It was still dawn when I stepped out of the cab and walked towards the entry gate of the Delhi airport. The early morning February air was pleasantly cold.
I was travelling to Bengaluru to attend a college friend's wedding. It had been four years since we graduated from the same college. This wedding was also going to be a reunion of our batch mates. But what I didn't know was that the reunion would begin much ahead of time; right in the queue in front of the airline counter.
I was almost sure it was she. Same height! Same long hair! Same complexion! Curiosity had my eyes glued to her. And then about 60-odd seconds later, when she turned, she proved me right. My ex-girlfriend stood two places ahead of me in that queue. We had never met after the college farewell.
For a couple of minutes I went in shock. I was unable to understand that how should I react in this situation. Leaving from airport was also not possible. Therefore I decided to face this challenge like a man. Although she looked the same as she looked in the college days, but, my looks underwent a slight change. In my graduation days I used to have a moustache, but, after going to London I trimmed those facial hairs of mine. Apart from that I was also wearing specks now. This gave me a belief that she won’t recognize me.
After collecting her boarding pass she turned and saw me. However she didn’t react and left from the scene in a casual manner. This behavior of her brought a couple of questions in my mind like did she failed to recognize me or she just ignored me. After thinking on this for 10 minutes I came with a belief that she failed to recognize me, although, I was not sure of this very belief of mine. But, this belief made me happy than the belief that she ignored me.
After certain formalities all the passengers went inside the plane. I was wishing that she doesn’t get a seat next to mine. However, God didn’t hear me this time and she got a seat just next to mine. Chances of happening this were less, but, still it happened. However, this gave me a chance to know that did my belief won or she ignored me in the airport. After looking at me she said that my face looked a bit familiar. These words of her led to the victory of my belief that she failed to recognize me. However, after a second she said that my face looked similar to Aryan Kashyap, her batch mate from NLSIU, Bangalore. This time she got me right. Now I thought of pretending as someone else, but before I can say anything she saw my Identity card which said it all. My LSE I card bore all mine details with name in bold letters. I don’t know why I was wearing my Institute’s I card in the plane. But, now what I knew was that something was definitely going to happen.
However, after reading my name from the Identity card she smiled and said that it was nice to see me after so many years. She also agreed to the point that I have changed a lot in the past four years. Although in these four years I changed myself both physically and mentally, she meant only of the changed physical look. I too gave her a smile and said that it was nice to see her. The talk was of very formal nature. However the talk didn’t last much as Aisha went into sleep after the flight took off. The sleep was obvious because she did lose some part of her daily sleep to catch the early morning flight. I too thought of taking a nap, but, when I turned towards her I went back into the old memories of the college days.
It was year 2006 when I met her for the very first time. We both were lucky to make into National Law School of India University Bangalore, the best law University of the Country. We had an orientation on the first day in which we all were motivated to perform well in the institute. After the orientation was done all of us came out of the auditorium. This was the moment when I first saw her. She was walking along with her newly made friends towards the girl’s hostel. I too made many friends with whom I had great talk. However we had our first talk on the eve of Fresher’s Moot Court Competition for the first year students. In moot court competitions students are provided with a case on which they have to prepare a brief and then argue like a lawyer as happens in the real court. These competitions were organized so that law students can put their theoretical, analytical and argumentative skills to the test. Unluckily we both were on the opposite sides in the competition. However we had a good contest as both of us mooted in a very good manner despite doing it for the very first time. When the competition got over we came out of the Moot court praising each other for their performances. Although I first saw her three months back, but, this was the first time when I had a chance to interact with her. This delay happened because I felt very shy to talk to girls.
After a couple of days’ time the results of the Fresher’s Moot Court Competition came out in which we both lost, although we both lost, but, still we gave a respectable performance. This can be said as her team stood at the 4th position and ours at 2nd among the 16 teams which participated. After the results many of us changed their Fresher’s Moot teams including both of us. However now due to mutual talk Aisha and I were in the same team along with Yash [The same guy whose wedding we both were going to attend in Bengaluru.]. Yash didn’t took part in the Fresher’s Moot Court Competition, but his academic performance made both of us think that he will be a good researcher for us in the Moot Court Competitions. To develop a good bond among ourselves we started studying together in the library not only for moots, but, also for academics. Our group study and other strategies worked as we excelled in both moots and academics. To maintain our position we worked harder and we got good results of our hard work. In the meantime my friendship with Aisha also grew and we came in a relationship. Even Yash and Aisha became friends. But, Yash had a girlfriend outside college. This was also known to Aisha. Therefore, I didn’t felt any sort of insecurity when I saw Aisha and Yash talk.
