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The Life Unexpectedly…
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Copyright © 2015 | Amit Gautam
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Though some of the characters depicted in this work are inspired by the real life people. However, the concept and the story line have been prepared/modified as per the reader’s interest. Thus, names, places and incidents are the creation of the author’s mind and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. The aim of this book is not to criticize, insult, oppress and dominate any present/modern knowledge or studies or culture or believes. Any such issue arises is entirely a misunderstanding of one, who claiming so and either writer, writer or/and Educreation does not hold any responsibility and is not responsible for any such issues arises. Opinions/ contents expressed in the book are solely of author and Educreation doesn’t relates to it. The word ‘Educreation’ herein before and after is used for autonomous organization working under a Commercial Partnership Firm, registered under Indian Partnership Act, 1932 and. Readers are requested to use their intelligence and knowledge while reading and understanding contents of this book. Writer or/and Educreation does not hold any responsibility and is not responsible for any social, political, cultural, economic, commercial, national, international, educational or other problems or/and conflicts raised because of reading this book, using , implementing facts, formulas and other things given in this book, in any way or whatsoever.
Printed in India
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The Life
Unexpectedly
A Novel
by
AMIT GAUTAM
EDUCREATION PUBLISHING (Since 2011)
www.educreation.in
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amit Gautam (born 23 March 1989) is an MBA
from Lovely Professional University and also holds
an Engineering degree in Biotechnology.
His zeal for writing ignited at the age of 15 and he
started writing short stories. He has also penned a
collection of poems - „Elixir‟.
It is his debut novel. And with the completion of his
first book „The Life Unexpectedly‟, he has started
working on a new title.
Currently he is a Finance professional in Royal
bank of Scotland in Gurgaon. One can reach him on
his Facebook id -
http://facebook.com/amit.gautam.1297
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ABOUT THE BOOK
The Life Unexpectedly showcases the life of Ishaan,
a lad, who unfortunately happens to love his school
friend Aaasha. Ready to sacrifice everything, he did
everything that took him closer to her.
All was well, until he realized that life was not as
easy as he had dreamt of.
Webbed in the claws of Life he left himself in the
vortex of love and friendship. It was not his choice,
but it was the Unexpected theory of Life that each
one of us are crawled into.
Will he be able to free himself from the claws of
life? Will he be able to overcome the vortex of love
and friendship?
.
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For my Mother
For my Father
For my Love
For my Friend
And
For my LIFE
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Acknowledgements
xi
Prologue xiii
Chapter 1 1
Chapter 2 12
Chapter 3 25
Chapter 4 36
Chapter 5 40
Chapter 6 47
Chapter 7 53
Chapter 8 59
Chapter 9 71
Chapter 10 86
Chapter 11 95
Chapter 12 102
Chapter 13 106
Chapter 14 112
Chapter 15 119
Chapter 16 121
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Chapter 17 129
Chapter 18 135
Chapter 19 139
Chapter 20 145
Chapter 21 156
Chapter 22 162
Chapter 23 169
Chapter 24 175
Chapter 25 181
Chapter 26 185
Chapter 27 189
Chapter 28 194
Chapter 29 197
Chapter 30 202
Chapter 31 212
Chapter 32 215
Chapter 33 225
Chapter 34 231
Chapter 35 235
Epilogue
238
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First, I would like to give my special thanks to
you, who has kept faith in me while picking up my book.
Nevertheless I would also thank all those, who have
been in my life.
My Mom and Dad who have always trusted me
and permitted me to do everything that I feel like, with a
faith, that I‟ll never let them down.
My Sister and Brother, who have supported me in
all my deeds.
My friends Akshi, Rohit, Ajay, Neeshu, Amit
Puri and Himanshu, who have helped me in reviewing
my book from inception to end. Your feedback meant a
lot to me.
This book would not have been possible without
my special friend, whose name I'll not be mentioning but
she has always been an inspiration and soul to me while
writing this book. I would also like to give my sincere
thanks to entire team of Educreation Publishing who
have helped me to reach the world.
And last but not the least, Microsoft for giving
me a platform to write. My precious Laptop and Google,
which have always been by my side and have given me
resources to write this book.
.*************
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The next great thing ever happened on this
universe is „Life‟. Yeah! First being the Universe itself.
Being a biotechnologist, I can easily justify life by mere
description of some combination of bio-molecules.
But will it really justify those emotions attached
with it? Those love and hatred, that exist among
mankind?
