Falling in Love, Again

Chapter 2- Compromising on my dream

"28th this month." Said Aryan, while scrolling the merit list.

"So you'll probably be leaving on 26th?" Inquired Devansh.

"Hmm. Or maybe earlier. I am tired of living here you know." Aryan sighed.

"Why, what's wrong at this place?"

"What's right at this place?"

"Aryan, why are you now thinking of all those things that made you feel low? You have finally made into your dream and-"

"This is not called making into dream, Dev, this is compromising with my dream."

"Aryan, I know, you do not like hearing everyday how people of our batch including me are now in second years of their courses or progressing or doing well ....and..... your dad bringing up these topics everyday about how you have wasted a year after your school, but trust me, things are going to change now, and things have changed in fact, see how proud your parents are of you now!"

"Well, to be honest, these things never bothered me, Dev. What they say or think about me or what others are doing or have done, I never cared about it."

"So, what's bothering you about this place?"

Aryan looked towards his table.

"Looking back at the sight of my room, these books or this table where I worked day and night to realize my dream only to see it shattered at the last make me feel worthless. The goal for which I left everything else, I couldn't even-" Aryan felt unable to complete.

After a dead silence for few minutes, Devansh spoke up, "But Aryan, you have now cracked the entrance for the course you always wanted to do, and that too in the best college of Mumbai. Don't tell me that you are sad because you got rank 2 instead of 1."  Devansh tried to cheer Aryan up.

"Its not about rank Dev, you say this is the best college of the city, but the thing is, do I want to be in this city, an-and, do I deserve to be in this city? All the hard work I did, all the sleepless nights that I spent working on it, was it only to be in the best college of the city?"

"You do not want to join this college Aryan? Then what are you planning to do?"

"I do not want to, but I know I have to. Only if I had slightest hope that I will be able to do what I want, I would have never mind investing some more years on it. But now, it is what it is." Aryan sighed, looking at the merit list.

"Exactly, it is what it is Aryan. Sometimes we do not get 100% of what we want, yeah reality hits different than expectations, but if we give our best to work on our reality, then reality can be more beautiful than expectations."

"Hmm maybe you are right, who knows." Said Aryan, while closing the list and shutting down the laptop.

"Yeah, I am always right."

"Shut up, and find me a good room at rent till 25th."

"Hmm, I'll do that. Don't worry."

Suddenly a thought striked Dev's mind.

"Listen Aryan."

"Hmm?" Asked Aryan, while looking into his phone.

"Well, do you know what Aarushi's doing now?"

Aryan looked at Devansh, surprised by the question.

"No, why?"

"No, no reason. I thought if you people had some talk about this."

"We never talked after school, and I have no idea about her whereabouts now." Said Aryan, shifting his attention to his phone again.

"Why, is she not on social media?"

"Never bothered to find out."

"Are you lying?"

"No, I am not." Aryan closed his eyes.

(Flashback)

"Aryan, at least talk about it. I am sure we will find a solution."

"I don't want to Aarushi. There's no solution to thing which is not a problem. I guess you are overthinking."

"You do not want to talk?"

"Not now."

He walked away.

"Aryan, Aryan listen to me once. Stop please, Ar-"

(Flashback ends)

He opened his eyes and looked at Dev who was already staring at him.

"It has been 1.5 years, she must have moved on, and so have I."