Title: Another Love story
I rushed into the hospital, Uncle has already told me the Room No., It was not my first visit to this Hospital, and so I exactly knew where the Room was.
I reached the room in no time, one Policemen was standing outside he stopped me, but the Uncle just came in time, he told him that I am a part of their family, I looked at Uncle although he is a tough man used to be a strict High School Teacher. Sneha told me once that she has never seen him getting emotional leave apart crying, but today I could see his blood shot eyes, I put my hand on his shoulder, and he started crying. I suddenly felt panic to see her & I stepped inside. She was sitting on the bed curled up to herself, face buried between her knees. Aunty was sitting on one side, Akansha on other side. One Police Man was also there holding a NotePad in his hand.
“She is not talking, she is not even listening”, Uncle said from behind still sobbing, “See what has happened to my Daughter”.
Silence in the Room was unbearable, I walked towards Sneha as event from past two days started coming to me as flashback.
One Day Ago –
“Are you coming or not?”, Sneha screamed
“No”, I replied.
“I am asking you again, are you coming or not?”, Sneha asked again with slight irritation.
“I am telling you again, No”, I replied back.
“Looks like you don’t need me anymore, I am now unimportant to you, you have changed a Lot, you are not the same Ankit I loved”, She started her Emotional Blackmail.
“Yes true, I am not the same Ankit I used to be before, because now I have a Client on my head, Come on yaar I am seriously very busy today, I am even having a Client call at 7:45PM, I might even miss the 8’O clock bus”.
“Even I work in IT, tell me when was the last time I said No to you, for going Out?”.
“But baby, I never asked you for going out, leave apart shopping!”
“See that’s what I wanted to hear, you yourself accepted that you have never asked me to go out, only I am the fool here, who always ask you and in return what do I get!”
“Baby, I cannot win you on War of the Words, but try to understand I can’t come, but I will try to join you before your shopping ends”
“You don’t Love me anymore”, and without even waiting for my reply she disconnected the phone.
This is not the first time, we have our love-fight, and it’s now 7 years since we met and 6 & half since we started love-fighting. Sneha & I were in same College, although not same branch though but it was love at first sight for me & love at first fight for her. Since then our roller coaster relationship has seen lots of ups & downs but with full credit to her it’s still intact & have become stronger year by year.
Lucky for me the call ended just in 5 min’s as the person who was to give presentation was attending an important CODE-WHITE situation, I thanked God for he/she helps me only sometimes & today was the time, Valentine Week has just started & I don’t want to spoil her Week like last year, when due to a scheduled Go-Live, I was very busy for the week & I had to make up to her by taking her out for next full month, off-course after she was ready to talk which was full 2 weeks after V-Day.
I took the Bus, which was to the same location where she was supposed to be Shopping, it took me around half an hour to reach there. I started scanning her on all the known shops and also the unknown ones, (Actually my Sneha is like a Butterfly wandering on all the flowers), Atlast I found her in West-Side, looking into Men’s Section, although I am least Romantic compared to her, but I suddenly felt the urge to hug her, but that urge passed seeing the crowd in the Shop, last I would want is to create a scene for myself, I slowly went near her and as she was about to touch a T-Shirt, I touched her hand in gesture of seeing the same T-Shirt, as she turned towards me, I gave her a wink, it certainly caught the eyes of some fellow shoppers as I saw some, smiling face around.
“What do you want?”, Sneha said trying to be angry, but I could sense the happiness on her face.
“You”, I smiled as she blushed.
I took her to a Corner where I took out an Artificial Red Rose from my Pocket.
“Happy Rose Day!”.
“Artificial!, just like your Love”, she said sarcastically
“Not my fault, I didn’t found the one beautiful than you, so I preferred the one which will atleast last the longest”, I smiled while collecting her hairs from over her eyes. She smiled & held my hand, the sign that she is no longer angry with me.
We had our Dinner, after her shopping which as it seems was for Valentine Week (Me), By the time, It was already around 10:00, we took an Auto back to our home, she lives around 1 km from my house. But the turn and all, makes it look more than 2km, when travelling with an Auto.
“I Love You”, she said putting her head on my shoulders.
“I Love You too, Jaanu”, I said slightly hesitating as I could see our Reflection in rear view mirror of Auto.
“This year will we get married?”, she asked. Actually this is the most controversial topic between us, although its 100 percent sure that I want to marry only her, but somehow I don’t feel ready yet.
I didn’t answered.
She knew the meaning, she didn’t asked it again but I could feel her pain, which she have felt always when I do this to her, accompanied by her crying (not before me). Even I feel sometimes that how could I be so cruel to the one I love so much.
As auto started turning toward the road where her building was, she asked it to stopped.
“I will go from here, otherwise it will take you more time to reach your home”, she said getting down.
“Are you kidding, it won’t take me more than 10min, no need to get down, I will drop you then…”, she interrupted me in between.
“It’s Ok Ankit, I need some fresh air, I will be fine, Just Go”, I could see the shiny tears in her eyes.
I knew the reason, but I also knew it would be better for me to leave, because she recover more quickly once I am not with her, also I have no answer to her question .
I asked Auto driver to leave, I looked back as she turned towards her road.
I reached my home in 5 min’s; I changed then opened my Office laptop to look into any stuff which might have come up in the mean time, while constantly an eye on my Cellphone. It didn’t rang & I slept by 12:00. I woke up at 1:00 by my phone ringing continuously for the 3rd time, it was Akansha, Sneha’s roommate.
“Where are you guys?”, Akansha said, before I could say Hello.
“At home why?”
