Zain glanced through the messages of his old school buddies Whatsapp group. Most of his friends had pictures clicked during the ongoing Durga Puja as their Whatsapp status. Some of them had updated Whatsapp status video related to pandal hopping and celebration.
Despite belonging to a different religion, Durga Puja had always held a special place in his life because of his best friends, the twins Samay and Srestha. But the equations changed on a different night of Puja, twelve years back.
The three of them were soon to leave for different cities for higher studies. Zain had been dating Srestha for six months then. Before he got an opportunity to talk to Samay about their relationship, Samay had walked into Srestha hugging Zain on their terrace on that unfortunate night.
Samay had asked Zain to choose between their friendship and his love for Srestha immediately. Zain had picked their friendship at the cost of breaking Srestha’s heart. Zain left his hometown next month with a vow to never return again.
Srestha had been married to Samay’s senior in Engineering college three years back. This year, she had returned back home with a broken spirit and bruised body after months of physical abuse by her husband. Zain had come to know about it through the Whatsapp group.
Even after so many years, he had kept his heart sealed for Srestha. He waited for the day when Samay could display the requisite faith in their friendship to let him take his relationship with Srestha to the next level. Until then, Zain kept the flame of hope alive in his life through his unrequited love for Srestha.
soniasmusings 
Nice story. Zain should not have given in to Samay’s demand. But that is life.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for reading Abhijit. Took me a while to get over Durga Puja mode to start writing again,
LikeLike
You can say like Arnold Schwartzinager “I am back”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, ha. Well said
LikeLike
Here comes Sonia again…lovely post
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Suhasini
LikeLike
Poignant but I am glad you gave it a hopeful ending.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Kalpana
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hope is all that we have to live on.
LikeLike
How I wish Samay had trusted Zain for his sister. She would have been happy!
LikeLike
Unrequitted love is a very scary thing, for one really does not know when exactly to give up hope and move on. Nice one.
LikeLike
There you have it, life, unfair at most times and sadly real! But life continues because of that spark of hope! Hope Zain and Sreshta find love together.
LikeLike
Technology is not all that bad, it can be helpful too. I hope Samay learnt his lesson well – and realises that after what his sister has gone through, Zain’s love could actually be a salve for her broken heart.
LikeLike
Welcome back, Sonia.
Loved this too. While technology gives us hope to find lost loved ones, it also empowers broken hearts to either find love again or become depressed stalkers or lurkers.
I just hope Zain doesn’t end up falling into the second lot.
LikeLike
When the part#2 is coming up? Always love a love story, set in the background of Durga Puja. 🙂
LikeLike
I hope part 2 will have a story of Zain & Sreshta celebrating Durgo Puja together.
LikeLike
Lovely story and waiting for next series.
LikeLike
Oh what an idiot – was the first thought that flashed through my head. Next thought was, why was Shrestha such an idiot to not have talked about this with both of them. She must have been devastated by this behaviour from both of them. Neither cared for her feelings – what a sad state.
Overall a nice piece of fiction to make me think so much on it Sonia!!
LikeLike
Good one Sonia….reminds me of a french movie I saw quite in the same lines though with a different ending :)….hope your Pujas were great…..still Diwali to come 🙂
LikeLike
Love story ended on a hopeful note. Nice one Sonia:)
LikeLike
Hmm…made me wonder what Zain would have felt if Sreshta was happily married.
LikeLike
Difficult choices. I would choose a heart instead of friendship because somethings are permanent!
LikeLike
oops, I thought things will change later. Can’t stop thinking about the possibilities in this story.
LikeLike
I love these super short stories of yours
LikeLike
Technology connects us and bring our past alive. Love transcends all rules and boundaries, we fall in live and there is that beauty of love that nobody can fathom and define. Each one of us have our own experiences. Sonia, this well crafted story of yours certifies that subtle thought of life and sublime feeling of love. Technology is radically changing the way we live life and love cannot escape the all encompassing digital juggernaut.
😀
LikeLike
Time is the healing factor.
Samay played his cards here to take away Zain from his love..
Now Samay has to play a role.
Sometimes, we just have to do what we want without being dictated by a friend…
LikeLike
pity, he had to choose between love and friendship. Didn’t work out for anyone.
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing..
LikeLike