This story starts with two modern families, Verma`s and Mehta`s. Both families belong to the state of Punjab, India and live in capital city of Punjab, Chandigarh. Mr. Arpit Verma (34 years) works for state government in water supply department and Mr. Rahul Mehta (33 years) has his own import/export business of garments. Mrs. Verma (29 years) and Mrs. Mehta (29 years) are home makers. Arpit lives with his wife and one year old son Arnav in the flat provided by state government. In the same locality near government flats, Rahul lives with his wife in a big house. Arpit and Rahul know each other since college days however Rahul joined business early and didn`t complete his studies in college due to his business family background. They are very close friends. Then the below adventure happened in their life:-
One fine day, Rahul called Arpit to invite his family on dinner at his big house. Arpit asked him the reason and then Rahul told that his wife is expecting and he wanted to celebrate this occasion with his close friend. Arpit came with his wife and son in Rahul`s big house, Rahul and his wife were really happy because of the good news; they shared their happiness with Arpit and his family. During dinner, Arpit told Rahul about the happiness he felt when he became father and congratulated Rahul. After nine months, Rahul and his wife blessed with a beautiful baby girl. Arpit along his wife and son came to hospital to congratulate his friend and to see Rahul`s baby girl. After seeing Rahul`s baby girl, Arpit said "iske features to bilkul bhabhi pe hain" and his son Arnav said "mela baby". Both the families were really happy at that time and celebrated the moment.
After few days, Rahul called Aprit to come to his home on "Naamkaran" (baby naming ceremony). They named her "Riddhi". As Rahul was a rich man, he spent a lot of money on toys, dresses and baby caring products for his daughter. On the other hand, as Arpit was a government servant spent like a low middle class father spent on his son. One day, Rahul in a funny way told Arpit "Main apni Riddhi ko doctor banauga aur tu apne Arnav ko engineer banna". They laughed and spent good time together. After three years, Riddhi started her school while Arnav was already in 2nd standard in a different school at that time. Arnav used to ask his father to take him to Rahul`s uncle house so that he could see Riddhi. As a child, Arnav was always very energetic about Riddhi and always played with her. Rahul always asked Arpit to take Arnav to his home so that their kids could play more together. They play together and Riddhi started calling Arnav "Nav".
After three years, Aprit got promoted and transferred to Amritsar, a different city in Punjab. He moved with his wife and Arnav away from his friend Rahul`s family. Verma`s and Mehta`s got separated. That day, Arnav and Riddhi cried because they knew now it would be difficult for them to see each other on a regular basis. They were very close to each other because of their bonding which started since they first met. In Amritsar, Arnav made new friends in his school but he always remembered Riddhi. Similarly, Riddhi started focusing on her friends in school more than before. Initially, Arnav and Riddhi got chances to see each other whenever Rahul visited Amritsar for business purpose. Later, they got very less chances to meet each other. Rahul got busy with his business expansion and Arpit got busy with his job. After few years, Arnav and Riddhi slipped away from each other`s mind. Still, Arpit and Rahul remained in touch on phone and met whenever they got the chances.
Years went in a flash; Arnav finished his school and started his engineering in Patiala, Punjab. After one year, Riddhi also started her MBBS in Patiala. After two years, Arnav`s father Arpit told him that Riddhi is also in Patiala. He took it lightly and replied "Okay". On the other side, Rahul told Riddhi about Arnav and she replied that she will try to meet him. One fine day, Arnav saw a beautiful girl at `22 no. Phatak` (a famous place in Patiala) who looked exactly like Riddhi. He went and asked "Oye Riddhi tu ?" and then she replied "Nav". Two childhood friends met after almost ten years, they sat and talked for an hour. They were happy to meet each other. They took each other`s phone number and promised to stay in touch in near future. After the meeting, Arnav felt so good and he told his father Arpit about her. Rahul got the news from Riddhi. Arpit and Rahul were happy to see their kids maintaining the friendship from one generation to another and in a way, it made both families together.
Since then, Arnav met Riddhi on a regular basis. Arnav`s friends always asked him to ask Riddhi out on a date but he always replied "wo mere dad ke friend ki beti hai yaar...we are childhood friends yaar for god sake". He never took his friends seriously however before and after the meeting her, he talked about her in front on his friends. He started feeling special with her and there was some connection between them. After two years, Arnav completed his engineering and awarded with the degree in electronics and communication. After some struggle, he got the job in Bangalore in one of the biggest companies in telecom. He went to Bangalore and started his new life. Arpit and his wife were happy for his son and visited Bangalore also.
