Destiny

It's a story of a young girl, Neha. 

In her childhood days, she had a friend, Vinayak, with whom she could share all her worries. They were best friends. One day, when they were twelve, the two children got separated.

Vinayak always desired to know the reason why Neha left but his efforts were useless.

When his father got transferred to Lucknow, he was admitted to a new college and there he met Neha. 

He was very happy to see her but Neha was sad. It seemed as if something was worrying her. Vinayak asked her, ' What's the problem?'

'Nothing,' was the reply.

He again asked, 'Why did you leave without informing me?'

Neha said, 'I had my own reasons.'

One day, Neha's family was invited to Vinayak's house. Neha's strange behavior towards Vinayak had been irritating him. Suddenly, Neha's health deteriorated. She turned to her brother and said, 'Shall I warn them?'

After being offered a little resistance by her brother, Vijay, she interrupted the conversation and warned Vinayak's father to immediately leave for his factory.

Vinayak's father did as he was told. However, when he returned, he hugged Neha and said, 'Thanks, beta. Had I not gone to my factory and controlled the situation, a catastrophic fire would have broken out.'

Vinayak took Neha to his room and asked her how did she come to know about that accident. Neha didn't reply and left the room.

In order to keep Vinayak away from her, Neha started to spend time with Arjun, Vinayak's friend. However, Vinayak had started feeling jealous of Arjun because the reality was, that Neha was Vinayak's childhood love. 

One day, Vinayak asked Neha, to meet him in the Assembly hall of the college by warning her that, 'If I don't see you there, then you shall never see my face again.' 

When Neha went to meet him, Vinayak proposed her and had continued asking her the same question. To which Neha replied, ' I am not safe for you. When I was twelve, I had a hellish vision that you will die because of me. I don't know-how. That's why I left. My family members are believed to be the descendants of a great sage. He used to have such powers. Vijay can comprehend Nature. I can foresee the future. My grandfather could control the five realms of the earth. We have a spiritual tree, 'the eternal' back in Jharkhand. You won't believe it, but it has golden leaves. It can heal anyone. My brother knows how. My first vision was, that you'll die because of me. People say that there are 97% chances that the first vision can be true.'

'Don't worry, we'll change the future with our love,' said Vinayak.

'Future can be altered, but nothing can change someone's Destiny,' Neha said.

'Trust me,' Vinayak said and hugged her.

Arjun had overheard their conversation and was in tears for gradually he had developed feelings for Neha.

However, time passed and nothing had happened save one day when Vinayak was about to hit a car, but fortunately, Neha somehow saved him. She was trembling with fear, but Vinayak consoled her.

Time passed, Neha did not have any such visions for years. Their wedding was planned, Vinayak and Neha went on a date, the very day before their wedding. They had spent jovial time with each other, dancing and recalling their childhood moments. 

After this, Vijay took Neha home. However, on their way, Neha's health deteriorated and she had such vision again. She was in tears, her hands were trembling and she was fighting for air. Vijay asked her to immediately call Vinayak. She called him and was informed that there was something wrong with his car. She asked him to stay where he was.

Vinayak had been feeling uneasiness and stepped out of his car. He was amid a dense scary forest when he had been hit behind his head and there was a blackout. 

When Neha and Vijay went there, there had been no sign of Vinayak save his car was parked by a Banyan tree. To know his whereabouts, Vijay used his power to talk to nature. Suddenly, all the autumn leaves accumulated and made a path that probably led to Vinayak.

When Vinayak opened his eyes, he found himself with Arjun. Arjun said, 'Neha considered me as an instrument to avoid you. But what could I do, Vinayak, I truly started loving her. But you!! You returned in her life again and snatched her away from me like a toy. It broke my heart, Vinayak. It broke my heart, but there is one way if you cooperate. And you should, my friend. We are pals, right? So……be dead.' 

Five rough men attacked Vinayak. Arjun pierced his shoulder and was about to push him off the cliff when Neha screamed, 'Leave him Arjun.' However, Arjun pushed him. 

Somehow, Neha had managed to hold Vinayak's hand endeavoring to save him.

'Leave my hand, Neha,' Vinayak said with pauses in between.' No, I won’t,' she replied.

'Never think for a second, that you are responsible for my death.'

'But, I am.'

'No, you’re not.'

'Leave my hand. Your vision was true. This is my destiny. I don’t have any time left now. I am fighting for life. Make my death easy and leave my hand. Don’t make it difficult for me.'

'Nothing will happen to you. Why are you talking like that?' Neha said as she wept bitterly hard.

'I love you, Neha,' he said and then bowed his head with a complete stillness. 

Their hands had got separated and Vinayak fell off that cliff.

The accident was so terrifying for Neha, that she didn't utter a word for weeks. Doctor's said that she was suffering from Acute

Stress Disorder and if she won't forget whatever had happened then it would be difficult to save her life.

After discussing the matter with the family, Vijay had decided to take her to 'the eternal'.

Its golden leaves twinkled in the twilight as if it was waiting for Neha. The tree was situated on a raised platform and could easily be differentiated from among the ordinary trees. Its leaves and trunk were like gold. The tree welcomed Vijay’s family by providing a chilling cool breeze. The rustling of the leaves sounded like melodious music.

Neha was made unconscious and was dressed in a pure white gown, with a red rose in her hand. She was laid by her mother comfortably beside the tree.

Vijay joined his hands and prepared a prayer.

 A golden leaf fell onto Vijay’s hands and with trembling hands, he kept that leaf on her sister’s forehead.

Her wounds commenced healing. All his wounds disappeared even the cicatrices. Her dark circles disappeared. Her skin attained back it’s bright countenance. Paleness disappeared and her rawboned face regained its alluring white appearance. She looked beautiful, as never before. However, this was only about her physical condition but actually her mind was suffering from terrible trauma. 

All the chronicles reversed, right from Vinayak's death to their date. From there to her first meeting with Vinayak. Then there were some flashbacks of their childhood and finally, Vinayak's smiling face had vanished from her memories.

A drop of tear, she shed as he disappeared from her memories and she completely forgot him. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at her brother with a smiling face.

She stared at the setting sun and closed her eyes to feel the cooling breeze. Then she took a look at her engagement ring.

Neha was never able to love anyone again. Still, she had been wearing the engagement ring but the fact was, that she had forgotten everything.