Kriti is studying engineering and is in her 3^rd year. Kriti has a slim built and is tall, with waist length chest nut coloured hair. Fair round face with large eyes, which momma says twinkling as brightly as it can. Kriti loves rain so much so it started raining while at college, and she couldn’t stop herself from getting wet all through and through in it. Going back home, Kriti opted walking the 2 km stretch to catch the bus, with her umbrella though open and up but not serving the purpose. Thereafter she caught a bus but at the back of the mind didn’t feel like going home. No one was there, even the house maid left by 4 p.m. It was 5:30 p.m. and she was reaching home some 5 km away from the college. She made some tea after drying herself. Mom and Dad are out of town for a week.

Kriti was the only child of Mr and Mrs Dhingra. They hailed from Delhi, but have been settled in Bhopal since past 12 years. Kriti came to Bhopal as a 10 year old. They have an extended huge family settled all over the globe and each of them has prospered in their fields. She being the youngest among the cousins is pampered by all, but Mom and Dad were always strict related matters which needed to be.

Its 9 p.m. and Kriti is busy preparing dinner for herself, and since no one home she’s taking no pains in preparing elaborate stuff. A simple sabu dana khichdi will do the needful. Some sneezes coz of getting wet and she proceeds for dinner watching the discovery channel covering coyotes. It’s been a tiring day, some more of TV watching till 11 p.m. and she’s off to bed. The weather out had suddenly become cold, and the atmosphere was as serene as could be. One could feel the onset of the monsoon season creeping backdoor with October just knocking the door. Nothing could stir Kriti fast asleep on her warm bed under heavy quilts, not even her cell phone ringing more than thrice.

Kriti stirs, looks around, seeing everything still dark she pulls over her quilt and falls asleep again. It seemed like an hour and she got up again, looked around, it still seemed dark, so went back to sleep again. 29^th September 2004 seemed to be the longest night. Kriti couldn’t sleep much so tried getting up, but in vain, she fell back there itself with some heaviness. The last time she felt such heaviness creeping in was as a 12 year old. She couldn’t deduce anything solid out of the heaviness so decided she’ll ask mom about it later. Everything was so silent and movement less, it seemed as ages to Kriti, she tried calling mom; but all that came out was a gasp. She felt something cold on her hand, and
clenched it with full strength. It struck to her she has classes to go, and tried getting up once again, but once more the heaviness brought her down, plus a different kind of strength from upwards that got her down and covered her with the quilt. Some loud sound was coming; somebody was saying something to her. She could make out the familiarity in the voice, but not what he was saying. She felt something clasping her hands and she held it as tightly as she could. Tears started rolling her cheeks or that’s what she thought coz she was blinded with watery eyes besides the inability to see anything. Someone kept caressing her, a touch she always knew and was very stable and prompt for it. Somewhile later she felt some shots being given to her on the arm of the left hand. And then she drifted to another world.

Its 3 hours and she isn’t awake as yet. She needs to be washed; they decide they better do it now since other work is all over. Five more hours and she stirs a bit. It takes an hour to gain consciousness and sense the surroundings near her. She can feel a warm hand resting on hers and turns over and draws the hand closer. Kriti gathers all strength and says in a meek voice Suyash what happened to me. He pats her head and tells her not to worry, everything is fine and under control, she just overslept. Kriti can feel her heart heaving, and responds by telling, “Suyash I know you’re lying, did I have a very high BP? I forgot to take my insulin shots yesterday and day before. Am sorry” Suyash said nothing but stroke her hair and tightened the grip he had on her hand. He bent down and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

Suyash is doing engineering as well in the final year in the same college in Bhopal as well.
Suyash is the youngest child at Mr and Mrs. Gulati. There is Shashi bhaiya the oldest 8 years to Suyash, Shreya di second in number, 6 years older to Suyash and Sahil bhaiya 4 years older to Suyash. That completes the Gulati family, also hailing from Delhi; long time settled in Bhopal. The Gulati’s and Dhingra’s have been family friends from now almost 3 decades even before coming to Bhopal. Shashi bhaiya and Shreya di have married and Sahil bhaiya is working. Engineering seems to be running in their blood.

