IT HAPPENED ONCE UPON A TIME (COMPLETE ✅ UNDERGOING SLOW EDITING)

Chp:-4 Goldie

4 YEARS LATER

NEEL RAMAKRISHNAN

I was reading newspaper while sitting in my room. I started thinking about my life.

Whoever has said that time flies, it's absolutely true. It feels like yesterday only we began with our first year MBBS and now the college days are over. A lot has happened in these 4 years.

We all gave our final exams which finished about a month ago. We'll be having our convocation (graduation) ceremony soon. We're having our holidays now.

Recently I gave my USMLE and MCAT exams, I'm really anxious and nervous and I am hoping for the best to happen. I want to do my PG from USA I've applied in 3-4 universities which are Harvard medical school, University of California San Francisco Parnassus Campus, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University School of Medicine. If I get admission in any one of these colleges I'll be very happy but I'm praying that I get admission in Harvard medical school. I always had that dream of studying at Harvard.

I'll do my PG course and then come back here and work in my parents hospital, Ace Hospitals. I am going to specialise in cardiology. I don't wish to settle abroad as I want to live here with my family. All my family and friends are here. I don't want to leave them and go.

I love both my families. Yeah Anisha's  family is my second family, her home is my 2nd home. We're all really very close. However, nowadays it feels like a gap has developed between the closeness that me and Anisha always had. In these years of our graduation Ani  has become quite distant or let me say that I feel she's avoiding me, all of us to be precise. This distance is killing me. Every time I try to make a conversation about this directly or indirectly with her she smartly used to change the topic.

That girl she's a pure soul. She's unique. She's my goldie. A girl with a golden heart. She's really kind hearted and innocent. Too good for this bitter sweet good and bad world. She really is a bubbly, chirpy, funny and she's also kinda grumpy at times. The friendship I have with Ani  is pure and it's beautiful. I really really like her company. She's my partner in crime.

She has always been there for me throughout and even I was there for her of-course. We've grown up together, had lots of fun together, studied together, got lot of scoldings and punishments together, laughed like crazy together and etc etc. Wow! Those were the golden days. We developed a strong and unbreakable bond. I knew it that this friendship is going to last forever we'll be strong as ever throughout. We've been friends since we were very young.  Her company has made these 22 years of my life beautiful.

Advay, Aniruddh, Saumya, Shaurya and Jiya are the coolest friends anyone can have. They really are very good friends. I couldn't have asked for anything better. Ramya, what do I tell about her. She's really amazing. She's an interesting person to be with. The very first day when I saw her and her friends bullying Ani I was furious and I gave them a piece of my mind. No one should behave like this. I can't stand non sense behaviour. Since that day they never bothered Ani. Ramya apologised for whatever she and her friends did. She was genuinely sorry. Ani  being the large hearted person she is, forgave them. This is one thing I admire about Ani a lot, she's really generous and compassionate, she forgives and forgets and doesn't hold any hatred or grudges and stays away from unwanted stuff and people.

The college life was hectic and fun at the same time. We attended lectures regularly only sometimes we used to bunk lecture and go out. But Ani  never came with us she regularly attended the lecture and she took leave only if she used to be unwell or to go out somewhere. Whenever we used to ask her to join us she used to politely decline and go home straight. Her dad used to drop  her to the college while going to work and used to pick her up. The first year she used to come with me. I used to pick up and drop her.

Ramya and I became close friends in the first year. After Saumya introduced us in the cafeteria, we started to hit it of quite well. We mingled with each other quite well. I started to hang out a lot with her. Advay, Saumya, Jiya, Aniruddh, Shaurya, Sukanya, Ramya and I we used to go out together, crash at each other's places or just roam around in college. Sometimes me and Ramya went out alone yeah just the both of us. I've to say that Ramya is an adorable, elegant and a charming girl with an exquisite taste of things and a dazzling personality. It feels weird to not have her around even for a few hours. I don't know why but it does.

The friendship developed into something more, gradually I started to fall for her and finally in the 3rd year I asked her to be my girlfriend she said yes. I was glad she accepted. Our friends were happy for us especially Saumya and Sukanya. When I told Anisha about it, she just smiled at me but she didn't say anything.

Ani had big plans to talk with my future girlfriend/wife and tell her about all my secrets and you know becoming a team and tease me attack me and have fun but the day I told her  about me and Ramya all she did was just smiled and she never said anything she never made an attempt to talk to Ramya or be friends with her and even I didn't force her like she rightly said everyone has the liberty to choose their friends so it's absolutely her choice whether she wants to befriend Ramya or no.

I just shook my head and continued reading the newspaper. I heard my phone ring. It was Aniruddh who was calling. I answered.

"Hey bro how are you?"

Aniruddh said, "Good man, you tell?"

I sighed and said, "yeah I'm good."

Aniruddh asked, "what happened? You sound sad?"

I said, "no bro why do you think so?"

Aniruddh said, "I know you too well bro come on now tell me what's going on in your mind? Any problems with Ramya?"

I said, "no bro things are quite smooth between me and Ramya."

Aniruddh asked, "then what's the problem?"

I said, "Ani."

Aniruddh asked, "what happened to her?"

I said, "nothing dude. It's just that she has been avoiding me and it's killing me. I miss her dude. It's been ages since I've sat and had a proper conversation with Anisha. She has stopped coming home. When ever I go she's either busy reading or studying or doing her riyaz. Whenever I try talking to her she smartly diverts the topic. I don't know why she's doing this. Did I do something? If that's the case then she can always confront me know."

Aniruddh said, "no you didn't do anything. Just let her be Neel don't worry she'll come around. Cut her some slack give her some space. That's all I can say. Let me ask you something I've been wanting to ask you this since quite long."

I said, "go ahead bro."

Aniruddh said, "Look Ramya is a nice girl I'm not saying no but I've to ask you this are you really happy with Ramya? Does she really like you? Do you really love her? You are sure she's the girl you want?"

I said, "yes bro. I'm happy with Ramya. Yes really loves me and I love her too. She's exactly what I want in a girl she's beautiful, she's smart, she's from a good family, she's quite outgoing and modern, very good at her academics and has an ambition in life. In short she's everything I want in a girl."

Aniruddh said, "fine bro if you say so. But always remember that old is gold. Don't neglect old things or people after you find new things or people you know that right? Don't do anything that'll make you feel nothing but regret."

I said, "of course bro I know that."

Aniruddh said, "good good. So we'll see you day after tomorrow at the party?"

I said, "yes."

Aniruddh said, "cool bro. Bye see you."

I said, "yes bye." We hung up.

Day after tomorrow, there's a party at our mansion. It's my parents 25 th wedding anniversary. It's going to be a close knit affair. Ani  and her family will definitely be there.

I've decided I'm going to have a talk with Anisha come what may.

CAN'T WAIT FOR DAY AFTER TOMORROW..............

Author's Notes A/N:
What do y'all think? Will Neel take Aniruddh's hint?

So Neel's POV is here. I know this chapter is kinda boring please bare with me. Thanks.

Stay tuned to know more.