meri adhuri prem kahini

वो दिन अभी भी याद आता है जब पापा से बहुत जिद करने के बाद 5 रूपए मांगे थे क्यूंकि क्लास में तुमने कहा था तुम्हे गोलगप्पे बहुत पसंद हैं...और मुझे तुम अच्छी लगती थीं...तुम्हारा और मेरा घर आजू बाजू था और रास्ते में 'कैलाश गोलगप्पे वाला' अपना ठेला लगाता था...घर जाने के दो रास्ते थे तुम दुसरे रास्ते जाती और मैं गोलगप्पे की दुकान वाले रास्ते...उस दिन बहुत खुश था...नेवी ब्लू रंग की स्कूल की पैंट की जेब में १ रुपये के पांच सिक्के खन खन करके खनक रहे थे और मैं खुद को बिल गेट्स समझ रहा था...शायद पांच रुपये मुझे पहली बार मिले थे और तुझे गोलगप्पे खिलाकर सरप्राइज भी तो देना था...

स्कूल की छुट्टी होने के बाद बड़ी हिम्मत जुटा कर तुमसे कहा- ज्योति, आज मेरे साथ मेरे रास्ते घर चलो ना? हांलाकि हम दोस्त थे पर इतने भी अच्छे नहीं कि तू मुझ पर ट्रस्ट कर लेती...'मैं नी आरी' तूने गुस्से से कहा...'प्लीज चलो ना तुम्हे कुछ सरप्राइज देना है'...मैंने बहुत अपेक्षा से कहा...ये सुन के तू और भड़क गयी और जाने लगी क्यूंकि क्लास में मेरी इमेज बैकैत और लोफर लड़कों की थी...

मैं जा ही रहा था तो तू आकर बोली- रुको मैं आउंगी पर तुम मुझसे 4 फीट दूर रहना....मैंने मुस्कुराते हुए कहा ठीक है...हम चलने लगे और मैं मन ही मन प्रफुल्लित हुए जा रहा ये सोचकर की तुझे तेरी मनपसंद चीज़ खिलाऊंगा और शायद इससे तेरे दिल के सागर में मेरे प्रति प्रेम की मछली गोते लगा ले...खैर गोलगप्पे की दुकान आई...मैं रुक गया...तूने जिज्ञासावस पूछा- रुके क्यूँ?

LOVE AND MARRIAGE

Short Story – Love and Marriage

Photo credit: xenia from TAHIRALOM.BLOGSPOT.com

It is a very common saying that marriages are decided in heaven but I dont think so we being human fall in Love and if it is successful than we say ” God support true Love” or if not than “this girl or boy is not for me as marriages are decided in heaven” I want you to share your thoughts on the same after reading Priya’s Love start.

Priya was a simple middle class girl with dark skin tone.  Looks plays an important role in everyones life. Priya was also not exempted.  Priya become an introvert as she had made her mind that she is not beautiful. Even her members and outsiders use to make fun of her looks. She started to live in a fear.  As she dint had any friends with whom she can share her feeling which in turn made her more sad. Her only time pass was to watch TV or apply a face pack.  Days pass in this fashion.

There is a turning point in everyones life. Jitesh was bought that turning point in Priya’s life. Jitesh was a very Handsome guy from a orthodox family. Daily Jitesh use to watch Priya. Jitesh never had any girl friends because of his bought up and family culure. He had an urge to have a girl friend like all the guys. Jitesh found it safe to propose Priya, with this intention Jitesh one fine day proposed Priya.  Every girl want to loved and cared even if she say it aloud or if she say I dont care I am happy alone. Priya was very happy she dint even thought once and said a yes. It was the first time Priya liked herself.They both were happy. Jitesh was happy too as first time he proposed a girl and got a direct yes.  With this confidence he made an invisible wish last in his mind on what are the order things he wish for from a girl.

We are social animals.  Now a days physical relationship is common in affair. Its not a sin and an unwanted gift of mordernization. Our couples were not exempted from it either. They took their first step in Jitesh friends room when they both were alone. It was a mixed feel for them, they were happy,they were guilty,they never want to repeat, they want to do it once more, they were scared and they were confident.  A new and special feeling for both of them.

