O ' Suzzanna - Part 12

Thoughts about how his future would be and will this help him find Suzzanna was worrying him. The words of the manager remained deaf to his hear. The manager shrugged his hand. He had asked him a question - ' Did he understand everything that he had said?'. Jacob looked at him blank.  A band member joked, "He must have smoked weed before coming here."

The word 'weed' bought him back to reality. "Oh I am sorry! Yes! I did understand what you said.", he said.  "Ok then! Why don't we begin your audition?", manager said. Jacob got ready with his guitar and song he was going to sing.  The song was one of his composition.

He closed his eyes. The manager and composer watched him while the band members giggled. He tried to unwind himself and travel to place where Suzzanna was. He started playing his guitar and soon began to sing his song.

His voice was deep. He added emotions of love, sorrow and hope into his song. He improvised the song wherever needed. The audience were spellbound. The band was speechless by his performance. They had never expected that person so lost in thoughts could sing so beautifully.

He ended the song in good note. Everyone applauded his performance. He was instantly selected and signed after terms and conditions was explained to him. He was overwhelmed. His work at last was recognized. His search for Suzzanna would be over now.

He reached home with box of sweets. His mom wept and hugged him when she heard the news. He called Sue to inform her the happy news. But she didn't pick up the call. He was sad for few minutes. He quickly sent her a message. She replied back with a smiley. Her mediocre response didn't lit up his heart. It caused commotion in his heart and he felt as if something was not right.


(To be continued)

O' Suzzanna - Part 11

He waited for few minutes. He had expected already what she would say. He had already made up his mind to say no. He wanted to call them now itself. But something stopped him. He felt that he would never get such opportunity again.

Her mail arrived soon than he had expected. But the message she had sent for him surprised him. It read just one line : Go for it! Don't let past deter your present actions. He read the line again and again. He smiled. It was her that stopped him from doing the blunder. He called the composed and said yes to being auditioned.

Next day he arrived at the manager's office where he would meet the band members and manager. He was nervous for the first time. He was worried whether they would like his talent or whether it was right for him to join the band. He hadn't told his mother about this audition. He had simply lied to her, thinking that she would never allow him if he had told her.

The office wasn't spacious. It wasn't small either. But too many furniture cramped together made it look tiny. He sat on the cheap black sofa near receptionist area. The receptionist was engrossed in playing online games. Her mind was distracted from the game when the phone rang. She picked it up haphazardly. After the call was over, she asked him to go inside the cabin.

The cabin contained a three seater sofa where four members of band sat cramped to each other. The manager wasn't at his desk. Instead he gave that place to the composer. The manager seemed few years elder to Jacob. Jacob was startled. He had expected the manager to be middle aged with pot belly.

The manager quickly got up to greet Jacob. The band members didn't get up. They simply scrutinized him. The manager started introducing himself and band members. He spoke about Jacob's role in the band and continued about how highly his composer brother had spoken about him. Later he ended the conversation with how much they relied upon Jacob and hoped that he was the one. Jacob didn't hear a single word. His was under the spell of  his own thoughts.

(To be continued)

O' Suzzanna - Part 10

After several months of hardship, he was finding no bright sunshine. He was losing his new found confidence slowly.  His mother complains was becoming unbearable day by day. He was tired of promising her that he will find his foothold soon. There were some days he just wanted to give up his dreams. There were other days he thought about Sue's words and his mission to find Suzzanna. These two driving factors would fill him with strength to face the world.

The struggles bought him to auditions for a television singing show. The show was being broadcasted on a small local channel. The judges of the show were small time composers and a singer who was a forgotten winner of big television singing show. He had given his best and was selected for second round. Unfortunately nepotism took the front seat and the talent was given the back seat. 

He was disqualified in second round because he didn't have star quality. This was not real reason. The real reason was the producers of the show had selected their relative who was also participant in the show. They only required 10 participants and nine were selected. Unfortunately his place was supposed to be given to producer's relative.

He was dejected. He couldn't believe this. He was confident that he would make it. He was sure the judges liked him. The pain of losing wasn't more than the pain when he saw the person who was less deserved bagged the place in the show. He had almost given hope. He had almost decided to switch back to helping his mother in her catering business.

As he was wrapping up his dreams and hiding it deep in his heart, he received a call. It was from a composer who was the judge in the show he was disqualified. The composer had a brother who was manager of band looking for lead vocalist. They wanted to audition him as the composer genuinely felt that Jacob's talent didn't get a fair chance. 

But Jacob wasn't sure. Flashbacks of losing a friend due to his association with band reminded him. He didn't want to get back to the same road. He asked them for a day to get back. He wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to say no. But his heart stopped him. He decided to seek advice from his friend and see. He wrote an email to Sue with mindset that she would say no.

