Accident..a love story : a tale of love, a war against destiny.

Literature has always been a vital part of our culture since the beginning of civilization. During all ages, in all languages some or the other author has enhanced the literature to make it reach to a large number of people. During this age that is the 21st century we have seen the evolution of contemporary English novels in India. No doubt some of the authors or rather I should say the young authors have done a tremendous job inspiring everyone not just to read a novel but also to write a novel. Which, again is a start of another journey of Indian literature. Two months back I got a call from by elder brother Shakeel. He informed me that he is writing a novel. I asked, “how many pages are you done with”?
“120 pages”, he replied.
He further told me that his target is around 250-270 pages and the whole book is in Hindi. I got excited and at the same time I felt surprised. The ultimate question came into my mind was that, “Will the people be interested in reading a Hindi novel, in today’s time when English is considered cool and Hindi as outdated”? But I had to be positive with his idea being his brother and of course I wanted the book to be published and be sold a lot (May be because I could get a chance to say that my brother is an author. It sounds cool. Forget about the language). I made him promise that as soon as he completes the novel, he will send it to me. Those who know me personally well know that how passionate I am about reading. But a Hindi novel? I was yet to read a complete Hindi novel despite reading a numerous English novels. I was excited to read it for two reasons, firstly it was a novel and secondly it was in Hindi. Two month ago I again got a call from Shakeel. He told me that the novel is completed and has mailed me the manuscript. Surprisingly he wanted me to review the book and give feedback for corrections. I did so. I started reading the book.
The title of the book was in scripted as ‘Accident: a love story’. Initially it was difficult because of Hindi but later on literature took over the language and I forget that I was reading a Hindi novel. I was just reading a love story, an excellent one. 
The story started with Armaan and Githika. Armaan a sensible, socially aware, strictly secular guy and an atheist represent the mentally the youth of this nation needs today for social reform of India. Githika, daughter of a priest, a religious girl, a sweet simple and beautiful girl habituated to do funny mistake, dancing at midnight on India’s world cup victory is someone you would want to be with, in your real life. As it always happens, both fell in love. Yes they fell in love because they never came out of that ditch called love, although destiny tried a lot to do so. Just when everything was going fine something happened which was should never be part of any love story. Githika met an accident when she was returning from Shirdi Saibaba Temple. Just imagine the situation where Armaan is an atheist. 
The later part of the story shows the determination of Armaan for love and his combat with destiny which takes several turns as the story moves on. I can’t tell you more about the story although I want to. I won’t like to be kicked by my elder brother. After reading the whole story I told him that it was awesome. And I was honest with my words. I did give some feedback, not much because the story was already awesome, as I said. 10 days ago when he called me he gave the best news of an author’s life. Anjuman Prakashan, Allahabad had accepted to publish the novel. Once all the formalities of copyright and several other agreements were done and the cover page was finalized, the journey of the book from the ‘My document folder’ to the ‘market’ and from a ‘word file’ to a ‘book started. Today I feel immense pleasure to inform that the publication processes are under work. The book is expected to be launched by December this year. I am waiting eagerly for the day. And it was an honor for me to become the first reader of the book. I hope this book to spread its message with all enthusiasm and legitimacy.

FOR THE SAKE OF LOVE

All incidents and characters of this story are complete fiction but yet inspired by reality as every fiction is.

I ran behind her to find out whether she was Akansha or not. Usually the civil courts are very crowded during the morning hours but then too I made my way amongst the crowd and reached her from behind.

“Excuse me”, she turned back as I said. I was right she was Akansha but somewhat changed. Not the same as she was in our school days. There were dark clouds of sorrow over her beauty. She was not surprised on seeing me at all. On realizing that she didn’t recognized me, I said, ‘ Hi! you forgot me. I am ………………………’

But I could have introduced myself she spoke for the first time, ‘yes I remember you Sahil. How is life going?’

‘Everything is going perfect. I am about to publish my first book, came here for the copy right when I saw you.’ She still had the same sense of sorrow on her face and her pleasant smile was absent unlike the school days. Getting curious about her situation, I asked her, ‘so what are you doing here in the court premise?

