he is just my fiance's friend and since my fianc was busy rey took me out for shopping and we went to the caf."

"Is it?"

Kria asked rey. He nods. Ritika looked at kria.

"Kria. I know what I did was wrong. But honestly that day I came to confess everything to you , I swear. My mom had given me a piece of her mind and I understood that I was wrong. But you're rude words irritated me , you know how I am right? That is why I lashed out. Am sorry!"

"You're forgiven , but we can never be friends again."

"You forgave me , that's more than enough."

Ritika's fianc came , and they went. Rey looked at kria. She looked away hiding her tears , he turned her.

"Kria?"

Kria hugged him and blurted out everything , she cried in his arms. Not caring about what the passer by thought about her. Rey stroked her hair. He calmed her. She felt safe in his arms.

---

From that day , kriyaansh's relation had just strengthened , and rey had finally proposed her. Kria had happily accepted it.

With rey , kria got to know the meaning of care , affection , love . These were the things she had been deprived off right from the start. Rey's family was now her family , his mom and dad treated her like she belonged to their family.

Her life was becoming better but not perfect. She didn't ever got depended on rey. He did pamper her , but she never accepted his expensive gifts. She would only say.

"When I start earning like you rey. I will accept all your gifts."

---

One day , kria was with rey . Cuddled in his arms , he was telling her about how he had liked her from the first day of college , and how he almost stalked her. When her phone rang.

"Hello am I speaking to Miss.Kria?"

"Yes."

"We are speaking from XYZ industries and you have been selected for the job you applied for. You're starting salary is 15 thousand."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes , you have to report for the final interview tomorrow for all the details."

"Thank you."

She cuts the call , and hugged rey in joy. They went out to celebrate and to her surprise rey proposed her for marriage. She gladly accepted it.

---

2 months later.

Great Job - Check!

Big House (Mine and rey's) - Check!

Lovely Fiance - Check!

"Last but not the least."

Family - Check!

---

Kria's life had not been a walk on a road of primroses , but she had walked no matter how hard it had been. She never lost hope , she never fell weak , she tried and tried and that is the only reason she succeeded.

***

Hope you like it. It was really long (so long comments please!) and that is why I didn't add proper confessions , sorry about that.I would thank shanaya (NuttelaIsLife) for this concept , if not for our chat , this idea wouldn't have struck me. Thanks :D

kriyaanshfreva2014-03-27 10:56:25