The day you feel absolutely alone, you’ll know, you’ve only just started living.

Up until this moment, you were probably living in a fairytale – a make belief world where you are surrounded by the people who love you. And before you know it, you’re fending for yourself.

You have someone criticising every action of yours. And all you can do is choke on your emotions. Let your brimming eyes drown out your quivering voice. And. Wait. Patiently.

Ask for help, and none shall be received. This is how it works. And if you have any questions, answer them yourself. Find the weakest, most vulnerable version of yourself. And then, strengthen it, cell by cell. There’s no better way to find your ground. And if you can’t do that, get out of my kitchen.

He walked up to her plate by the sushi counter and elegantly picked up the exquisitely rolled spicy salmon. One bite. And another. And then the third. He paused and growled.

“How dare you make my recipe better than me? Get out of my kitchen. You need one of your own.”

It was her first day at work at the best Asian restaurant in Bombay. And she had given the head chef a glimpse of his own vulnerable side.

*All stories, characters and incidents written by me are a figment of my imagination.