A Love Story Or Friendship

12 years passed leaving my country, my city where I had enjoyed my life, and of course my loved ones. But daily morning when I wake up, I expect a miracle to return back to my old place. Physically though I have moved on but emotionally I have yet to leave that past in past.

Here somehow I have settled my boring life with a daily routine and still Hoping for a twist that will change my life. Lots of thoughts lingering in my mind while checking my phone. Ohh.. is it a mail of Arshiya? I didn't remember when the last time I spoke to her so I am a bit shocked after getting her mail. She used to be that string that connected me and Adi and a few years back we used to be BFFs.

Oh.. no … I have made you all confused without introducing myself and my past.

I am Diya, a promising writer waiting for the day to be named as best writer and owner of a small restaurant in a foreign land. This is my incomplete and unrequited love story that started 10 years back. Adi, Arshiya, and I had a wonderful time in our college days and we were named as crazy buddies. Our motto was simple and straight, experimenting with anything crazy and spending time with each other without thinking of a world apart from us. After we finished our studies, we all got busy with our professional life and somehow Arshiya had moved on with her personal life too. Suddenly she declared that she was getting married soon with her family's choice. Though we were a bit surprised we were happy for her. After her wedding, we were only connected digitally. I and Adi somehow got a chance to meet again when I joined his company without his notice. I wanted to surprise him and was excited to see his reaction.

Hi Adi...

Diya .. what a surprise. Are you really here to meet me?

No Adi, I have someone else to meet here. ( I was trying to tease him, But he got me ).

Liar..liar. I know, you are here for me and you won't imagine how happy I am seeing you here.

Yes, Dear, I am happy too but another good news is now I will be working here so you better be ready. ( Though I wanted to say him that I am here because of you as I wanted my friend to be with me always, but I couldn't)

Is it so Diya ?..wow that's really amazing.

During our conversation, suddenly heard a voice of a girl looking for Adi.

Hey Adi.. what are you doing here? And do you even realize that I was looking for you?

Hey Alia, chill.. how could I leave you? But wait, meet my darling friend Diya and Diya, meet my girlfriend Alia. A few days back only we agreed to be in a relationship and I was about to tell you. But luckily, I got you here to share this news.

Hi Diya, heard a lot about you.. and finally got a chance to meet you.

I couldn't respond to her because I was shocked and in my thought zone asking myself “why I was so late, why couldn't I confront you earlier “. You are everything for me but what should I do right now “.

Diya ..Diya.. are you ok?

Ohh…yes..hey Alia sorry but seriously couldn't believe that Adi ..yes Adi has a girlfriend ( in a sarcastic way to tease him but at the same time I was in pain )

We had a long conversation then we were backed to our work. Time flies and I tried a lot to behave as usual. I started living with that pain and decided not to disclose my feelings for him. Somehow I wanted Adi in my life but wished for his happiness too. One year later they took a step ahead to the wedding and did engage with all ceremonies. Till that time somehow I had compromised with my feelings, but that engagement broke my heart and I was literally crying inside. That pain and my uncontrollable feelings made me do that mistake which I shouldn't have. On the Day of the engagement, I shared my feelings with Adi. I proposed to him but I said to him that “I didn't expect anything in return. Though we are best friends so I couldn't hide my feelings from him .” I expected him to react whether in a positive or negative way but he preferred to keep silent. And I pay the price for my mistake after that incident. Later on, whenever we used to meet in the office, he acted like nothing happened but his silence killed me.

After few months, things seemed to be normal again, Adi might have understood my situation so started behaving as nothing happened. I was happy that at least I didn't lose my friend otherwise I couldn't have live with this regret. But my happiness couldn't last for a longer period. Adi shared everything with Alia ( that's the reason I loved him a lot. If he is committed to anyone in any sort of relationship he tried to be loyal ) but he didn't realize that sharing would make our friendship over.

Initially, Alia reacted normally but with time she resisted my presence. I was already been used to my pain and decided to be alone forever so that in the case future Adi needs me, I would make myself available for him.

I can do anything for his happiness and I can't give his place to anyone else. But Adi never changed, he always has been my best friend Adi who cares for me, who loves me but as a friend. He values every relationship and tries his best to manage it Accordingly. This made me love him more and more and I respect him for that.

After 2 years they tied the knot and were officially announced as a married couple. Though that pain I had I was happy for him and I had accepted the reality and their relationship. Things started to change after marriage when Adi managed to balance my friendship with his married life. They both had fought many times because of me and they were restricted to their choice. Alia wanted Adi to stop talking to me and Adi being a friend wanted to be connected with me. That day came when Alia directly asked me to leave away so that they can live happily and maybe that's the only option I had to choose.

Through some contacts, I got a job abroad and finished all the formalities so that I can leave behind everything.

I choose not to tell him but before leaving I wished to create a beautiful memory with him so that for the rest of my life, I live with his memories. So I took the permission of Alia so that I could be with my friend for the last time.

