That Innocent Love by Mansi Tyagi

She looked in to the mirror to see the final glance of how she is looking. Adjusted her dress little bit and a broad smile came to her face. She touched her earrings and said “Wow Perfect” to herself, picked her handbag and car keys, locked the house and this is how she started her new day.

It was very humid outside in the morning itself as summers in Delhi are always horrible for one to go out and start the day. So many different vehicles were running on the road, seemed everyone was in a hurry to go to their respective work place.

Shreya was observing all this while driving through the roads and she started remembering her childhood days how she used to go to her school. Getting up in the morning for school was always tough for her but her Mom and Dad used to wake her up with so much love that she slowly started doing tantrums to get more attention from them. She remembered how Dad would hold her and take her for brushing her teeth and how she did all the drama, so dad would then open her mouth and start brushing her teeth. A broad smile came on her face with teary eyes. Suddenly she saw a group of few children standing outside the school. She stopped her car. It was similar to her school. She started looking towards it as it was after 30 years that she was outside the school building. There was a group of few boys and girls mostly of 15 to 16 years of age. She noticed a girl standing little away from those students, then she noticed those students were laughing and a boy among that group was continuously looking towards that girl with a cute smile on his face and love and affection in his eyes.

All this took Shreya to her school memories. She was standing under a tree planted in school campus. It was lunch break time. Her friend told her that she will be back in a minute. She was waiting for her. Suddenly, Amit came in front of her. Amit was the cutest boy in the whole sixth standard. Her heart beat started running at a very fast speed as she never thought they will be standing face to face with each other, alone in school ever. “I LOVE YOU Shreya”. “I will come back for your answer after the school finishes at 2:00 P.M”. Amit then went away with his friends. Shreya was shivering as it was something very unusual for her. She was just 12 years old. “What is this? Why are you shivering?” Roohi came and asked Shreya. She started crying and told everything to Roohi. The lunch break was over and they had to go inside the class. Few other students asked Shreya if she is OK?. She just nodded her head and Roohi took the charge by replying that she is having a headache.

The school got over and by that time Shreya had decided to run away without waiting for Roohi from the school. She picked up her school bag and ran so fast that even Roohi got confused what to do. After reaching home she went inside her room and started thinking what Amit told. Then at the same moment she realised how conservative her parents are despite of loving her so much and staying in a metro city. Shreya was very scared as she felt her mom and dad will scold her for all this. She didn’t understood what to do and she started crying again. In the evening she gathered some courage and sat with her mom with her milk glass. Her mom started saying suddenly “Don’t know what is happening to kids these days at the age of studying, they are falling in to all this nonsense of proposing each other”. Mom seemed to be little angry. Shreya asked slowly “Kya Hua Maa”?. “Do you know that a guy in your cousin Richa’s school proposed her and that girl without even thinking of her parent’s respect, accepted it and told it to her parents. I know my daughter will never be like her. Shreya it’s your age to study and become something in life and then marry the one whom your dad will select for you. You know na all this beta?” asked her Mom. “Yes mummy I know”, Shreya said and went inside her room. She thought that this is not an appropriate age for any such things.

Next day morning Roohi was waiting near the school gate only for Shreya. As soon as she came out of the car, Roohi jumped to her and asked “What is this?, why didn’t you pick up my call. At least tell me something”. Shreya held her hand and took her towards a corner and said “If Amit comes today, you will go and say no to him from my side”. Roohi nodded her head without asking anything. Amit was trying to meet Shreya but she had surrounded herself with other friends and was not giving him any chance to come closer and ask anything. Roohi got the chance. She went to Amit and told “Shreya doesn’t like you so please don’t trouble her else she will complain to her father. Already she has told this to her mother and she was very angry”. Amit was Just 13 years old and on listening that Shreya has told all this to her mother, he got scared and went away looking towards Shreya with tears in his eyes. “Children at this age are so innocent that for them everything that goes to their parents becomes the matter of their family respect.

Shreya herself was in a very bad mood as she also liked Amit a lot but she can not disclose it to anyone. It was the last working day of school and after that there was a break of 2 months summer vacation. Everyone was happy and running hurriedly towards home except Shreya and Amit who had a heart break that day.

It was the month of July when everyone was back again to school. Shreya was excited too as during holidays, she enjoyed a lot and completely forgot what had happened before the holidays. She saw Roohi and both screamed and hugged each other and started their usual chattar pattar”. Suddenly Shreya saw Amit coming towards their side and that moment refreshed everything that had happened two months back. They both became quiet and they held each other’s hand. Amit came and crossed them silently staring Shreya with eyes still full of love and hope. They both breathed “Aah” and Roohi said “Now, he will never say us anything”. Shreya just nodded her head and went inside the class.

