He was acutely aware that he had indulged in liquor more than his usual self. But during these haunting days, when the yearning surged and the longing intensified, succumbing to the intoxication seemed like the only solace. Today, as he meticulously dusted his bookshelf, fate guided him to stumble upon an aged class photograph, now faded and blurred. Though most of the faces eluded his recognition, his eyes were magnetically drawn to her visage, the one he alone could perceive with absolute clarity! Dhriti, an old classmate and comrade, with whom he shared no romantic attachment and harbored no romantic sentiments, yet on the day she vanished, something inexplicable stirred within his heart. Nearly a decade has elapsed, yet he remains incapable of banishing her from his thoughts or reconciling with the harsh reality that she has long departed. Her presence lingers as an indelible imprint, forever etched in the corridors of his mind.

Raj was just 13 when he first encountered her, a newcomer who seemed incredibly insolent and snobbish. Unlike Raj, who was calm and reserved, she embodied the opposite. Her very first day at school became a lasting memory for her entire class when she fearlessly stood up to the most aggressive teacher, defending a fellow classmate without caring about the potential consequences. Unsurprisingly, she ended up getting suspended on her very first day! Raj was immediately drawn to her; her vibrant personality piqued his curiosity as it was so different from his own. While she left early during her suspension, Raj typically headed to a nearby sports complex after school to play tennis with his friends. However, that day, everyone had made other plans, so he ventured out alone and unexpectedly encountered Ms. Flamboyant again. Even though she didn’t remember his face, she recognized his uniform and gave him a fleeting nod. Being a shy boy, Raj didn’t say much, but he observed her closely. She was exceptional! That girl played better tennis than all his friends combined, and he couldn’t wait to witness their reactions the following day. After what felt like an hour, Dhriti grew bored and nonchalantly left with her backpack, accidentally tripping over her untied shoelaces. She didn’t bother to retie them, and Raj noticed every detail. He blindly followed her, captivated like never before, for she was truly one of a kind.

He couldn’t fathom how he found himself immersed in the fabric of their shared society, driven by an unwavering pursuit of her. In that precise moment, she caught a glimpse of him, a fleeting encounter that she deliberately chose to overlook. Destiny had interwoven their paths within this tightly-knit community, unveiling a multitude of common threads that bound them together. After relentlessly chasing after someone earlier that day, Raj sought refuge in the sanctuary of his own apartment. As she pivoted left, he took a decisive right turn, only to be abruptly halted by a resounding crash. Although every fiber of his being yearned to erupt in laughter, he suppressed it, mindful of the courtesy he owed. Even amidst the amusement derived from her misfortune, he couldn’t help but anticipate her eventual stumble, given the carelessly untied shoelaces. With urgency, he darted towards her fallen form, his eyes fixating on her bruised and lacerated knee. A tidal wave of remorse washed over him—its severity surpassing his initial estimation. In a gesture of compassion, he extended his helping hand, assisting her back onto her feet, all the while witnessing a gratitude and humility that felt unfamiliar to him. Dhriti, her name reverberated through his ears as she introduced herself—an individual who had recently crossed borders from Canada alongside her mother, trying to acclimate to the surroundings and customs of this unexplored territory. He implored her to wait at the park, a sacred pact formed between them, vowing to tend to her wound. She agreed without a moment’s hesitation. In the span of just one day, a whirlwind of unforeseen events unfolded, gradually unraveling the cloak of unfamiliarity that had shrouded their connection.

The next day, Raj enthusiastically presented her to the entire class. While numerous girls were disapproving of Dhriti’s audacious behavior, the boys were utterly captivated by her. Yet, her attention was solely focused on one person – her savior! As time passed, Raj discovered that Dhriti possessed not only beauty but also remarkable intelligence. She willingly assisted her classmates with their queries and engaged in work with a couple of NGOs after school. In the evenings, Raj would pick her up and they would unwind at the Tennis court, where Dhriti’s tomboyish nature would make Raj feel delicate in comparison. Added to that, she was much taller than him! Their fondness for each other grew and they became pillars of support through all life’s ups and downs. As the years progressed, their bond grew stronger and envied by all. The boys could never come close to Dhriti, while the girls were too intimidated to ask Raj out. Everything seemed like a dream for three years until the day Dhriti arrived at school with bruises. Unbeknownst to Raj, he was not present that day as he had an important entrance exam in another town. His friends messaged him, informing him of Dhriti’s condition, causing him to abruptly leave the exam and rush back to his hometown. He called her numerous times, but there was no response. He went to her apartment, only to find it locked. The conversation they had the day before suddenly struck him – she spoke of her desire to go far away, perhaps back to Canada where her father lived. She shared her ongoing struggle to adapt to this new life. Raj felt betrayed. At the very least, she should have informed him of her departure. After years of companionship, he deserved a proper goodbye. While trying to comprehend the situation, the bruises mentioned by his friends continued to puzzle him. He spoke with a few acquaintances who attested that Dhriti appeared miserable and unlike herself. Raj was confident she would eventually contact him, but even after 10 long years, there was no word from her. It felt as if she had vanished without a trace, leaving Raj to wonder if she was gone for good.

