Him | Pranav Shrivastava

This happens to be a new year party. Everyone here is intoxicated. The night is as young as ever and the songs playing on the speakers are rad and loud. No one can hear what the other person is saying. The disco lights planted on the wall are near blinding to the eyes. The party is as lively as it ever will be. All of this is enough for someone to socialize, but not for him. He looks around. He is not particularly handsome, his hands and legs are too thin, his face is a little small but he has big, round, beautiful eyes. He happens to be an introvert, but more importantly, also happens to be hungry. He looks around the room. Some folks talk to each other while some dance their butts off. He looks at a girl Naina, 20, Blood Group: B+. He thinks to himself, “Maybe she’s the one. Maybe she’ll give me some food.” He goes towards Naina. A little afraid and shy but carries some confidence with him. He reaches her but as he goes towards her, she yells at him: “Ew. Go away.” 

He who thought maybe she’d be his savior at this party walks away from her, disappointed. Who wouldn’t be? All he wants is just some food. He goes into another room. This room is a little less lively than the one before it. Not much dancing, but some socializing. He looks at Netra, 21, Blood Group: A+. He, once again, with whatever confidence he has left in him thinks, “Maybe she will. Maybe she’ll give me food.” He walks a little close to Netra but stops. Gets afraid for himself and why wouldn’t he?! He lost all of his confidence in the room before this. He thinks of a strategy to better establish an understanding before going in for the kill. The strategy is: to sit around her silently for a while and when she notices him, he’ll ask her for some food to drink. He enters the room and sits on an apple. A pretty strange place to sit but come on, he’s a little shy. He sits there for a while. Netra doesn’t notice him until she does and she gets a little creeped out. He looks at her noticing him and says to himself, “This is my chance. Here comes my chance at some food.” He goes towards her, with the intent to ask her for some food but as soon as he is an arm away from her, she slaps him hard. He gets smashed to the wall far behind them. Her slap was really strong. He is stunned. He thinks to himself. Are all girls so mean? Are all of them so rude? He starts crying.

No one in the room helps him or even thinks of intervening in this squabble. Netra does not even bother to look at him again. She just slapped him for no reason. He did not even talk to her! She had just slapped him and then gone on to socialize with one of her friends standing in the corner. He starts crying and rushes out of the room. No one notices him crying right there in between them. Disadvantages of being an introvert, I guess? No one deserves a slap, though. Do they? 

He looks around, and his hunger starts getting worse. So do his emotions. He places himself in the middle of the room, but someone turns on the fan and he gets swayed away to the corner of the room. Disadvantages of being thin, I guess? He looks around at the crowded room, wiping his tears. He just needs food. Nothing else. Yet whoever he talks to is mean to him for no fault of his own. He looks around at the crowd dancing in the room and thinks yet again.

Should I give it another shot? Should I yet again, even after being asked to leave by one girl and being slapped by another? Should I give it another try? Third time’s the charm. Right? He looks around yet again and gets a glance at Nayan, 19, Blood Group: O-. As he looks at her sitting alone in this room, with everyone dancing and having the time of their life, he feels that this may be it. Maybe Nayan too is an introvert; a shy soul who’ll maybe look at him and see the timid and reserved guy no one seems to notice. He walks towards her with all the mental strength he can gather and tries to use his already drained social battery and his worsening hunger. Because all he needs is food. For someone at this party to offer him food. He goes toward her.

He reaches her and stops in front of her. Nayan does not notice him. He looks at her with those big round beautiful eyes, and says, “Hello. You have something I could drink.” Nayan looks at the source of this voice and gets scared. She yells and claps her hands hard with his head in between her hands. He is shocked, and he tries to duck, but he fails to do so. Her clap is successful. He starts bleeding from his head and falls to the floor. No one notices him. Nayan goes back to chilling again. She cleans the blood off of her hands. He keeps yelling but no one answers him. He keeps yelling, but no one pays any attention to him. Maybe this is what happens to beings like him. In the end, no one cares. You might be hungry and just be asking around for food at the party, but no one would care. No one would pay any attention to you. No one would give you a helping hand. Just because you happen to be reserved. Just because you happen to be shy. Just because you happen to be a little strange-looking. Just because you have some antennas attached to your head. Just because you have two wings attached to your back. Just because you happen to be a mosquito.

Pranav Shrivastava is currently pursuing B. Tech from an esteemed college in North India in Information Technology. He is an emerging writer interested in pursuing Philosophy for his higher education.