Best Friend

Srishti and Sameer were childhood friends. Both were neighbors till class 7. After that, Srishti's parents shifted to another side of the same city. They both cried a lot that day while she was leaving. They were still in touch with one another.

Even their friendship was popular among students and teachers. They had played together. They learned things together. They went to the same preschool, the same school. Srishti was crying on her first day, but Sameer made her smile. They both had the same interests in painting. They had shared many moments. Those moments were very special to them. Not because they got to live it, but because it was 'their' moment. They were notorious but Sameer sometimes put Srishti in trouble, with his doings. On the other hand, Srishti tried to save him from scoldings. She always brought tiffin for two. Even her mom prepared food according to Sameer's likes and dislikes. 

Time passed and new changes entered their lives. They entered puberty.  Srishti was getting a curvaceous body, an attractive voice. Sameer was getting a more muscular body, heavy voice, etc. They never let their gender to come in between their friendship. They never minded having vulgar talks with each other. They were so open to each other. Even he remembered the last time when she had her periods. She used to forget it and every time asked him to tell her. He even knew her mood swings because of PMS.

When they were in the 10th standard, during their farewell party, Sameer gave a surprise to her. It was more like a shock to her. He told her that he was going to propose one of their classmates, on the stage, in front of everyone. She couldn't bear it. She was broken. But she was adamant that she won't let anything of that sort to happen. She broke the glass held in her hand. Sameer was just about to reach the stage when he saw her. He came running to her. She was crying. He was having tears in his eyes. She felt happy. He was confused. He asked why she was smiling. She just nodded and hugged him.

When they reached home, she was sitting and remembered the whole incident. Suddenly, she realized something. She asked herself why did she had done that. Why she stopped him from proposing someone else. Why she smiled when she saw tears in his eyes... The answer to every question was 'LOVE'. She realized that she loved him, her best friend. But she was not sure about it, whether to confess it or not. 

They were preparing for their exams, Sameer used to look after her. He didn't let her put any strain on her hand. He tried to talk about that incident, but every time she ignored it. One day, suddenly, he asked her about her prince charming. She was stunned at this sudden question. She was speechless. After being insisted, she could only reply, just like a fairy tale. After that, they didn't talk about the same.  

Srishti was worried that they might get apart after 10th. But this time also, he surprised her. He got admission in the same school, in the same course. Her happiness knew no bounds. Soon, they became famous. Srishti because of her intellectual ability, Sameer because of his looks.

One day, she got a proposal from a senior. She was astounded but Sameer was full of rage. She was terrified, how she would handle his temper, how she would control him. She tried several ways to distract him. But, he ended up landing in big trouble. He was suspended for one week. He was more worried about her. Even she made an excuse for not being well and took one week off.

 Sameer was astonished because of his own behavior. Even he was planning to propose someone else. If someone else proposed her, why he was getting affected. That day he realized that he loved his best friend.

He remembered that she always wanted her love story to be another fairy tale. So he planned something for her. But, he knew he had to wait for her response. So he decided that he would wait until she admits herself and then he would create a fairy tale for her.

Two years passed. They do love each other but never confessed. Even people around them could feel it but they themselves never confessed it.

One day, they were going home, when Sameer met with an accident. He was trying to save her and got injured himself. She couldn't control herself. She was blaming herself for the accident and his terrible condition. She couldn't stop crying. When he was being operated, she didn't move from there. 

The operation was successful and he was out of danger. Doctors kept him under observation. She went to meet him. She confessed her love for him and asked him to get well soon. She didn't know that he was able to listen to her. After being insisted by everyone, she left from there. He felt relieved, at least she felt the same for him as he feels for her. Although he was weak, he remembered his promise- to make their story a fairy tale.

 

He talked to the doctor, family, and friends and instructed everyone. It was the 5th of February. So after two days, it was 7th Feb- Valentine's week beginning. Her mother pretended to be sick, so she couldn't visit him for two days. When she visited him, the doctor was doing his check-up. When she asked him, the doctor told her that his condition seems serious, as he didn't regain consciousness from last 3 days. Her world was shattered. She pleaded them to treat him well. She felt restless.

 Day by day, his condition got worse. She was planning to confess her feelings that Valentine's day but was devastated with this accident. She at least wanted to spend her whole day with him. So she reached the hospital in the early morning. She was horrified when she didn't find him in the room. She called the nurse and they told her that his condition got worse in the night, he was admitted to ICU and being treated. She wasn't allowed to even see him. She was there only.

Suddenly lights got off. She got scared of the darkness. She saw a bright light in one corner. He was there holding the candle. She was delighted to see him, walking on his feet. Just when she was about to hug him, he blew off the candle and again darkness was filled there. She called him. A big screen was there, showing their photographs. From their childhood to adolescence to present...

She had tears in her eyes. He made her day. Suddenly she got a bunch of gifts. She opened all of them, one by one. She got a love letter, roses, chocolates, teddies, etc. At last, he proposed her. When she hugged him, flowers were showered upon them. She found herself in his arms. She was still pinching herself, it was a dream come true for her. Everything happened so fastly, she couldn't imagine anything else.

She was about to leave him when she heard his scream. She asked him what happened. He removed his shirt. It was her name tattooed on his chest. She cried. He tried to calm her down. Then, she saw something on the back. It was some painting. When she went near it, it was her painting. 

She couldn't thank God. She was speechless. She was out of words. She was not sure what to do?? To get angry with him for lying, or to be elated at all this... He holds her hands tightly. She had a little surprise for him. She had his name imprinted on her skin on her ring finger.