Lhazom, Chapter 3

As the year 2016 started, gearing up all my confidence, I told her, “I love you.”

She said, “I need time.”

I was surprised by her reply though she said that she had a break up with her boyfriend. But I didn’t ask the reason for the break up.

I said, “I love you very much.”

She replied, “HAHAHAHAHA.”

I made a Facebook account in class 10 and added her. My wechat name was Karma 4- deki chophel and Facebook name, karma 46 chophel. We chatted online every day but whenever I said, “I LOVE YOU.”

She just replied, “Thank You.”

After 6 months, having done my midterm, I headed back to my hometown, Lhuentse. That time, I asked her to meet me. As requested, she came and standing in front of her, I didn’t know what to say. Her sister become my friend. After 10 minutes, she went back to house saying, “Mom is calling.”

She sent me a sms, “BYE.”

I didn’t know why she sent me that, maybe she was bored after meeting me as I was not able to talk with her confidently.

Next day, I messaged her, “BYE.”

There was no reply from her.

After my midterm break, I got back to Punakha. We didn't chat for 3 weeks. And after that we chatted again. I told her, “I love you very much.”

Then she replied, “There are many beautiful girls in Ugyen Academy. Why don’t you get a girl from there?”

Confused by her words, I didn’t say no more words and our conversation ended. From that day, I blocked her on Wechat and Facebook and deleted her number from the phone but was not able to remove from my brain, as it remained there like a sculpture sculpted with gold on a stone. I shared my love for her to friends and her rejection. Though, madly in love, I was thinking of giving up at that time.

On November 6, I received a SMS from her, “Do you still love me?”

Shocked by this message from her number, I replied, “I still do and will love you forever.”

Then she texted, “Then, my answer is ‘Yes.’”

 This message took my breath for a while but not believing the words, I asked her, “What do you mean?”

A new message beeped immediately.

“I accept your love. Love you, too.”

Did she mean that? It took almost 3 years to accept my love. I was not able to trust her but she said, “I really mean it.” That time, she was busy preparing for her friend’s birthday.

I recharged voucher every time, thinking that she might chat with me, but on December 14, we had some misunderstanding. She said, “I am giving up on you.”

That time, I was in Thimphu taking tuition. I thought she was joking but she really did. I didn’t know the reason. Maybe, she didn't love me truly, like I did. My Facebook page was full of her photos but hers was flooded with friends, not a single photo of mine.

It broke my heart and everything was cold and dark around me. Eyes brimming with tears, I went to my room, closing the door and covering my head under the blanket, I started crying like a baby. Then I cut my hand. Not knowing how to cope up with the pain, I begged her on Facebook every day by tagging her but got no response from her. I cried. Every time. Every night. But no one noticed. From the next day, I started to drink, smoke and chew baba.

I bunked from the tuition classes, stayed drinking and smoking all the time. I became like a dog and tiger who was once a cat. I went out at night, hanging out with my friends: drinking, smoking and abusing drugs, HUKAA. After a month, I headed back to Lhuentse. On reaching Bumthang, I was drunk and fell asleep under the bus. In the morning at 5AM, getting up from the road and I went to collect my stuff from the hotel room, shivering with cold.

Original Story: Karma Chophel

Edited by: Phurpa Dorji (PJIKKS)

Chapter 4 Tomorrow @9PM

Lhazom, Chapter 2

Then the schooling started in 2015, after a silent cold winter break. Lhazom was in 10A and me in 10D, thus we were distanced by 10B and 10C. Interestingly, a boy each from 10B and 10C were in love with her.

It was on 8^th May, 2015, 9.43PM, I was in the hostel, when I heard my friend talking about Lhazom being in relationship with a boy from 10C. Heart struck hard by those words, I stayed silent. Then l bluffed to my friends, “Good for her.” Mobile phones were not allowed in the hostel but I had phone with me just to keep contact with her. Sadly, I couldn't to call her before but that night, covering my head under the blanket with tears rushing down my cheek, heart sinking deeper every second; crying for a girl for the first time. Dialing her number, I waited but she didn’t answer making it busy.

“Congrats.”

I messaged her.

She replied, “Thank you.”

I texted her, “He is a very good person. He will never leave you. Happy Relation.”

I ended the conversation sending her a crying emoji. I stayed awoken till 3 am, then I fell asleep in the morning and was late for the morning studies. I was not able to study well from that day as my heart was always wandering, thinking about her. I started to ignore her number. While I was going mad for Lhazom, some girls were after me but I could not feel my love for them. The year ended and the result was out soon. I didn’t qualify and so decided to join Ugyen Academy, Punakha.

Original Story: Karma Chophel

Edited by: Phurpa Dorji (PJIKKS)

Chapter 3 Tomorrow @9PM

Lhazom, Chapter 1

It was back in 2014 when I fell in love with a girl called Deki Lhazom. I saw her for the first time when she was practising dance in the classroom 9D. As soon as I saw her, I just wished to be her love. From that day onwards, I started thinking about her all the time. But I could not propose her as I was not confident.

I started to sing thinking about her. I began to write ‘LOVE’ in my hand, even changed the way I was for her by making hair style and using perfume.

But not matter how much I made myself good looking, I was not able to approach her saying, “I like her.” Luckily, my friend knew her as she was his classmate. Even though, he was her friend I was not confident to ask him about her. I tried every means to talk with her once but I couldn't. At last, I found a way; that’s by asking my brother to send me pocket money through post as she was the youngest daughter of the postal office officer and I was also the youngest son in my family.

 As planned, I asked my brother to send money through the post and he did as I said. He sent NU. 3500. Then, I requested my friend to get Lhazom’s mobile number. Fortunately, he got the number, that’s my first contact with her. When I called her for the first time, I didn’t know what to say. I was just like a silent cat looking at the food placed in the front. I asked my friend to talk with her and request her to collect my money from the post office. She did that and then I knew that she is not just good looking but also kindhearted.

When I was able to get her number, the year 2014 was already nearing to an end. I always thought of calling her but I couldn't, thinking that she may get angry, if I called her. Sometimes, I called her and our conversation always ended after asking each other, “How are you?” Her voice rang in ears like listening to a melodious song that I have ever heard of. Even if I was in trouble, hearing her voice drove away those troubles filling me with peace and tranquility: a heavenly state.

Our winter vacation ended without seeing each other. No calls. By that time, she didn’t have feelings for me, nor she knew that I loved her truly.

Original Story: Karma Chophel

Edited by: Phurpa Dorji (PJIKKS)

Chapter 2 Tomorrow @9PM