It has never been easy for a girl to choose between two boys. Ruchi too, was stuck between Anuj and Harshit. Read the new love triangle and find out who is going to be her Prince charming.
Soon after the coaching class concluded, I gathered my satchel and ducked speedily out and moved my steps fast towards my sweet home. I didn’t want to be alone for long. An empty mind is said to be the devil’s house. The memories of Anuj started striking back. I started shaking like a leaf and shivered with anger. Two large drops fell off my eyes. I hastened my footsteps. Still half of the distance was left to cover. The beep of my mobile attracted my attention. A message flashed from an unknown number. Rolling a stray lock of hair behind my ears, I read the message.
“Hi Prachi…This is_A_S_I_. My roll number was 17. Let’s see if you can identify me or not.” My eyes flared in surprise after reading it. I was shocked to get this unpredicted text at this unexpected time. I could clearly guess who he was. I smiled nervously and replied back, “Harshit!!!” He messaged me back conforming it to be right.
I never hoped for this to happen. The only memory of him from school was of 9th standard. Once there was a computer practical exam. The students were being called inside the lab for the exam five at a time. I was sitting in the classroom with the rest of the students and was waiting for my turn to come. Samita was sitting in the back row behind me and Harshit was sitting behind her. I was busy looking at my notes and then Samita tapped my shoulder. I turned back. She had some doubts regarding a program. I needed a pen to write and explain to her but neither of us had a pen. She leaned back and snatched the pen from Harshit’s blazer without even asking him. He gave her a very dirty look. I could bet if he had been given a dagger at that very moment, he would’ve dragged it inside her. He hardly talked to girls. Either he was too shy or he hated girls.
It had been almost a year passing out from school and today all of a sudden, Harshit’s message shocked me. His message came again asking me how I was and which stream I had taken. I replied him, “science” and then, when I asked the same question to him, I couldn’t believe he had taken science too. I messaged him, “I thought you’d taken arts.” His message came, “why did you feel that I’d take arts.” I couldn’t understand why he said like that. I replied, “You were good in geography. That’s why I guessed.”
And then his messages started coming almost daily. He used to call me, “Miss Prachi.” It really sounded cute. He too, like me was doing his studies from correspondence school and had joined coaching for the preparation of IIT. The only difference was that I was in Patna at that time and he had gone to Banaras for preparation. Now we started texting each other daily. Whenever he was low I used to send him lots of jokes which made him really happy.
One day while returning from coaching, my mobile fell down and its screen cracked. We didn’t text for many days. It had been almost a month and then one day while I was sulking and brooding in my thoughts, Anuj’s memory flashed back. I huddled against my bed more firmly. I was on the brim of weeping. I tried focusing on other good things that had happened in my life. And then Harshit’s face swam in front of me. I thought, “he might have texted me and he’d be sad after not getting my messages.” We never talked on the phone so he did not know the reason. I felt the urge of talking to him. I had no reasons for this. I went out of my room and took my Dad’s phone and called Rishabh, my close friend. Rishabh had Harshit’s phone number. I took his number from Rishabh and texted him and explained him about my screen problem. And then he replied, “I messaged you a lot and I thought you might have forgotten about me.” I said no and at that moment, an aura of guilt surrounded me. We started chatting from my Dad’s mobile. Every time after texting him I erased the messages. We started knowing each other more. Meanwhile my phone got repaired.
I was still not able to forget Anuj. Every time it felt like he would return back to me. I got committed to Anuj during the end of 11th class. It all started from March and then Anuj gave me the elbow and broke up with me in May. Even though our relation was of 3 months, I had divulged myself completely into it and I couldn’t take the break-up thing. I was completely broken. I was at the low ebb for several months. For so many days, I cooped up myself in my room for hours and wept. He came into my memory every now and then. I still couldn’t understand why he left me. Did he leave me because of his parents’ pressure or someone else had entered his life. I had loved him madly. I had lost all my standpoint, self-respect, self-esteem for him. And what did I get in return? Affliction, agony and anger? Maybe he moved on, but I… I was still stuck at that door of which on one side, I was standing and on the other side, he was standing looking away from me and leaving. “Harshit seems to be a nice person. Still, I know nothing about him,” I murmured. I didn’t want to think and hope anything from him. It was better for me to treat Harshit as my friend only. A friend whose thinking was like me and whom I loved talking to.