It was 8 a.m. 30^th September, Tulawati bai, the housemaid of Dhingra’s entered the house and saw Kriti still sleeping, even though the college starts at 7:30 a.m. Tulawati bai has been working with the Dhingra’s for almost 9 years now. She found it strange finding Kriti still sleeping as Kriti was always an early riser. It would be 5 a.m. and Kriti’s day would begin, but now it was 8 and the lady didn’t seem stirring. Tulawati bai waited till 8:30 a.m. went and checked Kriti 4-5 times and then called up Suyash who by then was equally worried. He didn’t spot Kriti in college not even for a second. By 9:15 a.m. Suyash was home and making all calls to Mr Girish Malwekar, Kriti’s doctor. Tara, Suyash’s mom was also alerted and so were Mr and Mrs. Dhingra. Suyash rushed besides Kriti and sat their stroking her hair and warming her hands. Tulawati and Suyash were waiting patiently for the doctor to arrive and check her up. By 10 a.m. the doctor arrived, gave her a proper check up and declared she’s very high on BP. Besides that it seems she’s not taking her insulin shots from past 2-3 days. And then Tulawati bai went to the bathroom and came back declaring, Kriti got terribly wet the previous day in the rains. All her clothes are thoroughly wet and she’s running on fever as well. The doctor decided on giving Kriti shots of higher mg’s to stabilize her condition. She was given some sedation as well to sleep, and is under drips. Kriti needed atleast 3 days of complete bed rest and since Mr and Mrs Dhingra were not home, she needed to be taken special care of.

The following 3 days went by Suyash being 24*7 by her side. The drips were striped off, so all the liquid diet had to be gotten into her. Tulawati bai used to do all the cleaning and washing up, and rest Suyash handled. Trishla [Mrs Dhingra] called in to say they trying their best to come as soon as possible. Tara [Mrs Gulati] came home and stayed overnight for 2 days, making all the liquid diet food while Suyash went to college. The nights were  Kriti’s and Suyash’s, with regular dosage of insulin and he doing the talking and she listening.

By 4^th October she was all up and fine, though little bit of weakness from the fever as well. She promised Suyash she wouldn’t forget on insulin shots, and would get little wet in the rain, not completely drenched. And no matter what be the hour if she’s getting delayed in college, she’d buzz Suyash.

It was December time, the coldness of the winter setting all around the places it could. Bhopal could feel the gusts of chill air across Delhi creeping in its by lanes. Mid session college was on, though for final year engineering students now everything seemed like moving at the speed of bullet trains, placements pouring in, the 7^th semester exams due in March. Whereas for others it was the season of fests and college days. Though the final year students all believed this would be the last year when they could enjoy all of it, so they too were knee depth into all the activities.

One such day, 12^th December, Suyash was heading towards Naveen’s place. In between something unexpected happened just near the college, barely 1 km away. Suyash went down with his Unicorn on a busy highway. Onlookers were all astonished and gripped by the severity of the accident. Some onlookers included college folks, who gasped in horror seeing Suyash on the road, blood splattered all around him, his face, arms; every corner the redness could find. The tyre of his unicorn was revolving at good speed still. The sumo
behind him, stopped just 5 steps behind him, with a sudden brake and the screeching sound and the turning of the steering towards the right to avoid hitting onto something. Suyash was in a pretty good speed it seemed, as to what the onlookers had to say. And then a puppy came in between the road, and there was no way left to move onto. The brakes that had been applied had severe impact; the vehicle skidded 5 meters and came to a halt when it hit a tree. Suyash by then had fallen of the vehicle. Within 15 minutes phone calls were made to his house, his parents were told about the situation and he was rushed by the sumo fellow to MotiLal Hospital near his home. People were thanking he had a bag on his shoulders which reduced the impact of the fall, the bag was found in nearly 2 pieces and the doctors said if it weren’t the bag, his back would have gone for good. Moreover at his fall he cradled his head within his arms, plus the bag being there, he didn’t receive severe head injuries. The doctors were though surprised about the head injuries part, yet the body injuries were no less.

While at college, everybody was talking about the very serious accident of some senior from college. The news had gotten into the college, and everybody was keen to know who the person was. Word was like a guy on a Pulsar, no a CBZ, no a Unicorn for sure; but there were so many guys who had Unicorns. Some rumours and some gossips made way into the classrooms, laboratories and the library, but no one could figure out.

