Disclaimer – All characters in this story are fictitious.
Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 , Part 4 , Part 5 , Part 6 and Part 7
I was feeling dejected and low.I have never cried in my life before but after falling in love with Afreen,I realized that even I am an emotional person. Love and breakups are quite common these days.People do come in our life as Afreen once told me.These are the ones who mark their presence in our life,leave some special memories and finally leave us.I pondered over for a while and learned that what I was doing was not wrong.However it would be like hurting myself.You can never fall in love with everyone.Its these special,like minded souls who attracts you.My feelings for Afreen were intense and real.
That night I could not sleep.Lately I realized that I was turning into an insomniac.I woke up at 9 am.Mother had cooked Puri Bhaji for breakfast.My face was pale after the events which happened during night.
‘Good Morning Rahul!!,’ My father greeted me.
‘Morning Papa…so all set for work today,’ I smiled at my dad.
‘Yes dear…make sure you attend all your management classes and don’t bunk ,’ He laughed and left for office.
It was after many years that I’d seen a smile on my fathers face.I loved him . He was my first hero like all dads in this world.
‘Bye Papa…,’ I bid good bye to my father.
‘Mom…4 puri is enough..,’ I said to my mother.
‘No,..Beta..you should have 2 more na..you are a young man..how will you get enough strength,’ Mother caressed my hair.
‘Ma..thats okay..I think I should leave for classes now,’ I flipped my mobile flap to check if I’d received any text messages.I could see 1 unread message from Afreen.
‘Good morning dear 🙂 . I think I should be extremely sorry for what happened yesterday night.I know you must have been hurt badly.Even I like you,I am sorry I could not accept you.I belong to a Muslim family.In Islam,we can’t marry a non muslim guy.I’m a religious person and I have to follow it. And I can’t do anything against my family and religion. I love them and I can’t break their trust.I hope you understand and you are a nice person.Please lets be good friends,’ I read a long text from her.
‘Good Morning.Its fine. 🙂 ,’ I texted her back.
I wore my shoes and by the time I left my house,I received a phone call from an unknown number.
‘hello,’ I greeted.
‘Hallo Sir…how are you? Remember me aaa?,’ The caller said to me.I believed that I had spoken to this person before.
‘Hey I know you…your name is…….,’ I said.
‘Hahaha…Ganesh …Muthu Ganesh,’ He laughed.
‘Oh my god..Ganesh…where were you so long man.. got your teeth fixed?,’ I asked him.
‘Yes ..the doctor fixed my teeth…Now I look more smart,’ He laughed.
‘Haha…Competition for Rajni Haan..,’ I replied him.
‘No sir..Rajni is Saami…how can you compare me with him,’ He said.
‘What the hell is Saami?,’ I curiously asked him.
‘Saami means God …I called you to ask about the girl,’ He said in his typical South Indian accent.
‘Which Girl?,’ I asked him.
‘That girl… Abhran..or Abriiin something,’ He told.
‘Oh Afreen..well she broke my heart man..she hates me.She hurted me very badly and now I am nursing my broken heart,’ I said to him.
‘Ayyo Paawam!! Don’t be sad Rahul. Just think that the girl doesn’t deserves such a wonderful guy like you,’ He said. The discussion turned serious.
‘If your feelings for her was true and you really loved her,then no matter what she will come back to you very soon. True love is precious and has a special meaning.She will be back ..don’t worry,’ He added.
‘Lets see…thanks Ganesh ..I feel better talking to you,’ I smiled.
‘I wish you good luck…But I advise you to take wise decisions because this is related to your life and love is a special feeling which seldom happens,’ He said.
‘God Bless you dear 🙂 ,’ said Ganesh and hung the phone. Its true that when you meet like minded people you tend to follow them. Ganesh was a gentleman. For some reasons I admired him. He pretended to be a jester but somewhere in my heart I knew that he was a kind man. He was not preaching philosophy to me but those were true facts of life.
Days passed.Time flew. In this journey of life,I have met many people and each of them are special to me.I was busy engrossed with my assignment works . Afreen used to call me.I used to see her missed calls quite often.At one point of time ,it happened that we seldom spoke. I was feeling better without memories of Afreen.But somewhere deep in my heart I knew that I still had feelings for her. I was getting busier as days passed.I seldom used to go online and check Facebook.com and Gmail.com. Most of my time were spend in research work and assignments.I never replied to Afreen’s text message nor I entertained her calls. I didn’t want to hurt myself by talking to her.I never wanted to fall in love with her once again.Once bitten ,Twice Shy.
“When You truely care for somone,
their mistakes never change our feelings coz,
Its the mind that gets angry,
but the heart still loves !
I guess I urgently need to talk to you.Call me wn u r free” read the text message which Afreen had texted me.
I was working on the Marketing Project when I recieved her text.
“K ,” I replied her back.
Finally I got time to call her.I called her at around 9 pm.
‘Am I talking to Miss Afreen Shaikh?,’ I courteously asked.
‘Hey..what happened to you..why no texts and calls?,’ She said.
‘Don’t you know people turn busier these days? I have lots of work and deadlines kill me,’ I asserted.
‘But you promised me we both would be friends…I miss you Rahul,’ She said with a low voice.
‘k..,’ I replied.
‘Rahul…we used to talk daily before like crazy..why don’t we talk these days…I used to be glued to you,’ said Afreen.
‘Well..I told you that I am busy these days and once you told me that when either of us turn busy then we won’t feel the same way.,’ I replied her.
‘Okay fine..I have to tell you something important,’ With her voice turning low each time she spoke.
‘What is that?,’ I replied.
‘I think I love you,’ She smiled.
‘Crazy girl..how can you love me..I don’t have time for such silly things,’ I was sounding a bit rude.
‘Well seriously I love you..Now I feel like I can’t live without you,’ She said while arranging her journals.
‘I can’t Afreen…you should know that we both are online friends. We have not met each other in real and we don’t know each other’.
‘How Strange and Weird. Today you realize that we don’t each other ,haven’t met and stuff. You should have realized that before you send me an add request on Facebook. You have shown me dreams and you can’t break my heart at this point of time,’ She said.I had a feeling that she was about to cry.
‘You are a religious person dear.Moreover you can’t marry a Non Muslim guy.You love your family and you can’t break their trust.Its better we stop talking ,’ I said with a straight face.
‘What happened to you Rahul.You can’t do this to me …please understand me,’ She cried.
I never wanted to hurt her.I never wanted to show her fake dreams and betray her.She loved her parents and her siblings.Her family is her world.Her life revolves around her family.She can’t do anything against her will.Infact I didn’t want her to leave her family and come with me.She was mature enough to understand complex things in life. I just want her to understand the facts of life.
‘Why do you say all this Rahul?,’ She was weeping.
‘Honestly speaking I never loved you Afreen,’ I said.
‘The biggest lie which I ever told you was that I LOVE YOU, I’m sorry Afreen,’ Teardrops rolled down my cheeks as I said things which I didn’t meant.I had to tell her purposely so that she could concentrate on her life and move on.Again I never wanted to hurt her.There was complete silent for 2 minutes.
‘Afreen,Afreen…’ I was worried.
‘I am hating you because you’re hurting me .Good Bye Rahul Meher…Good Bye forever,’ My words angered her and she threw her cellphone out of the window..
——————–x————THE–END——–x———————————
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