Bright lights and heavy music are playing everywhere. Marriage ceremonies are incomplete without the same songs playing in loop. Some are involved in photo sessions with the bride while some are just waiting for the food. Cameramen are clicking photos from every angle. Avishek doesn't love to be in the limelight. He is sitting in one corner and lost in his own trail of thoughts. He is dressed in a suit which is simple yet elegant. He doesn't want to be identified by anyone of this crowd. He loves to observe people around him, perfect to be called a punctilious person. He doesn't fit well in the reference of the modern generation who likes parties, night outs and destination weddings. He would still stop for a while and listen to the playing of harmonium, stand near the banks of river Ganga and observe the sun setting across the horizon.
"Excuse me, can I have a seat?"
Avishek's trail of thoughts were broken and his eyes met with a beautiful girl. She is dressed differently from others. She is dressed in a lavender coloured saree. Her hair fell in waves and her lips were coloured in light pink. If simplicity has a name it would be hers.
She dragged the chair and sat next to Avishek. She was glancing at nowhere in particular. "Arunita here", she stretched her hand towards Avishek maybe after 15 minutes of silence
.
"Avishek".
"If I am not wrong you want to avoid the crowd in this ceremony ".
With a small smile on her lips Arunita nodded her head in approval.
"Are you from the bride's side?", it was Arunita's turn to question.
"Umm. Yeah ", Avishek replied.
"How are you related to the bride?"
"This answer is too complicated. It might take too much of your precious time", Avishek replied with a smile but his eyes conveyed something else.
"I would love to hear".
____________________
A cold winter morning which doesn't let you realize the difference between morning and noon. Avishek received the call. It was Shrestha on the other side.
"I am coming near your place in the evening. Catch me up near the coffee house."
Coffee house is a usual place of meeting for Avishek and Shrestha. The coffee owner considers them just as two lovers facing the brut of long distance.
Shrestha and Avishek have been friends for more than ten years. In the course of time they never realized how uniforms changed into college degrees and then into job offers. It was certain after spending such a huge amount of time they have a certain amount of fondness for each other.
Avishek got ready in his usual wear. He has never dressed in formals for Shrestha, afterall friends don't get dressed for each other.
"Why did you decide to meet on such a short notice?", Avishek asked as he took the mobile from Shrestha's hand and put it into his pocket. He had never realized how this has grown into a habbit for him. He never liked Shrestha glancing into her mobile while they met.
"I came to visit my friend. Her condition is serious."
"Why are you trying so hard so save her? No amount of efforts can save her. She has to die. Accept it."
These words pierced Shrestha like bullets. Sometimes reality is too hard to accept.
"I am sorry", Avishek said in a weak voice.
"It's okay. Anyways you are right."
"I am just fed up Shrestha. Why do you always put efforts in the wrong people ? ", Avishek said in a trembling voice.
"What do you mean?", Shrestha asked even though she understood what he meant.
"None of your exes were worthy of your love and time. You have always invested in the wrong people Shrestha. You never think of the consequences of your choices", Avishek said in a rush.
"Why do you always bother about whom I fall in love with?"
"Have you ever tried to understand that? Never. Have you ever thought we could have given a name to this bond between us?"
000000000000000
"Do you think I have never thought over this Avishek? I have thought, not once but a couple of times. I don't think of you before going to bed. I like you but I don't feel the urge to have you. Some feelings are generated in the first sight and some feelings can't be generated even in ten years. I have never thought of you romantically and I won't be able to think ever. Love poems don't remind me of you. I can never give a name to our bond."
Avishek was quiet throughout the time.
"Are you leaving me?", Shrestha held his hand.
Some bonds are really ironical. We want validation without a name. We want a forever without the promise of it.
"I am not leaving you. I need some space Shrestha", Avishek said in a low voice.
Some truths are better if left unsaid. This confession created a magical wall between them. They still called each other but it felt distant.
_______________________
"Sorry to interrupt you, I think we should have our food before it finishes. "
Avishek came out of his world of memories.
"Sorry, I must have bored you a lot".
"It felt so real, should I say something?"
"Yes sure..."
"All romantic connection can't be love and all love can't be a romantic connections. Do you have a contact with her?"
"I still know everything about her. Infact I can show her to you. Do you wanna see her?", Avishek's eyes were moist now.
He pointed to a girl dressed in a red saree. She looked gorgeous. The center of attention of the marriage ceremony. She was the bride.
"Shrestha?", Arunita's eyes were wide in wonder.
"Probably you don't know me, but I know you. I am that friend of Arunita she often visited at the hospital. "
It seemed time had stopped for Avishek. It was the first time he opened his heart to a girl after Shrestha. Realization dawned upon him. She will leave him too. She hasn't come as a ray of hope in his messed up life. She has come to mess it more.
"I won't live long", Arunita continued. "Shrestha is happy. You should move on."
