14th January 1984. 

Hey, diary!

Well, I didn't want to say sorry for not writing about my daily events, and the foremost, i am not like shivaay to write his daily experience and send them to his mom, Even though i found it cute, Frankly, i am not like him. 

My last few months in Ahmedabad, Officially all the courses got over and Everybody was busy in aiming to get placed in the Campus interview, Even i prepared for that. Until the letter from my father caged me from getting closer to my dreams. In his letter, He clearly mentioned that i must not attend any campus interview as they fixed my marriage with that Neel Chatterjee. And they didn't want me to work after the marriage. 

My First question to Neel, WHO IS GOING TO MARRY YOU, IDIOT? When i visited my home during Durga pooja, I clearly said to my father that i didn't want to marry that idiot. But why my father is going against my wish? I think i should have told him about shivaay by then. But During that time, shivaay went to his home town. 

Baba literally pushing me to take the decision which i personally don't want to take. If any situation happens like i have to choose between my family or shivaay, Without thinking once, i will choose shivaay. But i think i won't experience that situation in future. You might think, How can someone be so selfish? 

I have a simple answer for that, I can't sell myself for anyone. If i marry anyone in the future, i would be cheating him every single day. Because we both know, I and shivaay are not only united physical, But it was our souls which are united with each other. No words required to communicate with each other, He could understand me with my facial expression, Like i could sense what he's thinking with his facial expression. 

In this one year, we fought many times, But it didn't last more than an hour. Either i apologize first or he does which was very rare. In this one year, I came to know about his letter-writing habit, He writes everything to his mom about every single day with whom he can't speak in the phone. But he calls her every day and repeats the same thing which happened in the college, She replies everything to him in the letter. And those bunch of letters are the only thing he didn't share with me, I respect son and mom privacy. Even i try to steal it, i couldn't able to understand anything as they are communicating in Malayalam. 

Out of curiosity, I asked whether he mentioned anything to his mom about me. He took her recent letter from his pocket and started to read. Even though i couldn't understand anything that he read, I smiled, With a mere thought, That anyone of our parents really wishes for us.  But This day, Two letters gave me the real point of view of my future. Whatever happens, None can separate us from each other, Shivaay.  

I had one question in my mind, Whether he look at me as a woman with whom he would be spending the rest of his life. But that question left my heart leaving no trace when he told about his nightmare to me, which not only proved me that he wanted to marry me but also he was willing to start the family. But i didn't discuss anything with him, still. Should i start first or let's wait for him to start? Why i am feeling like that we don't have time to take anything slower. 

"Dad wrote letters to his mom, daily" - Avinash said. But Arushi immersed herself in some other thought. 

"What happened?" - Avi asked her.

"You know girls could sense when something is going in the wrong direction, she said, she's feeling like that they don't have time to take anything slower..."  - Arushi said in a confused state.

"Chill, It's all because of the crime show which is airing in your channel..." - Avi said and gave the diary to her to read the next two chapters in Anika's diary. But Aru had to attend the call when ritwik called her from another hand.

"Baby, Your date of birth was wrong in your Aadhar Id... I think You have to change it..." - Ritwik said, Her fiance, said as soon as, she attended the call. 

"What?" - she asked him in an uninterested tone, As her mind, fully occupied by her parents story. 

"Yeah, It's written as 18th October 1986, But you born in 18th August 1984..." - He said Which immediately strike Arushi's mind. 

"What? Which year?" - She asked him. 

"1984..." - He replied. 

"1984, Avi..." - She shocking said to avi. 

"Yeah, the date is 14th January 1984" -  Avinash said while glancing the diary entry which he read.

"I born on 18th August of that year... Which means?" - Aru clarified. 

"About which year you guys are talking?"  - Rithwik cross-talked over the phone. 

"It means she was pregnant with you, while she was writing this diary entry" - Avi completed the sentence where Aru immediately grabbed the diary from his hand and turn the next page. 

*********

The final results of Anika's re-exam came. She didn't know how she scored eighty-nine per cent in her exams. But the happiness of scoring good marks became nothing when she ultimately misses the person who was responsible for that. Even her father tried to contact him to say thanks personally but he didn't get that opportunity. 

Seeing Smile in her face became rare, Her whole family could see her depressed state, when they asked her for the reason, she gave a pity explanation as her classmates joined in the college and she was the only failure in her whole batch.  They got convinced but her mom didn't, she neither ask her anything nor shares her doubt with anyone. Even Pinky noticed the reason behind her silence, But none asked her anything. They thought sometimes, It's better to leave them in their own space, Rather sniffing the nose and blew it as a bigger issue. 