A man is born with a cry of his Mom and then,
grows up to justify his very existence on this Earth. All it
takes him, to live his life and nothing else.
He is born with nothing. But carries millions of
feelings with him throughout his life.
I too was born with those nothing feelings. But
then, I sensed… the one word that changed my life
„LOVE‟.
*************
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PROLOGUE
“I lived for her but still… I am not living. I
wanted to die for her but still… I am alive. She was the
last I loved, but still… she is not mine.”
Driving the car towards the hospital, Ishaan was
lost deep in his thought. He was not sure how to heal his
pain, how to treat his life.
And…………. there was a clash, the car banged
through the bridge.
And the next Moment………….
O
O
o
“I still don‟t remember when my dream got
shattered. Since when I started living the way I never
wanted to be. The life changed, the dream changed, me
myself was changed”
O
o
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“Those moments are still precious to me. I still
feel the pain of the school bus moving far away from
me, taking my life away. It was just a matter of few
hours, she would have been back to school the very next
day. But, my heart didn‟t accept that.”
“I used to cycle behind the bus till I can. I never
wished to miss the single sec to be near her.”
Aaasha was special to me, I couldn‟t think of
losing her company. At that time, moon was always full
for me, the gardens always blossomed with roses. The
world was for me.
My friends used to dream to be engineers,
doctors. But, I dreamed to be her boyfriend, then to be
her husband and then sitting in a car beside her. Driving
to a dream place, holding her hand with two sweet little
children sitting behind, holding two red balloons flying
outside the car‟s window. This was not just a dream but,
this was my life, life with Aaasha.
o
O
O
My head collapsed to the rock when my body
took a large turn with the flow of water between the
aquatic weeds, which stroked my legs in their arms.
O
O
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o
Driving deep into the river I understood at the
end of my life, why the water was always shown blue.
It‟s the sky, the blue sky that we can only seeeeeee
…………. when you are deep into the sea.
o
O
O
And again there was another collision. I could
clearly see the red color from my head painting the
beautiful blue sky. I think God was generous enough to
give me the beautiful end with this beautiful picture of
heaven.
O
O
o
And then the next moment…………. I was
curled in the weeds, deep beneath the sea.
o
O
O
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“I still remember those beautiful moments with
Anaaya, I can still feel her presence in my mind. She has
taught me the real sense of friendship. She has taught me
the meaning of care.
I still remember the first day I saw her, the cute
smiling face, the red jacket with a hood in which I used
to hide her cell phone to tease her. I remember her
walking with me and holding my hand while crossing
the road. And then, I still remember how I changed that
smiling face into the frowning one…………. I am sorry
Anaaya………….”
O
O
o
Water was rushing to my lungs. It was
suffocating me like I had suffocated Aaasha…………. If
ever God would ask my last wish, I wanted to say her
sorry.
O
O
o
I still felt those voices abusing me for making
their life hell. I could hear the cursing sound, they were
chasing me, they will never allow me to live the world
with those guilt.
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“I want to run away faster than those voices”
“I want to stop this guilt”
“I need to find a path to heaven”
“I need to find a path to peace”
“I want my end”
“I want my death”
AND
O
O
o
*************
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It was exactly 13 minutes later that the accident
site was crowded with people, and policemen were
trying to move the crowd away from the accident site to
investigate the matter.
“What‟s going on inspector?” a lady in white
kurta approached the policeman in charge for the
investigation.
“Hey! Welcome Mam, another major accident in
the Ganges.”
“Oh! how it happened, is he alive or
………….?”
“No clue, car has left only the sliding marks,
some of the witness says he has purposely drove his car
into the river so it may be the suicide case. But who
knows? We have called some divers, they are still at
work. By the way, how come are you here?”
“I was coming to you inspector, to meet you and
in the way, I saw you so stopped.”
“Hmm your stolen bag” he said “Mam I don‟t
know what was so important in your bag that you are
behind me since last two weeks, you even said there was
not much money then…”
“Inspector sometime somethings are more
important than money” she interrupted “Well, I just
wanted to remind you that I still need that bag.”
“Sir we got the body, he still seems to be alive”
a man in diving suit shouted from behind. They
approached. Body was lying in a dead position, a crowd
of people were surrounding to take a view of the body.
Ambulance was already made ready for the hospital.
“God! Ishaan,” she was surprised to see the
body.
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“You know him?” asked the inspector.