On 6th December, 2010, on the eve of Muharram, Harshit gave me the first hint that he liked me. He kept on saying that he wanted to say something serious but he didn’t confess. I asked him for days but he never admitted. This went on till the end of December. I was still in love with Anuj. I was damn sure that he would return to me soon after the board exams got over.
Soon a year passed and boards came near. Talking to Harshit became a part of my everyday routine. Now Harshit used to tell me every single bit of his day-to-day life story. The admit card of IIT entrance exam reached my home. Luckily both of us had the same exam centre. By the time board exams finished I had realized that Anuj won’t come back. It was time to move on. I couldn’t maul myself anymore.
Today was IIT entrance exam, the dream of every engineering aspirant. But I was more excited to meet Harshit. I woke up early and after taking bath, spent the rest of the time in front of the mirror. I wanted to look beautiful and perfect. I tried all kinds of hairstyles but finally I wrapped up keeping it tied in a ponytail. I wore the best dress I had. I dolled up in a blue top with a white denim and a pair of strappy heels. When my mother saw me, she gave a satirical look and said, “You aren’t going to attend any party, you are going to face a career exam.” It was my cousin sister who made my day and said, “Sis is looking marvellous today.”
Harshit and I met at the entrance gate of the exam center. He gazed at me. I stared up at him. We both smiled looking at each other. As I went closer, my heartbeat pounded fast and my face blushed. “Hi”, he smiled, exhibiting his perfect white teeth. I waved my hand and greeted him. A broad smile touched my lips. He was looking damn handsome in white shirt and black jeans. He hadn’t changed a bit. The only difference, was his snowy white face had developed facial hair. It made him look cuter. He had his dark black hair unruly combed. I inwardly sighed and tucked one of the escaped tendrils of hair behind my ears, looking at him. He smiled pleasantly at me. I decided to initiate the talk or else we would stand still, looking at each other. I knew very well that Harshit was very shy. We talked for a bit till the time the paper got started. We wished each other luck and went to our rooms to take the exam.
Harshit liked Mountain Dew a lot. I had brought a bottle of it and extra lunch for him. I told him to meet in the break and we’ll have lunch together. But he behaved very badly. I tried calling him several times to come and sit together and have lunch but he didn’t listen. Appalled and shocked at his behavior, I went in search of him. He was sitting in one corner of the canteen. I went near him and frowning and glaring, scolded him. Looking at me passionately and innocently, he said, “I was feeling awkward in the crowd.” I couldn’t understand what an excuse was that? There were only students in the campus and everyone was discussing about the paper and having lunch with their friends. He asked me how the paper went. I answered him angrily and soon came back to my room, giving him an excuse of revising the notes for the second paper. After the second paper finished, I left the campus without meeting him. I was still frustrated by his act. In the night his message came. He had realized his mistake. He wrote, “Hey, Prachi, I know you are angry with me. I was a little scared that the students would make fun of us if they found sitting us together for lunch. I know I was wrong. I brought Dairy Milk for you but I couldn’t find you after the paper. I am really sorry.” I was happy at least he realized his mistakes. I fought for a little time with him but later on everything was fine.
