Rizwaan and Gayatri didn't mean to fall in love. But love happens when you least expect it. It creeps up suddenly. When someone needs attention, care, conversation, laughter and maybe even intimacy. Love doesn't look at logic, or at backgrounds and least of all, religion.

Gayatri was from a very conservative South Indian family that went to a temple every Saturday. Rizwaan bought goats for his family every Eid. That said it all. Their paths would never have crossed if it hadn't been for that fateful day. That day when he walked into the coffee shop. Gayatri wondered if destiny chose our loved ones for us. Did we have any role to play at all?

She looked at her watch. Rizwaan was late. They met every Thursday at five pm to catch up. Their conversation lasted for hours. Sometimes at the cafe, sometimes in his car, sometimes in places that she could never tell her friends about. They would never understand. And yet Rizwaan made her happy.

Suddenly her phone beeped. He had sent a message. "On my way. Have something important to tell you."

Gayatri stared at it and realised she had knots in her stomach. Thoughts flooded her mind. What did he want to tell her?

After five minutes, Rizwaan entered the cafe, he was looking very happy and relaxed.

“What was it that you want to share with me?”

“Gayatri, today my family has given their approval for our marriage; my family doesn’t have any objection!”

“They very well know about your background; my Ammi wants to meet you.”

“But Rizwaan,” Gayatri interrupted, “You know very well that it is not that easy, my family is very conservative, and for them it will not be easy to accept you as their son-in-law.”

“Gayatri, I also had the same feeling that my family will not accept you, but when I had a word with them, they readily accepted it and even for me it was unbelievable. You should talk to your parents, they will understand your feelings, I know they too want that their daughter should be happy in life. They will accept our love.”

“Rizwaan! Oh!” 

“Come on Gayatri, at least have a word with them, how can you say that they will reject me, tell them, discuss with them.”

“Rizwaan you do not know my family. The day I will speak to them, I am sure it will be the last day of our relationship. You must give me some time, before I speak to them!”

“Gayatri, you take your time, we are not getting married tomorrow. At present we have to complete our studies and decide our future. Ok! Now relax, let’s order coffee.”

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“Gayatri, what is the date today?”

“Disha, its 23rd March”

As soon I said 23rd March, my expression changed and the whole story of my life flashed.

I entered my cabin, pulled a chair

Two years ago on the same day, Rizwaan, my best friend and I had ended the relationship.

 I am Gayatri, the typical twenty six year old girl, have aspirations and dreams and have a reasonable appearance, educated and earning, presently working with an MNC and earning a handsome salary and belong to a typical conservative south Indian family.

____________________________________________________

Today after college I went for a movie with my friends.

I hadn't informed my parents. After the movie, when I was coming out from the hall, there were butterflies in my stomach as to what will happen when I reach home.

It is 7:00 pm

I knew Maa would kill me.

I rang the door bell, Babuji opened the door.

“Where was she? Ask her,” Maa shouted from the kitchen.

“I went to see a movie with my friends”

“Friends or boy friend?”

“Maa please, you know I don't have any boy friend. You can ask Megha, she was with me.”

“It is just 7 o'clock, I know I am late and didn't inform you, Megha and a few more friends decided to watch a movie and I couldn’t resist going with them.” I was talking to Babuji.

Maa interrupted, “Babuji will not say anything, you know very well.”

But it is always Maa who has to take care.

“You are getting out of hand. This is what happens to girls when they start going to college. They start sitting on your head.”

I rushed to my room and started crying, what I have done, I have only watched a movie with my friends and Maa is...

“It’s already 8:00 am, Gayatri you will be late for college.”

“Babuji I don't want to go.”

“I know you must have felt bad about yesterday's incident but it is only because Maa loves you and she was worried about you. Gayatri we don't want that you bring disrespect your and our name. At present you should concentrate on your studies. If you will not get good marks in your finals, you won't be able to get admission in MBA. Only few months are left, come on get up and go to your college.”

After passing out from college, I got admission in MBA and Rizwaan went ahead with his Masters.

We continued our relationship.

We would meet whenever we could get time.

“Rizwaan, I know that it’s high time that I should talk to my parents, but I am really scared, as I do not want to lose you, nor my family.”

“Gayatri, you have to, very soon we both will be completing our studies and we both have to decide our future together!”

“Babuji, Rizwaan is really a good human being.

We have been known each other for the past five years. We both were in the same college and class .His family has no objection. I request you to kindly meet him once. He is educated, liberal minded and above all he really loves me.”

“Ok, give me some time to think and then, I will meet him, Babuji left the room.”

____________________________________________________

All the news channels are flooded with news of the bomb blast, which happened a few minutes back. One of the blasts happens near my house, I was in a panic. I called my father, he too was in a state of shock. Rizwaan was arrested!

“Gayatri, why are the police harassing me, my family is in shock, they are saying that one of the terrorists ran towards my house and my neighbor had seen him entering my house. Why would I or my family do this? We have been living in the same locality for the past thirty years and everybody knows us very well, yet today nobody is coming forward to give a statement on our behalf to the police.”

“Gayatri, is this the person whom you have chosen for your future. Is he the right man for you?”

“Babuji, there must be some misunderstanding, Rizwaan and his family is educated. I have met them quite a few times. Police will definitely release him!”

Maa shouted, “Look what she is saying, still defending him!”

“Gayatri, until and unless, Rizwaan is released and comes out clean, you are not going to meet him. This is my order and make sure you obey my orders.”

“Babuji, Rizwaan is innocent!”

As days passed, it was getting difficult for me and Rizwaan.

Few months later, due to lack of evidence, Rizwaan was released.

But!

Rizwaan was completely changed.

Many a times, I tried calling him.

“Hello Rizwaan!”

“Gayatri, at present I am out of town.”

“Rizwaan, many a times your phone is not reachable. Where are you?”

“I told you, I am not in town! Whenever I'll be back, I will call you. Till then bye.”

What has happened to Rizwaan?

Where is he?

What he is doing?

These were the questions, which were disturbing me, even his family was not replying me.

Babuji and Maa started searching a groom for me.

____________________________________________________

Few months later, there was news, that a twenty four old was captured.

His name is Rizwaan!

He was arrested for carrying out terrorist activities.

I broke down.

People say, Rizwaan is a terrorist.

Who made Rizwaan terrorist?

My Rizwaan wanted home, our baby. But now Rizwaan is a terrorist.

But no one could answer me, of why he became a terrorist.

No one....

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END