Time passed and now we were in the final year of our B.A., LL.B course. This was the time when we have to decide that what we want to do in our life. Usually 75% of the batch sat for college placement, whereas the others did litigation, preparation of the Civil and Judicial services or went in the field of teaching. Yash and Aisha sat for the annual college placement along with most of our batch mates, whereas I was thinking of a career in teaching. I was the topper of my batch with many other co-curricular achievements. Therefore, I decided to apply for the LSE [London School of Economics and Political Science]-India scholarship for higher studies. However, I didn’t tell these to any of my friends including Yash and Aisha. Luckily I won the scholarship. This meant that I was going to LSE to pursue LL.M. Apart from that both Yash and Aisha got a package of Rs 12 lakh in the Luthra Legal firm. Therefore, this was the time for celebration and we gathered in a restaurant outside the university. While we were having our lunch in the restaurant Aisha asked about my plans. Now I replied in a very gentle manner that I was going to pursue LL.M. in LSE, London on scholarship. Yash got very happy on hearing this, but Aisha looked a bit worried. However, she didn’t say anything at that time. When we came back from the restaurant we went for a walk inside the campus. This time Yash didn’t company us. Hence, we got a good time to chat together. I asked her why she got worried on hearing that I am going to LSE. Then she said that her father wanted her to get married to his friend’s son who has just completed his M.B.A. from IIM Ahmedabad. Apart from that he did his graduation from IIT Bombay. As a result he has got a package of Rs. 96 lakhs and that too in India. I have always followed my father. Therefore declining this marriage proposal is becoming quite difficult for me. Hence I want you to look for a decent job instead of pursuing LL.M. so that I can talk about you with my family members. Else this relationship won’t survive.
These words of her rattled my heart. I became clueless that what I should do now. On one side was my love whereas on the other side was my dream. Selecting any one was difficult. On seeing me silent she said that what my decision was. To this I said that I want one day’s time to think about it. This made her a bit angry. She said that I want one day’s time to think whether I want to carry on this relation or not. This shows that I am not at all serious about our relationship. This even made me a bit angry and I said that everyone has a girlfriend, but, everyone can’t win a scholarship. Instead of encouraging me you are telling me to drop this scholarship only because you are unable to convince your father. You didn’t talk about me to your family members and now you are accusing me that I am not serious about this relationship. She stood silent for a moment and then left for hostel weeping. I too went to my room. For the whole night I kept on thinking that should I go to LSE or not. Should I follow my dream or love? But, at the end I made a decision of following my dream. For a couple of days we didn’t met and on the day of farewell function I told her that I was going to LSE and this was my final decision. To this she replied that she hated me and didn’t want to see my face again. I turned back and went to my room leaving the farewell function in middle. This was the last time I saw her.
I heard the announcement from air hostess that the flight was about to land in Bengaluru airport. Even Aisha woke up from her sleep now. Therefore, I immediately turned my face from her because I didn’t want her to feel that I still loved her. When we came out of the airport we saw Yash waiting for us outside. On seeing us he immediately came to us and said that he was very happy that we both came to attend his wedding. He took both of us to the guest house where we got two different rooms facing each other. The families of bride and groom as well as our batch mates were staying there for convenience. On reaching guest house we met many of our batch mates who were already there. They didn’t react much on seeing Aisha because all of them were in contact with her due to Facebook, whereas, I didn’t had a Facebook account. Therefore, I was not in their contacts. They insisted me of joining Facebook so that we can remain in touch. But, I declined their offer because I thought that Facebook was a virtual world and there was no use of wasting time in virtual world. However we exchanged numbers so that we can all remain in touch.
After lunch Aisha came to my room and said that she wanted to talk to me. I was in no mood to talk to her, but, still I agreed. The first question she asked to me was that did I have any girlfriend in London. To this I replied that I went to London to fulfill my dream and not to make any girlfriend. Apart from that it was because of London I lost my love. Therefore, there were no chances of having any girlfriend there. I gave this answer to make her feel that I was always serious about our relationship and it was she who broke it and not me. However, my world changed in a couple of minutes when she said that even she is single today. All the way from Delhi I was thinking that she was married, but now I have come to know that she too is single like me. I immediately asked her that what happened to the boy to whom her father selected for her. To this she replied that they parted ways after engagement because he was a very narrow minded man and she didn’t liked narrow minded people. After that she convinced her father that she wanted to do something in life instead of getting married too soon. Her father agreed to this and today she is a proud independent woman.
Now I felt that God has given me a golden opportunity to win back my love and therefore I didn’t want to waste it. Hence, I told Aisha that I wanted to say something to her which she needs to hear patiently without making any interruption. She agreed to my proposal. Now I began with my speech, “I started liking you from the very first moment when I saw you in the university. I didn’t want to leave you but still I did so to fulfill my dream which didn’t go in vain. Today I am one of the bestselling authors of United Kingdom with millions of pounds in my back account. Further I am also a professor in LSE. Apart from teaching and writing novels I also write research papers which are also popular. I had name, fame and money in England. But, still I felt your absence there. This shows that I still love you my dear. Therefore, will you marry me and complete my life?”
On hearing this Aisha ran towards me and kissed me passionately. I got my answer and I also learnt one thing today that “Love always gives a second chance.”
THE END
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