Days pass and they continued with it. However life is not always happy like bed of roses..

THE COFEE TABLE

Story of Love and Family – The Coffee TablePhoto credit: from twitter.com/tahiralomI was withering in pain. A pain my body had experienced once before. I wanted to scream, I tried, but I couldn’t. I wanted to stop Riya, grab her and tell her how much I loved her. And I loved her; I loved her too much to stop her. I had to let it go, once again.**

2 years beforeThe sensual aroma of grinding coffee beans would please the nostrils while the eyes savored a lush green garden filled with squirrels engaged in their lovely activities. The fresh and refreshing air would ease up the brain and the musical chirruping of birds would provide a sense of completeness, a sense of euphoria.This was the usual environment that one entered into as he stepped into the cafe, The Coffee Table. The cafeteria was attached to a gift shop and this was the place which had encompassed my life for the past decade.After 3 consecutive business failures I ended up with this gift shop along with the cafeteria. I spent the first half of my life in this endless toil, searching for something I knew did not exist.The shop was located opposite to a lush green park which was the reason to air was always fresh and refreshing. The pleasant environment ensured a wide range of customers, ranging from joggers in the morning to the lovely couples in the evening. I would often converse with the customers which led to a healthy bonding. Sometime these conversations would last an hour or two. The young ones would talk about their tales of love while the older ones would talk about their journey through life and their vivid memories of old times.One fine day a young girl in her early 20s walked into the gift shop. She had soft brown hair and a fair complexion. She was indeed really pretty. She started browsing the key chains. Her face bore the innocence as that of a child.“Seems like you need some help” I offered.“Yeah, I really do” she said smiling like a little kid.I helped her finding a keychain for her boyfriend whom she was meeting at the park, a fine young man named Aryan as she told me.“Thank you so much!” she said as she was leaving the shop.“Anytime young lady, bring Aryan for a cup of coffee sometime” I smiled.“Sure thing uncle!” and she left.**A few weeks later the same girl entered the shop, I didn’t recognize her for a while as she had hardly visited the shop since the last time.“Hello Uncle” She greeted softly.“Good evening, what are you looking for today”“A greeting card, it’s my friend’s birthday tomorrow”She was barely able to speak. Her eyes were moist and strained, one could easily point out she had cried a lot. Not an unfamiliar sight for me, a break up I had assumed.“Long night I guess” I said pointing towards her moist eyes.“Yeah” she mutteredI helped her find a suitable greeting card, she paid and was about to leave. I still couldn’t take my mind off her moist eyes and felt a strange longing to make it right. After a couple of thoughts I hesitantly muttered “Well I know it is none of my business, but it is going to be all right. Just give it some time”Her lips trembled, sensing that she would cry any moment I spoke almost immediately “Oh I am really sorry dear I didn’t mean to pry”“It’s okay” she added “can I sit here for a while” pointing towards a nearby table.“Sure, as long as you want to” I smiled. “A coffee is a good idea I’ll say”“Ya sure” she forced a smileI kept the coffee on her table and since there were no other customers I sat with her. She told me about the chain of events that led to her break up. We talked for a while as she gradually started feeling better. The conversation now shifted to me.“Have you ever been in love” She asked, lost in her chain of thoughts.“I guess so” I said, a little amazed as no one has ever asked me this, the young one’s preferred to tell their tales.“Would you mind telling me about it” she looked at me, the childlike innocence was back.“Back when I had just completed my schooling I started taking tuition to collect some money. I had a really cute student and she was 3 years younger than me. She had amazingly beautiful golden hair, just like yours. Her dad was a business tycoon and was one of the most powerful men around the city. We fell in love and as you might have guessed, her family did not agree. We were young and in love, a dangerous combination” I smiled.