His unconfessed love was her strength and she was ready to do anything to make it hers forever. She fought with herself, her people and her world. She did what she was asked to and all that she was expected to do to make their relationship work - from convincing her family to the fruitless efforts to please his. She created her world in his, rather, he was her world! She waited for him to do his bit - to convince his family, to tell her that he too wanted to be with her forever, to take her in his arms and confess his unsaid love for her. And he did return. He told her not that he has convinced his family, but that they've convinced him that she was not the right girl for him. He confessed not her love for her, but his inability to fight to be with her. He returned not to take her in his arms and tell her how much he loved her, but to bid the final goodbye. He went while she looked on. She saw her dreams shattering before her while she watched helpless with nothing but her loneliness and tears with her.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

They were childhood friends, in fact the best of friends. They studied together before he left the city for a lucrative job abroad. The first couple of years went in the zeal and toil that goes in the first job; and then, he felt something amiss. He could sense a loneliness that he had ignored all those years. He called her and they spoke with a passion they had never felt before. After the call, he knew what his life missed...it was her. He returned home and they married. Life became a bliss. He took a new job in another city, which she made their home. Then, one day, he had to return...to his home, to his ailing aged parents...for he was their only support. He returned, but she refused. She did not want to go to a life like that. Disagreements led to arguments. She sought her share in his fortune and managed to take away all that he had earned. She left him, ....while he looked on, broken and shattered having lost it all, but his parents.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

She thought herself to be the luckiest for she had him, his love and their togetherness. He was always there for her and with her and had been that way for the past seven years. She dreamt about their future together and she knew her dreams were not a farce. His presence in her life and his love assured her. That day, she was very happy. After all, she was going to meet him after full five weeks. She wore the dress he had gifted her on her last birthday, and rushed to meet him. She opened the door of his room, her hands laden with flowers and gifts she had bought for him...and stood there...still and shocked. He was there...with another girl. She felt anger rise within her, but it soon gave way to the sense of loss and being cheated. She turned around...away from the love, which she thought was hers....away from the dreams she had lived with all those years.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Last week, I posted a line 'Love becomes eternal because of the love the lovers share' as my status line on Facebook, when I received mixed responses and spoke to friends with whom I have not been in regular touch for some time now. We exchanged greetings and caught up with the developments in each others' lives. What I got to know then had me in a state of stupor. I have seen many relationships blossom and many break all around me. I have seen it happening with people I love and care for. And each time, I'm left with questions, questions that flood my thoughts, questions that make me wonder if true love really exists today, questions that always remain unanswered. I know it's wrong to question the very existence of love based on some incidences. I, also, know that love exists all around us in its true and pure forms. Yet, when I hear of someone making a farce out of it, my reaction remains the same...one of shell-shock silence. Of course, everyone moves on...but the questions remain.

I know, blogdosts, that this is yet another sad post, and that too after a long gap. However, I had to share it with you, to help get my mind get rid of the negativity that had come in after I got to know of them. But I promise a chirpy-happy Neha post next time!

Till then, take care and stay precious :)