The Story of Rajeev and Faisal

It was that time of the year when every school in the city was busy hosting farewell parties for its outgoing batch. Our school was no different. In fact, the hype surrounding the farewell party was immense. It was all because of the Student Awards.

The Student Awards were a set of Awards given by the management of the school, as a token of appreciation to certain students. There was the "Best Outgoing Student Award", "Most Popular Student" award, and so on. But the most loved award, was the "Best Duo Award". And this year, the winners were a sure fire bet. Rajeev and Faisal.

Rajeev and Faisal were the epitome of best friends. It wasnt surprising, considering their backgrounds. Since 9th Grade, the two of them had trusted each other deeply. And they were surprisingly popular.

Rajeev was the cuter, more stylish of the two. He was an amazing dancer, friendly, excellent in academics as well as sports. Faisal on the other hand, was the more creative one. Not as good looking, but certainly loveable. He shone in oratory and writing. Together, the two formed a formidable pair.

They were the ones who knew everyone. They were everyone's friend. They dealt with others problems, offered help, hung out. If there was a party, it was only a party if these two were there.

And so, when the Vice Principal took to the stage, everyone was waiting to hear what they knew was obvious. "The winner of this year's Best Duo Award is...Rajeev and Faisal!"

There was loud cheering and wild applause. It was predictable, but that didnt stop it from being good news. From the audience, the two of them rose and reached the stage. When the applause died down, Faisal leaned forward and said something to the Vice Principal. He and Rajeev then turned around to face the audience.

"Dear parents, teachers and our good friends, this award cannot be accepted by Rajeev and I. For the simple reason being, the two of us are not friends anymore."

There was sudden silence, broken quickly by someone who yelled, "Ya right dude, we believe you!" The audience laughed. Surely it was a joke. But Faisal continued.

"It's true. And you maybe wondering why we decided to declare it now. Well, it's because this award really goes to someone else. It goes to Vasanth and Riyaz."

Vasanth and Riyaz. Hardly a handful in the audience recognised the names. Vasanth and Riyaz were relatively low on the Popularity meter. In fact, hardly anyone in the school knew about them.

"Of course, the question can be asked, why? Why should Vasanth and Riyaz be declared the best duo? Well, because they have something the two of us never did.

Rajeev and I have known each other for the past four years. And in these four years, never once have I had a complaint about him. Vice versa as well, you could say. After all, why would we? We were the two best guys in our batch. We were the perfect companions. And there lay our problem. Perfection.

It's a misguiding word. Perfection. Most of us choose our friends, depending upon how perfect they are. We like those people who are nearly flawless in their behaviour, in the way they treat us. But does that last?

There's a quote from a movie called Good Will Hunting, where Robin Williams character tells Matt Damon(regarding him and his girl friend): "Let me tell you something sport. You're not perfect. And let me save you the suspense. This girl you love, well, she's not perfect either. The question is....are you two perfect for each other?"

Two weeks back, Rajeev and I had a misunderstanding. A huge one. Caused due to a fault of mine. As a result, we could no longer remain good friends. And it was only then, that I realised the value of friendship. I learnt it from Vasanth and Riyaz.

For those of you who dont know them, Vasanth and Riyaz aren't the most fun loving people you'll find. In fact, to be really blunt, one of them has a nagging tendency to be talkative, while the other sulks a bit too much. They could find a hundred faults with each other. Yet, this is the point that amazed me. For the past three years, they've remained great friends. Sure, they've fought and swore at each other. They even vowed to never talk to each other again. But at the end of the day, they've accepted each other for who they really are.

Within a few weeks, all of us are going to part. And we may never meet again, despite exchanging email ids and mobile numbers. Well, in that case, here's what I would like to say:

Love your friends, for who they are. For the good, as well as the bad in them. No one's perfect. There's always, always someone better than the person your friends with. Anyone can pick the perfect guy to be a friend. But only a true friend can accept you, for your imperfections. Forgive, forget. Life is too short to waste upon misunderstandings. This, I've learnt, the hard way..."

With that, Faisal walked off the stage. The dumbstruck silence was pierced by a clap. Followed by another. Soon, the hall was filled with the sound of applause...

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