“His heart is beating” she checked his heartbeat
“Please quick, take him to the hospital.”
“Chaubey quick, bring the stretcher.”
*************
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The Nanavut Hospital, Varanasi
Doctor came out of the hospital after an hour of
examination “Body was completely submerged in water
for 13-14 minutes, it has soaked his lungs even. I am too
shocked, how is he running on his heart!”
“Will he survive doc?” said the lady in white
worrying for the consequences.
“We are trying at our best” said the doctor “But
we still have to wait before I‟ll be able to conclude, its
better you call his known ones.”
“Mam if you know his family…..….?” Inspector
said.
“Ya, I‟ll try to connect them” she said.
“Sir we got this diary in his jacket with a
heading „Aaasha‟” one of the constable handed over the
water soaked diary to the Inspector.
“Aaasha!” she said.
“You know her?” inspector asked.
“Ya I do, may I have a look?” she said.
“Well I shouldn‟t give you, until and unless we
are thorough with the matter”
“Please inspector, I think I know about this
diary, and I may help you to get thorough with the case”
she said “Don‟t worry I‟ll bring it to you in any case you
require it.”
“Umm…ok, I think I too need your help” he
handed the diary over to her.
“Thanks inspector”
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She had enough time to evaluate my diary, while
I was still struggling to treasure my way to the heaven in
the operation theatre. But her curiosity didn‟t allow her
to waste a sec before she started.
She opened the first page………….
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The Life Unexpectedly
1
CHAPTER 1
No one wonders about love in class seven, I too didn‟t.
But I did notice that girl with two ponies, sitting two
bench ahead of my desk, trying hard to adjust her light
pink lunch box in her Barbie bag. Her pale white shirt
fascinated my attention on the bird‟s shit spot on back of
her shoulder.
“Hey what‟s her name?” I inquired about her,
thought to tell her about the shit.
“Aaasha, the new girl in our school and the girl
next door to my house. Recently her family has been
transferred to this place”, Happy was proud enough to
claim that.
“But don‟t ever think of being fascinated, she is
rich and out of reach. She has a big splendid car,
moreover her father has a big splendid moustache” as if
he was alarming me.
“Oh! So from Veerapan family” I said.
“Don‟t know, but you seem to be interested,
hmm?” he rasped.
“Nopes, but yeah something is fascinating me.
Look at her back shoulder” I said.
“OH! O my GOD…” he broke into laughter,
gathering some more attention towards her.
“What! Why are you all staring at me?” her
voice was sharp as knife.
Amit Gautam
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“No nothing, Ishaan showed us something
hilarious” Happy at last pushed me into the danger.
“What?” she growled.
“No! No I didn‟t, I mean on your back shoulder”
I had to say.
She turned her neck round to see on her back
“Oh no! My new shirt, what the hell have you done!” her
eyes became watery.
“How the hell can I do that?” I said.
“I will tell to my Dad” she sobbed for a little
thing like a small girl.
I remembered her long splendid mustache Dad
“But I didn‟t do that”.
Her watery eyes were normal after she returned
back may be from washroom. However, since then her
staring eyes reminded me again and again of her long
mustached Dad.
************
“Why the beautiful girls have such a dangerous
Daddies?” I said.
“Whom are you mentioning?” Happy was
always available for my valid questions.
“Your girl next door, since then she stares me as
if I did shit on her”
Mr. Narayan, our English Teacher interrupted us
“Students you‟ll be glad to know that this month end we
are having our annual function, each one of you have to
participate in some or the other activities and I have also
nominated some of you for a skit show „The Raven
The Life Unexpectedly
3
boy‟” he adjusted his spec before reading out the name
“The name which I‟ll be calling has to come with me”
He carried a bunch stack of A4 sheets paper and
started calling the name from one of them “Deepa,
Vivek, Ishaan, Laxmi………….”
“Great! I got chance to act with Laxmi” I
whispered to Happy.
“Yes and also with the shit girl” he replied when
sir called her name with the others.
************
We were taken to the Audi hall for a role distribution
and further practice.
“Be silent students. Listen your role carefully. I
am not going to announce it again”, it was usual for a
teacher to add the last line to make sure we pay attention
to their words.
“Ishaan has been given the role of the Raven
boy, the protagonist of the skit, Laxmi will have to play
the princess role, Deepa will………….”
Laxmi‟s role announcement made my wish
fulfilled “Ishaan at last you‟ve got her”, Happy
whispered.
