I decided to stay home. I always spend my birthday alone, but today I felt how lonely I was until I met Vivek again after many months.

"Good morning beautiful."

I turned around to see Vivek standing at my door with guitar in his hand. I frowned.

"Why did you leave me alone last night?", I asked

"Whoa, don't you want me to come inside!"

"Of course you can... No one's stopping you!", I said with a quirky smile.

He was looking handsome as ever in his red shirt and black jeans. I started walking towards him a little slowly. His eyes were scanning me . The look he was giving me was only enough to make me melt. I stood close to him and put my hands around his neck to hug him.

"Lavanya!", someone shouted from outside.

I backed off from Vivek and panicked. "Vivek you need to get out of here. No one should see you."

"You can make me go away from your house, how are you gonna make me go away from your heart dear...", he started singing.

"Vivek, no....", I clamped his mouth shut. "You need to go now Vivek. I will meet you at the beach in evening." Saying this I allowed Vivek to escape from my balcony.

"Lavanya, you there.", someone called again.

"Yes, coming.", I went outside to see Arnav standing in my living room.

Arnav is my partner and my colleague. He joined me when I took over my father's law firm. He's ambitious and very reputed lawyer. We work as a team but I never considered him more than a colleague.

"Arnav! What are you doing here?"

"Nothing I was just passing by your house Lavanya, thought of visiting you. Let's go to office together."

"No, I am not coming Arnav. I have decided to stay home today."

"Oh! Well, enjoy your day today. Happy Birthday.", Arnav extended his hand to wish me.

"Thanks", I said.

"So, what are you doing today evening. Let's grab some coffee.", he said.

"No thanks, I have some other plans Arnav."

"Okay.. No problem at all.. Enjoy your day. ", he said.

That evening was the best evening if my life. Vivek took me to this cool club, where we danced and clicked photos together. We had a romantic dinner and a soothing walk on beach on our way home.

We kept meeting each other in secret throughout the whole week. I felt my plain life was becoming more colourful due to Vivek's presence. My behavior at work had also changed. I decided to get a makeover, new haircut, went shopping.

Life seemed cool but only for sometime. Some moments can't stay forever. Later that week Vivek had stopped picking my calls, he won't reply my messages. It had been two days since Vivek was not responding my calls. I was becoming more and more restless. Just then I remembered, within all these things I forgot to ask Vivek his address. I decided to take Arnav's help in finding Vivek. I even showed our photos taken at my birthday.

Arnav was unsuccessful in his every attempt because........ To my shock I was alone in each and every photo taken in my cell phone that day and the phone number I saved of Vivek's was not in service since many years. I almost collapsed at Arnav's revelation. I became hysterical, and begin to feel same difficulty in crying as I had experienced when I suffered my first heartbreak. Arnav took me to the hospital only to know I had been diagnosed with Erotomania and had been hallucinating things all along.

Having diagnosed with mental disorder doesn't make you sad or happy but a lot curious. I was not sure whether I was hallucinating all along or someone's conspiring something against me. With Arnav's help, I tried to get in contact with Vivek. I wanted to know the truth. Till that time, Dad had returned to Goa and I explained him everything. Based on my evidences, nothing could be concluded. One day, Dad found Vivek's phone number and called him. He denied that he was with me in Goa. I video called him and he brought Anushka online. They said they both were in United States and have been living there since three months post their wedding. They showed me their photographs and proved that I was wrong all along. I was devastated. I felt myself going numb and I collapsed on the floor. (dialogues)

I was in hospital when I opened my eyes. Arnav was just seated besides me and was caressing my face. For some reason his touch didn't made me uncomfortable. Although I tried to move. His eyes sparkled and he smiled. "Everyone, doctor! Lavanya is awake.", saying this he went out to call everyone. Soon everyone was inside, Dad, Arnav, Doctor, and... wait Vivek. My eyes widened and my throat went dry, my heart had started beating faster. I looked away immediately. "Lavanya are you okay!", Arnav asked. I didn't speak. "Lavanya, just be relaxed, lie down. I need to check your blood pressure.", doctor said coming towards me. I swallowed and awkwardly lied on my bed and watched Vivek who was still present in the room, watching my every move carefully. It was unsettling. "Dad, what's happening to me.", I asked. "Nothing my child, you need rest, just relax dear. Weare here with you.", Dad assured me holding my hand. "Blood pressure is still low, she needs more rest, now let's allow her to sleep.", doctor said. "Doctor, can she eat first, she hasn't eaten since morning.", Arnav asked. "Mr. Arnav, I know, let her be in a position to understand the situation properly, she's still in trauma, I have prescribed some heavy doses, which will allow her to rest and then she should be fine.", saying this he went out of room.