"Anu, Just go away..." - shivaay cried when his legs got badly injured. she rooted at the same place and nodded no, instead hugged him at the very next second. "please go... they needed me, not you... please for the sake of our kids... please go..." he whispered in the pain while they were running in the middle of the forest. When they heard the gunshot, Shivaay's patient-level decreased. "Please" she cried on his shoulders. "Anu, We don't have time for this, Avi and Aru needed at least, one of us, Think about them, Rather than thinking about me, You know right, wherever i go, My soul encircles you... Please, for the sake of Aru and Avi... Please, Anu... please" saying that, he pushed her from his embrace. 

Anika instantly opened her eyes And thanked the god that it was nothing but her dream. For the past few days, she continuously has this dream, the same dream. But every time, she woke up from her dream while wiping off her tears. She could sense it as it happened in real life. 

"Ani... Just a dream, Don't spoil your mood, It's the first day of your college and your dream course, Wipe your eyes and get ready"- she said to herself and moved towards the restroom. 

It has been six months since she last saw shivaay, And Her brain said there was no point in thinking about him when the vacates their house and moved to Anna Nagar. In these six months, Anika tried multiple times to contact him but she stopped when she got zero response from his side. 

"Amma... Forgot, This is the first day of my college..." - she said when she saw her mom cooking slowly in the kitchen.  

"I remember, Don't forget to take the lunch" - Her mom asked her. 

"Who takes lunch to the college, mom?" - she asked while peeping her head outside from her room. 

"I used to take..." - Her mom replied. 

"Mom, There's a huge generation gap between the colleges of 1991 and the Colleges of 2014" - she replied. 

"Shut up... and take this Tiffen box with you... And don't back answer parents..." - She said and handover the lunch in her hand. 

"Thank you, Mother Theresa... Because of you, i won't starve in Hunger" - She sarcastically thanked her mom. As it was her first day, Her father dropped in college. 

"See... ani, If life takes anything from us, it will definitely gift us with a better version. Look at yourself, Even though you failed in your twelfth, You got admission in R.V university. One of the topmost Universities in south India... So Don't think about anything and enjoy your college life, Anika Sheshadri" - Her father kissed her forehead and waved her goodbye. But She didn't want any better version but desperately wanted the original version. But she didn't show that on her face. 

Having many dreams, she stepped into her department. Department of media sciences. She wondered how the media studies came under the category of sciences. But she kept her thoughts inside herself and stepped into her class. 

She knocked on one of the transparent doors which had the banner of ' first year' in it. A young, Charming lady permitted her inside with a wide smile who was her faculty adviser. Her classroom was divided into two sections. one for girls and another, of course, boys. But none of them was attractive on anika's hand.

"First Row... Definitely not...  Last row... i didn't come here to chill... Let's take the middle row, ani... fun and as well as studies..." - she thought and took the middle row, corner seat passing a smile to her other two girls with whom she was sharing the bench. 

"Nice selection... I forgot to introduce myself, I am Khushi, Your Faculty adviser for the first year... Welcome to MSc Electronic Media... Miss..."  - Her mam said and asked her to give an intro. 

"Anika... Anika Sheshadri..." - she introduced with a smile. 

"Anika, I had many connections with this name... take your seat and i will be teaching 'creative writing' paper for you guys..." - Khushi said and the first day of class went with full of fun but anika couldn't able to react for anything heartfully. Her hearts literally pulling herself to think about him. she took the phone from her bag and dialled his number again while keeping that phone under her table. As usual, no response. 

"Hi, I am Avanthika..." - the girl next to anika introduced her. 

"Anika" - she said. 

"I heard..." - she said.

"Hi, I am Bhavya..." - The girl next to Avanthika introduced her. 

"Hi..." - Anika waved at her with a wide smile. 

"Where are you guys from?" - Anika asked. 

"Both are hostellers, Roommates..." - Avanthika said. 

"I am from Pune and she's from Trichy" - Bhavya said. 

"Woww..." - Anika exclaimed. 

Some instinct in her mind told her that, these two girls will definitely be her close buddies one day. Their funny character and cherishing tone add spices to her boring life without shivaay. Her mom didn't disclose about oberoi's new residence to her. And she didn't ask anything to anyone but Patiently waited for him.  Days went, She didn't get any message or call from him. Rather moving on, she became more depressed. 

"Hey, ani..." - Khushi called her when she found her alone in the classroom. 

"Hi... Ma'am" - She sat straightly and gave a bright smile. 

"Why are looking so depressed?" - Khushi asked her while having the seat next to her. 