Aaasha got the narration part, obviously she had
a good sharp voice with clear English tone with ten on
ten English pronunciation.
“Excuse me sir, I have some issue if you don‟t
mind?” Laxmi, she was never satisfied by whatever she
gets. But no one minds the demands of the beautiful girls
and for Mr. Narayan, he never can.
Amit Gautam
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After a while, there was another announcement
“Just pay attention students, as Laxmi has some issue
with her role she has been given the narration part and
now Aaasha would be playing princess, hope its ok with
you Aaasha?”
She hesitated but “Yes, as you wish sir”.
Second announcement churned my dream “Why
the teacher has to listen to the student, they don‟t have
their own brain or what?” I said.
“The beautiful girl‟s demand”, Happy added.
“Hmm, I need to talk Aaasha to quit the role” I
said.
“But why will she listen you”, Happy gave me
intense looked as if he was more worried than me.
************
Aaasha was busy reading her script dialogue when I
approached her.
“Hey Hi!” I said with an open wide smile
thinking to start with a good tone.
“What?” Her glanced look towards me proved, I
was not at all good at good smile.
“I think you are good at narration. Why don‟t
you talk Mr. Narayan again for that part” I said to her.
“Why the hell I should talk to him? He has
allotted me this role with his own wish and Laxmi
wanted to be a narrator so………….” I think Happy was
right. I was foolish to approach her, and then…
“And you wanted to be my Princess”, at last I
had to lose my temper and tried to move ahead.
The Life Unexpectedly
5
“Excuse me!” she growled from behind.
“I mean princess role is coupled with me, and I
am not interested to role with you”, I returned to reply
her back.
“So am I!” she shouted, I had to look around to
confirm no one was listening us. After all, girls shout on
a boy was not a good sign for his prestige. “What the
hell you think of yourself?” she added further with wide
open eyes.
I was with a girl shouting at me. It was better for
me to control the situation before someone notices me. I
thought to try other way politely. “Ok ok! Sorry, I
request you, you don‟t know, but I am in love with
Laxmi since class two”, I said politely.
“What! Oh!” her angry bird face evaporated into
laughter, as if I have cracked a joke.
“What‟s funny?” this time I gave her glanced
look.
“You love her, do you even know what that
means?” she looked pretty smiling but not when her
smile was taunting me.
“Why you care about that? It‟s none of your
business”, I said.
“Ok ok, you do whatever you want, I don‟t care.
But this was Mr. Narayan‟s decision I can‟t say no to
him. If you wish you talk him, I have no issue. Sorry”
she left with her script documents with stupid smile on
her face.
“What she thinks of herself? It was better I
should have never talk to her”, I thought.
Amit Gautam
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“What happened?” Happy came running to
know about my tempered face.
“She refused me”, I said.
“Now you can only talk to Laxmi for that”
he was always good at suggestion but sometime it was
useless for me.
“You know she would never listen to me” I
replied.
“Ya one sided love” he added further to his
useless suggestion.
************
Even after giving it a hard hit, the final day of annual
function was the day of nervousness for each of the
participant. But as per Mr. Narayan the nervousness was
good for our good performance. However, I still wanted
to punish Aaasha for refusing me.
“Ishaan I have a plan to teach her a lesson”
Happy second useless suggestion which I would have
never done.
“What?” still I asked.
“Come with me” Happy took me to the
backstage dressing room.
“This is Princess dress, Aaasha has to wear for
the show, I brought ketchup in my tiffin let‟s put it
on her dress” he said with a cunning smile.
“No this one was specially prepared by
Mr. Narayan himself. If it gets dirty he will never
leave her in any case” I said ignoring his idea.
The Life Unexpectedly
7
“And that‟s my plan, see” he poured the ketchup
sachet over the dress at once.
“Wait what are you doing?” I tried to stop him
but he already spoiled her part of the dress
“Ishaan run, someone is coming” we folded the
dress as it was and ran from the room.
************
After an hour, we were called for our performance. We
all gathered except Aaasha.
“I never wanted to do that Happy” I was not at
all happy for whatever had happened. And if she doesn‟t
come, our whole skit will spoil” I regretted.
“I did it for you, you said you wanted to punish
her. See Aaasha is coming, she is wearing some other
dress” he said interrupting my regret.
I could only see her frowned face which was
surely because of me.
“Why are you not ready yet? Where is the
princess dress I gave you?” Mr. Narayan was already
tensed for the show and now he was about to throw blast
over her.