                ‘I was here for the hearing of the case which I filled against my father’, her voice was brave enough to hide her sorrow but her eyes resembled the pain. I was highly shocked by her answer. Case! that too against her own family. There was really something terrible going on in her life. I didn’t know how to react, to be sorry or to be curious. But I found myself asking her, ‘how did it all happened and what kind of case are you fighting that too against your own family’, I tried to fill the required sympathy in my voice. Her eyes filled with tears and were staring the ground without a word.

‘Akansha, please tell me what has happened in your life, you can tell me, we are old friends’, I was insisting her with all effort and curiosity. Meanwhile we sat on a bench in the premise. She wiped her tears and started saying,

               

                 After the completion of school I decided to continue my further education in nearby city as you also know there was no proper college near to our village. My marks were not good but then too I got admission due to the political touch of my father. I left home and shifted to the hostel.           There was a feeling of loneliness as I was away from my home for the first time.

                On the first day of the college I met Abhinav. He was a simple and descent guy. He was in the same class I was. During the lectures I even realized that he was a bright student too. After the lectures were over I was in canteen sitting alone as I was yet to make some friend in the new place. Suddenly a male voice caught my attention, ‘Excuse me, May I sit over here’, he said pointing towards the empty seat on the other side of the table. I decently permitted him to take the seat. He introduced himself as Abhinav. We talked about the college and during the conversation I came to know that his native place was just a little away from mine. I found no reason to ignore this guy and so I got my first friend in the college. Abhinav was very helpful and caring as a friend. With his friendship on my side, everything seemed to be easy. We often hanged around in the canteen and the tea shop outside the campus. We talked for hours. Slowly and steadily the emptiness of my life created after I left home, was filled with our laughter and never ending talks.

 ‘Tell me something about your family. Who all are there?’ I asked him one day having the sip of tea.

‘My family only consists of my father and me. I never saw my mother. She died after giving birth to me. My father works at crop fields and somehow he manages to fulfill the financial requirements of both of us. I got the scholarship so I am in college or else it would have been impossible.’ He said without any sign of sorrow in his voice. Perhaps the circumstances had made him strong enough.

I felt sorry for him and tried to be, ‘sorry about your mom. But you are really a brave guy.’

‘Well that was all about me but what your family. Tell me something’, he asked me.

‘My father is a businessman. He has a good touch amongst the political troops and that’s the reason I am here. Mom is a housewife and an elder brother who supports my father in his businesses, I said.

                Time passed by and our first year results were published. Abhinav scored the highest marks in the university. I somehow managed to pass with a first class percentage. I was happy that with this result Abhinav will easily get the renewal of his scholarship. I don’t why but I was thinking a lot about Abhinav. I used to relate everything with him as if he had become a part of my existence. Then I realized it was love. His simplicity ruled over my heart. I didn’t know whether he also felt the same for me or not. I decided to ask him but suddenly I decided not to. I didn’t want him to move his concentration away from his studies. He had to do a lot in academics.

My love for him remained silent till that day but that day was day I had been waiting for. Our final exam was over and also Abhinav had a job offer in a banking firm. I decided to tell him the felling I had for him.

We were sitting on the grass lawn of the college and it was 5 in the evening. I was thinking of some ways to initiate the topic but before I could say something, he said,’ Akansha, I have to say something to you’.

‘Ok, tell me’.

‘We have been friends for last three years and of course we enjoy each other’s company a lot. Then why shouldn’t we be together always even after the college? In simple words I love you and want to spend my whole life with you’, he said looking straight into my eyes. I sighed a little bit a then I said a big yes. This is the essence of true love. You don’t need to try much, everything happens of its own as prewritten in destiny.

The college was over and I came back home. Abhinav joined the bank job which was near to his place. There was a distance of 4 km amongst our home but Abhinav’s office was just 500 meters away from my place. We often spoke over phone but we didn’t ever meet because it was a rural area and everybody around knew my father. Had anyone seen me with him would have created an earthquake in my house.

The next job was to make our parents aware about our wish to get married to each other. There was no problem from his side. His father gave him full independence to take decision for his life. From my side it was very difficult to make my parents agree. I had a scary feeling that my family might not agree because of our unlatching status. 