“We ran off and married.”“Whoa that’s cute!” She was cheered up.“And that’s when the cuteness ended” I said, not at all delighted walking back in my memory lane.I got up to attend and attended a customer. As I came back, she immediately fired “The cuteness ended?” She asked curiously.“She realized being poor was way too different than she had imagined. My business failed and she could wait no more. She was pregnant and she did not want our child to be born in poverty. Eventually the marriage failed and she went back to her dad, I have never seen her ever since”“Oh I am so sorry” Riya said, now cautious, sensing the drift in my mood.“Post that I was too busy trying to get a business set up, probably in a hope that she would come back. But I failed numerous times and ended up with this gift shop where I get to meet young little birds like you” I smiled. She could probably see the hollowness in my smile; she shifted the conversation out of empathy.She then told me about her ambition of becoming an interior designer, her schooling, background etc. Her father had died in a car accident when she was 2. Her mother remarried and had a son from her new husband. So she had a loving younger brother who was yet to complete his schooling. We chatted for a while with some brief moments of laughter.“It’s getting late Riya, I think you should head back now”“Thank you so much uncle, I feel really good!” she said while picking up her hand bag and the greeting card.“Always a pleasure” I gave a warm smile as she left.**She kept visiting frequently, at times she also brought a couple of friends together. Her visits were accompanied with cries and laughter. Life went on.One bright Sunday morning Riya told me about the issues she had with her dad. He was a wealthy man and that kept him busy. Somehow he managed to pay attention to his son but never to his daughter who was stepping into adolescence and desperately needed his attention.I told her about my dad who died 2 years ago of a heart attack and about my mom whom I was living with.I did not realize how she became a regular part of my life. Her visits sometimes frequented to thrice a week and we would spend hours chatting about love, life, relationships and goals. She loved being mentored and I loved mentoring her. I have had great relations with many customers before but there was something about Riya which always drove me towards her. I felt protective of her, guiding her through the maze of life. And I felt happy doing so.Things went on and 2 years flew by. She had graduated a year ago and was interning at a national firm. It was then his dad decided to marry her to the son of his business partner, a young handsome and wealthy lad. Being left with no choice she decided to step happily into the marriage. She brought this handsome man to the coffee shop once. She had told Ryan a lot about me so he was eager to meet me as well.The three of us chatted for a while before they left. She glanced back at me as they were about to leave, I gave her a nod and passed a smile. She jumped up and happily stepped into the car.“I really need your consent because I know your judgment would never be based on any benefit you were to have from this marriage” she had said before bringing Ryan to the shop.**She handed me an invitation card. There was a space left and the word ‘uncle’ written next to the space.“I just realized I never asked your name, how stupid of me!” she said pointing towards the blank space before uncle.“Aditya” I said and she wrote it down. A car honked in the background. Her mom was here to pick her up.“Okay, now that’s interesting!  My dad’s name was Aditya as well.” She picked up her belongings and started to leave. “See you at the wedding!” she waved. I was withering in pain. A pain my body had experienced once before. I wanted to scream, I tried, but I couldn’t. I wanted to stop Riya, grab her and tell her how much I loved her. And I loved her; I loved her too much to stop her. I had to let it go, once again.She stepped into the car and left with her mom. The golden haired woman I was once married to.And I never saw either of them, neither my daughter, nor the woman I loved.__END__