Now we talked more often. He would tell me the stories of all the places he went to give exams. He would tell about those funny people he met while travelling in the train. Now I kind of started liking him. I started thinking about him. One day casually, I messaged him not to call me Prachi. I hated this name and I had officially changed it from Prachi to Ruchi after 10th class. I had told all my friends to call me Ruchi but every time they committed this mistake, I had to remind them again and again. I hadn’t told Harshit. That day I told him and from that day onwards he always called me Ruchi. I really fell in love with this sweet gesture of him. Soon June arrived. I had to leave for Delhi to take admission in BSc course in Delhi University. I was sad that I couldn’t meet him before leaving. I was so bad at learning the dates of history but very few happy moments of my life got imprinted in my mind with their exact time. It was 29th June, 2011. Harshit’s message came, “Ruchi, I have come to Kota. Dad didn’t allow me to take a new phone number here. He wants me to talk to him from roaming SIM. Everything is good but the important thing is that I would miss talking to you. I have really started liking you.” I understood that he finally decided to continue for another year and prepare for competition. I felt like weeping after reading his message. I was confused what to reply. Should I confess that I had developed strong feelings for him too? Rather, I chose to reply with a formal message, “Don’t worry Harshit, we’ll talk every day.” I sprawled across the bed and kept on thinking about him the whole night. I couldn’t decide anything. Maybe my failure with my first relationship frightened me. I fell asleep.
Harshit used to text me one message every day from his roaming number, telling me what had happened that particular day. The best part was that I used to eagerly wait for his messages every day. His favorite word was hopeless. He would write like this, “it’s a very hopeless place and the math teacher is really a hopeless guy.” Not a single day would be gone when his messages would not contain the word hopeless. So, I decided to change his name to ‘hopeless’ in my contacts. Every time he messaged me, my mobile flashed, “message from hopeless.” A smile would flourish on my face and I giggled ecstatically after reading his messages. He would discuss everything with me. It made me feel special. He would tell me when his coaching holiday list arrived. He would tell me what and where he went to eat anything special. He would tell me about different places he explored. Soon a year passed and he had to appear for different entrance exams again. After studying for a year in Kota he seemed to be very enthusiastic and was full of confidence to score good marks in JEE.
I started thinking more about him now. Ronit was my childhood friend. I used to discuss every matter with him. I thought to let him know about Harshit. Ronit had supported me a lot after my break-up with Anuj. It was Ronit and his girlfriend Snigdha who was my best friend too, who would constantly advise me. Ronit would call me every day and would try making me laugh with his silly jokes. Snigdha would sit beside me for hours. He suggested that I should judge him once on the basis of what I thought about him.
I, Rishabh, Anuj, Snigdha and Harshit had passed 10th from the same school. Anuj and I used to talk in the school a lot. We even sat together but only as friends. But there was never anything serious between us. Anuj and I went into relationship in 11th class. And it didn’t go for long. Harshit had no idea about it. He used to tease me by taking Anuj’s name jokingly. I never told Harshit that I actually used to be in a relationship with Anuj. Every time he teased, it brought back all those memories. But I ignored them.
Now I started feeling like I couldn’t live without Harshit. But before telling this I needed to tell him about my past relationship with Anuj. I didn’t want to hide anything. One day, I told him everything, how he proposed to me and how he broke-up with me. How I went into depression and how much time it took me to come over it and it was Harshit without whom it couldn’t have been possible. Then I waited for his reply. I couldn’t believe what he replied. I read his message over and over again. “I will never ever tease you by taking Anuj’s name.” I never expected this as his reply. How could he be so sweet! I kept on reading his message smiling amiably at it.
I told to Snigdha and Ronit about it. They both were happy for me. Both of them praised about Harshit a lot and put very good words for him. That day Ronit forced me to ask Harshit how much I meant in his life. And I asked this question to him in the evening. Initially he refused to answer and tried to change the topic. But after I forced him a lot he answered. His answer was really heart touching. He said, “I can’t live without talking to you.” I too replied the same. I thought that he might propose to me but nothing of that sort happened. I couldn’t propose to him, I was still scared a little.Harshit, now was done with his exams. He came back to Patna and was waiting for the results. His JEE paper went superb and he was expecting for the good news. I too wanted to go to Patna and meet him but my first year exams were going on.