Kriti was home by 4:30 pm since the professors left for the hospital where the accident case was admitted. Back home she was rehearsing lines for the upcoming drama competition. She was abruptly called by Mommy, who by then looked tensed and jittery. Beta kaisi hain tu, the oddness in the question was very obvious. Papaji [Mr. Dhingra] was also standing close by and the next thing Kriti knew was she was hugging mom and holding onto dad. The world just collapsed for her some 6 hours back. “Puttar Suyash theek ho jaayega, tu ghabra nahin” was what Papaji could utter. All night long Kriti kept crying, shut herself in her room, and didn’t listen one word what her parents said to comfort her. All she kept saying was she wants to go and see Suyash. The night seemed endless, Kriti kept looking at the wall clock and every hour passed by like ages. Early morning by 6 am she was ready, but had to wait till 7:45 am since hospitals didn’t entertain visitors until 8 am. By 8:15 she was in the hospital and was tearing across the corridors, but slowed the pace seeing Tara aunty, along with Sahil bhaiya talking to the doctor. She almost stood there, tears flowing for 10 mins when Tara aunty came and embraced. All she knew was a want to see Suyash. The doctors and aunty refused to let her in the cubicle he was placed. From the window she could see a number of IVF’s being directed into his limp body. He was bandaged at nearly all places, and she couldn’t just see his face. She yearned to go close, and feel the touch of him; she promised his condition wouldn’t scare her, yet no one allowed her in. She asked Sahil bhaiya how long he’d have to be in here. His response was 2 ½ weeks, and then another 2 ½ weeks at home. She was overwhelmed, and then from behind Shreya di came and gave her a tight hug. Kriti knew she wanted to scream out loud, for she just couldn’t contain herself being there and not being able to see Suyash.

Back home, all she knew was, it’s going to be a tough task going to college and not seeing Suyash around. People everywhere talking about Suyash Gulati, the gossip following it, unconcerned people busy yapping around about the newest happening in the college. She wanted to pull off from the drama competition, but from much insistence from Mom and Dad, as well as Tara aunty; she went for a shot. The drama team did well, they bagged the 1^st position, and every body was in a mood for celebration but Kriti. She excused herself and went home; midway kept thinking how strong everyone at Gulati’s are, even when one more minute lost could lead to Suyash being absent from everyone’s life. She too is supposed to be strong she thought, but it had been 1 week and still she wasn’t being allowed to go and see him. The stern decisions would make her cry before them and literally beg, yet it never seemed any one of the Gulati’s felt sorry for her and would soften up. One such day after nearly begging for an hour and getting a bit furious she blurted before Shreya di, ‘I am not so important to everyone of you isn’t it, you are annoyed over Suyash’s decision that’s why am not being allowed in.’ The next thing Kriti knew was a hard slap on her face, and then being dragged into the cubicle where Suyash was, inspite of the protests by Tara aunty and the nurses. What followed were a scan of the room, and a glimpse of Suyash’s body and face. The glimpse couldn’t last for more than 2-3 mins. Kriti herself was out in the corridor sobbing hard and loud, and gasping for air. Shreya came  after her, and suddenly shouted, ‘So this is what you thing right? You’re not welcome in the family? Oh yes, tell us that again and tell it before Suyash!’ Ramesh Uncle [Mr Gulati]ďż˝ came into the scene calming both Shreya and Kriti. He said ‘mere bachaas shaant ho jao, kisiki koi galti nahin hain, wo uppar waala sabpe nazar rakh raha hain. Hum sab ko usne den ki hamara bacha hamare paas chodd ke’

Kriti went and hugged Shreya di and kept apologizing and sobbing louder and louder. Shreya di replied ‘Aage se aisi baat kabhie mat karna, tu bhi Gulati hi hain, bas chotti hain sabse isliye nahin chahte the ki tu Suyash ko aisi haalat mein dekhe.’

Some 3 more weeks followed Suyash being in the hospital, thereafter he was at home on a complete bed rest for another 2 weeks. The class’s he was missing was another onus, for which his classmates would bring home the notes and Sahil bhaiya or Ramesh Gulati would get the Xeroxes done.

