Came Across

​The moment they came across each other. Is it fate or is it destiny or is it a game played by life to change their lives forever. ​Ananya was at the back of Varun wearing a t-shirt with her head completely shaven. Varun did not notice this in the beginning as he was not interested in the trip so he had his ear phones on hearing music. ​Everything was normal until Ananya’s mother called her to check if she’s okay as she did not want her parents to travel with her as she wanted to have the whole experience alone in this big world. ​Varun had a low noise in his headphones as his sister was nearby scolding him for always having his head phones on. As the volume was less he could hear everything, at first he did not care to listen anyone as he did not like listening to other. But after hearing out her talking over the phone he was just broken and realized that his life was not as worst as compared to Ananya’s life. ​“Tell me mom.” ​“How are you Ananya? Are the pains still persisting dear?” ​“I am good mom. No problem. I am still alive and had an entire week before I go mom.” ​“What are you telling dear? Don’t speak like this. You should come to the hospital so that we can treat you and can extend your life time for some days.” ​“No mom I don’t feel like coming back. I would travel to different places and enjoy my final days rather than being in the same bed for the last few days. I should feel like living mom.” ​“But… We need you to be alive and happy dear.” ​“I could not live for more days like this mom but the experience I had all these days cannot be obtained just by being in the same hospital and not living my life mentally.” ​“But…” ​“Leave it mom. I just want to live my final moments like I want to mom. I just want to have the best life and want to go down like I want to. I had already lost him from my life still I had to live my best life and I can’t leave that too from my life.” ​After hearing this he could not control himself. Tears where flowing down from his eyes but couldn’t express anything as his sister was nearby. His sister thought that he was crying because of the songs but he was crying after hearing out Ananya. He was waiting for the trip to finish and was craving to see her. ​Finally the bus arrived at the stop and he gets to see her. Ananya came before him to get down. On getting down she hits him without knowing. Though she was so broken down she was so soft, she asked him sorry and gave a smile which he would never forget in his life. ​That smile… That one damn smile changed his life forever. She got down but Varun did not know how to get to her. ​Soon after Varun wants to go after her too but his sister was with him. So he hesitated to go after her. However he said that he wanted to visit his friend who lives there. Fortunately she agrees too so Varun asks his sister to go to the room they booked while he can go after her without knowing that she only had a week to live. ​“Hey sis, I have to visit my college friend who lives like three blocks from here. I have to go right now.” ​“Wait… wait… wait… You said that you would not come with me but how come you got someone living here all of a sudden.” ​“I just got a message from him that he was here. He replied for my snap right now. You can check it if you want. You can go to your room, it is just right around the block. You can manage right.” ​“Yeah I can manage but what about your bag?” ​“Ah. I had it I will call you when coming to the room.” ​“Yeah okay. Bye.” ​“Call me once you get to the room. Okay. Don’t forget to make the call.” ​“Okay sure. You be careful out there.” ​After that he goes after her. He thinks of calling her out but did not know her name. So he just followed her right onto her spot. ​It was an evening when they arrived at the cliff. It was just Ananya and Varun at the cliff as no one used to go there. It was just Srinath and Ananya who used to go there all the time. ​Varun did not know where he was going in the first place. But right after looking at the place, it was so beautiful. He was angry on him that how come he missed this beautiful place all the years. ​“That is what people do. We don’t enjoy what we have around us rather just thinking about the small problems around us which is not a big deal.” ​After reaching the place Ananya took a picture from her bag, Srinath’s picture. After some time looking in the sky and the picture, Ananya kneeled down to her knees and burst into tears thinking about her life and the beautiful memories they had together. She had her oxygen tank in her bag in case of an emergency. As it was too cold in there without oxygen due to high altitudes and hard feelings she got a lack of oxygen which made her hard to breathe. ​There was no one to save her except for Varun. Varun went next to her but doesn’t know what to do. She asked Ananya what was the problem but she couldn’t speak due to lack of oxygen. ​Varun took his jacket and gave it to Ananya but still he was unable to save her from what she was going through. ​“Think Varun… Think…” ​However she managed to point out her bag as a hint to save her. ​“What are you trying to say? Shall I call out for an ambulance? I don’t know what to do. Shit… Shit… Shit… What am I supposed to do now?” ​She was struggling to breathe but he doesn’t know