One evening, he texted me, “There’s a girl in my batch. From the very first day I used to like her. Guess what, I proposed to her today and she accepted too. She feels the same about me.” Holy crap! I couldn’t understand what to say now. I was shocked. I was dreaming to make him my boyfriend. I felt sad and threw my mobile apart and crashed on the bed recklessly. Snigdha too, got very angry after hearing this. She said, “If he had feelings for someone else then why was he talking and wasting his time with you. These boys know only to play with the emotions of ours.” Snigdha called Ronit and told him everything. At night, Ronit called me. He too, became upset with what Harshit told.
I felt like I had been cheated. Harshit messaged me daily but I had lost interest in replying to his texts.
I wallowed on the sofa, whining at my destiny. I felt offended and was sulking. ‘Call from an unknown number’ flashed on my mobile screen which wasn’t actually unknown for me. I had deleted Anuj’s number from my phone contacts but it was impossible to erase it from my memory. “Oh”, I frowned. It made me nostalgic for the time. A sad expression surrounded my round face, mingled with anger and hatred. I didn’t receive the call. It started ringing for the second time. I needed answers to an unsolved mystery. I received the phone. It was Anuj on the other line. I remained quiet. I wanted to know what made him call me today. He was very delighted. He had secured a good rank in JEE. He spluttered, “Ruchi, you don’t know how much I missed you every single day. But now, no one can separate us. Now, I can stand up for you. I can fight for you with my parents. I have given them what they wished, the name and the fame. It’s my time to decide what I want. I want you Ruchi. I missed your touch, your innocence, your love. I know I need to give you a serious apology, I’ll call you tonight. But right now I have to go. There’s a party in my house. I wished you were here. I just wanted to let you know how much I love you and you deserved to hear my success first.” And the one sided conversation ended. Why did I keep quiet? How could I get mollified? My faced turned melancholy. I scanned the entire room looking pensively and then sat down on the bed holding my head. I wanted to ask a question to all the boys, “Did they really enjoy inflicting pain to us.” Suddenly I found the whole situation very hysterical. But I neither cried nor laughed. The best thing was the temporary death. My mind needed some rest. Soon I felt asleep.
“You little sleepyhead, wake up,” my roomie brought me again to the world full of cactuses. I squinted and checked my mobile. It had three missed calls from Anuj. I nervously went to the washroom, still feeling drowsy. I gaped in the mirror to see my expression. I was looking gloomy and sober. I washed my face and came back to my room. My mobile was tinkling again. I finally received his call. Anuj started wheezing and weeping on the phone. I had decided to scold him but I simmered down. I knew him very well. He was cool, intelligent and a self-esteemed guy. He seldom wept. If he had drops in his eyes, he was genuinely sorry. I calmed him down and finally he stopped the hail storm. I couldn’t see him in this condition. I concealed my anger and behaved nice. He had a train for Delhi the next evening. He wanted to meet me. “Sure,” I assured him.
Was I seriously cursed? Was I acting blunder with my life? I was completely shaken head over heels. Irrelevant thoughts started hitting my mind. Two fat tears squeezed out of the edges of my eyes. I couldn’t understand what to do now. I couldn’t decide to be happy or sad. My life had become a roller coaster ride. On one hand I had strong feelings for Harshit but he loved someone else, on the other Anuj wanted to come back in my life. I never had the desire to get a prince charming or a knight in shining armor. Why a girl has to suffer between two guys? I hastily returned from my thoughts. The more I would think high the more I would sink low. I didn’t want to inflict my misery to Snigdha and Ronit. I left myself to the will of God.
