It was nighttime, and we were all at the club. My friend was throwing a party for his birthday. Everyone was dancing and having a great time, and a lot of time passed like that. Suddenly, my sister called, asking when Karanjeet would be coming home. Since I was at the party with my friends, I told my sister not to wait for me, that I might come home or I might stay out. Saying this, I hung up the phone and went outside the club. Outside, a gentle, cool breeze was blowing in the moonlight. I took a cigarette out of my pocket and started smoking. I was very tired from dancing so much in the club, and the combination of the gentle breeze and the cigarette smoke created a strange feeling within me. Because of the exhaustion, I sat down somewhere and closed my eyes. Then I felt that I should go home and rest. This feeling from the smoke had some kind of magical effect on me; I didn't feel like doing anything else. I went back inside the club and said goodbye to my friends. At first, my friends were upset that I was leaving, but after a while, they understood. I said bye to them and went back outside.
I got out and immediately got into my car and checked my watch. It was almost one in the morning. I was about to start the car and drive away when suddenly my phone rang. I received a notification on my phone that it was someone's birthday today, September 2nd. My eyes widened in disbelief. I don't know how, but that notification appeared on my phone. Through that notification, she came back to my mind. Yes, she's a girl. I took a deep breath, then after a moment, I started the car and drove off. As I was driving, I started thinking about her, memories flooded back, and suddenly I found myself lost in the past of my life.
This story dates back to the time when I was in the eleventh grade. Our school was a boarding school. And the girl's name is Chandni; she was my junior. Ever since she joined our school, she had been making a name for herself because of her good qualities. She was excellent in academics and other activities, and her beauty was simply extraordinary; she seemed like an angel to me. But initially, I didn't know her personally; I had only heard a lot of praise about her from the boys in her class. Sometimes, even my friends would praise her. Hearing so much praise about Chandni, I developed a strong desire to get to know her.
That same year, on Independence Day, when our school held its annual singing competition, she came to sing. That's when my friend pointed her out to me, saying, "That's Chandni." I was captivated by her sweet voice and couldn't take my eyes off her. I thought to myself, "Wow, this girl is absolutely stunning." From that day on, I started keeping an eye on Chandni. Wherever I saw her on the school campus, I would smile at her, and this continued for a few days. Sometimes, she would smile back at me, and I fell into the trap of thinking that Chandni was also interested in me. I started believing that she thought about me too, but I didn't realize how foolish I was at that time. All I could see was Chandni everywhere.
They say every story has an interval, and my story had one too, when we were halfway through our twelfth grade. A boy came between me and Chandni's affection; the scoundrel was from my own class. He was a flirtatious boy who would fall for any girl, and all of us in the class used to make fun of him. The rascal did things in such a way that he invited ridicule. For some days, he seemed happy; I don't know what he had found. One day, he told all of us friends that he had found a girl. Everyone started laughing, and we asked for her name. He suddenly took Chandni's name. Hearing that name, all my laughter turned into sorrow. I went outside the room and started thinking, how could that girl be with this boy...?
Anyway, I thought, how could that boy ever get Chandni? With that thought, I went back to class. The ground slipped from under my feet when I saw them talking. My love was drowned in sorrow, and my friends also started saying that Sujay had gotten Chandni. I don't know why, but I cried a lot that day. She was the first girl in my life for whom I had cried.
What could I do? It was my fault that I didn't pursue things further with Chandni, and Sujay swooped in and took her away. And every day he would tell me about his and Chandni's conversations just to make me jealous. I would listen, but it hurt my heart terribly. The board exams were also approaching, and I thought I should focus on my studies instead of paying attention to Chandni and Sujay, but no... my heart wouldn't listen. I just had to see Chandni. One day I was walking towards the hostel when I heard some voices. I turned towards the hall and saw Chandni and Sujay holding hands and talking. I felt like throwing a stone at Sujay's head. I left from there in a fit of rage. At that moment, I decided that enough was enough; I wouldn't talk to Sujay anymore, and I wouldn't even look at Chandni.
From then on, I didn't talk to Sujay, but I couldn't help but see Chandni. My attachment to her had lessened, but my longing for her was still strong. The board exams came and went without me even realizing it. On the last day of the exams, it was our last day at the hostel. After seven years together, it was time for all the friends to part ways. Everyone started packing, and then we friends went to the terrace to talk. After a while, I was alone, thinking about my time at this school and hostel. My heart was restless, and my eyes were teary. Suddenly, my friend Lokesh came and said that he had to tell me a secret that would shock me. I said, "Tell me quickly." Lokesh told me that Sujay had asked him to tell me that there was nothing between him and Chandni. Chandni only talked to him because Sujay had helped her, and as for holding hands, Chandni considered Sujay her older brother. Hearing this, I was shocked again that Sujay had just been playing a prank on me. Sujay had already gone home, otherwise I would have definitely asked him why he played this game of lies with me.
I started smiling inwardly because two years of my life had been spent amidst the memories of Chandni at the hostel. The next day, I left the hostel and went home, taking many memories with me. After leaving the hostel, I never saw Chandni again, but her presence is still with me. To this day, I haven't asked Sujay why he played this game of deception with me.
I don't know if my feelings for her still exist or not, but whenever I remember her, my longing intensifies, and I get lost in the past.