LOVE CONQUEST

Romantic Story of Indian Couple: Love Conquest
Photo credit: from TWITTER.com/TAHIRALOM

Madan was in a sad mood when Priya joined him in the balcony. Priya asked mischievously if he had lost a fortune when his ship sank. Madan said “I was worried about some problems at work”. Priya was not just a good wife but she had always stayed a good friend since their marriage. So he explained the major politics happening at the highest level in office and how the morale of the team was low. Many of his colleagues were bitter and were planning to quit at the first opportunity they get. Madan explained that the very thought of going to office irritated him these days. Priya tried giving some suggestions but Madan was too negative to take any of them. He said “it is easier for you to suggest Priya. You should come to office and experience what we go through”. She smiled and said “let us hope things would improve. We cant do anything else. Let us sleep now”.

Madan moved slowly to the bedroom. He watched Priya entering the next bedroom. He called out “are you not joining me tonight dear?”. She replied “No. You are too negative today. I guess I need to be alone to get some good sleep”. He asked sadly “do you want to leave me alone tonight?”. She said “Not like that. I need to be alone dear. Sleep tight. Good night” and locked her room from inside. He feebly returned her greeting with a good night wish.

Madan was feeling miserable partly from his office worries and felt worse because he could not get his dear Priya to comfort him now. He could not get sleep. He walked out of his room and looked at the next bedroom door. He was wiser not to knock at the door. When she said something, she always meant it. Tonight, if she wanted to be alone, he dared not question it. He was a bit surprised that the window closer to that door was not properly closed. He tried opening the window and it opened. He knew that he could reach one of the door latches through the window but if she had put the second latch, the door cannot be opened from outside. He stretched his hand and tried opening the first latch. With difficulty, he opened it. Then he tried if the door was opening and it did. Good she had not remembered to put the second latch, he thought.

He slowly walked in. If she was aware of his presence in the room, she did not show it. Soon he moved closer to her. He hugged her sideways first and then slowly moved on top of her. Priya said in a surprised tone “how come you managed to find an entry?”. Madan said “I found a way out. To be precise, I found a way in”. Priya said “Madan. Please go away”. He said “No. I wont and I cant”.

Priya asked “my feelings don’t matter to you?”. Madan said “it is not like that. I only hope my feelings and desires matter to you”. Priya said “yes dear. It matters to me. You want me badly now?”.

“Yes Priya”.

“Then take me Madan. I am all yours”.

Their dresses took leave from them. With hunger in his eyes, Madan slowly united with his dear wife with love. In their state of oneness, they forgot everything else around them. What mattered to them was being with each other and being there for each other.

Their love making lasted for some more time and in the end they both were happily exhausted in a pleasant and satisfied manner.

After a while, she asked “Madan. Are you happy now?”. He said “I am mighty happy now. You saw how smartly I won finally. Are you happy too?”. She said “I am happy for you. I want you to be happy always”. Madan asked “You saying initially that you wanted to be alone and leaving the window open were all part of the plan to make me feel happy?”. Priya said “Yes it was my plan. Had you not known it, I would not have told you now also. Remember one thing Madan. Even if you have lost everything else, you can always win over me with your love”. Madan was nearly in tears when he said “I love you”. They both melted in each other’s arms for the next half an hour. Later, Madan said “we never value the good things that we have. We always worry about those things that we don’t have. You are the best thing in my life and why should I worry about anything else?”. Priya smiled and said “I just wish to be as good as you are. You are the best thing in my life too”.

END

TONIGHT , YOU ARE MINE

This short story became SPIXer (Most popular story) on 16 Feb 2013 and won INR 500 (US$ 10)

Romance love story of couple met on Facebook – Tonight, You are Mine
Photo credit: twitter.com/tahiralom

tahir alom

She is, literally, breathtaking and beautifully beautiful. Her beauty isn’t restricted to her clothes that she is wearing or the figure that she is carrying, but it is in her eyes. Her eyes are the doorway to heart. Her eyes reflect her unconditional love and faith for me. She looks like an angel. I feel blessed to be so close to her and I feel blessed that it’s a snowfall outside.

My train was three-hours late, so I reached Srinagar later in the evening. The journey was long and tedious which wore out all my energy. But a sheer glimpse of her at the platform re-energized me. It was the first time when we were meeting. The platform was very crowded and everyone was in a rush like any other platform. There were thousands of eyes, but I was looking for the best of them- Shambhavi, my love.

As Facebook promises, ‘Facebook helps you connect with people in your life’, it really connected us and brought in each other’s life. The map in my cell says Patna and Srinagar are 1870 km apart, so we had never met before. Our love had started on Facebook and today we were meeting for the first time.

It was very noisy around. Everyone was greeting one another and the small vendors were shouting like hell. Trains were whistling and coolies were crying for money. Everyone in the hundreds cared about themselves only, and so did I. In smell of tea and coffee, we approached to each other. We had been planning this moment for over two months but when we actually met we were too shy for even a handshake.

