Her Second Chance: Marry My Husband

32. My pretty girl.

(This part belongs to Raghav's diary)
2005
After the judo practice , I saw a girl going into the woods behind our college building. She seemed suspicious. I followed her .She sat under the tree and was observing something. I asked her , " Hey what are you doing there? " She turned around and kept a finger on her lips signing me keep my voice down and pointed towards a kitten beside her . He was sleeping but woke up due to my voice.
" Looks like he woke up " , She said. She searched for something in her bag and looked upset. She turned towards me but looked towards the ground and and said , " It looks as if he was left by his mother too . He was injured by the other cats . Can you look after him for few minutes? Some stray cats may injure him again. I will bring milk for him in a few minutes ."

" I don't have time for this ." Hearing my words, she looked disappointed. So I explained to her ," I mean that I don't have time to wait here but I have milk and bread packet. I will give it for him . This will save our time." I took out milk and bread from my bag and gave it to her .
" Thanks " She smiled but her gaze did not meet my eyes . May be she was shy or not confident about herself. She put the milk in the bowl and broke the bread into pieces and offered it to the cat," You are so cute and pretty . Then why did your mother leave you ? My mother left me because I am not pretty."

I couldn't believe that she was talking to a kitten. And about being pretty, I felt she was pretty, especially her smile. I observed her. She was beautiful with a different type of innocence and her spectacles suit her. She seemed two years younger than me. She again turned towards me and gave me a fifty rupees note. " It's all I have . This is for the food you gave me ." And she left . I was speechless. I saw the kitten. He seemed to have a high temper. I personally didn't like cats but I don't know why I bent down and patted the cat.

The next day, I again followed her but hid behind the tree . I would see her giving food to the cat. I also started to bring food for the cat at a different time as I couldn't gather the courage to meet her . This continued for a month and rainy season arrived. It was drizzling. She looked worried as the cat was getting wet by the rain . So the next day , I made a small wooden house for the kitten so that it won't get wet by the rain . She seemed happy by my work . " Hey kitty , you found a new friend who built this house for you."
It was time for Holi festival. I was returning from my friend's house after celebration. I was on my way to the bus stop when someone bumped into me . It was my pretty girl . " Hey wall, move ...from...here ." She said .

" Are you okay? Are you alone?" I asked her.

" Yes. Iam alone. Seriously alone. My dad passed away last year so I am completely alone. "

" What about a friend? I am sure you must be having one." I asked her.

" People don't like me . So I don't have friends. " She said laughingly and ran away.

I realised she was not in her senses. Maybe she had drunk bhang during Holi celebration. She walked towards the road without caring about the vehicles . She bumped into another woman and her spectacles fell down . I was about to go and pick it up but there was a crowd of people celebrating Holi and her spectacles got broken under someone's feet . If she continued this, then she might get hit by any vehicle. So I went towards her and dragged her with me . I didn't know her name or address. I couldn't take her with me since I lived in a boy's hostel . It was also quite late at night . I couldn't leave her alone. I dragged her to a nearby garden and sat on a bench .There were still people there .

" You know I am alone . My dad passed away. "

" What about your family? Your mom ? Any siblings?" I asked.

" I don't have any siblings. My mom left me when I was twelve. And my friends -" She cried.

" You have no friends since noone likes you ." I completed since she had told me the same thing before.

She seemed to be shocked and looked towards me. " How do you know? Are you a fortune teller?"

I chuckled. She looked so cute.

" Actually I have one friend but I can't reach her when I am in need or having really a bad time. "

" Maybe she's busy. "

" Maybe we have a bad timing. I think she must be sad too."She smiled.

"When my dad passed away, she didn't even come to visit me. I knew it but pretended to avoid it since I am afraid of being alone. That would make me sadder. She is so pretty, cute and elegant. When I stand beside her , I feel like a loser."

" If that makes you uncomfortable, them don't be with her. Who cares if she's good person or not?"

" Do you know what it is to not have a family? Alia is the only one on whom I can depend. She is the only one. I am a loser."

" Then that makes me a loser too. My mom died fifteen years ago. I got a stepmom and a younger sibling but I feel strange. "
She smacked my forehead and said ," Them you are a real loser. I finally found a real loser. I know what happened to your mom was sad but the fact your dad could start over that's really a good thing. I think my dad should have done that. If he had done that maybe we all could live happily. "

" My dad got a chance to start over but he died anyways." I told her. " So we both are not losers."

" So tour dad left but gave you a new life . Congratulations."

" Congratulations for having a good friend. You are able to have a good friend." We talked for a long time and then she dozzed off . I covered her with my jacket. I stared at her and didn't realise when I slept. When I woke up she was nowhere to be found. She left my jacket there. I just hoped that she reached safely.

The next day , I heard her talking to the cat , " You know I was so surprised. I woke up and saw myself laying beside an unpleasant looking old man. I hope he doesn't go to our college. That would be so embarrassing. But he was so strange too. But I am grateful to him that he didn't take advantage of my situation. I am eighteen and now I should be responsible but yesterday Alia forced me to drink bhang and went away . You know I can't tell her no . She's my only friend."And she went away. I understood that her friend left her in drunken state . I wondered what kind of friend she was .

When I looked at myself in the mirror, her words rang in my mind . She thinks of me as an unpleasant looking old man.

After a few months, it was the time of my graduation and my family decided to send me abroad for future studies I thought that may be I would be able to see her before leaving but luck wasn't on my side . I couldn't meet her.

Then after a few years, I saw her in my office. I recognised her at first sight . She was still the same as before. I realised her name was Siya Verma. I wanted to confess my feelings but I couldn't gather my courage. I realised that I was late because Samrat proposed her first and she agreed. Then she recommended her friend to the company and I couldn't disagree. I doubted Samrat and Alia . They didn't seem right to me...

So , now Siya knows that Raghav loved her from her college days. But still he broke her heart .

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