StoryWallah – Vaishali

Love is freedom

Hey, I am Avantika, a happy, cheerful, and hopelessly romantic girl. Well, describing my characteristics would not be a good start to my love story. Ok so let’s go back to the days when it all started….

It was the beginning of April and our new session for class 6th was going to start. I was very excited about my new uniform, new books, notebooks, and most importantly to meet my friends after the ten day break which we used to get after our final exams. This used to be the best period as covering my notebooks in a special brown paper and putting my favourite power puff girls (cartoon stickers) name tags over them is what I loved the most. Well, for me the real struggle was to write my name in beautiful italics as my handwriting sucks and it’s still bad. Another special thing about the new session is that I am going to wear the uniform ironed by myself, that my father taught me. Now, when I look back, I consider myself to be so lucky to have parents like them. They never stopped me, never demotivated me and my philosophy of love i.e. ‘Love is freedom’ is all because of them.

It was a bright sunny day, already 4-5 days of our new 6th class session passed. It was a usual day, we did our school prayer, pledge, and national anthem and completed our morning assembly with a small yoga session. As we headed towards our classroom I saw a very cute boy entering our school premises with his parents. I did not notice as such because many new admissions were happening at the beginning of the school session.  It was the first period, and our class teacher was taking attendance when a new boy entered our class. He was overloaded with cuteness, chubby cheeks with a tint of pink shade, and bright big eyes. Our class teacher introduced him as our new classmate and asked him to provide a brief introduction about himself. Although he was cute but the confidence he had in his voice made me a little envious. Our teacher made him sit on the first bench of the second row and I was sitting on the last bench of the same row. Still, I do not understand why I always choose the last bench although I used to be a ranker in the class.

Ohhhh I am sorry, I went a little deep in describing his cuteness, I forgot to tell his name. Well, he was Aryan. I remember for the first two days I didn’t talk to him and on the third day, our class teacher asked me to help him with the work as he missed a few days’ work. So, during recess when he came and asked me about the work I gave him my few notebooks and asked him to return tomorrow and he nodded his head. Before he left just to ignite the conversation I asked the meaning of his name, I remember him saying noble or superior. Before he could ask any other thing the recess got over and he headed back towards his seat. As time passed our friendship became stronger and we became best friends. From sharing tiffin boxes to playing during the games period to helping each other in the exam halls in cheating. We were always together. Even we both also became dance partners during the annual day celebration.

Years passed like this and with time our bond became strong. Now we both are in 10th grade. Again it was the beginning of a new session in the school. A few days passed but Aryan was not coming to school. I thought he must be busy somewhere. But one day I got to know that his father was moving to another town and he had to move along. Well, I do not remember how I felt but it was definitely not good. That day during the last period of the class I was going to the staff room for some work. As I was going downstairs, he was there moving upstairs. We did not exchange even a single word. We just looked at each other as if we both knew that it was the end. I feel when the bond is strong you do not require words to express your feeling. Sometimes I feel I should have stopped him there and expressed my love but I am grateful I did not ruin that moment. That last eye contact we shared is so sacred that it is still fresh in my memories. We both shared an unconditional relationship without any name. Calling it just friendship would not be apt for the relationship we shared.

Hey if you are thinking that’s a wrap-up. Then wait, because it is just a start. After my parents, relationship with Aryan taught me the real meaning of ‘Love is freedom,’ and that helped me grow and understand relationships better in my upcoming life.

Well, the second chapter of my love life started with me taking part in a fashion quiz at the inter-NIFT competition held at NIFT Jodhpur. I was going upstairs to reach the required hall of the auditorium as the competition was about to start. It was the moment when my eyes clashed with a young boy coming downstairs. That eye contact was the ignition of our love which is still on fire.

Somehow I got to know that the boy I met on the stairs was Shaurya, all thanks to his friend who called him –‘Shaurya hurry up, we are already late,’ and to my sharp ears to listen to those words clearly. Had I missed that, I have no idea how I would have found my now-life partner. Then the real search began as the eye clash event happened on the last day of the three-day event. After going back I started looking for him on Facebook, and luckily I found him. How can I forget those magical brown eyes that took my heart. I sent him the request and he accepted it immediately. From there started our love journey. Initially, it was difficult to manage long distance but over time we developed trust and then it went smoothly. After completing our courses we both took jobs in Mumbai and we started working for renowned fashion brands. It was going fantastic, from waiting for the office to end to going out to have pani-puri at the beach was the best part of our day. After two years of following this same routine, we both decided to move in together.

Moving in was a good decision as it helped both of us to know each other better. When I started living with him I got to know various aspects which was actually unbearable but our love always won over those uncommon things. Living together helped both of us to accept our flaws and taught us to deal in the best possible ways. One of the best things about us as a couple is that we understand that each one of us is not the entire world of another person. We both have our own world in which our friends, family, our jobs also play important roles and we both respect this fact. Neither of us interferes in each other’s world unless the other person asks for their opinion. I think that’s the real meaning of ‘love is freedom.’ Although when it comes to the decisions affecting both of us as a couple, we always prefer discussing it over our evening tea.

After 7 years of dating, one day when I was watering the plants on our balcony, Shaurya came on his knees with a ring and proposed, before saying yes, I laughed into happiness as he was in his shorts and the T-shirt we both shared. That was the best proposal I could ask for, as he knew how much I like to keep things simple. Days passed we informed our parents and we got married in a year.  After marriage, Shaurya and I shifted to Italy for better career opportunities in the world of fashion. It was going great over there. Then one day he received the mail about his college reunion, and we both decided to go for it as it was over 2 years since we visited India. It was a bright sunny day of December winters in Jodhpur. We both got ready to attend the reunion party. I must say it was a blast, I thoroughly enjoyed it with his old friends. One of them was Mudita, whom I found really interesting who has started her own fashion school with his husband to offer fashion knowledge to the students who cannot afford the hefty fees of big fashion schools.  When the party was over me and Shaurya was going downstairs, when I saw a gentleman coming upstairs, I instantly felt a connection. Later my husband told me he was Mudita’s husband Aryan.

Yes, he was the same Aryan, I got to know through his FB profile. But I never tried to contact him because I wanted to keep our last moment on the staircase sacred.

In my life miracles happen on staircases!

Professional Contact details-

Email Id- banavaishali19@gmail.com

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaishali-bana-246550229

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