She was wearing a black jeans and a black-and-white pullover, complemented by a white scarf. She had applied a thin eye-liner and her cheeks looked rosy pink. Her eye-lashes were big and body curvaceous, I scanned and concluded.

She smiled at me and shook her hand with my hand and two gloves. “Feeling cold?”, she asked me on seeing the two gloves.

“Just a lil bit”. I was too shy to talk to her. I was feeling terrible for creating an impression as I am some sort of a dumb.

“Huh! You are shivering; but don’t worry you will adapt to the winter in few minutes”

“Yeah I will”, I mumbled and cursed the temperature.

“Anyways, I’ve booked a room for you in Hotel Pleasure. Its just a walk away”.

“So, you’ll coming with me?”, I asked in surprise and simultaneously cursed myself for asking such a dumb question.

“So, you don’t want me to come with you? Who have to come to meet here? Shambhavi or some other girl?”, she asked and poked my stomach.

She was cool by now. Her poke was a hard one but my two sweaters and a jacket saved me. I wrapped my hand around her and whispered in her ears, “I have come to meet my wifey”.

She rolled her eyes and smiled at me. I smiled and whispered again, “I love you Saambha”.

“My name is Shambhavi, and not Saambha. This is not a Sholay going around here”, she corrected me and squeezed my nose.

“Huh! You have a habit of ruining my romantic mood. I call you Saambha out of love but you just hate it”, I said and acted as if I was angered. I took my arms back and looked in other direction.

My trick really worked. She walked fastly to match my steps and held my palm. I smiled and felt special. The warm touch of her palm expressed her closeness to me. It intensified the connection between us and silently said ‘I love you too Saurabh’.

We were approaching our way to the hotel, Hotel Pleasure, but she stopped me in middle and took me to a coffee shop.

“So we will having coffee here?”, I asked.

“No. It’s grocery store. Don’t you see everyone bargaining with the sellers?”, and pointed a finger to everyone who were sitting on the red-round tables and sipping coffee.

I felt stupid and decided to keep my mouth shut.  We went in and took the corner table.  We sat on the wooden chair, facing each other, but I avoided any direct eye-contact. A quote on the adjacent wall read ‘Behind every loving couple, there are innumerable cups of coffee shared’. A waiter, wearing a red jacket, came and I placed my order of two cappuccinos.

I turned to her and stole a glance of Miss Pretty. She was smiling. Her smile was reflecting that she was very much happy and satisfied to finally meet me. She was just looking at me. I was equally happy to meet her and thought it’s more stupid to be quite at such a romantic place. So I broke the silence and asked, “But we could have had coffee in my room too. No?”

“But its costlier there”.

“Ohoo my typical Indian wifey. Trying to save your hubby’s money?”, I asked mischievously and winked at her.

Her rosy pink cheeks blushed and she said. “No. Its not like that”

“So, its like what?”, I asked and teased her in her tone only.

“I thought you must be feeling cold, so this coffee will give you some warmth”, she gave the answer flat.

“But there are several other methods to give me warmth too. Should we try that?”, I joked.

She bowed her eyes and said, “I wanted to say something to you”.

We were very compatible during or chatting  but meeting her had made me some nervous. Wondering what she will say, my heartbeats grew faster. Collecting all my fluctuating confidence, I asked, “What?”

“Ney khorang chespa choat”, she said softly and bowed back with a smile.

“What’s this? Are you abusing me in you language?” I was puzzled but her eyes had already conveyed that it was something romantic. She was born in Ladakh and used to message me in Ladakhi sometimes, though I never understood those messages.

“No stupid! I am just… I am just saying… I am in love with you Saurabh” she said in a shivering voice.

Her words were magical like her. It stole away my nervousness and I became the Original Saurabh- the guy who never shied from anyone.

Had it not been a public place, I would surely have smooched her. We held hands and shared a romantic glance. I signalled her to let’s move out of the café and make love but she signalled back to have patience. We were not sharing any words but our eyes were talking. Our so-called ‘heart-to-heart’ was active.

Soon, we ended our coffee, paid the bills and moved out to reach the coffee shop. I was taking quick steps but she asked me to slow down.

