Genie in a bottle - Nehal Binani (most read books txt) 📗

good a speaker as Jai, but I’ll try.

I have all I could ask for. I have a great family, understanding friends, loving boyfriend, awesome crowd- I live life 24/7. At least I used to before……

Well, first I have to introduce you guys to the two most important people in my life. First, my boyfriend, Mayank. Second is, my best friend, Aditya. Someone said “who said a boy and a girl can’t be best friends. …… hello, whoever it was was gravely mistaken … terribly….

Mayank, the most caring, loving, guy you’ll ever meet. He is brilliant, handsome, charming, brave, knows what ……..”

“Umm ... That’s too many adjectives for a person” Jai remarked, cutting her off.

“Oh! Mr. English. I’m not as good as you and I accept that. Now should I go on?? Or you have some other special comment?” Aditi retorted.

“Fine, Of course; go on. “

“So he is … well... Everything. He knows when I’m sad. He brings me the best gifts a girl could ask for. But…. He doesn’t get me, well most of the times. He knows what I want, and he tries his best, but …… its not enough.

That day, I was hanging out with my group.. which h is mostly .. you know.. Boys. Se he got all possessive and later told me that my dress was …. Uhh.. what did he say??

Yeah- “not sober”

Now, is wearing sleeveless a crime??

On the other hand, Aditya – he is the most understanding person on Earth. He knows me heart and soul. He gets it all. He understands when I want my ‘alone time’ and when I need someone for myself. I never felt anything other than pure friendship for him, before he started flirting. Yesterday itself, I felt myself burning when his hand accidentally brushed over mine.

I don’t want to hurt Mayank; I love him deeply, truly. Totally. But I can’t even stand being unfair to him, to myself. IT’S SO CONFUSING.”

Silence followed- an awkward one. Aditi was so overcome with emotions that her eyes were filled with tears.

“Hmmm.. interesting.

But …uhh … Lets..Uhh… proceed…. Ayushi, what about you?”

“Well, Mr. Genie, my story is a little less complicated,” ayushi said, nervousness evident on her face.

“uhh .. that’s a refreshing change.” The Genie exclaimed, but suddenly added, “no offence, though.”

“hmm … so- here it goes:

I like to take pride on the fact that I have many friends, they always ask me for help, be it any subject. Well, I don’t get the reason for that because I rarely get a perfect 10 in tests. It’s usually either 9 or a 9.5.”

Jai and Aditi both gaped at her open-mouthed. Ayushi seemed not to notice.

“But, I don’t usually talk to them. They think I’m boring, because, I quote “all you can talk about is books” unquote. Well, its okay. I can’t change myself.”

“and you call these guys your friends?” Aditi asked, genuinely astonished.

“Well, yes. Let me continue… apart from this, I am very clumsy, forgetful and timid. I get scolded by my mom at least 6 times a day on an average. Some days ago, I ate my dinner on my bed, and got a nice thrashing from her. Another day, I sat on the computer for 10 minutes extra, and I got a not so pleasant punishment. I don’t complain about all this. I feel I deserve it. I ought to change myself. But with each passing day, I feel that I am far and far away from achieving that. I ought to become a good person. It’s my dream to be better- to be perfect.”

Aditi was shaking her head when Ayushi completed her tale.

“With that we come to an end of the story-telling competition. Thank you for joining us. Have a great day ahead!”-the Genie said, in an animated voice. And then, burst out laughing. No one joined - causing his laughter to dry up.

“Ok. I guess you all are in a serious mood. So first of all let me tell you that what you’re asking for is not possible. :

Jai, you want me to make your parents believe in you.
Aditi, you want me to clear this confusion without breaking anybody’s heart.
And Ayushi, you don’t have to be a better person, but you need to understand yourself and your mother and then decide what is right, what is wrong.
But guys, I cannot fulfill any of your wishes...”
“What?” the three exclaimed in unison.
“Wait, let me explain. I cannot mess with free will. I cannot fulfill wishes which involve the feelings of other people, I cannot change anybody’s personal qualities- including you people.”
“But, didn’t you know a little about us earlier too? Then why did you call us?” Aditi said, perplexed.
“Yes, Aditi. You’re right but your prayers were so desperate, powerful - that it caused my bottle to crack and now, I have to help you in any way possible.”

Genie sighed, and continued-
“My dear children, I will tell you the secret of overcoming these situations. Look around you. People aren’t wishing for wishes. They have accepted life the way it is and are working, trying to resolve its challenges courageously. Now such people are those who have already achieved the biggest factor of life: self-realization. They have realized all that has to be done to make life worthy of living. And you have to be just like them, you need to face the fact that life isn’t easy. It doesn’t come like a jigsaw puzzle, solved and ready to be broken and solved again. No, it is like an old set of puzzle. Some pieces are missing, and you can’t complete it without those pieces. But that doesn’t mean that you throw away the puzzle or look for some magical ways to invent new pieces that would fit. No. you have to look for those missing pieces-because they are the ones-the challenges-without which the essence of living is lost. You people are young. You need to look inside yourself, and accomplish all that you want.
Jai- you need to work hard to make your family understand you. Aditi- someone’s heart will be broken- sooner or later. You have to decide what you want, my child. Life isn’t fair. And you, Ayushi-the problem isn’t with you, no you’re a very very sweet person, the problem is with the people around you. You need to comprehend that and change the situation, not yourself. The genie continued after a short pause-“lastly, my children, I want to tell you that no matter what, never give up on yourself, for inside
everyone, there is a genie locked up, waiting to break out of it’s glass bottle and work its magic. And this one will do anything you want.” The Genie smiled and winked.
He then vanished from their lives forever, leaving them transfixed.
As a new day dawned, it was a new beginning for three young people- utterly confused but each leaving contented.
Understanding what the Genie had said did take some time, but from that day on, they started looking for their own personal genies.
Sunshine filled in their lives forever. Imprint

Publication Date: 05-13-2011

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
Dedicated to my teacher, who taught me how to write, to my parents for the encouragement.