I can't forget that beautiful day and the last hug with Adi with this wish that I am not going to meet him again.

I left my place, my people, and my love Adi. Once a year, I visit India just to see him without his knowledge and to make myself relax that he is happy. I never tried contacting him, even I had deleted my all social media accounts but initial few months he mailed me. To date I don't know what happened after I left him, I didn't read a single mail so that after reading those I can't make myself weak and to control my emotions.

It's been 12 years, I can't stop loving him. I am not waiting for him and neither I expect him to be with me but I couldn't move on with a single thought “ what if he will need me one day “.

So this is my unconditional love story. Oh my god. I forgot to read Arshiya's message.

Hi Diya, how are you? It's been so many years since I haven't talked to you. Need you urgently. Pls, respond. Miss you a lot.

I was not sure whether to respond to this mail or not. But as it's mentioned urgent, so I thought she might need my help. So I replied to her mail to share her contact no and she replied again with her contact no.

An uneasy feeling may be excited to speak to my best friend after so many years though I never shared anything about my feelings and Adi.

Hey, Arshiya… after so many years glad to talk to you.

What happened? Are you okay? Anything wrong and why this urgency?

Calm down Diya… my friend, first tell me how are you? Missed you a lot yaar. How could you forget us?

Sorry Arshiya, but things happened suddenly so I couldn't inform you.

Diya, lots of things changed here. After you left Adi stopped responding to my calls. I didn't know the reason so I planned to meet him. He was acting normal, but it was weird to me. Then even I stopped calling him. Once in a year on his birthday, I used to call him. I don't know what happened between you and why you stopped responding to him also. I got busy with my married life so couldn't ask him anything. A few days back I called him, but he didn't respond to my call and that's why I called his wife.

Her answer made me think something terrible had happened in past. They were divorced last year and Adi is currently in a mental asylum. I met him yesterday, but he is not in a position to reply. He was not the same crazy friend anymore but one name he was kept on repeating and That's your name. So I thought I should tell you once so that you can come here and help him.

I was completely numb & shocked. I left him for his happiness but I didn't know such a disaster will happen. I couldn't stop my tears and I blamed myself for everything that happened with Adi. Without telling him, how could I leave?

Why, how, lots of questions I had in my mind.

Arshiya ..pls take care of him till the time I reach. Without delay, I booked my flight ticket and rushed to the airport.

“Don't worry Adi… I will be with you soon “. While at the airport, I started reading all emails I had received from him And after reading his mail, I felt guilty. Whatever goes wrong with him, I am responsible for that and I will never excuse myself.

Finally, I landed here in my country, my place within my people. Arshiya was waiting for me at the airport and Without discussing much, I moved ahead to a mental asylum to meet Adi.

“Hello, Nurse. I am here to meet a patient Aditya Kumar.

The nurse takes us to his room”. The door opened and Adi was there lying in Bed. The nurse woke him up saying someone was here to meet him. I couldn't believe in my eyes that I was finally meeting Adi but here in such a pathetic condition. I couldn't control my emotions and hugged him. I was crying while holding him and I promised myself that I will get my Adi back whom I left 12 years before and I will make everything in place for him. In asylum, he maintained his silence and never spoke to anyone and that was the moment, he Uttered .

“Diya … I was waiting for you. I missed you dearly. I searched you everywhere but couldn't find you”. I still couldn't imagine that I really mean a lot to him.

We spoke to Doctor if we can take him us so that I would be able to take care of him and I wanted to be with him.

With Doctor's permission, Adi was back with us, as I didn't have a place to stay so Arshiya helped me with the accommodation.

“As of now I was just alive but now I will live my life and everything will be in a place like earlier. “

It took a month for Adi to recover from his mental condition. We talked, we laughed and we spent time together though I have lots of questions to ask about Alia, his married life that was not the correct timing so I resisted myself from those questions.

Once things became normal, I told him that I had to return to my work. It’s been a month I forgot about my restaurant though people there available to take care of that . Even I asked him if we should meet Alia to sort things here. I love him but I made him realize that everything I did as his best friend as I didn't want to disappoint him again with my feelings.

I was aware of his feelings while staying with him for a month but I was not sure. But his reply made me strong enough to rejoice my feelings

“Diya, don't you still love me? Then why you are planning to leave me again. Last 12 years I was in search of you and initially I was afraid if something wrong happened you as I couldn't bear your sudden dissapearance. But later on Alia confronts the truth and that made me angry with you and guilty as I was the reason for everything. Then only I realized, not only did I lose my best friend but also I lost the person whom I loved the most. Yes, Diya … I love you, I love you… my friend, will you be with me for the rest of my life? “

After 12 years hearing these words from Adi was like the world beneath my feet & I was on Cloud nine. Without delaying a second, I replied” yes…yes .. of course, yes”.

Finally, I will be with my best friend for my entire life and from there I began a new chapter of my life.

Disclaimer - This story and all characters are completely fictional.