We entered the room that she had booked for me and I was surprised.

As I unlocked the doors, a surprise welcomed me. I switched on the light and overlooked the whole room. She had decorated the whole white-room. The curtains were silk-red and the bed sheet was milky-white. A big rose-bouquet was kept beside the bed and a large hand-made card on the bed said, ‘I  LOVE YOU SAURABH’.

My mouth was wide-open as I dropped my heavy bag. “You like it?’, she asked me.

I didn’t say anything. The theme of white and red had conquered over me. I just gave her a tight hug, said, “Don’t you ever leave me Saambha. I’ll die without you my darling” and kissed her cheeks.

Her cheeks went red with blush. She closed her eyes and tightened her arms that were around me. I continued, “I always fear to loose you. I.. I.. I feel as if someday you’ll leave me and I won’t be able to stop you. I.. I feel as if I’ll loose you to someone else. This long-distance-relationship threatens me by all these thoughts. My life will be hollow Saambha. Promise me, you will never go”.

My eyes were red. I had tears of joy, accompanied by the fear of losing whatever I had in life – Shambhavi.

Shambhavi didn’t say anything and tried going off my hug. I asked her, “Hey what happened?”

She was in tears too. She sat on the bed and I sat on the floor with my head in her lap. Her fingers in my hairs and she said, “You hurt me Saurabh. You hurt me everytime” She choked and continued, “I love you a lot, and then why the hell you think that I’ll leave you? You say it every time”.

I turned my head up and was about to say something but she put her fingers on my lips. I kissed them lightly.

“No. Let me say… Why do you fear that I’ll go away with someone else? I’ll never. You are the most adorable guy in my life. I have had some past but my present is you, Saurabh”.

A tear fell on my chicks from her eyes. I hugged her waist and said, “I’m your present and your future too darling”.

She brought her lips closer to mine and kissed me. Her eyes were closed but I was just looking at her. Her complexion was pearl-white, with a slight of red. Her lips were pink as a rose. Her earrings added to her beauty. She looked nothing less than the princess of those fairy tales. I felt blessed to be so close to her and closed my eyes.

After the kiss, she asked me to have a bath. She said, “You stink. Go and have a bath. Saurabh, have you even brushed your teeth?”

“I knew you couldn’t resist kissing me, so I had brushed twice in the train” I said and winked at her.

She blushed and I went in the bathroom saying, “It would have been nicer if you too take a bath with me” and she didn’t say anything.

The bath was totally refreshing. The cramps gifted by the journey were gone; thanks to warm water and the cup of coffee. I made sure I come out of the bathroom in full clothes. Thought, we had just kissed but I made sure she didn’t face any embarrassment seeing a not-so-chiselled skeletal-kinda boy.

When I came back, I saw that she had switched off the lights and switched on the red night-bulbs. The lighting made the feel more romantic. I said whatever came in my mind, “Is it a honeymoon Saambha?

She came close to me, smelt me and said erotically, “It’s a snowfall outside and I have informed mumma that I’ll stay tonight at my friend’s residence”.

“Tonight, you are mine …”, I whispered in her ears.

The warmth created by the heaters tempted me more. She laid on the bed and so did I. There was a soft and furry blanket too. My body was over hers. I kissed her forehead and then kissed behind her ears. She brought her hands under my T-shirt and clinched her nails on my back. We smooched.

I passed my hands gently over her spines. We kissed each other’s shoulders. I passed my hands round her navels and my hands went some above. The mood was all set just when I realized that she was a little bit uncomfortable. I stopped, kissed her forehead and said softly in her ears, “I have my whole to make love to you. But now, I just want to hold you and feel you”.

“Thanks. You know me so well. You understand me”, she smiled and flashed her pearl-like beautiful teeth.

I smiled and kissed her closed eyes.

“Also, I want you to gain some strength. I don’t think that you can ‘satisfy’ me Saurabh”, she said after a deep sigh and mocked at me.

I just gave her a slight slap on her lips, kissed her again and said, “Pahle istemaal karein, phir vishwaas karein”.