Six years passed by and now they all were in class 12th. Shreya opted for science and Amit opted for commerce. In these six years, despite of being in the same school, they never saw each other again. As Shreya came to know through her friends that Amit is with some other girl when they moved to 12th standard, so it was like a young age love at a very innocent age which seemed to have no future. It was the last board exam when after six years suddenly Amit came and stood in front of Shreya. She was totally confused about why is he here?. Despite of having feelings for him, she never showed it to anyone. “Shreya, I still love you. Now we are going to be in college. Can I get my answer now?. I waited for six years to hear from you”. “My answer is still the same. I don’t like you. Please don’t trouble me again” said Shreya and went away.

Will anyone understand the purity and innocence of that love?. Will anyone understand how at such an adolescent age, someone decides to keep family name on priority? Does he even remember me now? Will I ever meet him in this life? Was it love or just a attraction at that age? All these questions came to Shreya’s mind. She nodded her head like she is saying herself a NO to all her questions. She started her car and went to her office. It was 6:00 P.M. in the evening. She picked up her things from office and started moving towards the gate. Suddenly she saw a Café house on the opposite side and thought why not to have a cup of coffee?. The weather was little better in the evening and after a hectic day at work, coffee seemed to be a nice option. She thought and started walking towards the coffee house. “One cappuccino please” she ordered to the girl standing on the counter and turns towards the chair on the back side. “Shreya”, she heard her name and looked towards the right side table. She was completely shocked. It was Amit standing there. Suddenly everything passed in front of her eyes like a quick memory of the past. Now she was not a 12th grade girl who can ignore and move away. She smiled and went towards him. Both passed a smile full of mixed emotions to each other. “Hi Amit, how are you doing?”. “Please have a seat Shreya”. They both sat facing each other still with different emotions on their face. If anyone else would see them, that person would not be able to judge the perfect emotion of happiness or sadness on their face. Shreya thought what was this today?. only I was thinking about him and now he is sitting in front of me. What is this universe? Sometimes universe gives us the answers of our questions in its own way.

“So how are you doing? Where are you these days?” Amit asked. Shreya told him, she is working with a MNC and settled in Delhi with her husband. Amit told her he is settled in Mumbai with his wife and a baby boy. For the first time both were talking to each other and telling about each other’s life like very good friends. Suddenly Shreya said “Amit, its 10 years we are meeting now. I thought you will not even remember me”. Amit smiled and said “I can never forget you Shreya. My love for you was true when I proposed you in 6th grade. It was same in 12th standard too but then I realised that it will spoil your image, so I kept quiet and during the last practical exam when you said the same thing again that you don’t like me and I should not trouble you I decided never to come in front of you” Amit said. “But you were seeing someone else when we were in 12th standard”, said Shreya. Amit laughed loudly, “so, you were keeping an eye on me”. He blinked his one eye and that moment Shreya’s face became red. “It’s ok dear, we have grown up to mature people now. Yes I was with her because she was in your class and that was the reason I could come in your building and see you”. And then Amit told Shreya everything about those years, how he used to take care of her without her even knowing anything. How he used to come in the recess time just to have a glance of Shreya and how confident he was that after 12th she will except his proposal and how he had planned so many things for their future and how he used to check her profile and felt happy seeing her family pictures till date.

“We were just kids Amit, how can you plan so many things?. I never thought that you were really in love with me”. ‘It’s the same way dear as you thought of keeping your family respect on priority”. Shreya kept quiet. Then they started talking so many things without even realising that it was 9:00 P.M. Suddenly Amit asked Shreya “Seriously, you never liked me?”. Shreya was stunned with this question as now she can not tell the truth again and she didn’t want to lie too. Suddenly her mobile started ringing. It was Nishant on the other side. “Where are you dear?. I am on my way home. Should I get something from the market?”. Shreya looked at her wrist watch and said “I am sorry. I got little late. Please get some food. I will be reaching home in the next 15 minutes” and saying this, she disconnected the call.

“Ah its so late, we didn’t realise the time that passed by swiftly” said Shreya. “Yes, for the first time we were talking and I got the chance to open my heart in front of you. Anyways I think we should move now. I too have to catch an early morning flight to Mumbai” said Amit. “It was nice meeting and talking to you Amit”, Shreya said. Both waved goodbye to ach other and left the cafe.

Today too Amit didn’t get the answer of his question and Shreya hid her childhood love for Amit again for the family’s namesake. She looked in to the car mirror, wiped her eyes and then started driving with a smile that she always carried on her face. Her childhood’s innocent love was true from both sides but unfortunately it was not in a position to bloom.

Wo naadaan bachpan kitna masoom hota hai,
Dil main kisike liye jab pyar hota hai,
Par ikraar nahi kar pate sab kyunki,
Khud se zyaada parivar ka khayaal hota hai…..”