My fear came true the day when I spoke to my mom about this. The environment of the house became as if somebody is about to invade it and take away everything. My father sitting in the drawing room, with his eyes red with anger. He asked me, ‘who is this guy, and is this what you were doing in your college?’

‘Dad he is a very nice boy’, I tried to convince him.

‘So what does his father do?’ He enquired with anger.

‘Dad they are not as rich as we are. His father is a farmer but he has a good job in the bank.’

‘So this is what I got in return of the upbringing I gave you. My daughter wants to marry a farmer’s son. What will I answer to the society’? He shouted with anger and walked away from the room.

I started justifying things. Is it wrong to marry someone just because he is not rich that too fearing society? I had no reason to take back my decision. I couldn’t forget him. My family member tried everything to convince me but I was as solid as rock. Day by day I father’s anger against me kept increasing and slowly he stopped talking to me. On the other hand my father was finding match for me. Not a marital match but a match of status.

Finally my father found a guy. He was the son of my father’s political friend.

‘You have to marry this guy. This would be better for you as well as the family’, my father told me his decision as an order.

I was getting angry with the fact that my own people are not understanding my feelings and not accepting my happiness. Hence I shouted with anger, ‘I am not going to marry anyone else than Abhinav. You’ll have to kill me before doing that’.

‘Rather I would kill that bastard’, these were the insane words of ego from my father. I felt he just said that in anger and doesn’t mean that, but he did.

                The next morning witnessed the signs of upcoming sorrow of my life. I called Abhinav as a usual schedule. A came voice came from the other side which was not of Abhinav’s. It was his father. His voice filled with grief giving me the worst news of my life, ‘Abhinav is no more’. My sense denied perceiving what he said. I was getting senseless. This can’t happen. I was silent as if I had lost my voice. He said that the last night when he was returning from his office, he met with an accident. His came below a truck coming from behind. The postmortem report said that he was driving drunk. I couldn’t believe the report because Abhinav never drunk, I knew him. Suddenly I found the landline ringing. I received the call. Before I could say hello, a male voice said, ‘Sir, you didn’t send us the payment, we did everything you said and please manage the cops, they are behind us’. I found something was wrong when I heard all this. I put the receiver without saying a word. I moved toward my father’s room to find the truth. Somewhere in my mind I was thinking about my father’s involvement in Abhinav’s death. The fake postmortem report and the strange phone call forced me to accuse him for killing my Abhinav. Then I found the third evidence, I found my father’s cell phone. There were five unread messages. I opened them. One of them read as, ‘Your job is done, the guy is dead’. The message had the time of 9:35 PM. Exactly after the accident of Abhinav. It was not an accident, he was killed. My father killed him for the sake of his ego. He too bribed the cops to produce fake postmortem report. I hated him and I hated to be called as his daughter.

I was stuck into my thoughts when suddenly my father came from behind and patted my shoulder saying, ‘I came to know about his death. Really sorry for that guy but destiny is destiny’. He was showing a fake sympathy although being a killer. My eyes filled with tears. I had every reason to cry, Abhinav was dead, and he was killed that too by my father. I felt guilty of coming in his life. I was finding myself responsible for his death. I looked at my father and shouted with anger, ‘You killed him dad, I know everything. You are a murderer’.

                I left my home forever and came to the town. Some of my friends empathized with my circumstances and gave me shelter. Soon I started living a self dependent life but there was anger inside me. A feeling of got cheated. This was not justified and I decided to fight for justice and that’s what I am doing for last two years.      

                She finished with tears in her eyes and courage in her voice. I too felt sorry about what happened with her. But the time it was 12:45. The hearing was about to start. She stood up to leave.

                ‘I have to go’.

                ‘Is there anyways I can help you’, I said from behind standing from my place.

                She turned back and said, ‘you are a writer, you better know. After all pen is stronger than sword’.

                With these words she walked away. I saluted her courage with all respect.  

 Written by: Sohail Ahmad

For the Sake of love

For the Sake of love

                All incidents and characters of this story are complete fiction but yet inspired by reality as every fiction is.

