The girl and her gang of friends continued pa.s.sing comments till Virat left the campus. Virat tried to avoid eye contact with anyone. He still hadn't gotten over last night's episode.

Kavya was furious but didn't say a word because she knew that Virat was hiding something. The only person she was concerned about at that point was Mahek. Her mobile phone was still switched off.

Kavya walked alongside Virat who was lost in his thoughts completely. He picked up his phone and messaged Mahek: Call me as soon as you read this message.

After walking a mile, Virat sat on a bench along the footpath. Kavya looked at him and saw tears rolling down his eyes.

'What's wrong, Virat? Are you okay?' she asked.

Virat looked at her with a guilty look on his face and told her about what had happened last night. He narrated everything that he had gone through and also confessed that though it was wrong on his part, he didn't tell anyone about it. He had no idea where she was and the last time he had talked with her was last evening. He had messaged her before sleeping but she didn't reply. Kavya was shocked hearing this and almost pulled her hair out in frustration. She was unable to understand why Virat had taken such a drastic step and ended up shattering everything.

'I seriously don't know where Mehak is and trust me, I was going to give my best performance today.

I am afraid they either did something terrible or told Mahek everything,' Virat cried.

'How could you do such a stupid thing, Virat? What was running through your mind? You had practiced so hard and it was Mehak's dream to win. You just ruined everything. She was our friend,'

Kavya said in a tone of dejection.

'Dammit! She was more than a friend to me. You know that. You know how much I loved her. Even I wanted her to win and...forget it. I know I am at fault here. I am really sorry.'

Virat kept his head on her shoulder and broke down in tears. Breaking a girl's heart is way worse than we think it to be. It destroys everything-her future relationships, her ability to love and trust someone, and her inner peace and calm. Virat felt like he had broken Mahek's heart which was meant to beat for him. He called Mahek once again but got the same response. He wanted to throw his mobile away. He couldn't quite interpret what his feelings for Mahek meant. Sometimes they were friends, sometimes they behaved like they were more than friends, and now she was behaving like a complete stranger by not even telling him where she was.

Kavya was worried about Mehak and decided to go to her house and pay her a visit. She told Virat to go back home because she didn't want to create a scene at Mahek's place. Virat let her be because he didn't want to create another mess. Kavya a.s.sured him that she will meet him at his home after sorting things out with Mahek. The worst thing in life is not losing the one you love, it's losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much. Virat felt that he was addicted to Mahek and she was the only drug that could soothe his pain.

Virat reached home and as he entered the bedroom, he recollected the moments he had spent with Mehak. He opened his laptop and scrolled through their pictures that Kavya had taken of them while practicing their dance moves these past couple of days. Unable to bear her absence any longer, he shut down his laptop and was about to fall asleep when he saw a book on the table. It was Mahek's personal diary. She had forgotten it at his place during dance practice. Virat opened it and flipped through the pages to find his name sketched on one of the pages. He froze for a moment and his heart skipped a beat. What did it mean? Did she harbor feelings for him as well? He closed his eyes and wished for Mehak's happiness although he knew that he could no longer be the reason for her happiness anymore.

He wasn't happy either, but he took out his mobile from his pocket and sent her a message: I just saw the diary in which you had written my name. You left it for me intentionally, didn't you? Was it your way of letting me know about your feelings once we were done with our performance? This, in itself, shows that we are more than just friends. I know I hurt you but trust me, it was never planned. I used to pray for us to be alone, because I know we wouldn't ever run of things to say. We're both such freaks-we could've put silly acts up for days, but you left. You didn't even think about expressing your feelings? Not even once? You should have talked with me before disappearing into thin air. We could have sorted this out. I remember sitting next to you and occasionally trying to look into your eyes. It was different. The silence in that moment filled me with a warm happiness, like I had swallowed something too hot too fast. Mehak, can't you forgive me?

Seriously, I feel like you're the pa.s.sword to my life. In your absence, I'm denied access to everything. I can neither drink nor eat.'

The message didn't reach her because her phone was switched off. He called Kavya up to ask how Mahek was doing.

'Is she at home?' Virat asked as soon as Kavya answered the call.

'Yes. She is at home but doesn't want to talk to you. She's just a bit upset,' Kavya said.

'Oh, thank G.o.d she's alright. What happened?'

'I will tell you everything once I reach your place. Don't take too much stress,' Kavya added.

