"Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations!"

Arshita's Pov

It's been a week since we had that farewell party for Shubman. I was really glad that we were back to talking terms and since that day we used to have usual talks and not so awkward silences' between us!

We used to catch up normally at college and those usual 'how are you! I'm fine' talks. We didn't exactly went back to being totally normal or hang out always together or eat together but practically it was going smooth but I was still not over the fact that he was leaving at the end of this week!

It was a Saturday night and I was lying on my bed lazily looking up at the ceiling and the only thing on my mind was ofcourse, Shubman as he was leaving tomorrow. After tomorrow I won't even get to look at his face again.

I kept thinking about it or I must say about him, suddenly something clicked in my mind and I got up and went to my study table.

I sat there and took out a page and decided to write the letter which Shubman asked for.

I thought of writing only what he asked me to —the things I like about him, the I couldn't do that without telling him all the other things I wanted to!

So I started writing and I could feel myself pouring by heart out on that letter. Each and every word that I wrote had a different feeling of mine and so I wrote everything which I wanted him to know from the very start!
______

"Yrr Mandy will you hurry up for god's sake!" Shriya shouted as we were waiting outside Manjot's house in Abhishek's car.

Shriya was continuously shouting at everyone and so I eyed Abhay thought the rear view mirror and and he turned a little to the back.

"Actually she didn't had her morning coffee so —" he said and I couldn't help but laugh while he made a face.

"And you've been with her for two hours already!" I said and  Shriya turned to give us a look as she said, "Guyss! I'm right here"

That's when the door to my right opened and Manjot settled in the car, "Wtf! Perfume ki puri bottle daalke aaya hai kya" Shriya asked him and he looked at her, "Ayee! What's wrong with her?" Mandy asked.

Abhishek just shrugged his shoulders giving him 'don't even ask' look as he pulled out of the parking.

"Guyss seriously! How can you all not freak out! Shub is leaving.... like in an hour or so and we don't even know if we'll get to meet him again!" she said and with that we all fell silent.

I don't know how we decided that we should head to airport together in one car but I was thankful cuz I wouldn't have been able to focus on driving when Shubman was leaving in few hours.

We reached airport after half an hour in which we witnessed more of Shriya's coffee deprived talks and so I and Manjot decided to play some weird game on his phone while Ayushi and Nagar were busy quarrelling over something.

We entered the airport and it wasn't much crowded as it was an odd season for people to go on vacations or probably leave their friends and family!

I trailed behind everyone almost feeling the weight of that letter in my bag! I could feel like it's heaviness as if it contained each and every feeling of mine for him.

And giving this to him felt so final!

And how much embarrassing it felt but I had poured my heart out in that letter saying all those things which I couldn't have dared to say him in person.

We could see Shubman from the distance as he stood there with his phone pressed against his ear. Shriya grabbed my hand dragging me with her to the front during which I even kicked someone's luggage.

"Sorry... I just... I don't I can handle this Shubman is leaving seriously!" she blabbered still dragging me.

Hearing those words made my heart cringe. I don't know why it still bothered me. I had already written a farewell letter and he was going to leave in an hour for fuck's sake, and only by thinking about it I just wanted to curl up in my bed and feel that everything was just a bad dream.

Shubman lowered his phone as soon as he saw us and automatically a grin made its way to his face.

God! I was going to miss that grin.

As soon as we reached to where he was standing Abhishek when to him and hugged him tightly. He hugged him back smiling.

"Abhay! I'm not leaving atleast for thirty minutes more, so maybe you can choke me later instead" Shubman said and Abhay broke the hug laughing.

Shriya went upto him and side hugged him not before hitting his arm, "You suck!" she said making a face, "You seriously suck for leaving in middle of the college year! Aise kaun krta hai" she said.

He gave her a small smile keeping his hand on her shoulder, "I'll miss you too" he said. I was standing beside Manjot and as he looked at me we had an eye lock which was broken by Manjot's voice.

"I still can't believe you're leaving us!" he said patting Shubman's back, "Waha Jaake hume bhul mat jana!" Ayushi added.

"Are you kidding waha jaake I'll make new friends and I'm surely going to forget you guys!" Shubman said laughing and that's when Shriya stomped her foot on his.

"You better not!" she said and he laughed, "I'm joking"

Nagar came in front holding a packed rectangular like something and handed it to Shubman, "From all of us!" Nagar said as Shubman unwrapped it.

It was a framed picture of us when we all went on trekking spot. I was standing beside me and as we had clicked this picture Shubman had made me forcefully give a teeth showing smile which ended up as a disaster.

