A room filled with photo frames, each capturing memories of a beautiful girl, from childhood to womanhood.
The woman in the photographs lies in a deep sleep on the bed, but not alone. A man is beside her, staring at her with an expression of both joy and relief.
The Unknown Man says, "You might be wondering why I look so happy now. There's a reason. I'm lying in bed with my first love. If you look closely at the photo frames, you'll find me in one of them."
"I have the greatest love story of all. I'm not bluffing... it's a fact. Alright, it might be hard to believe, but you'll understand once I finish telling my story."
"My name is Abhay. I often wonder what made my parents choose such a name. It doesn't quite fit me. I developed exactly the opposite personality of what my name represents. I was an introvert, a loner with no friends - essentially invisible. My name only appeared in attendance, and no one really cared or noticed me. I was often bullied by my classmates in school, and my life felt like a disaster, until she walked in."
"It was in 9th grade when our teacher introduced a transfer student - her name was Maya. I had never believed in love at first sight, until that very moment. My day, like every other, was filled with bullying, my bag being thrown in the trash, and so on."
"But the next day, while I was being bullied, Maya walked in and stood up for me. She spoke out for me, even grabbed my hand, and took me to the principal's office, standing by me despite being a complete stranger."
"She looked like a superhero, a savior, a messiah. I might be exaggerating, but it felt like the warmth of sunlight in the middle of the North Pole."
"She wasn't just good to me. She stood up for everyone. She was down to earth, an extrovert, and had this charisma that made everyone fall in love with her at first sight."
"I know what people are thinking - she's the complete opposite of me. And that's true. Which is why I love her more than myself."
"After that incident, we never spoke again. Honestly, I never thanked her for helping me. I was too anxious and scared to talk to her."
"Then, one day, on the 26th of July, she gave me chocolate. You've probably guessed by now - it was her birthday. Once again, I was too nervous to wish or thank her."
"Three years passed, and we finished school. She chose to become a doctor and went on to pursue her dream, and I followed the same path."
"She never noticed me, even though I ended up in the same college, in the same class. I was really good at staying invisible."
"Being around her and seeing her every day were my happiest moments. She, as always, made many friends and became the most popular person on campus."
"Like a bright star, her light attracted many guys, but she never seemed interested in any of them - until Prithvi took notice."
"Now, to tell you about Prithvi... he was everything I wasn't and everything I wished I could be. To sum it up, he was a senior, a top scorer in both academics and sports. And of course, he was popular with the girls."
"One day, during our college festival, Maya was performing on stage in front of the crowd. While dancing, she lost her balance and slipped. Fortunately, she was fine, but unfortunately, I wasn't, because she fell straight into Prithvi's arms. From that moment on, he started openly pursuing her. The difference between him and me? I stayed in the shadows, while he made his presence known like a blinding light. Eventually, Maya fell for him. They were happy, and I was happy for her, but not for me. Still, I didn't have the courage to step forward. So, I stayed away."
"It was my third year in college when all the students wanted to go on a trip. The college authorities didn't approve, but Maya took the initiative to organize a trip with shared expenses for the students."
"She invited everyone, and she even spoke to me after so long. She asked my name and if I belonged to her class. I was thrilled to finally talk to her. Despite everything, I wanted to remain distant, but when she invited me on the trip, I said yes. However, on the day of the trip, I realized Prithvi was also coming."
"I was happy to be on the trip with Maya, but also sad that Prithvi was there."
"It was a fun and memorable trip for Maya, and I was genuinely happy for her."
"On the last night of the trip, we stayed at a resort on top of a hill. That night, I was wandering around when I came across Prithvi's room. I saw Maya sitting with him and his friends. As I was about to leave, I saw Prithvi's friend offering Maya an alcoholic drink. She refused, but they secretly mixed something into her Coke. I watched as they added powder to the drink. I was too scared to speak up. As Maya drank the concoction, she fell unconscious. Then, Prithvi lifted her and placed her on his bed. That's when I learned he wasn't who everyone thought he was."
"He never loved her. He and his friends wanted to take advantage of her kind and humble nature. I found the courage to knock on the door."
"One of the guys answered, and I told him I needed to talk to Maya. He got tense and murmured something to the others. Then Prithvi came to the door and told me that Maya was tired and sleeping and suggested I see her in the morning."
"As Prithvi tried to close the door, I forced my way inside. They were all shocked. I confronted them and told them I saw what they did to Maya and wouldn't let them harm her. They exchanged looks, and then Prithvi approached me and said, 'If you want to be part of this, no problem, but you'll have to wait in line.'"
"I was furious. I punched him and grabbed him. We started exchanging blows, but his friends held me back. Then they dragged me to the balcony and tried to throw me off to make it look like an accident."
"As they tried to push me off, I grabbed Prithvi's collar, and we both fell from the top of the hill."
"Yes, I died. Maya never realized what really happened. Prithvi's friends told her that I killed him out of an obsession with her."
"She wept for him. It's alright. I was finally able to thank Maya for standing up to the bullies for me in high school. You might be wondering how I'm still here if I died. I lost my physical self, but this is my soul speaking."
"It's been two months since the incident. Even now, Maya weeps for him before going to bed. It's fine by me, even if she hates me. I'll always be her shadow, protecting her until the end."
"Now, don't you agree that I have the greatest love story?"