Virat heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that Mehak was alright and nothing had happened to her.

At the same time, he felt heartbroken when he realized that she was avoiding him on purpose. He tried to erase the last few hours from his memory and tried to get some sleep. It's said that you feel better when you don't think about what's bothering you, but when you care too much, everything reminds you of it. Every corner of his house reminded him of Mahek and he felt suffocated by it. The way she splashed water on him, the way they danced, the way they completed their a.s.signments and so on.

Sometimes, we play with love, but when you finally realize that you want to get serious, love plays with you.

Mehak's residence 'Do you know how many times we tried calling you? How can you be so irresponsible? It was all that you had been waiting for-your dream! And you gave it all up! For what?' Kavya bombarded Mahek with a million unanswered questions.

Kavya had come visiting without informing her and found her sitting on the bed, depressed and alone. Mehak sat with a dazed-like expression on her face, choosing to not answer any of Kavya's questions.

'Will you speak up, for G.o.d's sake?!' Kavya said raising her voice.

Mehak finally broke her silence.

'I didn't feel like partic.i.p.ating today. I realized that winning a compet.i.tion is worthless when you have lost something more important in life.'

'Will you jump straight to the point?' Kavya requested. She couldn't take the suspense anymore.

'Yes, I couldn't stop thinking about it last night. The fact that I wouldn't have ever found out whether I had won because of my talent and pa.s.sion or because of Virat's false methods was reason enough for me to hold back.'

'What do you mean?' Kavya asked curiously.

'I had gone to college last night and I saw Virat in the corridor. I was about to call him but he went inside the auditorium. When I went towards the auditorium, I saw Virat talking about something to the seniors. Then I listened carefully and saw him pleading to them, begging them to let us win because he wanted to win my love and could do anything for me. I left immediately and got back home weeping. I felt bad...I felt guilty. I felt cheated upon.'

'Do you know anything about what happened later?' Kavya asked.

Mehak told her that she had left soon after and didn't know what occurred next. Kavya conveyed to her everything that had happened so far and how badly Virat had been beaten by them. She even told her that Virat practiced their dance routine alone the entire night as this victory meant more to him than it did to her.

'He loves you. I've known him for ages and I have never seen him act like this before. He has transformed into a different and a better person since meeting you. He was just afraid of losing you because he knew how important winning the compet.i.tion was to you. He didn't make any wrong deals with them and today if you both had won, it would have been because of your mere talent and nothing else. Why the h.e.l.l would you back out? Why? Was it so easy for you, Mehak? We had dreamt of winning this together,' Kavya shouted.

'No, it wasn't easy. And I wasn't aware of the fact that they hurt Virat. I just didn't want to win the compet.i.tion by sacrificing Virat's self-respect. I thought that winning that compet.i.tion would inevitably make Virat look weak in front of those seniors; his self-respect was at stake. I can't see him lose his dignity in front of anyone just because of me. I know that he is very strong, mentally, but I felt like I'm the one who pressurized him and made it so hard for him. I constantly asked him whether we could perform to the best of our abilities or not. No Kavya, I didn't want to win by losing my way in life. His dignity and his self-respect mean much more to me than my dreams.'

Kavya was speechless and just stared at her without blinking.

'Do you mean....you...love...?' she stammered.

'Yes, I do. I've loved him ever since the very first day I met him!'

'Why did you never tell me about it?' Kavya asked in curiosity.

'Because earlier I thought that you two loved each other. You used to be together all the time and I thought that I might end up spoiling your relationship. So I never confessed my love for him. I realized it later when you and I became friends, and I planned on telling him everything today. But things didn't go as planned.'

'Everything will be fine. Just leave it to me.' Kavya had a big smile on her face and hugged her.

She left Mehak's home and called Virat, asking him to meet her at Aroma's. He requested her to tell him why, but Kavya didn't disclose anything and told him to reach there in the next couple of hours.

Before leaving Mehak's place, Kavya had planned something with her, and had a surprise waiting for Virat who desperately wanted to know about Mehak. He had lost all hope, but he still loved her. Little did he know that even she loved him.

You can pick your friends, but you don't pick who you fall in love with. Such things are beyond control. Though Mehak had lost the compet.i.tion, she was going to win her man's love. They both loved each other but had never expressed their feelings. Love is not about desire or wanting the person you love, it's about finding that person to be irresistibly desirable.

