Forever Together

Seemakumari Chaudhary posted under ATaLeOfLove Short Stories on 2020-02-09



As we know, neither we can measure the length of one's love nor we can measure the depth of one's love. It's only the lover who knows how much love they hold for each other while others can only assume about it.  The same was the love story of ji Vineet and Anamika. Their parents were friends and neighbours as well. From primary school to high school, they were together. They would go to school together and would return together as well. Anamika was a year younger to him and was his junior in school. He used to help her in studies, would teach her the topics she wasn't able to understand in school. He was not only her friend but much more than that.  He treats her like an Angel, her happiness means the most to him. Whenever she's sad or angry, he would do drama, make funny faces to make her smile. Though he was not a talkative kinda person but with her, he turned to one. He will talk for hours with her, but that's a different thing that it's her who talked more and he use to be the silent listener. He use to speak occasionally when necessary, other times he would just stare at her silently for he loves to listen to her. Her words seems melodic to him They are always found together no matter what the time is, it's only at night when they get parted and retire to their respective houses. In that case also, the first thing they do every morning is to run out of the house to see the happy faces of each other..  Everything was going on a smooth pace, life seems beautiful to them. Vineet has just finished his schooling and was trying to get admission in the college in some other city. His parents were trying their best to get him admitted in the college he desired. But when this news reached Anamika, she was left shocked and shattered. How can he leave her alone here and go to some other city. She ran to his home like mad, she can't let him go. As soon as she reaches his home she found him talking to his parents. His facial expression changed to find her here, she was panting heavily and her eyes were teary. It didn't take him even a second to realise what's going on in her head, what her mental status is? His parents glanced at him and indicates him to talk to her and convince her for, they knew that neither she can live without him nor can he live. But at the same time he can't afford to leave his studies. His parents take a leave from there, leaving them alone. Vineet marched towards her and pull her inside, she jerked his hand. He tried to hold her hand but she moved back. Tear slipped down her right cheek. His heart winced to see her crying that too, because of him. In the past years, he has been her reason to smile but today she is crying because of him. "Shona, try to understand." he tried to convince her.  Yes, her name is Anamika but for him she's Shona, His Shona! No one else can call her by this name, only he has the right to call her Shona. And he's her Gullu! They have gifted this name to each other when they were little kids. Anamika push him "what do you want me to understand, huh? How can you even think of leaving me alone? " she questioned, tears were continuously trickling down her cheeks.  He cupped her face "I'm not leaving you alone Shona. Just three years and I'll be back to you. I Please, let me go," he requested rubbing off her tears with his thumb.  She held his hand and cried more, it's almost impossible for her to live even a second without him but at the same time how can she be selfish and stop him from pursuing his higher studies just because she doesn't want to live without him. She has to understand his point and let him go. Her mind says to let him go but her heart didn't agree for the same. "I can't live without you, Gullu" she confessed and broke into tears in his arms. He smeared her back and head, his eyes has turned teary as well "even I can't, Shona" he exclaims, taking her in his embrace. She tightly grip around him, her head rested on his chest. After three days, Vineet was all ready to leave for Bangalore to pursue his higher studies. Her family and his family were present there to bid him goodbye, but his eyes were searching for her, who's nowhere to be seen. Her mother found him looking here and there. She tapped his shoulder, he looks at her.  "She didn't come. " her mother told him, he sighed deeply. He was sure that she must be crying in her room and thought to check on her. He can't leave without meeting her. He left his house and make his way to her home, he directly headed to her room, when he entered her room he found her lying on the bed crying her heart out. Her head was buried in the pillow and the room was messy. He ran towards the bed and climb over it. He called out her name and nudged her a little. She lifted up her face and the next moment hug him. He hugged her as tight as he could. "Please Shona, don't cry.. I'm not going anywhere, I'm not going to leave you." he exclaims, finding her in such condition has shaken him deeply. Anamika immediately parted from him "No, please! Chacha - Chachi (Uncle - Aunty) wants you to be an Engineer, it's their dream and yours too. I don't want you to drop your dream because of me." she sentenced with teary eyes  Vineet cupped her face "and you're my life Shona! I can't leave my life for my dreams." he exclaims.  Before this day, they never thought that they mean this much to each other. They always wanted to live in each other's company but the news of separation had emerged some new feeling in their heart. And they don't know how to name this feeling, the only thing they know is that they don't want to get separated. His sentence make her rooted at her place, she stares at him. His words pass some different kind of sensation in her, she was confused what to say but said "I'll be waiting for you Gullu! Come soon.." she spoke, directly staring in his eyes. They share an eye lock, Vineet was the first to come out of it. He pecked a kiss on her forehead making her nerves weak, his lips were warm, she felt butterflies in her stomach. She was really confused at this, he has pecked her head many times but today she felt something else. "I'll be back soon, just three years and I'll be here with you," he assured her, she nodded affirmatively. He wiped her tears and they marched out of the room and leave the house. His parents were waiting for him, they saw him coming with her, holding her hand. They smiled lightly..  Vineet settled down in the car, his mother ask Anamika to join them for Airport. She denied, Vineet made a face at which she chuckled. He smiled to see her smiling. He kisses her upper palm. His parents were staring at them, they were well aware of the feelings emerging in them, which they haven't realised yet. Vineet left her hand and the car zoomed off, she stood there until the car disappeared from her sight. Vineet too was looking at her through a window. She sighed when the car disappeared.  *** Days pass, Vineet was settled perfectly in Bangalore. He use to call her everyday, they use to talk for hours.But their talks decreased as the time passed, because it was the time for her board exams and he didn't want to distract her. Soon, he stopped calling her. She feels sad but thinks that he must be busy with his studies so she too didn't call him.  It was the time, Anamika finished her schooling and wanted to go to Bangalore so that she could be with him. But the problem was that she was weak in Science and Mathematics and he has opted for the same. Disheartenedly, she chose fashion designing in her city only.  Life was going smoothly, she misses him and he too had the desire to meet her. Till now both were a bit aware of the feeling they secretly have for each other. This realisation makes them shy. Vineet would smile remembering her nonstop blabbers and Anamika, she used to blush by herself whenever she remembers his last kiss. Both were distant but their hearts were always connected.  Three years passed. It was his time to come home. Anamika was excited to meet him. One day when Anamika ask his mother about his return journey, she came to know that he won't be back yet. He still have 2 years of his study and will be back aftermath. This news make her sad and angry at the same time. That night, she fights with him, not literally but threatened him for not telling her about this before. She said she wouldn't talk to him now onwards, even if he return also as he has lied to her. He tried to defend himself but it was of no use, she disconnected the call. After that day, whenever he called her, she would handover the cell to her mother and don't talk to him.. Her mother would place the phone in her bed keeping it in speaker mode. Vineet use to crack jokes only to hear her laughing but this didn't happen, she didn't laugh neither spoke a word. Vineet was disheartened, he would regret that why did he lied to her, but the fact was that he too didn't have the idea that the time of his academic will increase by two years. The day he came to know, he thought to tell her but it slipped out his mind. And now this is the result..  Anamika would only be quite until he's on call once the call is disconnected she use to laugh out loud at his jokes Two years flew away, Anamika has finished her graduation in fashion designing and Vineet was also about to return home. His mother inform her that he'll be coming on Sunday. On her face, Anamika show like she doesn't care but she's  heartily happy that he's coming back. It's already Wednesday and she have to do lots of preparation, also she wants to confess something very important to him, something that she just realised a month ago. Anamika ran to the market and buy many things, some items were unnecessary but she bought it. She also learn cooking Kheer and Gajar ka Halwa, which is his favourite. Days pass in a blink, it was Sunday, the day of his arrival. Since morning itself, she was running here and there, her excitement was on peak. His mother teases her saying that he's not the old Vineet now, he's much changed also he has a girlfriend and he'll be marrying her soon, this disheartened Anamika. So, her Gullu is no more hers!  She ran out of the house and headed to her home, his mother laugh at her reaction..  Soon Vineet arrived, his car stop before his house and he stepped out of the car.. He marched in his house and the first thing he asks his mother was "where is HIS SHONA". His mother told him how she teased her and she ran away to her home. Vineet glared at his mother and ran out of the house, she was already angry with him and now his mother has added fuel to the fire.  He directly hopped in her room, without knocking. He never knock on the door of her room. When he entered, he found her sitting on the corner of the bed, her back was facing him. He take forward step and her sobbing sound hit his ear drums.  She crying again because of him. He sped up his pace and secure his seat beside her, he side hugged her. Anamika look up at him, he's really grown up to a gentleman with magnetic eyes and handsome face, his charm is enough for anyone to fall for him. She sighed, she doesn't have any such quality in her. He obviously deserves someone better than her but she is of the view that he belongs only to her and he doesn't have any right to love someone else other than her. Anamika jerked his hand and started to slap on his chest. "I hate you, how could you love anyone else.. You don't have any right to do so. I hate you for this. You are only my Gullu, you can't love someone else.." she kept on speaking and slapping on his chest.  But he was unaffected, her words were something that he wanted to her. He wanted to hear from her that he belongs only to her and she said that.  He held her hand in order to stop her, she struggled to free her hand still chanting  "I hate you".  "But I love you Shona, I love you more than myself. Your Gullu only loves his Shona. Gullu only belongs to Shona, no one has the right to snatch your Gullu from you not even me.." He set down on his knees before her.  She stares at him blinking her eyes, not able to believe what he just said does he really mean it.. She was lost in her pool of thought while Vineet continue speaking causing her to drop down in the reality. " Gullu is only because of Shona. I'm nothing without you. You are not just a friend you are much more than that. You are my life, my love, my happiness. You are my everything. Only I know how I spent these five years without you, every single second seemed like a century to me. I waited for this day, only to see you, only to be with you. I love you Shona and I only love you.. "he confessed his feelings wholeheartedly, she was overwhelmed by the sudden confession from his side.  She hadn't thought of this. She believed that it was only her who has such feelings for him but no, he too have the same feeling for her or can say he loves her more than she loves him. Vineet held her hand and entwined her fingers with his "Say Shona, do you love me. Would you like to live the rest of your life with your Gullu? He asked, looking at her keenly. She glanced at him and set down on her knees before him. "Yes, I love you too Gullu. I will not only spent this life with you but also will be with you in every birth." saying so she hugged him, hiding her face in his chest.. His happiness seems no bound hearing her confession, he embraced her as tightly as he could..  Like every other love story, Their love also deepened as time passed. His Shona always meant the universe for him and for her the world start with her Gullu and end to her Gullu there is nothing beyond him..  *** __________ For more of such content follow us on Social Media: __________ Penmancy gets a small share of every purchase you make through these links, and every little helps us continue bringing you the reads you love!