As he went outside, Vivek walked closer to me, causing me to jolt. I lost it at this point and began screaming, "What do you think of yourself Vivek, are you enjoying this, watching me helpless, and vulnerable. Why? Why are you doing this to me, What have I done to you. I have always loved you since college but you were the one who broke my heart. It's OK, I started a new life here in Goa, but is that still not enough for you. You think it's a joke to play with my emotions and sanity. Just look at me, see what you've done to me.", I sat in utter shock on my bed. Soon a nurse entered and began examining. Arnav and Dad were shocked at my behavior. "Lavanya, my child just calm down. There is no one here except us.", Dad tried consoling me while I still chose to stare in abyss. "Lavanya, everything will be okay. I am with you.", Arnav held my face and I looked at him, his eyes were filled with tears. I couldn't react but just stared at his face.

My condition soon worsened and I was advised to stay at mental institution with other such patients. I stayed there for almost a year. Dad and Arnav visited me every week but I would always ignore them. However, slowly I could feel more comfortable with Arnav. Within all these days, I started to accept the fact that I was recovering from Erotomania and I began asking many questions to doctors, I found out that, Erotomania means a condition where victims assume that they are in a relationship with a famous personality or someone they know very rarely. After joining all the pieces together, I finally concluded that, Vivek never loved me rather he never knew me personally. The memories of college, the incident on terrace, their wedding, he meeting me at the beach was everything I assumed. The wedding invitation I found on my table was not their's and that I did attended a wedding but the impact of my hallucinations was too much that I assumed that I was at their wedding. The wedding was the first place where I first started hallucinating. It was my obsession and unrequited love which triggered Erotomania.

1 and half years later:-

"So, do you like it?", Arnav asked me showing his new shirt. I laughed hard at his funny shirt. His shirt had little penguins on it and he was mocking a penguin walk.

"Arnav, you're mad too.", I said.

"Yes, I am mad.." his words quickly silenced me. He was now seated besides me and held my hand.

"Lavanya I can't determine how much happy I am after learning that you are soon going to be discharged this week.", he said while I still stayed silent, my eyes were filled with tears as during this whole time I never realized Arnav was in love with me and that he was the only person along with my Dad who stayed with me throughout my tough phase.

He quickly held my face after noticing my tears, "Lavanya, what happened dear. Are you alright?", I was now able to cry freely and fell straight in his arms.

"I am so sorry Arnav, you had to bear so much because of me."

"Lavanya, who told you that? Well anyways I don't care who told you, because I was just helping you to recover from this sooner.", he said wiping my tears.

"What will people say when I return home? I am too afraid to face the world outside.", I said.

"I have seen you fight this situation Lavanya, if you can beat this then you can beat anything and I believe a lot in you.", he said to which I smiled.

"That's my girl.", he exclaimed.

"Arnav I can't explain how much grateful I am to you for staying with me... and I don't know how am I ever gonna repay you..."

"Just stop! Never say anything like this. Lavanya, I....", he stopped.

"Now come on, let's get inside or you're gonna get cold.", he handed me my scarf.

"Arnav, stop hiding your feelings, tell me what you've been always trying to tell me.", he just stood there staring at me. I went closer to him and said, "Nobody has ever made me laugh like you do, nobody has made me feel comfortable like you do, and that I want to feel every moment like this with you forever. Well I have never proposed but, will you accept this mad proposal by a mad woman in this mad place.", I said lowering myself down on one knee which left Arnav absolutely awestruck. I could see his eyes glistened with newly formed tears. He said nothing but hugged me very passionately. I got his answer, I wiped his tears away and hugged him more tightly..... For the first time I felt what was it like getting loved by the person who loves you eternally.

Few months later, we decided to get married in a very private ceremony on the beach. He took me to his house and showed me the things he had collected which were directly or indirectly connected to me. I found the same bouquet of flowers I had recieved on my birthday with a note saying 'Happy Birthday beautiful' which I thought Vivek had sent me. It was Arnav who had sent it and he had kept it very protected for so many months. I held him tighter as we made love under moonlight and we walked around the beach at midnight just in front of our house watching the movements of waves and rock. Waves signalling the ups and downs in life while rock signalling love which never fades nor moves even from a slight push from a wave.....