When story comes alive

Part 1

"Arrgh!How long do you think this dialogue will last?" I asked,complaining about a scene from the movie I watched with my bestfriend and roommate Jenna. It was a romantic movie. As it was Jenna'sday to pick out a movie and restaurant, it meant Pizza delivery andsome mushy, touchy-feely rom-com.

"Whatpart of this do you hate?" she asked, turning around her face,plopped up on her palms, with elbows comfortably resting on a fluffycushion.

"Oh!Come on," I animated my agitation. "All that they have donein the last 10 minutes is look into each other's eyes and claim thatthey cannot live without each other. They are just 17 or 18. How canthey claim about their entire life? Do they ever study or take testsor go to school? All I have heard for the last 70 minutes is talkingbreathlessly about how much they love each other..." I was cutshort by Jenna shushing me by waving one hand while her eyes glued tothe screen.

Sensingmy words had fallen on deaf ears, I picked up a slice of pizza andzoned out. I had a lot of pending work with many deadlines looming.Charts, columns, rows, sheets, files, going through the emails in myhead, making a list of pending tasks. I enjoyed planning for the nextfew days, with tasks playing out in my head while I continued to eatabsentmindedly.

"Hey!Snap out already," Jenna said, throwing a pillow at me. "Ifaked an emergency to get you home early so that you would relax alittle. It's Friday night. You need to chill."

Shewas right. Since I started this new job a year ago, I had turned intoa workaholic. Initially, I was excited as it was a dream come true. Ijoined in as a senior financial analyst with one of the top financialfirms in the country. But lately, I felt disillusioned. I enjoyedworking but no longer liked the people for whom I worked. Jenna knewwhat was going on in my head and wanted to keep me distracted.

"AmI not watching the movie with you?" I tried to reason as I gotout of the sofa to get a glass of water.

"Okay,then tell me what happened in the end?" Jenna followed me to thekitchen and raised herself to sit on the island comfortably.

"Theylived happily, ever-after," I replied confidently.

"No!They get killed," she said with raised eyebrows and arms up indisbelief.

"What?"I said, with a surprise and a bit of curiosity, since I had pegged itas a regular rom-com.

"Justkidding," She smiled but immediately continued with furrowedbrows, "Were you excited with the alternate ending?"

Iwas ashamed to say that I was, so I smiled.

"Whodid this to you? There must have been someone who broke your heartand left you cold-hearted," Jenna asked with narrowed eyes.

"Iam a practical person, and believe me, no one broke my heart. I hateoverly mushy, impractical romances."

"Idon't believe you. I have shown you all my favorite movies and sharedmy fave novels to read, but you....you never connect with them. Youdon't dream as I do. You seem too practical, and I don't think thatyou were always like this." After a thoughtful pause, probablygoing over my life in fast forward, she said, "What aboutAndrew? You were going out with him even before we became friends,and he suddenly broke up with you. Did he not break your heart? It'sbeen three months, and you have not been on a single date."

Iinterrupted, "You have known me for a year and known me since Iwas dating Andrew. Don't you remember, I was never overly romantictype."

"ButI think your inclination towards atheism of romance has increasedsince Andrew."

Idid not reply. Instead, I walked past her and pulled out my laptop.

"Comeon. You cannot avoid me forever."