None of Raj’s relationships lasted longer than a year, and it tore him apart inside. He never fully healed, never found the closure he desperately needed. The perplexing mix of emotions within him made him question why he still felt so desolate, and why it continued to sting as if she had betrayed him. It was a relentless ache that consumed him.

Today, after months of agonizing, he stumbled upon that fateful picture once again and a fire ignited in his heart. Determinedly, he declared that it was time to shatter it into irreparable pieces! The weight of waiting had become unbearable, and he firmly believed that nobody should endure such wasted moments. To silence the remorse of ripping apart the photograph, he sought solace in the embrace of alcohol. And in the midst of his slightly intoxicated state, his gaze fell upon a couple sitting across the table, and to his astonishment, the girl bore an uncanny resemblance to Dhriti – was it her? The mysterious woman also noticed him and, with a smile so reminiscent of Dhriti’s, she acknowledged his presence from afar. Drunk but driven by curiosity, he rose unsteadily from his seat and determinedly approached her, needing to confirm his suspicions. In that precious instant, he knew deep within his soul that she had returned. However, he promptly succumbed to his intoxication, collapsing unconscious like a sponge saturated with liquor.

The day after he woke up with an excruciating headache in a peculiar house, and as he tried to recollect the events, a vaguely familiar face suddenly appeared before him. It was her! “Hi,” she greeted, handing him a cup of honey water. “I am Dhruvi.” Before she could finish her sentence, a man entered the room and warmly embraced Dhriti, introducing himself to Raj. “Hi, sorry for the abrupt kidnapping last night. We tried reaching out to your family, but our efforts were in vain. As you are the director of a security firm, we contacted them to confirm your identity. Unfortunately, it was a Saturday evening, and the guard didn’t know whom to contact. Therefore, we brought you here. By the way, I am Mihir, and this is my wife, Dhruvi.” “Hi, and thank you,” Raj managed to say, feeling overwhelmed. He couldn’t help but wonder why this woman was being referred to as Dhruvi instead of Dhriti. “Hi, I am Raj. I apologize for causing any trouble. It was incredibly kind of you to assist me in this situation. Normally, I am not like this, but yesterday I was going through something,” Raj explained. Mihir chuckled and replied, “I understand completely! During my dating days, I often ended up at Dhruvi’s place the next day.” Dating? When? Where? How? Numerous questions flooded Raj’s mind, and without thinking, he inquired about Dhruvi’s age. “That was a bit forward, but I suppose we are all the same age,” Mihir remarked. Suddenly, Dhruvi seemed uneasy and abruptly left the room. “Thank you, Mihir. I believe it’s time for me to leave now. Let’s meet again soon. I cannot express enough gratitude for your help yesterday!” “Of course, Raj. Let the drinks be on you next time. It would be great if it’s just the two of us, so we can both unwind. I haven’t let loose in months. By the way, Dhruvi and I don’t know many people here in Delhi since we recently relocated from Canada,” Mihir disclosed. Something within Raj was crumbling; he had to tell Mihir to stop calling her Dhruvi.

She was Dhriti, and now Raj was surer than ever. That’s when Dhruvi entered the room, and Raj deliberately called her Dhriti. He wanted to see her reaction, to feel the intensity of her emotions. As soon as the words left Raj’s lips, Dhruvi froze. A moment of silence hung in the air, pregnant with meaning. Before Raj could say much, Dhruvi hastily left the room, her footsteps echoing with a mixture of confusion and hurt. This confirmed Raj’s suspicions, deepening the realization that something had changed between them. But, surprisingly, Mihir seemed to be oblivious to the tension that filled the room. Raj couldn’t brush it off any longer; he had to address this with Dhruvi later. As the evening unfolded, Raj discreetly exchanged numbers with Mihir, fully intending to invite him for drinks in the near future. The plan was twofold: to spend more time with Mihir and to gather some insights into Dhruvi’s recent behavior. Leaving the scene, Raj stepped into a cab, ruminating over the series of events. His eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of Dhruvi, but she was nowhere to be seen. The weight of their unspoken words hung heavily on his heart, leaving him with a mix of anticipation and trepidation for their impending conversation.