"Nothing ma'am... I was thinking something..." - she replied while looking elsewhere. 

"Come on, You can share anything to me, In college days, I have another name... Ask me what?" - she asked. 

"What, ma'am?" - Anika asked. 

"Secret locker..." - Khushi said and they both busted to laugh. 

"How old are you? just eighteen... This is not healthy, I am observing you for a long time... you are looking so depressed..." - Khushi asked her. 

"What happened?" - Khushi asked her. 

"At the age of eighteen, which issue could depress a girl?" - Anika asked her in return. 

"So, I guessed right..." - Khushi said. 

"Yup..." - anika said and sat comfortably on the chair. 

"Break up or having trouble in the relationship..." - Khushi asked her. 

"Somewhere In-between" - Anika replied. 

"It's a terrible feeling... i can understand" - Khushi said. 

"Even you experienced that..."- Anika asked her in return. 

"Yeah, I met a guy when i was in your age, who hell confused with the feelings, between friendship and love, there were only disappointments in that relationship. But I accepted his every flaw... You know the fun part, He told more about his mom than him... Guess what his mom's name?" - Khushi asked. 

"Khushi..." - Anika guessed. 

"Buddu... It's anika... that's what strikes me when i ask your name" - Khushi said. Anika was slightly shocked.  

"At one point, I got tired and myself gave name to that relationship as a friendship, and broke it... More than me, He was confused with his feelings..." - Khushi added while depressing her in thought. 

"Did you miss him?" - Anika asked. 

"Of course, It's very hard to move on when you love someone truly" - she said.

"Tell me... What's your story?" - Khushi asked her. 

"I misunderstood him..." - Anika and narrated the whole story to her Who smiled at her instead of replying anything.

"You failed your twelfth standard for him?" - Khushi asked. 

"Yeah, What the big deal in it?" - Anika asked. 

"I heard many stories but your story is different, Don't put the end credits to the story... i think there are more parts left..." - Khushi said. 

"Can't you get it? he's out of reach, I couldn't able to contact him" - Anika exclaimed to her. 

"Anika..." - Anika heard Bhavya's voice from the outside. they both stopped talking.  

"Come in, Bhavya" - Khushi granted her inside. 

"Ma'am, I came here for anika..."- Bhavya asked. 

"Yeah... she's free... why you want her so desperately?" - Khushi asked. 

"Ma'am, In IT department symposium, they are serving biriyani..." - Bhavya stopped when anika glared at her. 

"Okay, guys... Have your biriyani... and anika meet me in the evening, I will drop you home..." - Saying that Khushi left. 

"MSc IT?"- Anika asked. 

"Nope, B.Tech (IT)" - Bhavya said. 

"Chicken or mutton..." - Anika asked. 

"Forget, You're a brahmin... Tam-Brahm" - Bhavya cracked. 

"Would-be daughter-in-law in a Punjabi family... It's least expected, my dear friend"- Anika thought and didn't say anything. 

"By the way, Run faster... Avanthika was waiting for us with the plate..." - Bhavya hurried Anika where they both started to run with a smiley face and empty stomach. They reached the department and found avni near one shed. They both rushed towards her. 

"Got biriyani?" - Bhavya asked She opened the three plates with a smile. 

"You're the bestest friend, Avni..." - bhavya hugged her and anika smiled at her, And they took their respective seats. Even though she was smiling, it didn't reach her eyes. 

"How did you get the tokens?" -Bhavya asked avni. 

"Everything is because of Khushi ma'am... I came here to give some NSS related documents to the HOD for Khushi ma'am... Obviously, The aroma of chicken biriyani taken me away... but i didn't have tokens... After getting back to the department,  Khushi ma'am read my face and i told the reason... she contacted her neighbour and prepared for the tokens. he arranged for the biriyani..." - Avanthika said while eating biriyani.

"She's so sweet, know?" - Bhavya said. 

"That guy definitely must be an idiot" - Anika said without her knowledge. 

"Whom?" Bhavya and Avni asked in chorus. 

"No-one" - she said and concentrated on her food. 

"Girls, Khushi ma'am... Is that guy is her neighbour?" - Bhavya said and pointed the guy who was behind anika. Anika was least bothered about that.

"Yeah... the same, weirdo..." - Avni said. 

"But... he's hot..." Bhavya said. 

"Ani... stop her, yaar... you don't have any jobs other than checking out a guy?"- avni asked bhavya. 

"Ani... Turn back and say whether he's hot or not..." - bhavya said, Uninterestedly she turned back and looked at the guy. she felt the sudden shock in her whole body when she found that person was none other shivaay. 

TO BE CONTINUED...