Heart's Awesomeness

Hi, I am Rhea. A 16-year-old, normal girl who loved to do all normal things pretty much like all the other girls in town. I was the apple of my parent’s eye and was their darling princess. Everything was normal in my life except that everything was not normal. My life was going at the rate double of any other individual. It’s always on fast forward mode. Now, don’t think a lot. It isn’t any acquired talent that Iam supersonic. I am purely gifted!! Yes, I am gifted with two hearts, two fully functional blood pumping machines!!

Some people called me abnormal, some people called me special and for some, I didn’t even exist. I never bothered about such names. For me, I was awesome and my condition was Rhea’s Heart Awesomeness.

There were a set of people who assumed that I was extremely affluent in terms of my organs and demanded thatI donate my ‘EXTRA’ heart. Really?? It’s like asking someone to donate all his money to charity just because he has ‘EXTRA’ money!! My response was a flat NO!! Forget about other people, my own mother also wanted me to donate something which made me feel special!!

'Are you sure, Rhea?' asks my mother.

'Of course, I'm. Survival of the fittest, mother. I'm not against Darwin. Also, I don't want unnecessary scars on my body.'

It's a known fact that we are all born to die. And frankly, I don't understand why it has to be made into such a big deal. If it were not for my mother I would have said that to the bunch of people outside my house, some of them with young kids, shouting slogans, waving placards, literally wanting me to cut one of my beating hearts out. "Save A Life. Donate!" they shout.

For someone who is one in billions, 7.125 billion to be exact, I expect to be treated better. Scientists are still befuddled regarding my condition that gave me two hearts in my mother's womb. But years of research and sticking needles into me have led them nowhere, and they have labeled me as a freak mutation. It's so rare - literally one in all humankind - that they didn't even name the anomaly (as they call it, I will call it awesomeness). I wanted to name the condition myself, something on the lines of Rhea's Heartsawesome but the doctors aren't thrilled with the suggestion. Instead, they want to cut one of them out and save a life. Huh?

An IQ of 180, increased concentration, exceptional athleticism and a phenomenal metabolism rate - are just some of the boring benefits of an increased blood circulation. Why would I ever give that up?

The debates and the protests continued and I went on to lead my awesome life.

A fine sunny Monday morning, as I stepped out of my house, I saw a tall lean boy of about the same age with bright blue eyes and a tousle of brown hair speaking to someone. As I came out I noticed that he glanced a furtive look at me. Being a snob that I was, I ignored him and walked to my school. I saw him on the second day too, standing at the same place but this time he was alone. This went on for about 2 weeks after which I decided to confront him. He was Shaun, a boy from my neighborhood who knew me thanks to my ‘Awesomeness’ and wanted to meet me in person. I was a little apprehensive in the beginning but being a celebrity, I thought I need to treat my fans rather well and gave him a chance. I met him almost every day and as days passed by, we started getting closer. From having a cup of coffee together, we started going out for dinner. Sometimes we would just sit and read aloud our favorite books to each other. We were similar yet different. We complimented each other. I grew quite comfortable sharing my deep thoughts to him. It was not long before I realized that I was head over heels in love with him.

I could be myself with Shaun. Laugh like I want to, talk what I want to, be the way I want to be with him. I was every bit in love with him. I was a normal girl with a normal life and extraordinarily special person ‘Shaun’ in my life.

I continued living my fairy tale when one day Shaun introduced me to his best friend Kabir. Kabir was a well-built, tall guy with thick black hair and deep set jaws which gave his face a chiseled look. We three, Kabir, Shaun and I hung out a lot. We discussed a lot of stuff together ranging from cricket to football to girls and guys and what not. I loved spending time with Shaun, with or without Kabir. My love for Shaun grew exponentially. I could do anything for him. There was not a single moment in a day which was not spent with him or was spent without me thinking about him.