Anuj had reached Delhi and after taking admission in Delhi College of Engineering, he wanted to meet me. As I wasn’t allowed to leave my P.G. after 8:00 pm, I told him to come early. We met at the Community Center in New Friends Colony at 3:00 in the evening. Everything was happening very fast. I didn’t have a second for second thought. I dolled up myself into a light pink shirt and denims. I wore my dark hair loose and sleek. Anuj wore black jeans and a printed shirt. He looked quite charged up. He commented, “You are looking absolutely amazing.” I smiled my ecstatic smile. Wiping sweat off his forehead, Anuj handed me over those beautiful flowers he had brought for me. He knew exactly how to relent my heart. Tucking the escaped strand of hair behind my ear, I took those flowers. We sat down crossing each other on one corner. Anuj ordered for some food. As always Anuj initiated the talk. Every now and then he told how much he missed me. I kept on staring him and twiddling, twisting and twirling my hair with my fingers. Meanwhile Snigdha had called me back to back thrice. Anuj too had noticed. He suggested me to receive the call. Snigdha asked, “Ruchi, I have a surprise for you. Where are you now?” I replied, “I’ve had enough surprises. I don’t want any more. Spill it out.” “Baby, what happened? Why you are so low. Tell me what happened?”
“I am good. Don’t worry about me. You were telling me about...”
“If I’ll reveal about the surprise, then how can a surprise remain a surprise?”
“Are you going to say or I should disconnect the line?” I let my voice dwindle.
“You are a bitch! Guess what… Ronit is in Delhi today…”
I interfered. “What? When? I mean…when did Ronit arrive here and are you with him right now?” I excitedly asked. My voice was loud enough to seek the attention of the people sitting nearby.
“He arrived today in the morning, and yeah he is with me. You tell me, where are you?”
“Snigdha… I am busy with…” Before I could finish my unfinished sentence, Anuj interrupted. “Ruchi, tell them to come here. It’s been too long. I too want to meet them.” Anuj was right. Snigdha still was unaware of Anuj’s comeback. Both of them would get surprised to see Anuj sitting with me.
We chatted for the next half an hour. It was Anuj who spoke more. I saw Snigdha and Ronit approaching towards us. Anuj still couldn’t see them as he was sitting facing me. Snigdha and Ronit stopped just behind Anuj’s seat. But there was someone behind them. I couldn’t clearly see the face. The mystery guy stepped forward. And then the three of them chorused, “Surprise!!!” Anuj turned back in the direction of sound. My body froze as if I had seen a snake. He was delighted to see the three smiling faces, Snigdha, Ronit and Harshit. The smiling faces didn’t smile for long. I knew what they were thinking after finding Anuj with me. My surprise plan to surprise them backfired. Now, I understood what actually Snigdha’s surprise was. It was all about Harshit. But what was he doing here? How did the three of them meet? Unaware of anything, Anuj greeted them warmly and happily requested them to join us. My eyes kept on changing its angle from Anuj to Harshit. At this point of time, I couldn’t ask Snigdha and Ronit too. I knew what both of them would be thinking now. They must be feeling cheated. I hid Anuj’s arrival in my life again from them. Despite Anuj’s persistence to wait for a little extra time, the three of them left us soon within half an hour after formal discussion. For that time period my eyes were staring down on the floor cowardly and my face had withered. I was driving crazy. I was totally freaking out watching both Anuj and Harshit sitting together.
As soon as Anuj dropped me off on the auto rickshaw, I called Snigdha. She had already texted me to come directly to the P.G. I told her that I was on my way. Soon, the auto buzzed off and I was standing near the entrance gate. I found Snigdha and Ronit sitting on the couch of the guest room. Both of them stood up and gawped at me angrily. I gestured them not to freak out, I would explain everything. Now I narrated the entire missing part to both of them. It was their turn to answer my questions.
“Do you really want to know why Harshit was here? You silly… you fool… he was here to meet you… to propose to you…” Snigdha frowned.
“But he already proposed someone else….”
Ronit interfered, “He lied to you Ruchi. That day in the evening after talking to you, he called Snigdha and told about his plan. He wanted to give you a surprise. He wanted to propose you face-to-face.Coincidently, I was to come to Delhi at this time so he talked to me and the three of us planned to give the surprise and make it very special.”
As soon as I heard this, I fell down on the couch, covering my mouth with my hand. I put both of my hands over my head and my eyes were down on the floor. I was quivering. Gravity did the rest of the work. Big drops started falling from my flawless eyes. Snigdha and Ronit came closer and started consoling me. He advised me to think and decide what was best for me.