'Where are you, Kavya? I've been waiting here for an hour. Do you mind telling me what's going on?'

Virat screamed.

Virat had been waiting for Kavya at Aroma's cafe since the past one hour but Kavya was ignoring him by disconnecting his calls and not replying to his messages. Finally, she called him up.

'I am not coming. Go back home. I will meet you later,' Kavya stated.

'What the f.u.c.k do you mean by that? Are you nuts?' Virat shouted.

Everyone in the cafe started staring at him. He disconnected the call and left the place. He tried to not think about Mehak too much; he tried to let go. But this was easier said than done. She was on his mind 24/7. Disheartened, he reached his apartment. He fished out the key from his pocket and unlocked the door. Little did he know that the shock of his life awaited him behind the door.

The lights had been dimmed and all the curtains shut. There were ribbons hanging from the walls and the room was filled with red and silver heart-shaped balloons. As he took a deep breath, Virat sniffed the aroma of scented candles that had been lit at different places in the room. Rose petals were scattered on the floor. Since it was still quite dark, it was difficult to make out if someone else was present in the room or not. His phone beeped and he read Kavya's text.

It's your day darling. This is what you've always wanted and here it is. Live the moment. I hope you like the arrangement and the decorations. I also hope that you will understand why I asked you to meet me at the coffee shop. That's the advantage of having a spare set of keys to your house. My party is due. I am not going to spare you. I will meet you tomorrow; today you should focus on your love life. Happy Valentine's Day. I know it's not Valentine's, but for you it might turn out to be one. Love you, my dumbo. Don't forget to kiss her. Lol. Bye.

Virat looked around to see if he could spot someone. There was a picture frame mounted on one of the walls. He moved closer to see the frame. It was a picture of Mehak with her arms around him, practicing one of their dance moves. They were looking into each other's eyes, as if deeply in love.

There were a few more pictures of them that had been put up on the wall. Right next to the photo frame was a note.

One look at it and he knew it was Mahek's handwriting. Life becomes romantic when our eyes start looking at someone silently, but it turns more romantic when that someone starts reading those eyes silently.

Virat's heartbeats increased as he walked slowly towards his bedroom. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing. He felt as if he was watching a dream and someone would soon spill the water on him and wake him up. But it was all real. Just a few minutes back he had thought that he had lost his love forever, but here she was, waiting in the room for him. Virat opened the door and saw that even the bedroom had been decorated in a similar manner. There were candles and red-silver balloons everywhere. As he opened the door, a song started playing.

Sathiya...yeh tune kya kiya...Beliya ye tune kya kiya...

Maine kiya tera intazar...Maine kiya hai tumse pyaar.

And there she was-standing beside the stereo in her little blue dress. Mahek looked at him and smiled a shy smile as he entered the room. Virat was spellbound and his eyes popped out the way they do in comic films. Mahek looked ravishing-the dress clung to her like second skin and her hair blew softly in the air. Her eyes looked like the epitome of innocence and as she looked at him, he could not help but fall in love with her all over again. Her sensual, glossy lips glittered like stars in the night sky.

Before Virat could say anything, she spoke in her mesmerizing voice, 'Can I have a dance with you?' Virat was left gaping at her. There was no way he was going to deny himself this opportunity. He took her hand in his and swirled her around.

Itni mohabbat seh na sakunga, sach maano zinda reh na sakunga, Tujhko sambhaalu, ye mera jimma, mai hu toh kya hai jaane tamanna...

Ab jina marna mera, jaanam tere haath hai.

Toh phir sambhal...le me chalaa...

Jana kaha...aa dil me aa!

Hand in hand, their feet moved in rhythm to the music as he held her firmly by her waist. They were standing so close to each other that they could inhale each other's breath. They kept dancing for the next few minutes without speaking a word.

'Virat, I want to tell you something,' said Mahek finally breaking the silence.

'Yeah?'

'Are you sure?'

'About what?' He knew the much awaited moment had arrived finally.

Mahek came closer and whispered something in his ear.

'Virat...I wanted to tell you that...I...I love... I love how we can just look at each other and smile.'

'That's it?' Virat asked.

'And...I love you.'

