Is This Love?
Flashbacks - Italics
Tick-tock Tick-tock! Time was passing by & she still didn't knew what she should do? A week ago she had been proposed by the guy she claimed to be in love with, since past one year & had also waited for him to confess his love. And when he did, she was confused as to what to answer him.
She knew she was head-over-heals in love with him. But was he the one for her? She wanted to say yes to his proposal right away, but something in back of her mind, had stopped her. What if she was just a crush? And he thought that he loved her? She didn't knew whom to talk with.Idea!
She tip-toed to her favorite room in her house & went to the poolside. She saw her sitting on the recliner & immediately smiled. She knew she would get all her answers from her. She quickly went over to her & placed her palms over her eyes.
'Guess who?'
'Baby doll, off course'
'Hawww! How are you always able to guess me?'
'I just know baby! So what you want to talk about?'
'Again! How do you know?'
'Experience! Yeah so what do you wanna know?'
'Ummm...about love'
'Alright! So in which phase you are?'
'Actually, he proposed me a week back. And I also love him like a lot...that's what I think. But having seen girls getting heartbroken, I fear to enter into a relationship with him & then ruin our friendship too. He is a BIG flirt! But again he is way too special for me & so I don't know what should I do?'
'Hmm, you teenagers have this thing of making everything complicated even if it isn't! Anyways, I can also understand your dilemma since I also was in this stage once. I am gonna answer you by narrating one story to you'
'I am all ears'
'So this is a story of 3 individual, who were friends. Two of them were besties, since childhood, while the third one joined them later in their high school, which changed all of their lives...completely!'
'Arnav, where were you? I've been waiting for since like forever & you are...ugh forget it' a 16 year old teenager, was angry on her best friend because he was late, despite of his promise of being on time...like always!
'Sorry sweety, I just met sara on the way, you know the new hot chick right? So just got busy' he winked at his best friend, not noticing the hurt look on her face which was immediately replaced by anger.
Without saying anything to him, she turned her head & walked in opposite direction. If she meant anything to him, he would come & pacify her. And exactly that happened. He immediately went after her, stopped her, did dramas saying you can't be such a cruel best friend' & what not jokes, finally able to make her laugh!
'You know what arnav? You are completely crazy! Who would know that THE arnav singh raizada is actually a complete weirdo who says/does stuff like this pacify his bestfriend'
'That's the difference Babe! That you're my bestfriend. I can say\talk\scream\do things in front of you. You're, are & will always be the only special friend of mine, who knows my inside out & yet is my bestie. What I would've done without you?' he hugged his friend not noticing a flash of stranger emotion on her face.
'Arnav, you know there's entry of a new hot chick in out school. And guess what? She's our classmate!'
'Yeah so what? Soon she'll in Arnav's fanclub list. No one can escape my charm boy!' arnav proudly told his friends, who agreed with him.
That day marked the entry of a new gorgeous girl in their school, who was not only beautiful, but was beauty with brains. She had a way of dealing with people around. She first analysed their behavior by their talks & if she found them comfortable, she made them their friend or else, she never exchanged her ways with them. People found it extremely strange that there actually exists a girl whom arnav couldn't tame! A tough nut to crack was all arnav said. But deep down, he was also intrigued by this lil bomb.
After 2 months
One day, she was walking alone to the library, with a book in her hand when all of a sudden, arnav appeared in front of her.
'Hi' he gave his charming smiles, which made girls swoon over him but she didn't had any sort of effect.
'Hello..' she replied curtly before moving away.
'Actually, I am the class monitor of the class you are studying. You must be knowing right?'
'Oh sorry, I never noticed anyone with much attention in my class. I have made handful of friends though' she replied with a small smile, before going back to her book again.
'Do you know who is your partner in the english project?'
'Well I know his name, some arnav singh raizada, but don't know him. Do you know who is he?' she asked, genuinely confused.