It was one such February morning, the 7^th, Suyash’s classmates came home to check on him and do a little bit of catching up. They were some 8 of them in number, Garima, Shaili, Karan, Chitra, Aditya, Bansal, Gautam and Ritesh. Along with them, they brought a huge bouquet which was placed at the table next to Suyash’s bed. Happily they were chit chatting and filling him with the happenings of college. Aditya was Suyash’s best friend who frequented the house a great deal and was checking out the ambience of the room while others were talking. Kriti made way to the house and was heading Suyash’s room, when she stopped mid way at the sounds coming from the room, and from the window slider she  could see the huge bouquet. She did a U turn and went towards the backyard unaware Shashi bhaiya was following her. She stopped over the garbage bin and gave one soulful look at the purple shaded pancy stalks she was clutching and when was just about to toss it into the bin, Shashi bhaiya held her hand and gave her the reassuring look. However she  was teary eyed and blurted that in front of that huge bouquet of which she never thought she too could bring; these pancy stalks would look like an ant in the grass. Shashi bhaiya smiled and said, “Beta these pancy stalks would look like a crown over the bouquet, you know why? Because they are being given by you, and pancy’s are what Suyash likes. Mind my words when you give it to them, he won’t direct anyone of them to keep it aside, he’ll keep the flowers beside him. Moreover Beta nothing is small or big in a relation, it’s the feeling behind the giving that matters, and any day what you feel for Suyash is far greater than what his friends feel for him.” Shashi bhaiya then asked her to go to the room and give them to Suyash. So she went marching upto the room, knocked and entered. She smiled at him and gave him those 6 stalks of different shaded pancy’s. Her eye caught that of others who gave a mocking look at her presence wondering who she was and of all things bringing pancy’s. The wait wasn’t much Suyash returned the smile and placed the pancy’s on his chest. She was content filled and retreated back to the door where she came from.

The Gulati’s had left for the temple around 11:00 A.M that day the 7^th Feb, leaving behind Kriti, Suyash with his friends and Raghav kaka and his wife Malti, who tended the garden, the kitchen and the house. Shashi bhaiya left for the medical store to get new batch of medicines. It was around 11:30 A.M when Kriti retreated back to the kitchen from Suyash’s room all glad seeing the place her pancy’s rested. 

After she left Garima gave a loud thought asking who she was. And Shaili added a laugh about the pancy’s. Before Suyash could answer back, Ritesh added on, “She’s the female who found Suyash on the accident site and checked for numbers and called people immediately, so I guess it must be a courtesy call”. Suyash was dumbfounded and Aditya tried deviating the talks, but Ritesh carried on, “She has had a brawl too with me regarding the helmet issue at college after the accident, while I was telling Aditya about the helmet not looking cool with the accessories we walk around with. God knows why she kept saying if the helmet would have been there, Suyash would have been better? Funny female, she helped him so that be the end, why make a mess with people and then turn up with pancy’s!”

Before anyone knew, Suyash was already convulsing. Everyone started panicking and Aditya started calling Malti bai. Within seconds Malti came in running, followed by Raghav kaka and Kriti. Malti picked up the phone and started dialing first the doctors  number and then the rest of the family members, meanwhile Kriti tried massaging his hands and feet, and Raghav kaka kept pumping his chest. Suyash grew cold, and Kriti couldn’t stop her tears from falling over yet she knew at this hour she couldn’t sit some place and cry, rather she needed to keep Suyash warm so that blood circulation would be smoother. 10 minutes and Shashi bhaiya as well as the doctor, Mr. Harish Gupta came and checked him and injected some medicine into him. Malti took away Kriti as she was trembling and Shashi bhaiya asked his 8 friends to wait out or come after some while.

Tara aunty home went straight to comfort Kriti who was badly shaken by then. She embraced her and caressed her.

Within an hour and a half everything was normal in the house, Suyash’s breathing and condition was also stable, he could talk but wasn’t feeling like to. The doctor was back to his clinic and Tara aunty was taking care of Kriti. Around 3:00 P.M food was being taken into Suyash’s room, Tara aunty prompted Kriti to go ahead. She was reluctant with the fright she got yet was hoping at one end to go in and see him be normal.