I ran behind her to find out whether she was Akansha or not. Usually the civil courts are very crowded during the morning hours but then too I made my way amongst the crowd and reached her from behind.

“Excuse me”, she turned back as I said. I was right she was Akansha but somewhat changed. Not the same as she was in our school days. There were dark clouds of sorrow over her beauty. She was not surprised on seeing me at all. On realizing that she didn’t recognized me, I said, ‘ Hi! you forgot me. I am ………………………’

But I could have introduced myself she spoke for the first time, ‘yes I remember you Sahil. How is life going?’

‘Everything is going perfect. I am about to publish my first book, came here for the copy right when I saw you.’ She still had the same sense of sorrow on her face and her pleasant smile was absent unlike the school days. Getting curious about her situation, I asked her, ‘so what are you doing here in the court premise?

                ‘I was here for the hearing of the case which I filled against my father’, her voice was brave enough to hide her sorrow but her eyes resembled the pain. I was highly shocked by her answer. Case! that too against her own family. There was really something terrible going on in her life. I didn’t know how to react, to be sorry or to be curious. But I found myself asking her, ‘how did it all happened and what kind of case are you fighting that too against your own family’, I tried to fill the required sympathy in my voice. Her eyes filled with tears and were staring the ground without a word.

‘Akansha, please tell me what has happened in your life, you can tell me, we are old friends’, I was insisting her with all effort and curiosity. Meanwhile we sat on a bench in the premise. She wiped her tears and started saying,

               

                 After the completion of school I decided to continue my further education in nearby city as you also know there was no proper college near to our village. My marks were not good but then too I got admission due to the political touch of my father. I left home and shifted to the hostel.          There was a feeling of loneliness as I was away from my home for the first time.

                On the first day of the college I met Abhinav. He was a simple and descent guy. He was in the same class I was. During the lectures I even realized that he was a bright student too. After the lectures were over I was in canteen sitting alone as I was yet to make some friend in the new place. Suddenly a male voice caught my attention, ‘Excuse me, May I sit over here’, he said pointing towards the empty seat on the other side of the table. I decently permitted him to take the seat. He introduced himself as Abhinav. We talked about the college and during the conversation I came to know that his native place was just a little away from mine. I found no reason to ignore this guy and so I got my first friend in the college. Abhinav was very helpful and caring as a friend. With his friendship on my side, everything seemed to be easy. We often hanged around in the canteen and the tea shop outside the campus. We talked for hours. Slowly and steadily the emptiness of my life created after I left home, was filled with our laughter and never ending talks.

 ‘Tell me something about your family. Who all are there?’ I asked him one day having the sip of tea.

‘My family only consists of my father and me. I never saw my mother. She died after giving birth to me. My father works at crop fields and somehow he manages to fulfill the financial requirements of both of us. I got the scholarship so I am in college or else it would have been impossible.’ He said without any sign of sorrow in his voice. Perhaps the circumstances had made him strong enough.

I felt sorry for him and tried to be, ‘sorry about your mom. But you are really a brave guy.’

‘Well that was all about me but what your family. Tell me something’, he asked me.

‘My father is a businessman. He has a good touch amongst the political troops and that’s the reason I am here. Mom is a housewife and an elder brother who supports my father in his businesses, I said.

                Time passed by and our first year results were published. Abhinav scored the highest marks in the university. I somehow managed to pass with a first class percentage. I was happy that with this result Abhinav will easily get the renewal of his scholarship. I don’t why but I was thinking a lot about Abhinav. I used to relate everything with him as if he had become a part of my existence. Then I realized it was love. His simplicity ruled over my heart. I didn’t know whether he also felt the same for me or not. I decided to ask him but suddenly I decided not to. I didn’t want him to move his concentration away from his studies. He had to do a lot in academics.

My love for him remained silent till that day but that day was day I had been waiting for. Our final exam was over and also Abhinav had a job offer in a banking firm. I decided to tell him the felling I had for him.

We were sitting on the grass lawn of the college and it was 5 in the evening. I was thinking of some ways to initiate the topic but before I could say something, he said,’ Akansha, I have to say something to you’.

‘Ok, tell me’.

