Aruna woke up at 11 am that morning. She couldn’t sleep properly all night because of anxiety and hence she got late for college. It was her final day of college and she had to say goodbye to her love of life, Vikas, forever.
Aruna and Vikas were best friends. In their 4 years of friendship they grew really fond of each other. Vikas a flamboyant, funny and smart guy was very caring towards Aruna. On the other hand Aruna was pretty and intelligent girl but she kept to herself. People often mistook them as soulmates but the reality was something else.
Aruna quickly got ready and went to the college where his whole batch was saying goodbye to their teachers and fellow mates. When she reached the college compound, her eyes were only searching for one person. But she couldn’t find Vikas anywhere, she desperately searched the complete building, called several times on Vikas’s cell phone which was switched off. After a couple of hours when tears came to her eyes she went out of the building and sat outside alone. She was anxious, heartbroken and utterly sad with a million questions on her mind. “Is this the way it’s going to end?”, this question was continuously looping in her mind.
Another hour passed and yet she couldn’t reach his cell phone. Those were the longest 3 hours of her life. Nobody knew his whereabouts and Aruna knew in her heart that she won’t be able to meet him again. She wasn’t sure when she fell for him in their companionship of 4 years. One day when Vikas was on leave due to slight fever and that day she realized that she couldn’t even live a single day without him. She made up her mind that she would tell him about her feelings. Hence determined to express her feelings she met him in the college next day but before she could speak a single word, she collapsed in his arms suddenly.
After a few medical test it was clear that Aruna had blood cancer which was in the initial stages. The news of Aruna’s illness almost paralyzed him mentally. The treatment started and it took almost 2 years for her to fully recover. Vikas was always there by her side, caring for her and praying for her recovery. He did everything a soulmate could do to comfort her. Even in her illness, Aruna was calm, confident and happy, she had realized that Vikas loved her more than she ever expected. It didn’t had to be said at all, it was present there and she could feel it.
But Aruna realized soon that the chances of recurrence of her illness were pretty high and she can’t let Vikas undergo the same agony again. She had decided that she will never let Vikas know her decision to part ways with her. She will remain a close friend till college ends and she won’t have any conversation on this matter. Since then neither Vikas and nor Aruna had any discussion on converting their friendship to an endless relationship.
As the 4 year college life was coming to an end, Aruna was still waiting for a callback from Vikas when a college junior approached her and gave her an envelope telling her that it’s a letter from Vikas. Aruna was surprised to get a letter from a college junior, with mixed feelings and trembling hands she opened the envelope.
“Hi Aruna,
I am going to Mumbai tomorrow morning as I got an interview call from leading MNC. They have an urgent opening and they asked me to take a early morning flight. Sorry I got busy in the travel arrangements and didn’t get a chance to call you in the evening.
I am really nervous, it’s my first big opportunity. I wish I could have met you before leaving, I will call you back as soon as I can & then you can rebuke me.
Please convey my sincere apologies to our professors and fellow batch mates whom I couldn’t meet on the final day of our college.
Wish me luck :),
Vikas”
Aruna felt so relaxed after reading the letter, the uncertainty, the million questions & the anxiety all vanished in a moment. She kept on smiling and read the letter innumerous times. She couldn’t believe that the story she was determined to end few hours earlier, now has a new beginning. A simple jolt of unexpected absence by destiny made her realized that she doesn’t have the power to end this story.
–END–