She pushed the trolley laden with food meant for him into the room, set his plate with the food items, kept it besides him and was already leaving when he outstretched his hand and held hers. She turned around and looked into his eyes. For how long she stood there transfixed she doesn’t know but every feeling within them started pouring out in the form of tears. He pulled her towards him and placed his second hand on her cheeks which were wet yet warm and soft like always. She started crying louder and buried her head in his chest and held him tight. Suyash too was crying and it took another 20 minutes before any of them spoke anything. The first word came from Suyash “Am sorry sweetheart” The next few lines followed from Kriti who said she was half dead seeing him lie in a pool of blood yet had to muster courage to call up people for help. And the weeks that followed were no less than torture to not able to see him and feel him. She asked whether he didn’t love her much for not to care about wearing protective gear before riding. Suyash closed his eyes and brought her closer to him, hugged her and replied “How can I not love you when my half soul is within you. I need to be selfish to keep myself alive by not letting you go away. Don’t ask me again for am not me without you.” They held on to each other for some more time, when Suyash asked her to feed him. She broke into a smile for completely forgetting the food and went to wash herself dry and began with the rice and dal.

Mid way the meal, while Kriti was feeding rice into Suyash’s mouth; from the backdoor to his room which connected the garage way, Ritesh entered to check on him. The moment seemed as 2 minutes silence as Ritesh stood there dumbfounded and Kriti as well as Suyash were looking onto him; while Suyash just popped the ball of rice from Kriti’s hand. Suyash gave a slight smile and looked onto Kriti who couldn’t suppress the smile. Ritesh was blabbering something non-understandable. Suyash asked him to come in, but he was in a hurry to leave. But Suyash called him before he could, and held Kriti’s right hand up along with his and said aloud, “She’s Kriti Dhingra, my childhood sweetheart and fiancé. Well you can take it as her being my wife even now”, while showing the rings both of them adorned.

Kriti was glad Suyash mentioned their status before Ritesh. Though it seemed too early for the college folks to know of it, and they had planned of surprising the lot; however now it seemed earlier the better. Ritesh looked all stumped and for a moment it looked he needed someone to hold him coz it looked as if he’d faint. The ex-pression on Ritesh’s face was as if he was chewing his words and the brawl with her in the college, everything was hitting hard on him. Before Ritesh could do an about turn, a distant voice was coming, which tended to become closer and closer. The chatter of Garima, Shaili, Gautam, Bansal, Aditya and Chitra becoming more prominent. All of them seemed to halt at the door seeing Ritesh in an unsure state of mind. Meanwhile Aditya marched straight in looked at Kriti, smiled and said “Hi Kriti how are you doing? Both of you gave me a fright! Please don’t repeat such deadly acts!” The others looked onto Aditya, Suyash-Kriti and Ritesh in turns. It was a second time smile that started curling Suyash-Kriti’s lips and now Aditya too followed. Suyash made a second declaration, “meet my to be wife Kriti”

The night was Suyash-Kriti’s again, Sahil bhaiya and all had a laugh hearing the reactions each of his friends gave. Tara aunty was in full disposition to tease Suyash, who started blushing and the laughter that followed.

The days that followed were Aditya bringing home assignments and class notes, some of which were xeroxed and some of which were copied in turns by Kriti and Tara aunty. The reading of the material to Suyash, by Aditya and Sahil bhaiya. It looked like suddenly everybody was doing final year engineering. The weekends were Suyash’s and Kriti’s with nobody coming and disturbing, except occasional calls by Garima and Chitra which were answered by Kriti on purpose and the reaction she got from them. The love that was evergreen still blossoming on occasions meant for them. 

By February 20^th Suyash started walking well enough, though he still needed a support. The doctors were satisfied with his improvement and guaranteed that by late march he’d be fit enough and wouldn’t need a support any longer. Everybody was happy with the progress and Suyash and Kriti were blissful with the way their relation was heading.

One morning something darned to Suyash and before everybody at home he fell on his knees and asked Kriti “Will you marry me?” Everybody was silent and Kriti looked onto him. All she could manage was a shrug as they were already getting married. Suyash insisted and said “I ask you for the life of yours for mine to be alive. Every breath of yours, every inch of your soul. My parents are the only people am deeply attached to, but if I ask for a soulmate never in my life will it be any than you. We as very young decided we’d be together; but today as an adult and fully aware of our decisions, I once again ask you. Will you marry me?” By the time Suyash proposed for the second time, he was in tears. Kriti sat next to him and gave him a big hug and replied “Am yours forever, Yes I’ll marry you” The period of silence was interrupted by Tara aunty who was screaming, “Arre koi mithai leke aao, meri bahu jo pehle se pakka thi; wo ab poore tareeke se double pakka ho gayi”

The rest of the night was their's as would the rest of the lives be.