She hugged me and said, “I love you so so soooo much”.

Our legs were tangled to each other and the furry blanket was over us. It was perfect – perfect love.

Now, as I look at her, I feel complete. This is the world that I want to be – forever.

__A TRUE STORY HAPPENING SOMEWHERE__

__END_

THE END (A EMOTIONAL LOVE STORY)

Everyone says love hurts. But no, love never hurts. It isn’t meant to be. Love is beautiful. Love is divine. Love is sacred.

It’s just that losing that beloved-one hurts and wanting for them back KILLS!’

An Emotional Love Story: The End
Photo credit: earl53clik here TAHIR ALOM  from morguefile.com

Chilly winds passed hard by and whispered in my ears, ‘the end’. My throat gathered a lump and my heart felt sick. The trouble that life brought seemed too much to bear.

Vani was there, just there, but I could not approach her.So near, but still so far.

After all these vacant years, I saw her today. I was still her Rupol but she was no longer my Vani, I realized.

Six years ago,

“I have to go Rupol, I am sorry”, she folded her hands and her beautiful eyes flooded tears.

“And my life?  Without you?”. I stood motionless. Her hurtful words had emptied my emotions.

“I am helpless”

“But Vani …”,I said but she put her fingers on my lips. I kissed them.

“Rupol, this is what dad asked me in his last moments – to leave you”. Her voice had so much of pain. She hung her head.

“Leave me? Alone? To be torn apart?”. Life had no meaning left.

“Promise me, you will never find me”, she took a step back.

“Ask me to stop breathing, but I cannot make this promise”, I protested.

“You can …”, she stepped ahead to caress my cheeks.

I embraced my sweetheart but said nothing. She put her face on my chest and my heavy breaths blew her hair. I could hear her loud heartbeats. The thought of having a life without her stabbed my soul.

“Let me go”, she pushed back.

I was taken aback. She walked to the door and my world thrashed. I looked down the earth and wished to be cremated.

“And the ring? Our promise of being together? What about …”, I asked but paused as I looked up.

Her footsteps were taking her away. I said nothing and so did she. She walked out without turning back.

Soon, the morning dew of my life had left. Endless tears approached my eyes but I did not shed any.

I had promised never to cry. I had promised to hold her hand till death. I had promised to be with her, forever. But promises, as they are, are never fulfilled. They are made to be broken – to break you; to tear you apart.

Today,

It was just another day when I rushed into the local bus to reach my office but I never knew what my just another day had for me.

The driver accelerated the bus the moment I stepped in. These drivers ill-treat passengers who step-in from the back gate, I thought. A misbalance in the bus always signalled a bad day ahead.

I moved to take an empty seat but an elderly man ran to occupy it. He looked tall, with a big belly, so I stood aside. I looked at him while standing in the packed bus. He gave a cunning smile and I abused him in my head.

As I turned my face looking for seats, I was stunned. The air smelt fragrant and the sunlight beamed the forehead of a lady.She was four seats ahead of me. She was my Vani.

Vani was the love of my life. We were the best of friends and lovers in college. But with the devil’s curse, she left me when her father died.

Her father was a Hindu priest and I being Rupol Ali, a Muslim, was what he hated the most. He was also an activist of Hindu Reformatory Society and his daughter having a muslim boyfriend was something he could never accept. So, when he breathed last, he asked his daughter to leave me. Saying this, his soul left his body and so did mine.

The priest made a combo deal. He died with one soul and took another soul with him.

But now, as I saw her after so many years, I broke my promise. I shed a tear. The bus was fully-packed but my eyes were on her only.

Fate had drawn us apart, but has brought a renewed hope again.

I reached my wallet and took out the ragged paper from the coin pocket. It had OUR LOVE IS ABOVE RELIGIONS written by Vani. I had preserved it. She used to call it our little‘love certificate’. It was so beautiful that my lips curved a smile again.

I remembered our lovely walks in the beach-side. I remembered how she used to hold my hand in the library, aside the bookshelf. I remembered how we used to mimic her father’s preaches. I remembered how she used to tell that we own the world. I remembered her every nuisance and playful act, I recalled every breath we took together.

