You think it's easy to be where I am today?
Let me give you a little glimpse—today marks more than eleven months since my very first chat with him. Eleven months of emotions, chaos, confusion, and clarity. Eleven months that felt like a lifetime. You cannot even imagine how much this journey has changed me and the place we stand at today… it was never smooth.
It took countless sleepless nights, endless fights, disappointments that felt like heartbreaks, moments of consolation that made me weak again, trust issues that shook me to the core, changes I wasn't ready for, and yet… despite everything, I don't regret it.
Because it was beautiful.
Every moment.
Every conversation.
Every tiny piece of him I got to hold on to felt magical.
For me, he was the one. So close, yet always just a little out of reach. From that day to this, there hasn't been a single day I haven't talked to him, thought about him, or mentioned him. I don't know how he became so important, how he somehow seeped into every corner of my mind.
The only thing I was sure of was this—
I would go against the whole world for him. I would fight for him.
But only if he was ready to hold my hand.
One thing was always clear—he was never a villain. He was just a boy dealing with his own storms. But neither was he the male protagonist of some perfect romance. This was my story, our story—of two people trying to handle a bond we called "friendship" but knew it was more.
This isn't a rom-com. It isn't a fictional fairy tale. It's raw. It's heartbreaking. It's emotional. It's real. The kind of love teenagers crave without even understanding why.
So let's go back—to the day when he called.
Hearing his voice for the first time properly made my heart skip a beat. "Hi, Charu," he said. I had heard his voice in a few voice notes before, but listening to him speak on a call was different. Out of all the things I expected him to say, what came next left me frozen.
> "Charu, tell me one thing… are you attached to me or something?"
I froze. My heart literally stopped. He knew. He had already heard something. My stomach twisted with embarrassment. I wanted to bury myself deep into the ground and never come out.
I hesitated. "No… no… what do you mean?"
He exhaled softly. "I talked to Vidya and Priyanka. After talking to them, I'm asking you this."
Oh God, spare me. What was going on?
And then, after a pause that felt like forever, he dropped the bomb.
> "The truth is, Charu… I was in a relationship with a girl. I wasn't sad because of some family issues—no one gets that lost over such things."
It was as if the floor disappeared beneath my feet. My throat went dry. I could feel my eyes sting. Maybe it was embarrassment, maybe heartbreak, or maybe just disbelief.
I whispered, "Okay… you could have told me this before."
He spoke gently, "You're the first person I've told. It was a very private relationship. Nobody knew—not my best friends, not my sister. Only a few of her friends."
And that shocked me even more. Why was he sharing this with me—a person he barely knew?
He continued, "Vidya and Priyanka will be the second people to know now."
I didn't even know what to feel in that moment.
He told me about her. She was from a similar culture and background as mine. She lived and studied in a nearby city. They were together for nine months, friends for almost a year and a half. They barely met, and she had to call off the relationship because her parents caught her—probably her father.
And then he said the words that shattered me more than anything—
> "Charu, I'll be clear. I really, really loved her. And I will wait for her… for as long as it takes. Maybe months, maybe years—I don't know. If you want to wait, that's your choice. But I'll suggest you move on and have a better life. We can be friends, no issue. So… what do you think?"
I still remember that moment. I knew that one decision would change everything.
And like a fool, I let my heart choose.
> "I'll wait. As long as it takes."
There was silence.
He said softly, "Are you sure?"
I didn't know. I mumbled, "Let's just be friends. Maybe I'll move on… but right now, I'm confused."
And just like that, the topic shifted to her. I asked questions about her. She studied with my cousin brother. She was a school topper. A simple, sweet person. I felt this strange curiosity about her.
We discussed a few things, and then he said he had another call to attend. We said goodbye. He promised to text me at night.
But after that call… the story haunted me.
I kept waiting for his text.
I wanted to know what was really in his mind.
And more importantly… what was in mine.