It was around 10.30 in the morning. Saqib was waiting on the metro station platform. He was tall, well built, and had a good physique. The train was about to arrive and he seemed restless. Everyone around him looked at him suspiciously. At times, he was smiling and talking to himself, and swinging his hands too.
It was a warm sunny day of May. The heat was such that no one wanted to come out of their homes. But Saqib had come, in spite of all the heat, he made his way to Jangpura Metro Station. He was still waiting, the train was a bit late and he could now hear his own heartbeat.
From far away in the tunnel, a light appeared. The train had finally arrived. Saqib was delighted. He started setting his hair with his hands and breathed onto his hands to make sure it isn't bad. He looked at his attire once, and then geared himself up. It wasn't a long wait but his restlessness made it so. He took two three steps further to reach the yellow line which was on the edge of the platform, and as the train was passing right in front of his eyes, he leaned himself a bit to look inside every compartment for the person he's waiting for. And there she was, coming out of the compartment, in her pink top and blue jeans, and a stole around her neck and a bag hung on her right shoulder.
"Hey Deepti!" Saqib called out her name.
She looked towards him and was delighted. She waved her hand and then they both hugged each other tightly. Saqib was looking at her with love. She was very pretty, attractive, and had long hair which added to her beauty even more. She had put a lovely smile on her face.
"It's so good to see you again". she said.
"Yes, finally we met", Saqib smiled.
They both hugged again and then walked towards the exit of the metro station. They met after a gap of one week. They both are in relationship for about five months now. They used to meet almost everyday, but this time the wait was a bit longer, as Deepti had a test in the midweek. Love was blossoming, they always cared for each other, they had quarrels and arguments, but in the end, they couldn't live without one another. Deepti was more understanding than Saqib. Usually she was the one who made sacrifices. Saqib was a bit possessive about her, and this sometimes had led to their arguments.
They spent a lot of quality time together, they went to the movie and then shopping. Both were happy about it. You always love it when you get to spend a lot of time together just with the one you love a lot.
"Bye Saqib!" Deepti said in a shy voice.
"Bye Deepti!" Saqib smiled and gave her a hug.
Deepti left, and she was quite happy. She was on cloud nine. She loved Saqib a lot and it showed. There were a lot of moments when she felt like leaving him, but he always showed that he loved her a lot.
She reached home, and was excited. She took a bath, relaxed and then called up her best friend.
"Hi Shahrukh!" She was cheerful.
"Hey Deepti!" Shahrukh said.
"You know what, I met Saqib today, finally. We went to a movie, we did shopping, and he said he loves me a lot." Deepti was blushing.
"Oh good! He really does love you a lot!" Shahrukh said.
They talked for an hour and Deepti told him everything about her meeting with Saqib, from reaching Jangpura to leaving her boyfriend after a hug. Shahrukh was her best friend, she talked to him about everything. He was always there for her, and listened her, no matter how busy he was, and that's what she liked about him. But for a few days Shahrukh was feeling restless, and anxious about something. Deepti was busy in telling her story and sometimes Shahrukh would seem lost. But she didn't notice that.
After she hung up the phone, Shahrukh began to feel more and more restless, he didn't sleep that night. He wanted to tell Deepti something, but he couldn't. There was a sudden urge in him to call her back, but he didn't. He finally made up his mind to talk to her tomorrow.
The next day, at about 10 am, Deepti's phone rang. It was Shahrukh. She picked it up.
"Hey Shahrukh!"
"I wanna tell you something, I just can't..."
"What is it?" She was confused.
"I... I love you Deepti, have always been", he finally spoke up.
"What?" she exclaimed.
"Yes Deepti", he continued.
He told her that he started liking her when they both were in 10th grade, he told her how he was always present for her, how he could do anything for her, and without expecting her to love him back.
Deepti became a bit nervous. She had never thought of this, but she said that they'll remain best friends. Shahrukh was happy with that. He didn't want her to change her life after all this. He said that he simply wanted to see her happy, that's it.
FOUR MONTHS LATER
"Another flower, Shahrukh, he just loves me so much", Deepti was talking to Shahrukh on phone and was telling him that for a couple of weeks, Saqib has been sending her flowers everyday.
"Oh great, he surely loves you a lot", Shahrukh said.
"Here's a message too...I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU, DON'T WORRY", Deepti read the message and blushed.
"Okay I have some work, will talk to you later, bye", Shahrukh said.
"Bye!"