“Will Sneha be coming tonight or is she staying with you?”, she giggled
“She won’t be going, tonight”, I said jokingly
“Ok, ask her to give her Password, I need to copy some movies”, she said
“Take yourself”, I replied
“Come on Ankit, please ask her yaar, promise I won’t disturb you then”
“But she is not here, what kind of joke is this?”, I said being annoyed on disturbed within my first hour of sleep.
“You are lying, ask her yaar”, she sounded genuine.
Now I turned to full senses, “Wait, I left her near your home nearly 2 hrs back, are you saying that she didn’t reached Home Yet?”,
I was already getting dressed up as I was speaking I reached their building within 15 min, most of what I travelled was by running, while trying to reach Sneha’s Cell which was switched Off, I reached their gate, where Akansha & Shweta were already standing with the Guard. Guard confirmed that he hadn’t seen her, since she left at 7:00. We took to the Police Station while Shweta stayed back, I was trying to be composed but panic inside my heart was overpowering my mind. Akansha had already called Sneha’s parents.
We were un-welcomed in Police Station by a sleepy Police man, who was least interested. But listening that incident is about a girl, he quickly informed all Control Rooms. I asked Akansha to return with the Guard, at first she denied but then after a while sensing Police Station is not a good place after all for a girl at that moment, she returned. Whole Night went past, but no information came. At around 7:00 Akansha called me inquiring, if we got something. She also informed me that Sneha’s parents had taken the early morning flight & will reach around 8:00 AM.
I didn’t knew what I should do, have never felt so helpless, At that moment I realized that only one Power can help me, that is Almighty. I walked to the Ganesh temple nearby, which is the one where I always bow my head before going to Office. And I just sat there, not knowing what to do. I just sat there staring towards the Idol. I prayed to him, “Please God, if I have ever done anything right in my entire life, than please Sneha should return unharmed”, I didn’t know how long I sat there, when I was distracted by Call from Sneha’s Dad.
“They have found Sneha; she is in XYZ Hospital, Room No. ABC”
Currently-
I have already reached Sneha’s bedside by now.
I felt a strange fear in my heart, as I was about to touch her hand, I saw the scratches on her hand and cheek visible to me; I somehow knew what it meant.
I touched her hand, she shivered vigorously, but pulled her face towards me, it was hard to recognize she was my Sneha, I tried to speak but I choked and only word which came out was “Jaanu”. As I moved more closer.
I haven’t cried since she went missing, but this moment made me choke & I let my tears flow from my eyes. She reached out & wiped my tears. She looked as if she was about to break down. I moved closer and I wrapped my arms around her, I didn’t even care that her parents were there. And she buried her head on my chest and we both cried.
Doctors came; they informed us that we can take her home, by evening. Uncle asked me to return home and change even my condition was not looking better, I resisted but they all convinced me to return, I looked at Sneha she was sleeping, with the affect of medicines she was given as part of precautions.
It was around 2’O clock, I returned, first to Temple to thank God, and then went back to home, I got fresh and I sat on my bed and closed my eyes, it never occurred to me when I slept, I woke up at 7:00, I checked my phone there were 8 missed calls, some from Akansha, others from Uncle. They might have got her discharged.
I called Akansha; she told me that they are at home.
I rushed to her home, when I reached there I found her sitting on bed again curled up in herself, while Uncle packing her stuff.
“We are taking her back, we are leaving tonight itself”, Aunty said to me.
I nodded.
I walked up to Sneha, “Can we talk, outside?”
Uncle looked at Sneha & nodded in yes, we walked on the small lawn of the building.
I tried to touch her hand, but she get the same shiver.
“Why do you want to leave?” She didn’t answered.
“I can’t live without you”, I hold her hand delicately.
“I am untidy Ankit, I am not fit for you, you don’t know what happened with me”, she started crying, “they were 3…”, I stopped her by putting my hand on her lips.
“I don’t want to know, and it doesn’t matter to me, what only matters to me is you, I know I can’t undo what happened to you but I promise, I will love you so much, that it will overpower all the pain you have got”, I replied and I knew my tears were falling from my eyes.
“You don’t understand Ankit, this society won’t accept me, even your parents will not accept me” I put out my phone & called my Mom’s number,
“Were you able to find Sneha?”, she asked picking up the call, I had already informed her last night while in Police Station. I told her what had happened.
“Mom I want to be with her”, I said to my Mom, while Sneha stood beside me.
“Beta, what her parents are doing is right, she should be taken away from that place, it’s good for both of you”, Mom replied.
“Mom of all, you are also saying this, if Papa would have said I could have understand, but you?”, I replied
“Beta what I am saying is good for you”, Mom said.
“Are you sure you want to marry her?”, I heard my Papa’s voice on Phone, he had taken the Cell from Mom.
“Yes”, I replied
“You sure, you will be able to forget what happened?”, Papa asked again.
“Yes and I want to marry her as soon as possible”, I replied as I hold Sneha’s hand tightly.
“Good, but marry her for your love not out of sympathy, give me her father’s number”, he asked.
I couldn’t believe my ears, “We are coming tomorrow and I am proud of you”, he finally said & disconnect.
Sneha still stood in disbelief. I turned towards her, I could see her parents, who have already got down with luggage and were walking towards us.
I sat down on my knees, as her parents have already reached us. Uncle’s phone rang (Must be my father’s call).
“Sneha, I have always loved you & will always do, I don’t care what had happened, and will never let it come in between us, Trust me I don’t know if I am the best for you, but I am certain that you are the best for me, Sneha, today I beg in front of everyone present here, Please Marry Me, I will die without you”
She kept on staring at me, I waited for her, every second she took were like ages to me, she then looked at her father, he nodded.
She didn’t answered but hugged me, crying on my chest. I waved her hairs like I always do as I got my Answer.
I whispered in her ears, “I Love You Sneha & will do it FOREVER”…
The End.