Shubman looked at the photo as his eyes softened and a small smile appeared on his face. I was standing their staring at him almost in my quite state when Shubman looked at me and our gazes locked.

My grip on my bag's strap tightened as I remembered that I also needed to hand that letter to him. If Shubman noticed my sudden change in behaviour or muteness he didn't exactly pointed out.

"Guys!" he spoke up after a minute, "Can I and Arshu talk in private for a minute, we'll be back soon. I promise" he said and I looked at him.

Before I could say anything everyone pushed us together towards the corner which wasn't much crowded. We stopped in the corner and stood there looking at each other.

"I'm glad that you came!" Shubman said giving me a smile, "I really am!"

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world" I said and he grinned.

"So?" he asked.

"So?" I said not quite looking at him.

"Okay this is awkward!" he said.

"Yesss it is!" I nodded.

He placed one of his hand at the back of his neck as the other was shoved into his pocket and he kept looking down.

"Sorry. I just..." he said and again stopped, "Question game?" he suddenly asked.

With a cringe of sadness I realized that this was going to be the last time I was hearing these words form him.

I swallowed still looking down as I nodded, "Okay!"

"Cam you promise me one thing!" he said almost on the que.

My eyes snapped to his in utter curiosity as he said those words.

"Ye doesn't count as a question" I said looking at him and he shooked his head.

"Make it an exception then!" he said.

I sighed looking at the desperation in his words as I nodded and said, "Fine"

"Don't wait for me!" he said.

I blinked in confusion looking at him, "I mean sorry it came out wrong, what I meant is just that don't stop yourself from finding someone new!" he said.

"That's not even a question!" I said.

"I don't want to get in the way of your happiness" he said not quite looking at me, "Cam you promise me that?" he said

I swallowed trying not to argue back with him and just nodded.

"Well if I get a chance to have a thing with Hrithik Roshan in real life, I'm definitely not letting you get in the way of my happily ever after" I said.

He chuckled with a shake of his head, "Puri umeed thi!" he said and we laughed.

I looked at him and felt that this was the right time to give him that letter so I opened my bag and held the letter in front of him.

"As promised!" I said.

He looked at the letter and held it very delicately. He kept looking at it for a moment carressing it with his thumb as if it was very very important and rare thing!

"Thank you" he said after what felt like forever.

I just fought back the urge to take that back and tip into pieces or throw it away, just so that he wouldn't have to see my poured out heart in that letter.

But then I thought back to what Abhishek had told me!

People can help you pick up the pieces of your heart! And Shubman had surely helped me in picking up mine in more ways than one. And by taking this letter he was taking one of those pieces with him.

And I was okay with that!

And maybe that was the thing about love. You give the piece of you heart away and it's replaced by the person holding it now!

Shubman had already made that permanent place in my heart which could never ever be replaced by anyone else. I was never going to forget him or his Donald moments or him ruffling my hair.

"We still have two questions each!" Shubman said bringing me out of my thoughts.

"I guess we'll save them for when you return" I said and he looked down.

"Arshu I'm not sure if—" he was saying when I punched his shoulder, "Shut up you idiot, dikh nhi rha I'm trying to be positive here!" I said.

He didn't reply.

It was like he was trying to acknowledge that he wasn't ever going to come back, even if it was a small vacation. Or maybe there weren't any other possibility of him returning back.

"So you're really leaving!" I muttered.

"Really" he said smirking, "Mujhe nhi pata tha!" he said and chuckled.

I glared at him as he still managed to joke in this situation when I was trying hard to control my tears, "You're an idiot!"

He chuckled a bit raising his hands up in surrender, "Maine kya kiya!" he said making an innocent face.

"Nothing other than barging in my life, making me fall for you and them breaking my heart and leave all of a sudden" I said in one breathe and stared at my face, "Iss sabke alawa tumne kuch nhi kiya" I said making a face.

"Okay sorry" he said smiling slightly and then opened his arms for me to come, "Come here" he said and I instantly hugged him.

"Ab rona mat warna log sochenge maine tumhe cheda hai!" he said and I chuckled while hitting him, "Get lost" I said laughing and he nodded, "Yeah I'm doing that!" he said and again hugged me.
____________________________________

THE END.........

"Soryy Soryy mazaak tha, not so soon. Let's see what happens now!"

I'm back and this time soon so hope you people are happy and doing good! Hope you all like the chapter

Keep voting and commenting!
💗💗