(To be continued)

O ' Suzzannna - Part 9

It was difficult for Jacob to continue with his life without his dear friend. He hadn't noticed then that she had been important part of his life. He made several changes to his life in the hope of getting her back in his life. He had left the band and their habit once she had gone. Whenever he got the urges to get back to his old life, he would remember the flashback of the day he lost Sue. 

 

He was more responsible now. He helped his mother in her catering business. His mother was surprised and happy to see her new matured Jacob. He wrote several emails to Sue to come back. He also wrote about how much changed he was now and he would never repeat the same mistakes. But she didn't reply to any of his emails. 

One night he was checking his emails for her reply as usual after work. He was about to log out when suddenly a new message popped into his inbox. It was her message. He opened it. It read - 

"Hi Jacob!

I am happy that you have left your old habits. Aunty must be proud of you now. But why did you quit music? What about your quest for Suzzanna? I only wanted best for you. That band and the drug was ruining you. I only wanted you out of it. I didn't ask you to quit music. Go and make more music. Your passion lies there. Find your Suzzanna. 

I won't promise that I will come back now. Let me finish what I have started here. Three years are not long. I will meet you soon.

Yours truly annoying friend

Sue."

He had read the mail again and again. He felt his life had come back. But he wasn't happy that he had to wait three years for Sue. Next day, he had politely informed his mother about his decision to revive his music career. His mother didn't quite like the idea. But she supported him for his happiness. 

He started his journey from the scratch. He auditioned several music companies. All the companies rejected. He didn't give up. He sang for small gathering and functions. He earned little. But that didn't bother him. He knew his time was coming soon. 

(To be continued)

O' Suzzanna - Part 8

Jacob woke up next day feeling miserable. He wished yesterday's horrific events never happened. But it did. He couldn't change. He had lost a friend. He rushed out after freshening up. He hadn't changed his clothes. He didn't bother to listen his mother's request for having breakfast.  His mother's requests turned into complaints as soon as he left.

He rode his bike as fast as he could towards Sue's house. He wanted to meet her. He wanted to change everything that had happened between them. He wanted to mend whatever he had said to her. He wanted to promise her that he would never take the drugs again.

When he reached, her mother was about to step inside the house. She was startled by his presence. "Aunty, where is Sue?", he asked with sudden restlessness. "She left just few minutes ago. Didn't she tell you she will be travelling to Bangalore for studies?", she said. He left instantly before she could say anything more.

He sped towards the nearest railway station. "I messed it up. Please don't let Sue go", he prayed. It took several minutes to track the Bangalore train. At last he found her father and relatives bidding her goodbye. He reached to try one last time to change her mind.

"Please don't go, Sue. I am sorry. You are my true friend.", he begged. Sue pretended to ignore his pleas. "I won't do drugs again. I will be better person for you. Please don't go.", he pleaded. Tears rolled from his eyes for the first time since his father's demise. Sue's heart pained to see him crying. But she had promised herself to be tough.

"I forgive you, Jacob. But I won't come back.", she said sternly. The train started to leave. But Jacob didn't leave. He paced with the train. He begged her to come back. But she didn't melt to his request. He finally gave up and fell down to the ground. She wept softly while he cried uncontrollably. Sue's father put his hand on his shoulder, trying to console him. Nothing could console him. He had lost his only dear friend.

(To be continued)

O' Suzzanna - Part 7

Surprised and startled, she stood doing nothing. She was finding words to say. She watched him bend down and inhale on the perfectly drawn lines of powder using a rupee note. He rose to sitting position. His eyes were closed. He was in ecstasy.

She remembered the promise she made to his mother. She rushed to him. Her presence startled everyone now. She pulled him by his collar and slapped him. He pushed her in retaliation. "How dare you slap me?", he slurred.  " I should have slapped you before. But I chose to cover your mistakes. As a friend, I failed. But now I won't let you do this. I won't let you ruin your life.",she said, feeling embarrassed and angry at the same time.

He pulled her hand and dragged her close to him. For a minute, she had forgotten everything. She only wanted to be close to him. She searched love in his bloodshot eyes. She found nothing. "You already created a scene. Now don't be a prick and ruin my life.", he snarled at her. "Please don't do this. You are everything to your mother and me.", she said, weeping softly.

He released her. "Why do you have to be goody two shoes? Why can't you once enjoy and let others enjoy life?", he mocked her. "I have always let you do what you want because I always loved you unconditionally.", she said, finally opening her feelings for him.

"Love! Sorry my friend, but you know I love someone else.", he said laughing at her. "But Suzzanna doesn't even exist. She is just your imagination.", she growled at him. "Don't you ever say that. She is not my imagination. I will find her one day. You will see that.", he argued.

"What am I then to you?", she asked one last time. "You were my friend once. Now you are nothing to me.", he said, breaking her heart. "Okay! Then I have no use being here. All the best for future, Jacob. You will never see me again. I had great pleasures of being your doormat.", she said. Jacob didn't understand then. He was under strong influence of drug. If he was normal, he would do anything to stop his best friend and nothing such would have happened between them.

(To be continued)