It was the month of September. Deepti was happy, she was about to get engaged to Saqib in two weeks. Preparations were on full swing. Many told Deepti that she's in a hurry, but she said that Saqib loves her, so there's no point in waiting. Shahrukh was also helping in her engagement, and she was liking that. She wasn't aware what must be going inside her best friend's heart. She was happy to see him happy, but the fact is, inside the pain kills you. Shahrukh had that pain. But he never showed it to Deepti.
A very rough time of Deepti's relationship had passed. Once she was with Saqib when Shahrukh messaged her. It read, 'I love you.' Saqib read the message and became furious, they fought a lot on this and Deepti tried to convince him that Shahrukh is her friend and she's not cheating on him. The argument grew bitter, and so they stopped talking for a month. Later, Saqib realised his mistake and apologised. It's only after that they decided to marry.
During the period when Deepti wasn't talking to Saqib, Shahrukh had seen her cry a lot, and so he cried too. She would talk about committing suicide, then Shahrukh would convince her that things would get alright. It was hard for him. He would message her just to know if she's safe. He would call her to talk about other things, just to divert her mind. But she would seem lost and depressed.
Shahrukh had told her that he would help her in the engagement and marriage as these are the happiest moments of her life, and he wanted to see her happy.
A WEEK LATER
It was the engagement day. Everything was in full swing, everyone was busy. The marriage hall was well lit up with lights and the guests were making their way in. It was a grand reception. Everyone was appreciating the arrangements. Saqib was very happy. Deepti was happy too, but she had a concern. She was missing Shahrukh. He had promised to come today but he didn't show up yet. She was worried. She quickly took out her phone and switched it on. She received a message, it was Shahrukh. She read it, and was left stunned.
'Hey Deepti, congratulations on your engagement. Soon you'll be married and will live happily. I am damn happy for you. You finally got the love of your life. Great! Please forgive me. I can't come there, I won't. I don't want to. I really tried a lot to forgive that I love you, but I couldn't. It is killing me, to be honest. How can I see the love of my life go with someone else? I won't be able to bear the pain of watching you go. I really love you a lot. I have always wanted your happiness, that's it. Saqib will keep you happy. I could have too, but it's okay, you love him. He's yours now. Everyday I cried for you, everyday I broke into pieces, everyday I prayed to God to give you all the happiness in the world and he listened to me. I wanted you to be the happiest girl in the world, and finally you are the one. But I am broken, I'm lost now. I can't find myself now. With you, everyday was a festival. Now, I don't think I'll be able to live. My every poem, my every word, is for you, just for you. I loved it that even though you hated poems, you read mine with all your heart. Deepti, my whole life is yours, now you are his, so I don't think I have any reason to live. You are happy, and I'll be happy too. But inside, a part of me is crying. Forgive me, my best friend, maybe the lover in me has killed your best friend. I know your phone is switched off, by the time you will read this a message, I'll be gone. I'll be just a memory to you, Deepti. I hope you'll remember me, always. I wish I could send those flowers under my name and not Saqib's.
I'll always love you. Take care, and stay happy.'
Deepti was in shock. She couldn't believe it. Shahrukh was her best friend, she didn't know he loved her so much. She started crying, everyone got her attention. She was screaming.
Saqib hugged her and asked, "What happened?"
She gave the phone to him, he read the message, and was shocked. She was screaming out her name, and crying. How can one love her so much that just for her happiness he sacrificed his love? Shahrukh used to send flowers to Deepti every day under Saqib's name so that their love grows and she starts living happily. She was sad s she wasn't talking to him. Saqib didn't tell her that it wasn't him. But he was surprised now. Deepti tried to call Shahrukh, but his phone was switched off. He had left her, he had left his life, his everything. He couldn't bear the pain his unrequited love gave him. Deepti realised how since the school days he would stay at school just for her, how he would get all the notes for her and do all the assignments for her. She realised that it was his love for her that made him do so much for her, and her engagement. She realised she lost a true lover, who just wanted her happiness and nothing else. She was so lost in her love that she couldn't see there was another heart yearning for her so madly.
Deepti was still crying, and she said she won't engage. She was constantly looking at his messages and remembering him. She was in deep thought. How did she not see the love of his best friend for her? She was feeling guilty and so she broke the engagement. Saqib was left unanswered. He was heartbroken to see Deepti lost in Shahrukh's thought. She had felt her love for her best friend.
A YEAR LATER
Deepti was in the graveyard, at Shahrukh's grave. She was reading a book there. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and she was smiling. She read a few more pages, then she kneeled down and kissed his grave, then she kept the book there. It was raining heavily, and she was sitting there, with no intention of moving away from him. She was talking to him, and telling him what all has been happening in her life. She was looking at the book she kept for him. It was titled, "You", a book which had all the poems she wrote just for him after his death. Shahrukh's absence had made her a poet.
