Love, unconditionally

"So, what are you thinking? You've not spoken for like 10 minutes. What makes you yak in class so much?"
"Nothing. Just...ummm...well...I have to say it. And ...err..I love you." Aryan's hands were actually shaking.
Neeru looked at Aryan as if she wanted to say something. Instead, she just picked up her purse and drove away in her car.
Aryan was shocked, to say the least. After 10 days of struggle he had managed to ask her out. It was different that he could only manage to take her as far as the canteen! After 1 month, he had said what he was dying to confess. And she left without saying anything at all? Did he say it too soon? He couldn't believe his luck.

He didn't hear from her for many days. She wasn't attending the routine lectures as well. He was missing her presence on the last bench. It had only been a month that they had started sitting together in the maths class. Neeru hated the last bench. But the ever growing population in class had forced her to come and sit next to Aryan that afternoon, and things were never the same after that. He remembered how troubled she was the first day, how he reserved a seat for her the next day and how they became instant friends. There was something about her. So mature, so fun to be with, so pretty...Aryan just loved everything about her.

"What's wrong with Neeru?" Aryan clutched Jaya's hand. "She's not answering my phone calls, not attending classes. is everything alright?"
"She doesn't want to see you," Jaya answered trying to avoid eye contact.
"But why? I guess you know everything. If she is not interested, she can tell me. I don't want to lose her friendship like this. Please Jaya, help me out on this. Ask her to talk to me. Pleaseee"
"Stop being kiddish. Neeru's not your type..."
"What do you mean she's not my type. I like her, I like her a lot. Did she say something to you."
"Aryan, you know nothing about her. Please forget everything. It's not going to work out."
"Is it about her leg?"

Jaya could not believe this. She didn't say a word and left.
"He knows Neeru. He knows everything about you."
"And still. He doesn't know what he is getting into. What, is he trying to make fun of me like he does every time? I can't take this Jaya."
"Why are you doing this. I know you like him too. If he has no problem, then why are you being such a Goddess. We all need someone to be with..."
"Oh, shut up. I'm not being a Goddess Jaya. Its just...Its just that when he'll know the actual picture, he may not be able to live with it. And wont that be more painful than this?"
"But.."
"No ifs and buts, you know how I have planned my life. I don't want to burden someone with the pain I go through. I like him, but that doesn't give me the right to spoil his life. Its just not happening," she said the last few words rather softly and banged the door behind her.

Jaya wanted to help. She wanted things to work out between Aryan and Neeru. She had not seen Neeru as happy as she was in the last one month since that fatal night.

Last 10 years had been testing for Neeru. She was 11 when she lost her leg in an accident. For a year she was on bed fighting with a spinal fracture. Then she got an artificial leg. Life at school was difficult for kids didn't understand. As a teenager she was sympathized with and she hated that. She had quite a few friends and because of her carefree attitude, she didn't let the accident change her life. She was excellent with numbers and had planned to finish her M.A and then go for a PhD in New York where her uncle lived. Getting a job of a lecturer would be easy then. love and marriage were two things she never thought about. Or rather, she avoided thinking about for she knew it wasn't going to happen. All well thought of, this was nothing close to what she had expected in life.

Aryan was surprised to see her in the class on Monday. "Hi! Can we be friends?" Aryan couldn't control his enthusiasm after class.
"I have to go home." Neeru just didn't want to respond.
"But you have to talk to me before that. I tried calling you up a million times. If you didn't like what I said, it doesn't mean that you have to start avoiding me? This is insane Neeru. Please, grow up."
"Oh, you grow up. Listen, these classes are extremely important to me. And I don't want you interfering. Just...please..."
Aryan grabbed her. And made her walk with him to the bench. He made her sit, took her palm in his, sat on his knees and said, "Neeru, I know why you don't want to see me. Don't hate Jaya, but she told me everything. Not because she sympathizes. But because I had to know how you felt. I love you, and i want to spend the rest of my life being with you. You know why? Because I love the little girl in you who comes and sits next to me even when her favorite seat is vacant. Because I love the way you get Jaya's favorite dish for tiffin even when you hate it. Because I love your strength, your courage and your honesty. Because I love the fact that are shit scared of driving a car but you still won't hire a driver. Because, you are the only woman I know who can get 13*17 in a fraction of a second..."

Neeru smiled. Her tears were uncontrollable now. "And what about the leg. How would you feel when I wont be able to do a million things anyone else could do?"
"If you loved me, and I was in the same situation, would your love change?"
"Yes, it would have..." mumbled Neeru.
"Then we think differently. Who knows, the day I get married, my wife meets with an accident and she can never walk again? Will I leave her? Leave that, if you can drive a car, if you can do a PhD and become a lecturer, what makes you think you cant do other things?"
"But right now you have a choice to meet a perfect person..."
"For me, you are perfect. And I will love you in sickness and in health, no matter how filmy that sounds. And if you love me too Neeru, please trust me. I cant promise you to be a perfect husband, but I will give it my best shot..."
"What makes you think you won't?" smiled Neeru.
Aryan smiled too and he lightly kissed her hand. "Our kids would be beauty with brains, aah I love that!"
"Depends. What if they get all your genes?"


Did they live happily ever after? I bet, they did...


**Not all stories are like that - short and simple. Not all have a happy ending. Every Neeru doesn't meet an Aryan. Not all Neeru's need an Aryan. Yet, unconditional love is the most beautiful thing on earth. Its a rare blessing. This is for ALL the people who love unconditionally. This is specially for you**