‘We have been friends for last three years and of course we enjoy each other’s company a lot. Then why shouldn’t we be together always even after the college? In simple words I love you and want to spend my whole life with you’, he said looking straight into my eyes. I sighed a little bit a then I said a big yes. This is the essence of true love. You don’t need to try much, everything happens of its own as prewritten in destiny.

The college was over and I came back home. Abhinav joined the bank job which was near to his place. There was a distance of 4 km amongst our home but Abhinav’s office was just 500 meters away from my place. We often spoke over phone but we didn’t ever meet because it was a rural area and everybody around knew my father. Had anyone seen me with him would have created an earthquake in my house.

The next job was to make our parents aware about our wish to get married to each other. There was no problem from his side. His father gave him full independence to take decision for his life. From my side it was very difficult to make my parents agree. I had a scary feeling that my family might not agree because of our unlatching status. 

My fear came true the day when I spoke to my mom about this. The environment of the house became as if somebody is about to invade it and take away everything. My father sitting in the drawing room, with his eyes red with anger. He asked me, ‘who is this guy, and is this what you were doing in your college?’

‘Dad he is a very nice boy’, I tried to convince him.

‘So what does his father do?’ He enquired with anger.

‘Dad they are not as rich as we are. His father is a farmer but he has a good job in the bank.’

‘So this is what I got in return of the upbringing I gave you. My daughter wants to marry a farmer’s son. What will I answer to the society’? He shouted with anger and walked away from the room.

I started justifying things. Is it wrong to marry someone just because he is not rich that too fearing society? I had no reason to take back my decision. I couldn’t forget him. My family member tried everything to convince me but I was as solid as rock. Day by day I father’s anger against me kept increasing and slowly he stopped talking to me. On the other hand my father was finding match for me. Not a marital match but a match of status.

Finally my father found a guy. He was the son of my father’s political friend.

‘You have to marry this guy. This would be better for you as well as the family’, my father told me his decision as an order.

I was getting angry with the fact that my own people are not understanding my feelings and not accepting my happiness. Hence I shouted with anger, ‘I am not going to marry anyone else than Abhinav. You’ll have to kill me before doing that’.

‘Rather I would kill that bastard’, these were the insane words of ego from my father. I felt he just said that in anger and doesn’t mean that, but he did.

                The next morning witnessed the signs of upcoming sorrow of my life. I called Abhinav as a usual schedule. A came voice came from the other side which was not of Abhinav’s. It was his father. His voice filled with grief giving me the worst news of my life, ‘Abhinav is no more’. My sense denied perceiving what he said. I was getting senseless. This can’t happen. I was silent as if I had lost my voice. He said that the last night when he was returning from his office, he met with an accident. His came below a truck coming from behind. The postmortem report said that he was driving drunk. I couldn’t believe the report because Abhinav never drunk, I knew him. Suddenly I found the landline ringing. I received the call. Before I could say hello, a male voice said, ‘Sir, you didn’t send us the payment, we did everything you said and please manage the cops, they are behind us’. I found something was wrong when I heard all this. I put the receiver without saying a word. I moved toward my father’s room to find the truth. Somewhere in my mind I was thinking about my father’s involvement in Abhinav’s death. The fake postmortem report and the strange phone call forced me to accuse him for killing my Abhinav. Then I found the third evidence, I found my father’s cell phone. There were five unread messages. I opened them. One of them read as, ‘Your job is done, the guy is dead’. The message had the time of 9:35 PM. Exactly after the accident of Abhinav. It was not an accident, he was killed. My father killed him for the sake of his ego. He too bribed the cops to produce fake postmortem report. I hated him and I hated to be called as his daughter.

I was stuck into my thoughts when suddenly my father came from behind and patted my shoulder saying, ‘I came to know about his death. Really sorry for that guy but destiny is destiny’. He was showing a fake sympathy although being a killer. My eyes filled with tears. I had every reason to cry, Abhinav was dead, and he was killed that too by my father. I felt guilty of coming in his life. I was finding myself responsible for his death. I looked at my father and shouted with anger, ‘You killed him dad, I know everything. You are a murderer’.