Arnav made new friends in Bangalore. He worked hard in his job and impressed his seniors with his performance. Due to his new life style and Riddhi`s study, Arnav again got away from her. Meanwhile, Riddhi was working hard to get good grades in her MBBS exams and she met a boy Vikas in her college who was doing MD, and she fell in love with him. She told her family about Vikas and about her relationship. Initially, Rahul didn`t like Vikas but later he understood. Due to that new happening in her life she got away from Arnav. She spent a good time with Vikas and finished her MBBS exams. After completing MBBS exams, she asked Vikas about marriage plans and then Vikas told her that he could not marry her because of his family. That made her upset and they mutually broke up with each other and moved on in life.
After MBBS exams, Riddhi went to Bangalore to complete her one year internship in one of the Hospitals. She met Arnav in Banagalore and shared the broke up story with him. In returned Arnav expressed his care towards her by listening to her. Since then, Arnav and Riddhi started meeting each other on weekends to watch movies, to eat outside and spent quality time together. As in the past, Arnav again started feeling special for her and thought to share his feeling with Riddhi. He discussed with his friends about what he feels for her. His friends suggested him to talk more with her to know more about her before sharing his feelings. As she was just came out of one hurtful relation. Even Arnav was not sure about his feelings and thought that it could be attraction what he was feeling at that time so he forcefully stopped himself.
One day on weekend, Riddhi called Arnav to meet. Arnav went to pick her and they had coffee together and discussed about their plans for future. Arnav said "mughe to yaar bas jaldi se paise kamane hain taki main apne parents ke liye acha ghar bana saku" and Riddhi said "main ek clinic open karna chahiti hu apna". They talked for an hour and then Arnav asked Riddhi to come with him to visit a shopping mall near coffee shop. They came outside the coffee shop and started walking towards shopping mall then suddenly rain started. They got little wet due to rain and found one shelter near shopping mall. While standing under shelter Arnav saw Riddhi trying to avoid rain water to fall on her hair, he started thinking like a male actor thinks in Hindi movies about a female actor. She was looking so beautiful and innocent to Arnav. He was about to tell her about his feelings for her and then suddenly rain stopped. Riddhi asked Arnav to drop her to her house. While going towards parking, Riddhi just held Arnav`s hand in her hand to cross the road and that made Arnav more uncomfortable. In a rush, he dropped her home and went in a flash.
After that incident, he discussed with his friends and asked for their suggestions. His closest friend told him that it could be love or it could be attraction and suggested him to discuss with Riddhi. He thought about it for next five days and finally decided to tell her. He called Riddhi to meet on weekend and then Riddhi replied that "yaar next weekend to Chandigarh ja rahi hu, aane ke baad milugi". He desperately waited her to come back from home as he planned that he will tell her about his feelings. It was very difficult time for him, he was not able to concentrate on his work and took day offs from his job.
After fifteen days, Riddhi called Arnav to meet him and she was very excited to see him. Arnav was also very excited to meet her; he went at her home to pick her. They sat in the same coffee house where they used to sit. She said she wanted to share good news with him and Arnav also said that he also wanted to tell her something. She asked Arnav to say it first and then Arnav said "tu pehle bol chal". She said "I`m getting engaged next month after completing my internship and will marry in three months, yahoooo" and asked Arnav to tell her what he wanted to share. After hearing this news, Arnav controlled himself and said "congratulations yaar, I`m happy for you." Then Riddhi again asked "aare tu kuch kehne wala tha na bata na". He replied he just wanted to watch a movie with her as he didn`t have anything to say so he said like that. Then they went for a movie. In cinema hall, Riddhi watched the movie and during the whole movie, Arnav just saw Riddhi`s happiness on her face.
He understood that Riddhi never felt the way he felt about her. They again got separated by circumstances. For next few months he just thought about her and only about her. After her marriage with Ankit, she went to London, England with him and started working with him in his clinic in London. Arnav understood that "many times they were brought together by life and then separated but still she will never leave his heart". He moved on with his life and after two years, he also got married to a beautiful girl Prisha who belonged to the state of Haryana. Arnav lost touch with Riddhi and just worked hard in his life for his family. After two years, Prisha and Arnav blessed with a baby girl and they named her "Shiksha". Years went in a flash.
After about twenty years, Shiksha went to California, USA to study in finance management. On her first day in college, she met with an Indian boy "Nitash" who fell in love with her after meeting her for the first time. Shiksha also started liking him and felt the special connection between both of them. She informed her parents about her relationship. After three years, Nitash and Shiksha called their parents and asked them to visit California on their graduation ceremony. Arnav and Prisha came to visit her daughter and met Nitash. Nitash told them that his parents will also join them for graduation ceremony. In graduation ceremony, Nitash introduced his parents Ankit and Riddhi with Shiksha`s family. They recognised each other and felt amazing meeting after so many years. They were happy to see their kids together. Their families got together once again. Arnav also told Arpit and Riddhi informed Rahul. After three years, Nitash got married with Shiksha. Arnav understood that "If life takes something then it gives back something for sure". In the end, it was a happy family :)
Names used in this story are fictional. I hope you guys will like it :) - Nitash Sharma