'Ah...well that's me' he replied, embarrassed.
'Oh I am so sorry!'
'What? Why?' he asked confused. Why would she be sorry?
'Actually, few boys of this school have been pestering me a lot & so I thought you're also one of them...I am really sorry' she looked down, embarrassed.
'Its okay. I can understand. anyways lets leave this...um...friends?' he forwarded his hands thinking she would accept it.
After looking at him for a while, she shook her hands with his.
'Friends' she replied with a bright smile of hers. They chatted as they moved on and none noticed a figure standing in the corner, looking at them with sad eyes.
'What's wrong with you? You actually talked to a NEW girl, on your OWN?' She looked at her best friend, with her eyes having the look of unbelievable', where arnav was smiling.
'Why are you smiling?' she asked him again, curious enough.
'Nothing yaar! I dunno why, but I just wanted to talk to her. And I also liked spending time with her' he was smiling as he uttered these words.
'Hello? Are you ok? Don't tell me that you like her...a new girl...again...'
'She's different la, she's different' he said again with a smile & a dreamy look on her face, not noticing her hurt eyes again.
'Erm...khushi?'
'Yes?'
How about you come at my house? I mean...doing the project at school isn't an easy task. So if you are comfortable...?'
I sure am arnav! Where do you live?'
'Don't trouble yourself. I'll pick you up from your house, will that be okay?'
'Thanks! That'll be more than okay. You are really a sweetheart' she smiled adoringly at him, making him look down, arnav singh raizada was feeling shy!
Months passed by, and khushi & arnav became good friends. Their friendship stories soon was the hot topic of their school, owing to both were the most popular students. In this time span, arnav had introduced lavanya to khushi, and to his liking both were already friends. The three of them hung out together, spent of their free time & did group studies together! In short they were inseparable!
It was the next session when things started taking a different turn. With the growing friendship between arnav & khushi, he spent least of his time with lavanya, much to her irritation. She initially thought that it was so because he is her bestie. But then why would she feel jealous when arnav would hold khushi's hand & she would blush? Why would she feel as if she has been stabbed every time arnav would refuse her saying he had some important work, and when asked what? He would say khushi! She even heard talks of having seen arnav & khushi at different places together & alone! She decided to ignore it for the time being & concentrate on her studies.
This thing went throughout 12th. She knew khushi & arnav weren't together, cause she had directly asked arnav & he had told her that he had a liking for her but he was still very much single. For some reasons, it made her heart jump in joy. But still at times she felt restless. Some strange emotions, which she had never felt. She started observing actions of arnav & khushi. They were with each other most of the time, that she'd seen. Not even that, she had seen that exchanging smiles, arnav winking at her, giving her gifts & sometimes she had even seen them hugging or sitting in parks!
College started off with a kick. Since arnav & khushi's subjects were different, they didn't get much time to interact in campus. Lavanya thought that khushi was just arnav's crush & will go away with time as no girl had the power to keep him interested for a long time. But this time, her deductions were wrong. In fact after college, he went out with khushi! When she would try to call him, it always came busy. And slowly, she started acknowledging what she was feeling. Unknowing to her, she was in love with her best friend all along, neither she understood it nor did he. She was happy for her friend, that he finally found a girl who changed his ways. That at least he won't go around flirting with others. But one part of her heart pained thinking they'll never be together!
It was in their second year when khushi had accepted his proposal, which he had confessed a year ago, making them a couple officially. He had thrown a party for this & lavanya knew, arnav was head over heals in love with her. Even though she wanted arnav, but for her more important was his happiness. So she decided to tell khushi, or rather to warn her to never play with his emotions.
Khushi waved her friends goodbye & turned around to see lavanya walking her way. She remembered that since the start of the college, they actually had never interacted much with each other.
'Hey lavanya, how's life?' she asked smiling & took her seat in the canteen.
'I am fine khushi. I actually wanted to ask you something' lavanya stated seriously.