what to do and she doesn’t know how to say it to him. ​Finally he managed to understand what she was trying to say. He opened up her bag and found out the oxygen tank. He figured out how to do it as he was a science student, it was easier for him to realize what to do. ​After a lot of effort Varun saved her and made her sit down peacefully, asked her to calm down, asked her what happened. ​“Hey… Are you okay right now? What is it with you and this place? Is there something I can do?” ​“Yeah I am okay right now. It is a big story. Thanks for saving my life, it would have been hard if you were not there.” ​“Hey… Mention not. It’s nothing. You are okay now right. That is enough for me. What is it with you? Can you explain it to me?” ​“Yeah I will but who are you. And how did you find this place.” ​“Actually, I followed you to this place. Don’t take me wrong but I heard everything you spoke with your mom. I just need to know more about you. If you are okay with it, you can tell me. I am processing a heart break too.” ​“Followed me. Are you a stalker?” ​“No. This is why I did not meet you in the first place. But I like you and your taste. I just need to know more about you right now. Please don’t take me wrong.” ​Eventually Ananya decided to tell everything to him as that is human nature. ​“People always need a single soul to listen to what they say. It is just that every person needs in his or her life. All you need is a single soul. Even if they are unknown to you still you can talk to them freely and convey your feelings.” ​“Speak… It saves from your mental break down. This is my way of speaking to someone. Without this I would be in a mental break down too.” ​“I would tell you everything but you should promise me that you will tell me about your heart break too. Let’s not make this a one way traffic.” ​“Sure… I need someone to speak too. I think you would be the best person to talk to.” ​Ananya told everything right from the moment she saw Srinath until the moment he left her alone in this world and died. She also explained her medical condition to Varun that she was having ovarian cancer and she just had one more week to live that too with life support. She told him that without life support it was so hard to pass this week too. She also told him about her one last travel around India but couldn’t complete it due to her medical condition. ​She told him everything, they talked for hours. She couldn’t even speak fluently due to tears flowing down her eyes. However she managed to tell him her complete story. ​After completing her story she asked Varun for his story but before her story it was nothing. All he thought as a bad past was nothing compared to Ananya’s past and present. ​He was ashamed on himself and felt awkward to tell his story as it was nothing compared in front of her story. However after repeatedly requested by Ananya, Varun told everything about him. ​Right from the moment she fell in love with Megha until her constantly rejecting him and eventually blocked him. After completing his story he himself said that it was not as bad as your life and sorry for interrupting your good memories. ​They spoke for hours and had the best time they had in years, it was something magical. It was like they met their soulmates for the second time. They were just mesmerized by hearing each other. They did not come to reality until Varun’s sister called him to ask when he was coming as it was too late. ​“Hey you there? When are you planning to come to the hotel?” ​“Yes I am on my way. I will be there right now.” ​“Hey Ananya, looks like it is late and you have to get to your room right. Could you tell me the place where you are staying so that I can drop you there?” ​“I am staying at Blue blossoms Hotel. I can still manage no problem.” ​“Hey it is not a problem for me, I am staying at the same hotel too so it is not an issue. I can drop you at the hotel. It would be good to have a walk to the hotel while we can talk about more stuff.” ​They walked all the way to the hotel. Talked… talked… talked until they reach their hotel. It was so great that they get to know about each other. ​He walked her all the way to her room and then got to his. ​“I just had the best time with you.” ​“Yeah me to Varun.” ​“I want this to continue to the rest of my life but I know it is not possible. At least we could spend your last week together.” ​“But…” ​“It is okay if you are not okay with it. I can understand. No problem Ananya. You can just have my number and call me if you change my mind.” ​“Sure, give me your number. I will call you if I change my mind.” ​That night both of them could not sleep. They were just repeatedly thinking about the same day again and again. He was so happy after a long time. ​Varun’s sister felt happy too due to his change in his behaviour. He was himself after a long time. She thought that his friend was responsible for his change but only known to him that it was Ananya. ​On the other hand Ananya was thinking about the same day again and again but there was something holding her back, Srinath’s memories. She was unable to get past his memories but she wanted to spend time with him as it was different for her after a long time. ​They thought about this again and again throughout the night but couldn’t get over