He tirelessly scoured social media platforms in search of Dhruvi and Mihir, his heart pounding with anticipation. And then, he stumbled upon Mihir’s profile. Oh, how they seemed like the epitome of a perfect college romance, their love emanating from every captured moment. But there was no trace of their past, no glimpses into the memories they had shared. All Raj craved was an answer, a simple response. It wasn’t as if Dhriti owed him anything, but weren’t they friends? Didn’t she harbor any lingering emotions for him? The least she could do now was feel a sliver of remorse, acknowledge the pain she had unknowingly inflicted upon him. How he wished for things to revert back to the way they once were! It had only been yesterday that he resolved to move forward, to let go. How could he find himself ensnared in such an agonizing predicament once again?

Days flew by, and just when Raj felt trapped in the torment of his thoughts, a call from Mihir shattered the silence. “Hey, my friend! Have you forgotten about our plan to go for drinks? Dhruvi and I are out and about. Would you like to join us for a couple of drinks?” It was an invitation Raj couldn’t resist. He saw it as a chance to finally meet Dhruvi and uncover the reasons behind her avoidance. They met, and Raj couldn’t help but notice that Mihir was in high spirits and already a bit tipsy, while Dhruvi seemed unsettled. It was as if she sensed an approaching storm. Raj seized the opportunity when Mihir excused himself to use the restroom. Filled with emotions, he confronted Dhruvi once again. “Dhruvi, it’s me, Raj. I can’t comprehend why you’ve been ignoring me. We used to be close friends. Have I done something wrong? Can’t we go back to how things were? You should know that the past ten years have been incredibly challenging for me, and I’ve never been able to forget you. We may have only been friends, but you never gave me a chance to express how much you meant to me. Every day, I’ve searched for you, and now, here you are, standing before me as someone else’s wife, refusing to acknowledge our friendship. Why? Please, can you…” But before Raj could finish pouring out his emotions, Mihir interrupted, “Raj, you’ve misunderstood everything. I may not be in the right state of mind, but as far as I know, Dhruvi has never left Canada before. It was only after marrying me and considering the fact that my parents live here that we decided to move. Dhruvi’s father is still based in Canada.” Raj was stunned by this revelation. “Dad?” he exclaimed. “So, you finally moved to Canada and changed your name…” Raj trailed off, unable to complete his sentence. Dhruvi swiftly interjected, tears streaming down her face. “I am not her. She’s long gone. Please, forget about her.” And she broke down into tears.

Both Mihir and Raj were truly taken aback by the revelation. A multitude of undisclosed truths had come to light, causing their hearts to quiver with apprehension and their minds to race with fear of what awaited them. Mihir, with swift decisiveness, concluded the engagement, whisking Dhruvi away to the comforting haven of their home. On the other hand, Raj found himself grappling with the enormity of the situation that unfolded, desperately attempting to unravel the perplexing puzzle that life had presented before him.

The next morning, Raj received an unexpected call from Dhruvi. She expressed her desire to meet him and discuss some matters of importance. To accommodate her, they decided to rendezvous at a cafe near Dhruvi’s workplace. “Hello, Raj. I must admit that I never truly knew you until now. When you mentioned Dhruvi’s name, I was taken aback,” she said with a hint of surprise. Suddenly, Mihir joined them, creating an air of anticipation. “Hi. Mihir and I haven’t spoken since last night, and in order to prevent any misunderstandings, I invited him here. I wanted to speak with both of you and provide an explanation of the situation,” Dhruvi explained. She continued, “Thirteen years ago, when our parents divorced, Dhruvi and I found ourselves in a difficult position, forced to choose between our mother and father. Dhriti, being the more resilient of the two, decided to move in with our mother, while I stayed with our father. We kept this a secret because ten years ago, we received a ransom note claiming that Dhriti had been kidnapped. We paid the hefty ransom within a week and discreetly searched for her for years, but eventually, we gave up. Our father was concerned that if our community discovered this, it would diminish my prospects of finding a suitable partner. Thus, we kept it hidden and tried to forget. The only reason I agreed to move to India with Mihir was to uncover the truth about Dhriti. We were in touch with our mother until a few years ago when she suddenly apologized to us and tragically took her own life the next day. That’s why I came to India – to find Dhriti.” As she spoke, Dhruvi shared some pictures of her and Dhriti along with Mihir and Raj, leaving the two men astounded. Raj understood why Dhriti hadn’t contacted him, but the revelation that she had been kidnapped hurt him deeply. Now, he could only hope that she was alive and well. “I am sorry, Dhruvi. I understand that you’ve been through a lot. I wish you had informed me sooner so that I could have assisted you in the search for Dhriti. Nonetheless, I believe we still have time to find her.