'Yes lavanya, what happened?'
'Do you love arnav?'
If lavanya had expected khushi to get surprised by her expression then she was surely wrong. In fact, she saw a shy smile forming on her lips, making it more difficult for her.
'Yes lavanya, I love him more than anything' she replied calmly.
'Thanks. That's all I wanted to know. You see khushi, you might have known how he was before? I mean a big flirt. And after you came, I have seen a completely new arnav. Or rather i should say, a lover side of arnav. And being his bestie, I never want him to get hurt in this. I hope you didn't mind my question?'
'Not at all lavanya. In fact, I was expecting this question from you. You know, you are the one he talks the most about. Don't be surprised. He talks a lot about you & so I was expecting this question from you. See lavanya, even I wasn't prepared to come in this relationship with arnav. Not because I didn't like him. Hell I had this crush on him since our high school days. But because even I thought of arnav as one of those guys for whom relationship means nothing. So I analysed & judged his behavior. He made me feel special in the most unexpected times. He surprised me with his care & love. He was a shoulder of support when I wanted to cry. What else would I ever want? ... And...thanks lavanya!'
'Thanks for...?' lavanya asked confused.
Taking her hands in hers, khushi gave a slight squeeze,
'For being stronger than me...'
They didn't utter any word after this. Both knew what the other meant. Lavanya hugged her tightly & as if anticipating, khushi hugged her back tighter. Finally pulling back, lavanya wiped her tears & smiled at khushi
'This time you were lucky I guess. But no worries, there is always a next time' lavanya winked at her, trying to control her tears.
'You are the best friend one can ever have.' khushi smiled at her.
'All the best for your future with arnav'
And with that, they never saw lavanya again.
'God mom! That was one story...'
'Do you know the moral of the story?'
'What mom?'
'Love is a decision, it is a judgment, it is a promise. If love were only a feeling, there would be no basis for the promise to love each other forever. A feeling comes and it may go. How can I judge that it will stay forever, when my act does not involve judgment and decision.'
'That's true mom. Thanks for telling. Now, I know what exactly I have to do'
She got up from & was about to exit the room, when she stopped turned back & said.
'Khushi was indeed right mom, you are really very strong. Because love doesn't always means holding on, it also means how strong you are to let it go'
Lavanya smiled back at her daughter's retreating form. Life had taught her enough. She didn't wanted her daughter to end up like her. She was happy that now her daughter would be able to make a wise judgement about love!
Arushi walked back in her room, feeling free & happy than ever. She was smiling like an idiot & called him up.
'Hello Aarav? Yeah...meet me outside my house? ok, I am waiting' She cut the call excitedly & went downwards.
Lavanya was silently observing her daughter. She saw a black Mercedes being pulled in & a handsome man coming out of it. She leaned down on the window & observed that the man looked familiar. She saw him waiting impatiently for arushi's answer. She smiled remembering a nervous arnav, when he had proposed khushi. Arushi finally confessed her love & he hugged her tight. It suddenly started raining but arushi & aarav didn't budge! In fact she saw them slowly getting lost in the moment...in their new found love. She left the window, leaving them alone.
After an hour, arushi came back in her house. She immediately changed her wet dress & hugged her mom.
'Thank you so much momma'
'You know, when you told me that story, I kept aarav in arnav's place. And I found him exactly same. At that moment, I knew I wasn't doing a mistake & so I confessed my love to him. Who knows what may happen next? Its better to enjoy the present rather than thinking about past & worrying about your future! Coz one is gone & never gonna come back while the latter is still far away'
'Oh god! I never knew my daughter has grown up so much. BTW what's his name?'
'Aarav...aarav singh raizada' she smiled shyly & got lost in her dreamland, not noticing the shocked expression on her mother's face. Lavanya smiled & thought 'Life indeed gave a second chance like she had promised to khushi'
Parineeti
Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan
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