it. Time passed by and the next day arrived. ​Finally she came to a conclusion and called him in the morning and asked him if he was busy. ​Varun was so happy when he got a call from Ananya. He was ready to go out with her and said that he was going out for the rest of the week with his friend. Though his sister resisted in the beginning. However she managed to send him out as he was so happy after so many days. ​“Hi, this is Ananya. You are Varun right.” ​“Yeah. How are you now Ananya? Are you okay right now?” ​“You free now. Can you come out with me today? I could use your help. It would be easier for you to get out of your bad past memories too.” ​“Yeah I am free. I could use your help too.” ​She had it all planned until her last day. She wanted to see every beautiful things she can experience for one last time in Ooty. She wants to complete her final day at the cliff where they used to go every time when they had to. ​She told him everything that she had planned for the rest of the week. They talked and talked and talked everywhere they go. They had the best time they had in the last couple of days. ​She had sixteen places in her mind to visit in Ooty. Though Varun was near Ooty all these years but he did not get to experience any of this before as he has always been an introvert rather Ananya was an extrovert and going out with her gave him the best, different kind of experience he can have in life. ​First they started off with Botanical garden at eight in the morning where she gets to see the best of flowers and plants she can see in her life. It was like a true after life experience. The place had like hundreds and hundreds of different varieties of plants. More than the beautiful plants the most important thing was that the experience they had in years. They spent like hours viewing the various sections such as Lower garden, new garden, Italian garden, Conservatory, Fountain terrace and Nurseries which had a lot of both indigenous and exotic plants, shrubs, ferns, etc. The climate and beautiful scenery was just awesome. ​It was the best kind of experience and best walk they could get in years. The place was just beautiful and they both added extra beauty to the place. Though they liked each other but she always had a hesitation due to the memories of Srinath. ​Though they liked the place but the time she had was very less and so they decided to go on to the next place which was Ooty Lake which was an artificially made lake but still it was so beautiful. The beautiful scenery and the most beautiful lake you would ever get to see with a clear reflection of the trees and the sky. ​More than just the lakes the place also had small streams flowing down the hills around it brimmed with local shops and people with a rich heritage. ​They also get to experience the boat ride in the boat house where they got some quality time to talk more about each other. ​Then they get to have the best lunch in Ooty which Ananya took him. Both of them always dreamt of having the best time together with their loved ones which they get to experience after a lot of hardships. ​Finally, they get to view the Needle View Hill Point which can calm her soul and make her forget about all the hard ships that she has been going through all this time. ​The place was just beautiful with the cold breeze of air, sun sets and the three sixty degree view of the surrounding terrain. The place was just beautiful and calm that their past memories came out. ​Ananya was thinking about Srinath and the memories they had throughout the time. While Varun was seeing her and felt bad for Ananya but did not know how to console her. ​Though he tried to console her by doing several things but the place just made her think about him again and again. ​“Hey Ananya, I know what you are going through. But it is not the time to be sad rather it is the time to enjoy your last minutes in this world.” ​“I know but I cannot forget about Srinath and the memories we had together.” ​“Yeah. But… I don’t know what to say. I can understand what you are going through. People say everything happens for a reason but in your case it is not happening for a reason. I thought I was having a bad life but it is nothing when compared to the stuff you are going through.” ​“I know but I can’t forget him. But it was easier for me today with you be my side. Thank you for today Varun. I just want this day to be continued throughout my life but I know that it is not going to happen.” ​“Actually I had to thank you for this day without you I would have not known about this place and the beautifully unforgettable experience we had.” ​After watching the sunset together the decided to leave the place as it was the closing time and no one is allowed after the sun set in the mountains. The place was just magnificent with the sun set, the scenery was quite different from other places where one can view the sun rise to sun set. ​They had the best time together. After the evening they went to her favourite place to have dinner. ​After that, Varun dropped Ananya at her room and went to his room. Varun’s sister asked him whether we can leave as her leave was over so she needs to go to Coimbatore. But Varun does not want to go so he asked his sister to leave and he would be there in a week.

Chapter end