So today, I wanted to approach and surprise her. I knew as she would see me, she would hug me and cry in my lap.

I turned to the window-mirror for a reflection to check my appearance.

The sun shone brighter today. A clump of Gulmohar trees, aside the road, had beautiful red flowers. Spring had come – a wave of happiness in my life. I beheld a joy within. I always wanted to spend my life with her, to grow old with her.

We had been distanced for so long, but not anymore. I was thrilled for a new beginning. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes to pray.

But my prayer was suddenly obstructed as the driver took a power-brake. It threw me ahead. I tried to skip from her sight but I saw her. Her hair was still so straight and silky but something pinched my eyes.

It had sindoor* in it! (* Crimson – Hindu married women typically put crimson liner in their hair near forehead.)

My world took a turn-around in the slightest of a moment.

She was not my Vani, she was someone else’s wife. She had married someone. Time froze!

She was at the brisk of distances yet I could not scream. The spring had not brought any happiness, but a harsh truth – she was not my anymore, she was someone’s better-half now!

Suddenly, I felt the urge to run away with her but I could not. I should not, said my heart.

I bent again to see her. She was smiling. She was happy – happy without me. She had surely forgotten me. All these years, every night I slept with a dream to meet her someday. But today was not like something I had dreamt of. My head felt like being weighed tons. My feet became numb and my body went cold.

I sighed, gathered all my strength and approached.

I turned back and approached to the back-gate. The next stoppage was near-by.

As the bus stopped, I jumped out. A girl gazed me for jumping like a fool and being hurt, but it didn’t matter. My legs were not hurt, I was hurt.

“Forget marriage, I have never looked at any girl all these years. But she?”

I was cheated by her. She broke her promise of being mine forever.

“She does not love me anymore. I am no more a part of her life.” My breath ragged and strained.

Feeling lost again, I sat at the roadside like a beggar.  I looked round the city; it was too busy to stop for me. I gazed at the blue sky above.

LIFE MAY NOT OFFER THE SAME CHANCE TWICE said the board of Life Insurance Company. I wanted to shout, why was this chance given to me? Should I run to ruin her married life?

I wanted somebody to hug me. But no! I was all alone in this world. I broke down as I looked at the going bus. She was in it, happy.

It was just like yesterday when everything was so fine,

I was her and she was mine.

It was very much of our time.

But the time had flown away now. The going bus was the metaphor of Vani going away. I wanted to cry aloud but my lungs were jammed.

My eyes were staring the bus and suddenly everything changed in a moment. My ears rang with a noise and the hot wave of air shook me. I could not figure out the thing; the bus blasted

It was a bomb.

Tornadoes of ashes rose and I could not spot anything. The fumes of the burning bus filled the air and people ran all around. My eyes caught grime and scattered death all across the road. Probably, the bus was in two parts or three.One part had crashed into the cars on the road and the other part had gone into the shop nearby.

I ran towards it. The road was painted in black and red. Everyone was mourning with pain. It was chaos all around.

I ran for my Vani. The wounds of the past were unhealed; I could not bear a new one. We had many things unheard and unsaid. I did not want to lose the chance life had given me.

I ran for her life, our life, but I slipped on the road.The fall displaced my vertebral discs. The road felt hot and bloody. I never knew blood was so slippery.

I stood up to run again but a hand flew from the force and embraced my fall. It was apart from the shoulder. It was from the blast. It touched my cheeks. Though it was painted with blood, I could feel the pulsing blood within and its warmth.

I knew that warmth. I touched the fingers. It had a ring. I knew that ring too.

I cried and banged my head on the road. I held the palm. The sensation of the touch said the unspoken words. I cried a lot. Sooner, it went numb.

It had the same ring – our promise of being together. The hand had come to keep her another promise – holding my hand till death. She had the ring; she still loved me. It was my Vani’s hand.

We had our life walking hand in hand,

The sun glittered brighter on the sand.

I was emptied but I composed myself,

I waited for you, aside the bookshelf.

I always believed, destiny has to mend

But o my life, this is THE END!