                I left my home forever and came to the town. Some of my friends empathized with my circumstances and gave me shelter. Soon I started living a self dependent life but there was anger inside me. A feeling of got cheated. This was not justified and I decided to fight for justice and that’s what I am doing for last two years.      

                She finished with tears in her eyes and courage in her voice. I too felt sorry about what happened with her. But the time it was 12:45. The hearing was about to start. She stood up to leave.

                ‘I have to go’.

                ‘Is there anyways I can help you’, I said from behind standing from my place.

                She turned back and said, ‘you are a writer, you better know. After all pen is stronger than sword’.

                With these words she walked away. I saluted her courage with all respect.  

 Written by: Sohail Ahmad

The unconditonal love: A heart touching story by Sohail Ahmad

 

All incidents and character of this story is complete fiction and resembles nothing else than the creativity of the author. But every fiction is inspired by reality and this story is not an exception.

It was a cold chilly morning of February in Ranchi. I was sitting on the wooden bench of the park on the shore of the lake. As it was only 8 in the morning, there were not much people around. The park was deserted and silent. The extraordinary tunes of various birds were adding marvelous effect on the lonely silence. I liked this place a lot usually in the morning because it was the only peaceful and romantic place that could add a compliment to my novel which was my first solo venture as an author. I was with my diary and a pen in my hand.

I turned the pages of my diary straight to the last page with the ink. Before proceeding to write my story further I read and recapped few lines of the previous chapter which was:

My head hung low as I felt insulted in front of the whole class including ‘her’.

            Wait a moment, there was no reason to quote her specially. I don’t know why I did so. After all she was also just a classmate whom I had never spoken to. And by the way and most importantly she was the reason behind my incomplete assignment may be indirectly. After all I was a genius capable of solving any stupid combination of transistors and diodes. 

I was trying to initiate the next chapter of my holy text. But suddenly I noticed a guy sitting on the same bench at another corner. I was so much immense in my writing that I couldn’t notice since when he was sitting there. His facial expressions had no coordination with the romantic weather. He seemed to be thinking something deep inside him. He had two greeting cards in his hands, one was a ‘birthday wish’ and another was a ‘miss u’. I tried to interact with him,

‘Hi! waiting for someone, I suppose it’s your girl’s birthday and she has kept you waiting for so long. Am I right’?

He looked at me. I can guess on seeing his eyes that something was wrong in his life.

‘Yes I am waiting for her but since last 4 years..’. There was pain in his voice and he was trying not to make an eye contact.

I was surprised on his answer, it seemed to be a joke but his eyes were notifying that it was serious. Being a writer of romance literature I am always interested in love stories and this was an extraordinary one. I closed my diary and put the cap back on pen. I turned towards him and said, ‘so what happened between you both? Where has she gone? Is she about to come today?’There were lots of questions in my mind and they all needed an answer. 

‘What would you do with all these? It’s not that you can get her back to me’, he said in a soft voice.

‘But I want to know about you. Not all love stories are perfect, some are extraordinary and I think yours is one of those immortal love stories’, I tried to convince him with some true words of praise.

‘Ok if you really want to know then I am telling you’:

I exactly don’t remember, since when I knew her. She was my childhood friend and I know her since I was five. We grew up together, being in the same school and in same class. I don’t know when but slowly and steadily our friendship turned into love. We both loved each other and true love need not to be expressed but it’s all about feelings. We even had plans to be in same college. She often said that we should never preplan anything in our life because who knows what destiny is going to bring for us. Of course she was right and one day destiny brought something which was not a part of my plans.   

                I still remember the day. It was the same February four years back. The post morning sunshine was although getting intense but there was a lovely feeling in the moderate breeze of the wind. I was waiting for her since my arrival at the park two hours ago. Although I was and I am a kind of person who waits nothing and no one. But when it came to her, I was ready to wait till my last day on earth. It was a day before her birthday. May be it was too early to wish her exactly fourteen hours before the midnight but I would love to do so as she did the same on my birthday. Suddenly I saw her coming towards me. My world started turning ups and downs. I don’t know but whenever I stood before her or find her sight chasing mine, I got nervous. But it was not supposed to happen because I was a very good public speaker and people enjoyed listening my speeches whenever I was on stage. Then why the hell do I get nervous in front of her? It wasn’t a million dollar question and it had a perfect answer that I loved her. By the time she was in front of me. She had a feeling of guilt to keep me waiting for so long.

