I still remember those dreamy days, those days when I was young and a bubbly teenager, just out of school. I was excited, happy and thrilled to be out of school, as I always felt that school was more like a jail, where I could hardly find any freedom, freedom of choice and movement.
College was a world of opportunites, to make new friends and explore the world, in an independent manner. I was exhiherated and filled with curiousity each day, as I wanted to know, what all was there in store for me. After the initial admissions, we finally settled into our new classrooms and I had opted for sports, as I loved sprinting. So, during one of the practice sessions , early in the morning , I landed up in the sports ground and then I finally saw him, my amor, my love, my Ashmit!
He was tall. handsome and absolutely loving and he hqd the loveliest smile! Whenever I saw him, my heart melted and now when I saw him running on the football field , sweating and panting , I thought to myself, that, will I ever get to talk to him ever in my life!As time passed, I used to eagerly wait for the sports class, so that I could see him and get a chance to talk to him.
One fine day I got to talk to him, during the drinks break, but it was so brief, that we could hardly talk to each other and he was surrounded with his friends, so I dont think , whther he even took notice of my fragile figure! Anyways, I sighed and slunk away, thinking that maybe some other day I would get lucky. As time passed, my love for him grew stronger, but to my disdane, I never got the chance to even speak to him!
After a few weeks, when I was entering college, I saw a lot of commotion and din inside the premises and I was taken aback and was curious, as to what was going on. Then, suddenly a senior student came rushing towards me and told me, that there would be a lot of riots inside and around the college, due to some political movement, so she told me to come with her, so that she could safely drop me home. I was naive and innocent and blindly trusted her and went along with her in her bus which she said , she had hired to take other students too.
The bus started along with around ten or fifteen other students and reached a spot near a government building. I was surprised and asked my senior, as to why we were there, so she coolly replied, that we are here for political protest against the government and she had brought me also for that. I was totally dumb founded and had no clue, as to what I should be doing now, but I had no idea, as to where I was and how I would reach home safely!
I got off the bus along with her and suddenly the police gathered around and left tear gas shells on us and we all scattered in different directions. I ran to a shed and saw that my senior ducked under it along with another man and left me high and dry! I was shocked and angry, as to what has happened to me, so suddenly. I just ran out angrily and screamed in pain, not knowing what to do.
Then out of nowhere, like as though God had sent a saviour for me, my amor, the college sweetheart landed up over there and saw me in such a condition. I think he recognized me and understood that I was in big trouble, so he called a few of his female friends and told them to go and help me. The girls were very helpful and they came and took me to a nearby hospital and after the initial first-aid, I was sent in a cab to my home safely. My parents were totally shocked to see me in this condition, but when I explained to them, as to what all I had gone through and how I was safe and totally fine, then they were reassured.
The entire experience had totally shaken me, in a very bad way and it took quite sometime , before I came back to normal, but I feel really blessed, that despite all this I was saved by a person who was nearly a stranger to me! If it was not for him, then anything could have happened to me, I could have been harmed, hurt, or taken advantage of, as I was totally new to the place and had no clue, as to where I had to go.
After a few days during the normal sports period, I saw him once again and this time I went forward and met him and thanked him profusely, for his timely help and how he had saved my life! He was also glad that I was fine and from there our new friendship took a new beginning. We used to meet daily during the sports class and often we used to talk and spend time in the canteen.
After a few days, one day when I went to the canteen, I was in for a surprise or rather a shock, when I saw my amor, along with a beautiful young girl from another college! She was tall smart and extremely attractive and both of them were talking animatedly! I was quite curious to know, as to who she was and when I went closer to them, then Ashmit, called me and told to me that that was his girlfriend, Monika. I was very surprised as he had never mentioned of any such friend earlier. Anyways, I spoke pleasantly with both of them and took their leave. But, I was totally heart broken, that all the dreams and expectations I had from our relationship had been shattered.
I was extremely sad and lost for the initial few weeks, but then I gradually came to terms with my situation and understood, that my love for him would be one sided and it would remain unrequitted forever. The worst part was that I could never even profess my love to Ashmit ever in life. After a few days. I heard from my other friends that Ashmit had taken admission in the same college, as his girlfriend and he had left college! I was filled with remorse, that now I wouldn’t be able to even see him a few times in the day.This was a big blow to me, but it brought me back to the reality, that I was not special in his life!
Anyways, as time passed I got immersed in my studies and tried to forget my first love, but then as the saying goes,no one can ever forget their first love and neither did I. No matter how much I tried I could never take him out of thoughts and whenever I thought of him my heart ached.
Now, after all these years when I married and settled in my life, even then, when I think of him, then all the memories come tumbling over and it feels like as though, it was only yesterday, when I had met him and had fallen for him! He would always remain as my unrequitted love in my memory lanes, as I never could get his love ever!
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