Virat kissed both her eyes and gently tucked behind her ear the lose strand of hair that fell on her forehead. He finally spoke, 'When I met you, I found you were an absolute sweetheart. But you are more than that. When I first started talking to you, I found you were a darling. But you are more than that. When I started to discuss my problems with you, I found you were super cute. But you are more than that. Everything that I had a.s.sumed about you was wrong, but one thing was right...you are my sweet baby and I love you for exactly who you are. Your presence has added value to my life and I hope it continues like this forever. I love you too.'

It was a special day for both of them. It was one of those moments that get etched in your memory for a lifetime. The looked into each other's eyes for one more time before their lips met. His arms enveloped her into a hug. If anything could make her feel safe, it was a hug from him. She broke the kiss as quickly as it began. He leaned forward, again, as though he was seeking her approval and this time she too leaned closer and kissed him pa.s.sionately. Everything else seemed inconsequential in that moment. It was a moment they would treasure all their lives. That kiss was to be the start of a beautiful relationship.

Were We Never Meant to Be?

Relationships are strange and undefinable. No matter what name you give them, it all comes down to one thing: trust. But the funny thing is, even if you trust each other the most, if you're not meant to be together, you won't be. Even though Virat and Mehak had been going to the same college for over a year, they never noticed each other before, though their paths met time and again. Look at them now- together, in a relationship, in love.

Many a times we know in our hearts what's true and what's not. But for some people, when the truth is finally spoken, it brings happiness into their lives, and for some it is hard to digest the truth. When Mehak told Virat that she loved him, he was beyond delighted. But on the other hand, when Zoya spoke the truth, it completely shattered Rohan.

'You know that you won't ever be happy with the decision you're making, so why are you doing this to yourself?' asked Rohan trying to convince Zoya but nothing worked.

Zoya had called him to meet her one last time before they parted ways. The time they had spent together had been one of the most fulfilling experiences of her life and she wanted to end things on a good note. She respected him and didn't want to see him get hurt.

'Rohan, please understand that we can't be together. Just always remember that someone somewhere is happy knowing that you are happy. Plus, there is someone better waiting for you out there. Someone who will give you more love than I could ever. So always smile and I will pray to G.o.d that you may achieve all your dreams,' Zoya said, holding his hand firmly.

'How can I be happy without you? I love you,' he cried.

'You have to be. If you want me to be happy, then you have to do this for me.'

Rohan didn't show any reaction and kept looking at her. Zoya was feeling equally bad, but she had no other option left. She had to sacrifice her happiness, else it would destroy his. She kissed him on his cheeks for the last time and somehow managed to make him smile.

'Promise me something,' she said.

Rohan looked at her with a quizzical expression.

'Promise me, you will never keep anything hidden from me-like when you find another girl to love.'

'Shut up,' he said in annoyance. 'I don't think I'm capable of loving anyone else but you.'

'Ok, should I look for someone for you instead? What kind of a girl do you like?'

'Like you don't know.'

'Listen, find a girlfriend who loves you, and don't just go by her appearance. Looks will die with time. She should be able to take care of you in your hard times and understand your needs. Got it?'

She tried hard to get his mind off the breakup, but the fact was, whatever she said made perfect sense.

Though Rohan's logical mind knew it, his heart was not willing to accept the truth. They hugged for the last time, smiled, and parted ways. There are some things we don't want to acknowledge but we have to accept them anyway. There are people who we can't live without but we have to sometimes let them go.

People say actions speak louder than words, but sometimes it's the words that hurt the most. Actions are easy to ignore, but words. .h.i.t you right where it hurts. Zoya's words had disturbed Rohan completely and the feeling of hopelessness engulfed him. As each day pa.s.sed, he turned into more of a loner and avoided sharing his feelings with anyone. It was only Riddhima who consoled him and stood by him in those bad times. Keeping her own feelings for him aside, she helped him recover from the breakup.

Sometimes, he shared his agony with me too.

'Why is it that the people you care about the most end up making you feel so meaningless?' Rohan asked me during one of our midnight chat sessions on the phone.

'Rohan, get over it. There's no point living in the past. Zoya is your past now. You need to understand she can't be in your life anymore. Instead of remembering the pain she gave you, you should be happy with all the memories you built with her,' I said trying to make him understand.

'I know, Adi. I agree with you. But sometimes it feels like I don't deserve true love in my life. I don't deserve happiness like the rest. Why do bad things have to happen to me every time? Why?'