I laid down on the bed and kept on thinking for the rest of the night.Whom to choose… Anuj or Harshit? I was going nuts right now. I kept on scribbling both of their names on my copy. My eyes would stare on Anuj’s name for a while and then on Harshit’s name. I felt like both of their eyes were staring at me.
Snigdha’s phone call woke me up. It was morning. “What are you doing?” she enquired.
“I’m lying on the bed…brooding…inflicting misery to myself...and what else I can do…”
“Stop wallowing and whining. I don’t want you to persecute any more but you need to know this. Harshit is leaving tonight for Jaipur. He had to take admission in LNMIIT, Jaipur. So decide whatever is best for you but be a little fast.”
I couldn’t go to college today. Anuj too, was leaving for Patna tonight. His train too was departing from New Delhi Junction. I kept on thinking and sulking the whole day. Time was ticking fast.
I needed to clear everything for the last time. My roommate had a key of the main gate. The warden trusted her and had given the key for emergencies. She let me out of the gate. I took an auto-rickshaw for Lajpat Nagar Metro Station. I took a ticket for Rajiv Chowk. The Metro was almost empty at 9:30pm. I started getting goose bumps. There was a scary hoodie guy sitting with me and the entire compartment was empty. Beads of sweat started encroaching on my fair forehead. As soon after I reached Rajiv Chowk, I heaved a sigh of relief. From there I took a rickshaw for New Delhi Junction. My heart and mind were still confused. Both of them were there on different platforms, waiting for their respective trains to arrive. I put each of my steps with caress on the steps. Breathing heavily, I dialed Anuj’s number and asked where he was. His train had arrived. I knew this was best for me. My heart started beating faster, while moving towards the A.C. coach where Anuj was standing with his luggage. Finally I was standing beside him. He smiled looking at me. I too had to smile back. My voice muffled but I had to tell him. Finally, gaining all the strength, I spoke, “Anuj, there is something I urgently need to tell you. You left me in the middle of nowhere and you have no idea what I went through. You were my first love and you’ll have a special place my heart but now I love Harshit. I don’t want to hurt you but I realized it today that I can’t live without him.” And then I told about Harshit and the rest of the story. I didn’t want to conceal anything from him and keep him in suspense for the rest of the life, like he did to me. Anuj smiled and said, “I know Ruchi that I lost my right on you the very day I broke up with you. Now, I can’t be selfish. I want to see you happy and if you are happy with Harshit then I don’t have any objection.”
The gloomy cloud that had covered me had disappeared. Finally I was feeling relaxed and relieved. I called Snigdha and asked where they were. Ronit and Snigdha had come to drop Harshit. I ran freely without the fear of anyone. Harshit’s train was on the adjacent platform. I went close to him and told him to finish his unfinished business. He was a very good singer. He sang a very romantic song for me and proposed me, bending on his knees. Snigdha and Ronit started clapping and soon the entire public joined in our happiness.
It’s been almost 4 years of our relationship now. This year his best friend Akash threw a birthday party at his house. I was too invited. Akash always complained that I never attended his parties. This time, luckily I and Harshit, both were in Patna. I decided to attend the party. It would be a romantic rendezvous for both of us and Akash will no longer have any excuse for teasing me about not attending his parties. In the party, Akash revealed another secret. It was him whose stupid act made me meet such a sweet guy, Harshit. The day Harshit messaged me for the first time, he had an exam that didn’t go well. Harshit was feeling low. It was Akash who advised him to talk to a girl and he handed him over a list of girls with mobile numbers from our school. Harshit chose me. I grabbed Akash’s ears and told him, “Don’t ever repeat this whenever Harshit feels low.” Harshit came closer to me, and looking at me with his drooling eyes said, “I don’t need to feel low when you are with me.” I looked into his eyes and smilingly blinked up in affirmance and then whispered, “You are the best mistake of my life.”