Raj sat there, bewildered and overwhelmed, as tears filled his eyes. “Raj, I am truly grateful,” Dhruvi said, her voice filled with sincerity as she gently placed her hand on his shoulder. “It seems that fate has brought us together, and now we can join forces in the search for Dhriti. Perhaps this time, we will finally find her.” Raj’s determination remained unshakable as he responded, “Indeed, we will.” As the director of a security firm, he was aware that his connections could help gather information for the case. But what truly touched him was witnessing the deep bond forming between Dhruvi and himself, as they embarked on this journey to find what they held most dear.

“Dhruvi confessed, ‘She mentioned you, Raj, on numerous occasions. However, without a picture to recognize you, I couldn’t put it together when we first met.’ Opening their old chat logs, she showed Raj their conversations. As he scrolled through the messages, a whirlwind of emotions tore through him, leaving him feeling raw and vulnerable. ‘Hi Dhruvi, today I saw this endearing boy in our community. It appears we share similar interests. I decided to follow him to discover which sports academy he attends, and I plan to enroll myself there too… Today, I found out his school, so I asked my mom to enroll me there as well… Can you guess what happened? We are now classmates. It feels as though our paths were meant to cross! Today, I stumbled and fell because, as usual, I couldn’t tie my shoelaces. To avoid appearing foolish in front of him, I walked home with my laces undone. But surprisingly, it worked! He greeted me… You would be thrilled to meet Raj; he is truly an incredible person. I owe him everything for helping me adapt to this new place… Today, we played table tennis together, and I’m certain he knows I’m better than him… I think I might even like him more than he likes me, although he hasn’t expressed his feelings or dropped any hints. I’m afraid to reveal my emotions, fearful of rejection… At times, the pain is unbearable, and I contemplate returning for further studies. Maybe if I distance myself for a while, I could forget about him… It’s been five years since we but I am scared it’s time to part ways now, he is planning to shift to Mumbai for higher studies and I am unsure of what I want in life….’

Every single conversation overflowed with genuine affection; she had sensed his presence long before he did. Throughout the entirety of their deep companionship, not once did he realize that she struggled with tying her shoelaces. But now, he has come to truly understand that her love for him resonates just as strongly as his own.

Dhruvi and Raj would now meet often, passionately discussing and planning while Mihir contributed to the best of his ability. One glorious day, Mihir rushed to Dhruvi and called Raj over. It seemed as though they had uncovered a clue – the address of the apartment where Dhruvi’s mother tragically took her own life.

Their unwavering determination guided them to this very place in Noida. While exploring the area, they engaged in conversations with a handful of neighbors who expressed their dismay about Dhruvi’s mother’s lack of etiquette. As their inquiries delved deeper, an astonishing piece of information emerged – whispers of a paralyzed girl residing with Dhruvi’s mother, although nobody had ever set eyes upon her. On the fateful day that Dhruvi’s mother breathed her last, this enigmatic girl vanished without a trace. Raj was profoundly shaken by this revelation. He could not fathom what dreadful fate may have befallen her. Upon reaching the ground floor, they crossed paths with an elderly maid who instantly recognized Raj and, upon seeing Dhruvi, let out a gasp. Taking hold of Raj’s hand, she leaned in and whispered something into his ear. Tears welled up in Raj’s eyes as he beseeched, “Please, lead me to her.” The maid directed him to accompany her, and as they approached, Raj was overtaken by utter devastation. Standing before him was an individual who would likely never recollect his existence. There she stood, statuesque and resplendent, resembling Dhruvi, but devoid of any memories of her own past.

The maid poignantly shared her experiences of caring for the girl with paralysis, and the profound impact it had on her. She revealed that in her notebook, she had seen numerous pictures of Raj, forever etched in her memory. Dhriti’s journey had taken a tragic turn after a life-altering accident left her in a prolonged coma. The heart-wrenching realization that she would never walk again shattered her world, leading to her mother’s heartbreaking decision to end her own life. In the midst of this darkness, Dhriti found solace in the love and care of her adoptive family, who provided her with a fresh beginning and a new identity. Through relentless rehabilitation, she defied the odds and triumphed, regaining the ability to walk once more. Not only did Dhriti possess immense physical strength, but she also had an artistic soul that radiated with resilience. Raj’s heart swelled with joy as he discovered that she was alive and flourishing. With his excitement brimming, he mustered the courage to approach her and introduced himself with a heartfelt, “Hi, I am Raj.” Upon hearing these words, tears welled up in Dhriti’s eyes, for even though she couldn’t consciously recall him, she could feel a deep connection to him – a connection that she had immortalized in her countless paintings.