Yours Truly

The two stood together, as the people walked by, not interested at all in the pair. He was excitedly saying something as she listened intently, a wide smile covering her face. All of a sudden, the phone in his hand rand, and he picked up. As he set it down, he said, “Hey sorry, can I go? Shweta is calling me now, and wants to meet. Can you come again later?”

“Of course! Is that something to ask? You just message me, I’ll come in an hour then,” she said as she started walking back.”

“I’m really sorry Charmi.”

“You go Rohan, its fine,” she said with a smile. “I don’t have any problem.”

“You really are sweet Charmi. I got to rush; I’ll message you in sometime.”

“Its fine, ping me when you’re free.”

Aaj ka pal hai suhana,

Dosti hai tumse milne ka bahana,

Dil rota hai par chehra muskurata hai,

Kyonki sab badal gaya, aur pehle jaisa kuch rahana.

Keeping her phone on beside her, on the table, she set her head on the cold glass and broke down. It was 6 months since that moment when she had told him about her feelings, and she still wished her dreams came true- that he became hers forever.

It was a long time since she had stopped showing what she felt for him, but today she could not hold herself. Animesh, her friend, had made her realize the amount of emotions she still reserved for him, but she could not change; she never could stop loving him though she hid it from the world, from her brother, from her best friend, from everyone. Animesh was the only one to see through the veil she held in front of her heart, but all he had said was the truth.

“Accept it, and it will never come behind you. But ran and hide from it, and it will forever remain with you,” he had said.

“I love you Rohan, I really do. I’m accepting it today, and I shall remain with it. I wish we were together, and the moments we spent together came back, the ones where we were best of friends, and the bond we shared was unique. Please come to me,” she pleaded as tears rolled down her cheeks and shimmered on the glass.

As the wetness spread on the table, the web of her past expanded and she remembered the moment which changed it all between them.

Dil yeh chahta hai tumhe,

Pyaar voh karta hai tumhe,

Chup kar mana leti hun dil ko mein,

Kaash uss din voh sab bataya na hota tumhe.

“Hey Charmi, what’s so special today? Why did you call me now?”

“Can’t I even wish to meet my best friend,” asked Charmi.

“Of course you can dear. You best friend is always there for you. Any special reason to miss me so much today?”

“I know that Rohan. And I never require a reason to miss you.”

“Which film did you see before coming here? Some romantic film with loads of flirting,” asked Rohan with a laugh.

“You always keep laughing so I forgot everything I want to tell you. You won’t understand how much time it takes to gather that much courage such that I can tell this to you.”

“What is it that you want to say? Just a guess, you’re pregnant or what,” asked Rohan, continuing his tirade of laughter.

“Fine, let it be. I’ll not tell you only. Bye, I’m going.”

“Kidding Charu, come and sit beside your Rohan and tell him your secrets, leak it fast.”

“I don’t know where to begin.”

“Take your time and decide, I’ll take a walk and come till then.”

“Don’t act. Just sit down for two minutes, or I’ll slap you hard.”

“Let’s see you try.”

“Stop joking and sit down Rohan, please!”

“Okay.”

“I have felt this from the first moment of the 3 years we have spent together as best friends, and I never had the courage to tell this to you.”

“So this is really something serious, is it?”

“Don’t make this tougher for me. I love you Rohan, always have.”

Rohan just sat still as she watched, her heart held in her mouth.

“You’ve gone mad Charmi.”

“Wh…what?”

“I already have a girlfriend, and I don’t love you!”

The heart she held in her mouth fell and shattered, its pieces all spread far apart. The world she had imagined, their world, it had ceased to exist in just a second.

“Yes, I care for you, and I do wish we remain together, but as friends, as best friends! Damn…! How could you even think of this Charmi? I’d thought you were different you know…I’d thought we would remain forever like this, the thickest of friends. And the thing which beats me is that how could you love me knowing the fact that I have a girlfriend and I love her as well! You spoilt it all, you really did!

A tear dropped down her cheek as she heard him go on.

“Now stop crying for god’s sake! I’m going Charmi. Get yourself together, and forget all the thoughts of us being together, get that? You were the one who told me that we must not get any love and other complications in between, and now you’re not keeping to your word! Just damn dumb! Don’t message or call me, I seriously don’t want to talk with you.”

The torrent began as he stormed away, leaving her alone yet stranded in the sea of emotions.

Iccha thi meri ek choti si,

Jisko batane ki thi bechaini si,

Ab bata diya tumhe aur sab pata hai tumko,

Toh reh gayi hun mein bezubaan si, aur duniya ho gayi hai khali si.

The day had remained with her till now, and would forever remain etched in her memory. His absence was like a hole in her life, but she had to overcome it, and then he had come back. He wanted her back as his friend; he wanted the old relation to return, as it is, and she happily agreed.

Fights, quarrels and shouting matches was all that came net, but all that mattered was that he somehow came back, and that they remained together.

The ringing of the phone brought her back to life, and she wiped her wet face and steadied her voice.

“Hey honey, where are you? I messaged you twice as well. Everything all right?”

Answering her best friend Anita, Charmi said, “Of course love, I’m just perfect.”

“It’s Rohan again right? I told you to foget him, why don’t you listen to me ever? Animesh finally left as well when I did that, didn’t he? That’s how it works!”

“…”

“Say something!”

“The next Charmi said was something she herself could not believe.”

“Feelings can’t be held back, and nor can thoughts. And Rohan’s there in both of them for me.”

“You seriously sound like Animesh when he used to strut around trying to get me back.”

“He was the one who told me this, and from now, I’m accepting I love Rohan, and I shall forever remain there for him.”

“I’ll kill Animesh for talking to you.”

“Before he’s your ex, he’s my brother. And don’t you dare say anything against him, get it? Maybe you should know and accept something as well.”

“What?”

“That he’s never going to leave you alone, he will remain there somewhere. Behind you, for you, but maybe not with you.”

“Those 3 things mean the same!”

“No they don’t, and when you’ll understand the difference, you’ll know what love is.”

There was just the beep of the line being cut which rang in her ears.

Ab hua hai mujhe sach ka ehsaas,

Tu dost hai mera, bahut khaas,

Bhale na reh paun saath mein sada tere,

Hamesha rahunga tujhse paas.