“I am sorry sir”, she sobbed with her frowned
face “someone has dropped ketchup on it”
“What! Someone, you must have eaten
something and dropped on it. I told you, wear only when
you are finished with your tiffin and all your stuffs. How
irresponsible are you?” He shouted in presence of others.
“But sir I don‟t………….” she tried to explain.
Amit Gautam
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“Shut your mouth, you were so eager to stuff
your mouth, can‟t you wait for some more time?” but in
anger Mr. Narayan would not listen to anyone.
She couldn‟t resist her tears and kept her face
down. Mr. Narayan was harsh enough to scold her.
“I have never seen Mr. Narayan scolding a
beautiful girl before” Happy and I didn‟t like for
whatever we did.
“Happy, it is our fault we have done this, we
shouldn‟t have” I said.
Mr. Narayan knew it was not the best time to
scold her. He controlled himself and asked her to wipe
off her tears and think for the script. I saw it was hard for
her to control her tears. Mrs. Gupta ran with the makeup
box to clear her face and applied some more mascara to
hide her watery eyes and tried to calm her.
The stage was finally announced with our skit
show „The Raven Boy‟. Aaasha was standing beside me
with the frowning face. It was me to enter the stage. I
looked at her with the frowning face too “Aaasha don‟t
worry you are looking prettier in this dress” she gave a
returned look to me.
She acted wonderfully. At last I was happy for
being her my princess. She was really looking the most
prettiest girl I have ever seen. Laxmi was narrating our
show, but I didn‟t recognize her voice because my mood
was tensed for Aaasha. Or if I say, I was with the most
beautiful girl at that time, it would be no wrong. I was
full of regret what I did to her. I knew her scolding
would continue even after the skit.
************
The Life Unexpectedly
9
Next day I fixed my eyes to the class door in the
morning, waiting for her to look her smiling face again
which was down the last night because of me. But she
was absent, she knew Mr. Narayan would not leave her
even after the wonderful act she did.
She came the next day and it was the second
period when Mr. Narayan entered the class door. We
stood up for the good morning wish.
He saw Aaasha at the first bench, “You all may
sit down except Aaasha”.
Her face was down and I knew Mr. Narayan
would not leave her lightly. We never knew Mr. Narayan
can be so strict to beautiful girls even. But we had seen
his annual day scolding.
“Aaasha I have always thought you as a
responsible girl but you made me wrong”, said Mr.
Narayan “but still you did well and I was too harsh that
day. Don‟t worry, it happens with beautiful girls, so
never mind” at last Mr. Narayan was back to his normal
form.
“At last Mr. Narayan is Mr. Narayan” Happy
whispered.
“But still it‟s not over for me, I need to admit
my fault” I said in guilt.
“What! Are you crazy? You don‟t know, what
Narayan will do to you? You are not even a beautiful
girl?” Happy shouted in whispering tone.
“I hurt her, I shouldn‟t have done that. I deserve
punishment” I said.
“C‟mon Ishaan I‟ll be punished with you, you
can‟t do this” said Happy.
Amit Gautam
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“Don‟t worry you‟ll be safe” I raised my voice
the next Moment “Excuse me sir, I need to confess
something”.
“What you got now?” said Mr. Narayan.
“Sir Aaasha has not dirtied her dress. It was me
who poured ketchup on it” and I admitted my fault with
a slight lie of replacing Happy with myself.
“You know what are you saying?” he didn‟t
even paused for my second reply, and next moment he
was seen twisting my ear to 360 degree simultaneously
growling through his throat “Why…………. didn‟t you
tell me that day?”
“Sir …………. sir sorry” I screamed with my
twisted ear.
“Get out of the class and kneel down for the
whole day holding your ears” he shouted.
At last I got relief from my guilt but it was
replace with the severe pain in my legs. Aaasha
approached me at the lunch break. I thought she was
second after Mr. Narayan to shout at me.
“What! Why you came to me? At least you
didn‟t get your ear twisted to 360 degree” I tried to start
first before she start her shout.
“It was all over”, I didn‟t expect her to be calm
“Narayan sir has also finished the topic, then what was
the need of speaking in between”.
“Hmm… I thought you are here to shout. I saw
you crying that day I didn‟t like you crying, that was
because of me, so. I did that to punish you for refusing
me that day…” I said calmly with guilt face.
The Life Unexpectedly
11
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