Here is a preview of what the story is about:
They met when Arjun was 7 and Sakshi, a bubbly 6-year old girl moved in next door. They hit it off instantly, sharing every secret, every laugh and every tear with each other. They stood by each other whilst their parents ignored them. They became inseparable. For Arjun, she was his Meethi, his one and only. And for her, he was her best friend, the only person left in the world she loved. The boy who wanted to be a police officer when he grew up. And then came separation. Sakshi left for London, leaving the boy next door behind, alone. But their story wasn't to end. After the death of her father 15 years later, Sakshi returns to Mumbai, searching for her best friend. Then fate plays its card and she ends up working for him in Mumbai. She is shocked to see the new Arjun, her best friend - the one who has a terrible past that still haunts him. The past that changed him forever. Will Arjun be able to recognise his Meethi after years of separation? Will they fall in love?
London, 2013
"Meethi!"
His scream still echoed in her ears as she twirled her bracelet. She never wore it. It was too precious to be worn every day. What if she misplaced it? No, she couldn't let that happen. It was more precious than anything else she owned in her life. It was a present from him. Even after all these years she has been unable to forget him. He was her best friend, the one who made her laugh. The one who never failed her. The only one who never failed her. He was the only one who never left her. Rather, she was taken away from him. It was as if life wanted to scream at her - Nothing lasts forever!
She snapped back into reality as her clock struck 10. It was time to leave. Time to go back. After all, nothing else was left here. She slid on the bracelet, grabbed her bags and walked out to the bus stop. It was pouring outside. Just like it was the day she left.
"Meethi! I will miss you yaar!"
She was 9 years old again, holding on to his hand as the taxi pulled away from what was once her home.
His fingers slipped away from hers as the taxi moved. He didn't give up, but kept on running along the window. The rain had soaked through his clothes and turned him dripping wet. But he didn't seem to care. The only thing mattered then was that somehow he could stop his Meethi from leaving him forever.
The last thing she remembered was his face portraying an unreadable expression full of anger, pain and worst of all - the expression that said he couldn't trust anyone ever again. The only person he trusted in this world was taken away from him.
As the bus pulled in at the Heathrow airport, she sighed and dragged her suitcases out. She really was doing this. She was going back. For some reason, she felt content and ...free.
Sakshi Anand was going back to Mumbai. Her home. To him. Because some part of her believed that he would still be there, waiting for her. Her Arjun.
Chapter 2 - The girl next door
Mumbai 1995
He first saw her when her father's car moved in. He was only 7 at that time - just a boy. He had seen a moving truck come in in the morning. There was a lot of movement - furniture being unloaded and moved in, scraping of sofas, beds, and book cases... more noise than Arjun had ever heard in his neighbourhood!
She got down from the car, her straight black hair falling past her shoulders. She was clad in a pink and white polka dotted dress and was clutching a teddy bear in her arms.
"YAYYY! Our new home! Papa, which one is my room?", she looked to the man who seemed like her father. The little boy gazed interestedly at this cute little creature that was going to be his neighbour!
Her father seemed to ignore her and went inside to assist the movers. Her mother seemed to be missing.
"Hey!"
She peeped around looking for the voice and found the little boy staring at her from the other side of the fence. Curiosity pulled her towards the fence towards the boy in the white t-shirt.
"Hello! Mera naam Sakshi hai. Tum kaun ho?" Being the overenthusiastic child she was, she blurted out her name.
"Arjun Suryakant Rawte!"
"Baap rey! Itna bada naam?"
"Toh? I am proud of it!"
"Hmmm... jo bhi. Tum yahan rehte ho?"
"Haan. Apne papa ke saath."
"Aur mummy?"
"Woh nahi rehti yahan. Tumhari mummy kahan hai?"
"Meri nahi hai..."
"Oh..."
Seeing her getting sad, he quickly offered the chocolate in his pocket to her and said, "Hey, share karegi?"
Her face lit up instantly and she nodded.
As the sun started to set for the day, Arjun took her to his favourite tree in the back garden, where he often used to sit and watch the sun go down.
He helped her climb up to his favourite branch, and there they sat, sharing the first of their many chocolates, their legs swinging down the tree.
"Main tujhe Meethi bula sakta hoon?"
He didn't know why he said that. Being a kid, he didn't think much before speaking.
"Kyun mere naam me kya kharabi hai?"
"Kuch nahi. But tu mere liye Meethi hai", he replied with a smile.
The little girl couldn't help but smile. And thus, that name stuck. He was the only person to have ever called her by that name.
***********************************************
Cricket
Current Affairs
Arjun
193