Life was beautiful or at least I thought so. It was Shaun’s birthday on February the 14th. I wanted to surprise him and be with him when the clock strikes 12. I selected a red dress for myself, the prettiest one I had, left my hair loose and set out in my car at 11:30 PM. I reached his place, got out of my car and gave myself a tight hug. I was thrilled at the prospect of surprising him. I knocked softly on the door and waited for him nervously. I knew Shaun stays alone at his home while his parents visit him once in a while. There was no response and I knocked again. I tried calling and he wasn’t reachable. This was weird!! Shaun never keeps his cell switched off and it was his birthday!! Definitely not today!! I decided to go back home and meet him the next day. I was about to leave when I thought I heard muffled noise coming from within the house. Before I could dismiss the thought as my imagination, I heard it again. This time I could make out the distinguished voices of two people talking to each other. I went over to the backyard. I looked for some way in and found a window open. I hauled myself into the passageway through the window. I entered the hall and saw no one. I could still hear the voices and it appeared to come in from the room upstairs. I slowly made my way up the stairs and came up to a room with its lights on and door open wide. I could see Shaun sitting on the edge of the bed with his back turned to me. I couldn’t think of a reason Shaun would do this and peered into the room to get a better view. I was shell-shocked to see whom Shaun was speaking to. It was Kabir!!

I couldn’t understand what was happening. Kabir was crying out loud and Shaun was consoling him. I could make out heart, death, separation, love, no more, the end and few other such words. I was still trying to understand the situation when something happened and I felt the floor beneath me give away. Kabir was in Shaun’s arms still sobbing, Shaun took his face in his hands and planted a light kiss on his forehead. He then slowly moved his lips down until their lips met and they kissed each other passionately. I kept looking at them aghast. I was blank. Every inch of my body screamed with pain, with disappointment, with agony. I wanted to pull Shaun by his collar and demand an explanation for his acts but I couldn’t move. Everything came to a standstill. I kept staring at the person I loved the most being so intimate with another. Slowly, after a while, I gathered myself, retraced my steps to my car and drove back home. I was hurt, I was cheated from no one but the man I loved the most. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t understand why Shaun came into my life when he loved someone else. I tried to remember the conversation that happened between Kabir and Shaun in his room. Nothing made sense. I pondered over it again and again. I tried to remember every conversation that Kabir, Shaun and I had had. And slowly, piece by piece, everything started to fit in like a jigsaw puzzle. Shaun had once told me that Kabir came into the city looking for a heart specialist. Though Shaun never told me the exact problem Kabir faced, I knew that Kabir had a major problem in his heart and if not treated immediately, his condition could get worsened. I had also seen many documents in Shaun’s laptop regarding heart transplantation. Shaun loved me for a reason; Shaun loved me because he wanted something from me; Shaun loved me because he wanted my heart!!

I had to make a decision and by the time the sun rose; I had made.

Next day, Shaun picked me up from my home and we both went out for lunch. He seemed unusually happy. Even before I could ask him where he was the previous night, he told me that he had slept and hence couldn’t talk to me. There was not a single trace of emotion on my face. I just smiled throughout and he kept on talking. We had an otherwise romantic lunch date and we strolled across the riverside with him holding my hands. To an outsider, everything looked just perfect and sweet but to me, there was nothing else other than pain and agony. Later in the evening, Kabir joined us. Just like Shaun, Kabir was ecstatic. Shaun and Kabir greeted each other like long-lost friends. Kabir informed me that his doctor had told him that his heart problem would be cured and he would be alright very soon. I congratulated him and gave him a warm smile. I had never seen Shaun so happy. I told Shaun that I needed to go home and left them. I silently walked back and left them to bask in their happiness.

I never met Shaun after that day. Shaun tried to contact me a lot of times but I never got back to him. I loved Shaun and I could do anything for him. I couldn’t be with Shaun but my heart could. I still loved him but I loved him through Kabir. I became the soul of their relationship.

I was no more awesome; I was normal Rhea with a normal life.

Hi, I am Rhea. A 16-year-old very normal girl who loved to do all normal things pretty much like the girls in town. I was the apple of my parent’s eye and was their darling princess. Everything was normal in my life……………….And everything will be normal!!