"Is deleting feelings so easy? What was my fault?", Avishek's voice reeked of suffering and pain.
"Nobody is right and nobody is wrong Avishek. Sometimes we suffer without doing anything. Look at me, I have to leave the world soon with so many sunfulfilled wishes. Am I wrong? "
"Can I be your partner in the quest of unfulfilled wishes?", Avishek kneeled down. Some proposals don't need a rose or a ring. They are just perfect in their own way.
Arunita could not control her tears of joy. "Yes", she replied.
Some love stories are spontaneous and created in the most uncommon surroundings. Love is powerful , it never let's you give up on the person even after knowing the person isn't meant to be forever. Arunita intertwined her fingers with Avishek. Their separation is inevitable yet love makes it look less painful.
About the Creator
Ananya De
Alone,
Watching the whispering sky,
Where,
Clouds wanna cry,
Alone,
Fighting with the stars,
Asking,
To be mine. ♥️♥️
Spread love❤️, spread peace !!
What Nobody Warns You About Growing Up
Nobody warns you that growing up doesn’t happen all at once. There’s no clear moment when childhood ends and adulthood begins. It sneaks up on you quietly, disguised as routine, responsibility, and small decisions that suddenly feel heavy. When we’re young, we imagine growing up as freedom. We think it means staying up late, earning money, making our own choices, and living life on our terms. Adults look powerful from the outside—confident, certain, and in control. What nobody tells you is that most adults are still figuring things out, just like you were, only with higher stakes. One of the first shocks of growing up is realizing that no one is coming to save you. As a child, there is always someone to fix things—parents, teachers, elders. A bad grade can be explained. A mistake can be forgiven easily. But as you grow older, the safety net thins. Mistakes start costing time, money, relationships, and sometimes self-respect. You learn that accountability isn’t just a word; it’s a weight you carry every day. Nobody warns you about how lonely growing up can feel. Even when surrounded by people, there’s a quiet distance that forms. Friends you once spoke to every day slowly drift away. Not because of anger or betrayal, but because life pulls everyone in different directions. Jobs, families, priorities—all rearrange your circle without asking for permission. You stop expecting people to stay forever and start appreciating those who do. Another thing no one talks about is how often you’ll doubt yourself. As a child, you dream without limits. You want to be everything at once—successful, admired, fearless. Growing up introduces comparison. You see others moving faster, earning more, achieving milestones you haven’t reached yet. Social media makes it worse, turning life into a scoreboard you never agreed to play on. You learn that confidence isn’t permanent; it’s something you rebuild again and again. Growing up also teaches you that hard work doesn’t always pay off immediately. You can do everything right and still feel stuck. Effort doesn’t guarantee results, and patience becomes one of the hardest lessons. Nobody warns you how exhausting it is to keep going when motivation fades and only discipline remains. Yet this is where growth actually happens—in the moments when quitting feels easier than continuing. Then there’s the emotional part no one prepares you for. You start seeing your parents as human beings, not just authority figures. You notice their fears, regrets, and limitations. Sometimes you understand them more; sometimes it hurts to realize they didn’t have all the answers either. Growing up often means forgiving people—not because they apologized, but because holding on to resentment is too heavy. You’re also not warned about how your definition of success changes. It stops being about applause and starts becoming about peace. A quiet mind. A stable income. A few people who genuinely care about you. You learn that happiness isn’t loud or dramatic; it’s often found in ordinary moments—coming home tired but safe, laughing at something small, sleeping without anxiety. One of the hardest truths of growing up is learning to let go. Let go of versions of yourself that no longer fit. Let go of people who can’t grow with you. Let go of timelines you once believed were fixed. This letting go feels like loss, even when it’s necessary. Nobody warns you that growth and grief often walk together. Yet, despite all this, growing up gives you something valuable—clarity. You begin to understand your boundaries. You learn when to say no without explaining yourself. You start choosing what matters instead of chasing everything. Strength stops looking like loud confidence and starts looking like quiet resilience. What nobody warns you about growing up is that it will break you in small ways—and rebuild you stronger in others. You’ll lose some innocence but gain wisdom. You’ll trade certainty for understanding. And even on days when you miss the simplicity of who you once were, you’ll realize you’re proud of who you’re becoming. Growing up isn’t about having everything figured out. It’s about learning how to keep going, even when you don’t. And maybe that’s the lesson no one warns you about—adulthood isn’t a destination. It’s a continuous act of becoming.
By Hanif Ullah 6 days ago in Fiction
A Dart at Dusk
Seconds ago, the sullen sun set on the two of us… my exuberant furry companion and me. A fresh breeze embraces us, delivering welcome relief from the day’s oppressive heat. His typical stumbling and staggering along — apace with a sloth — has turned into trip-trapping, high-stepping, almost skipping along.
By Angie the Archivist 📚🪶about 22 hours ago in Petlife
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.