Neha was super excited about her trip to her dad's village during her long vacation. She had planned to play in rain and mud, go to forest with her grand mom and pick some tasty fruits so that when she returns to her school she would tell her friends about all this. Above all, she will be going to class V this year with new uniform, books and bag etc. The moment she reached the village she found open place to run and play around with many children of her age. Amongst them there was a small boy named Harsh of class V who had come just like Neha to his Grandma's place. Both of played together and became very good friends within a week. For next 1 month they were companions to each other and thoroughly enjoyed their stay and play together. At the end of their vacation they bid farewell and left to their respective places to start with their school.
Years passed, and each vacation they made sure they would come to the village and spent a lovely vacation playing in water, forest etc. They were inseparable friends when they finished their 10th std and once they completed their 12th their relation had taken a next step. They were much more than friends now and thought of getting married once they were settled in life. This was not a secret to their parents and they had happily agreed for this young relation.
Their relation matured as they grew, they loved talking to each other, sharing things with each other, boosting up each other’s confidence over phone. They never felt they were 300 miles far away from each other. They were doing very well academically and after 12th, Harsh cleared his NDA exam and joined National Defence Academy with an aim of being a Fighter pilot one day. Neha's happiness had no boundaries.
Meanwhile, Neha was all set to pursue her dream in Law and she got admission in a reputed institution. Both got busy in their studies and dream but never went short of time to talk to each other. They spoke for hours whenever they got time and discussed their ups and down. Years went on and they were 23 years with Neha working under a famous lawyer as an intern and Harsh a trained Indian Air Force pilot.
One day, when Neha was busy studying a case which had a hearing next day in the court, a guy named Ankit joined to work just like her under the same lawyer. He was very talented, smart and to add on he was also a rank holder in law. These both were instructed to work together on all the cases going further. All the praises which Neha used to receive for her work from her boss had now turned to Ankit. They never got along at work and their colleagues felt the discomfort between the two each day. Ankit never knew why Neha disliked him so much but never bothered to entertain her. They were mere colleagues and no personal talks ever came in between them.
After 2 months of very tight schedule work, all of them too stressed out with their work decided to speak to their boss for an outing. Boss was too happy to give them permission for 2 days and he decided to join his team of 7 people during outing. Neha who was already irritated with Ankit, didn’t want to join them and she decided to stay far away from him. But she didn’t have an option to say no when her boss insisted her to join and finally she decided to join them for outing to Goa.
On the decided day they left their place and reached Goa early morning. Since it was November, the weather was too perfect for the team to relax. They found relief when they reached their room and they got freshened up and got back together for breakfast and started to visit historical places in Goa. In the evening, they all reached a famous beach to play in water. Neha who didn’t like to play in water sat on the shore but her friends forced her to come into the water with them. Meanwhile Ankit was also having nice time with them in water but was amazed to see Neha getting uncomfortable in his presence even there. All of a sudden Neha felt her eyes blanked out and she fell in water and a ready wave almost took her away. Ankit saw this and brought Neha to the shore who was unconscious. She soon became fine when she received first aid.
All of them played in water and continued their laughter once Neha became alright. She spoke to Harsh and told about the incident and told how Ankit saved her life. She was feeling guilty the way she had behaved with Ankit until that day. After dinner all of them went to their rooms to take rest as they had to go out again the next day. Neha came out of her room as she was very uncomfortable about the days’ incident and was not able to sleep. She was staring at the stars and then she heard a door opening from another room to find Ankit coming towards her. For the first time, she gave a hearty smile to him and spoke for long hours.
There was a lot of difference in the behaviour of Neha soon after she came back from Goa. She was now comfortable working with Ankit , they researched together on various cases that were assigned to them. Even Harsh was happy that his fiancé is happy at her work place. Days went on with Neha and Ankit going out for coffee breaks and lunch together. They spend lot of time together and won each of the legal cases that fought for. But something in Neha’s heart was hurting. She knew she is attracted to Ankit but she couldn’t tell Ankit about her committed relationship.
She got tensed day by day and her face started turning pale, so her mother warned her not to take tensions about her work and just visit a doctor. But Neha who was emotionally fighting within her didn’t bother to take care of herself and she decided to tell Ankit about Harsh and how happy she and her family are with their relationship. So she went to Ankit and asked him to join for coffee at 3 pm as she said she wanted to tell something important. Ankit was very excited hearing it and he was very sure that she would propose him today, so he completed his work by 2.45pm and got set to go out with her.
Neha didn’t say a word as they walked towards the coffee shop. Ankit looked at her and he sensed that Neha looked very tensed and dull with dark circles around her eyes. Before Neha could open her mouth, he kept his hand on her hand. She felt as if her mouth went numb and she just didn’t want his hand to move away from her forever. She didn’t say a word and tried to run away from that place. She felt her head heavy and without saying much she asked Ankit to drop her to her home.
The next day Ankit was surprised not to find Neha at her place. He had thought of telling her how much he loved her and that he wanted to marry her. But he was disappointed not to find her at office. He tried reaching her phone but no luck worked. He thought of giving her time and waited patiently for her return. He was shocked when his boss came after 2 days to tell him that Neha has resigned from work without any notice. She had not justified in the letter which she had sent. Ankit sensed that something had gone wrong and he straight went to her house. But when he reached her house he found it locked. He went back disappointed. He was really angry on her as she had not informed him about her whereabouts. He went again to her house the next week. 5 days later he again went to her house. When he was about to reach her house, he found another guy standing near her house door. Before Ankit could ring the bell, Harsh recognised him and he introduced himself to Ankit. Harsh had come down from his work place as he had not heard from Neha from many days and was not responding to his calls. Ankit was shocked to hear that Harsh was Neha’s childhood love and even Harsh couldn’t take the fact that Neha and Ankit were going around from many days. They both were fuming with anger on Neha and they were relaxed to find that door was unlocked this time. They both rang the bell and a Neha’ mother opened the door.
Neha’s mom found the tensions in both their eyes but she warmly invited them inside. She made them sit and when they were about to ask about Neha, they found their love Neha’s picture full of smiles on the wall but with garland of flowers. Both were shocked completely and didn’t realise what they were seeing there. They immediately saw towards Neha’s mom who was crying. She went inside and gave them a letter which was written by Neha. They opened anxiously and read.
Dear Harsh and Ankit,
I know, before you both would have reached I wouldn’t be alive and I am extremely sorry for not informing you both about my departure. I was not sure what was going on in my heart. I was confused and I didn’t know what I wanted. Harsh, I understood the best friendship from you and the warmth that friendship brings and Ankit I understood how it feels to be in love. But my heart couldn’t find a way out. I wanted to tell the truth but I couldn’t hurt both of you. And then, God showed me a way. I visited doctor few days back for my headache and he said that I was in terminal stage of Brain tumour and I didn’t have many days left with me. So, due to my insistence my parents took me to my ancestral village where I wished to take my last breathe. Thanks Ankit and Harsh for making me a part of your life. Please forgive me and wishing you a beautiful life ahead.
Truly grateful,
Neha
Source: Mail
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