‘Everything okay?’ basically I was asking her why the hell are you so late?  But when you are talking to a girl you have to mind your words and if she is the girl you love, then you must think a thousand times before putting an allegation.

‘Yes of course! And I am sorry to keep you waiting. I was stuck in the 12 pages of passport application form my dad gave me to fill’, her voice was tensed as if she was hiding something.

‘Oh! That’s better that you are leaving the country, so that I won’t have to wait for you like this!’, I unintentionally tried to tease her. But besides laughing at my joke, she got tensed. And I knew it, I was capable of reading her face. I knew her since our childhood. I didn’t ask her as I knew she will herself tell me latter or may be the problem doesn’t exist latter. As most of the problems in this world are volatile in nature.

‘There is a very big problem, I am really going to leave this country in about a month’, her sad voice was notifying that she was not joking. ‘Ya, it’s true. Dad got the family visa and  he has decided that mom and me would shift to Dubai’.

 All of a sudden everything felt silent. There was darkness appearing into my vision. I was wordless. But somehow I gathered consciousness and asked her, ‘What about your dream of being an engineer’?

‘I have applied for computer science in Central College of Engg, Jumairah. And most probably I would get an entry. Engineering can’t be an excuse to escape from going to Dubai.’

‘Yes it can be. We had decided to be in the same college here in India. How will I live without you’, this time I was angry and a little selfish.

‘But life always doesn’t be as we wish it to be, and that is why I always said that we should never preplan our life. Everything is destiny and we need to accept it.’ Although I was pretending selfish but she was sincere about destiny.

                For the next half an hour we kept sitting quietly on either end of the bench, thinking what to say next. The only fear that I had was a threat on our relationship. I almost knew that it isn’t going to work in a long distance. I was scared to lose her from my life. The other factor was that how would I survive a new environment of engineering college that too without her.

 By the time it was noon. I initiated the talk this time, ‘It’s ok if you want to go but please think upon it once again’.

‘Ok you tell me what should I do? I wish to go but I promise I would follow your decision over mine’, she replied in a brave and confident way.

We both left back. I came back to my room and started thinking of some ways to not let her go and also some ways to survive without her. One half of my mind was saying,”if she loves you why is she going so far away”. While another half seemed to be quite sensible one which argued that let her go, she has a bright future over there while making a good future in India is never easy. Adding some more sense it quoted further, “if she loves you that doesn’t means that she will always be with you, love is unconditional and if you add a condition apply then it’s no more love, it becomes a contract. It seemed that two different persons were having debate within me one sensible and another selfish. Finally wisdom took over greed and I decided to let her go.

                It was 4:30 AM at Nagpur International Airport. A last minute conversation between me and her was on. None of us were happy on her departure but destiny is destiny and the biggest problem with destiny is that sometimes it doesn’t coincide with our desires.

‘I will keep loving you more and more with each passing day of my life. Today I love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow, Bye and have a great life’, these were my last words of emotions to her. I waved her goodbye and I was back into my life. Although I was missing her with my whole heart but I was also having a feeling of satisfaction that I did something special to prove my love for Shalini. Now I can proudly say that mine is a sound affair, an affair which free from selfishness and where love dominates the other factors.

So this was my story and since that time it has been my usual schedule on her birthday every year to visit that park, sit on the same bench where we sat together someday and rewinding a thought in my mind, “TOMORROW I WILL FIND SOME ANOTHER WAYS TO GET HER BACK, AFTER ALL TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY”.

I got too much emotional with his story. Although I had written a number of heart touching stories but this one was special, it was not fiction, it was real and extraordinary. I was wondering that how this guy is unable to forget her in long four years. Whereas in my case I was always having arguments and fights on no logical reasons with the girl I believed I loved.

I got two important lessons from his story:

Firstly, if you love someone, your love should be unconditional. Secondly, when destiny is preplanned by God then why should we preplan according to our will?