THE WAY WE LOVED

Chapter 1: And So We Meet Again...

The November sky shone in its full glory as Neha entered the palatial hotel for her friend's engagement ceremony. She was meeting her friend Ananya after 7 long years. She had completely distanced herself from her friends since she graduated. Long years of loneliness had turned Neha into an entirely different person. And she wasn't the social butterfly, more like the wallflower.

"Why on earth did mom send me to this? I haven't met her for such a long time. What on earth will I do in such a party?" Neha thought to herself as she was shown into the grand hall which was beautifully decorated with a pink n white theme, lights and flowers were everywhere. It was a grand party and several guests had turned up. The happy couple was the obvious centre of attraction, surrounded by loved ones.

"Well well, look who finally decided to show up!" Suddenly Ananya's voice startled Neha. Only then she realized she was still standing at the doorway, staring at the guests. Only then she realized every single eye was on her. She put on a fake smile, like she always did, and walked towards her best friend and her fiancé Anand.

"Congratulations you both, I'm so happy for you guys!"

"Thank you Neha. Where on earth have you been? Haven't seen you anywhere. It's like u just vanished into thin air, for seven years! Thank god you still maintained some contact with me. Oh how I missed you yaar!"

"I missed you too."

"Liar."

"Okay girls, stop bickering. Babe we need to greet others. Let's go?" Anand finally decided to step in.

Neha saw her queue and hugged her friend before stepping away. As soon as they departed Neha took her seat near the bar and watched everyone as they smiled and talked cheerfully. Somehow, even after all these years, Neha couldn't bring herself to smile like she used to once. The smiling face was now long gone, and as replaced by empty memories, nothing else.

But what Neha didn't notice was the man standing silently at the other end of the room, whose eyes never left her as soon as she entered the party. Her flowing white strapless gown emphasized her curves, indicating she had lost a lot of weight. She hardly used any makeup and was wearing minimum jewelry, but still her simplicity stood out among every other woman in the huge room, making her a ravishing beauty to behold.

"She has changed so much," was the only thought that crossed Suraj's mind when he first laid his eyes on the only girl he has ever loved after seven long years, before the memories flooded in.

Flashback:

The night couldn't have been better for both Suraj and Neha. Both were single and having the time of their lives with their friends. But as darkness stepped in Suraj offered to drop Neha home.

Walking through the dark quiet alleys gave Suraj the courage he wanted. Neha had liked him for quite some time; he knew that and even all his friends thought they made the perfect couple. It was time to admit his feelings.

With trembling hands Suraj managed to grab Neha's hand. She stopped walking and looked at him with her dark midnight eyes through the signature nerdy glasses she wore all the time.

"Hey Neha.."

"Yeah?"

"I've been meaning to tell you this for quite some time now, but you know how I am. I was just afraid I would just mess up everything. It's just that..."

"Oh come on Suraj, out with it."

"I love you."

"What?"

"Yeah... So you think you can tolerate me and be my girlfriend?"

"I think so."

"Really?" Suraj's face brightened up like Christmas.

"Really." Neha smiled and squeezed his hand, "Come on, we gotta go."

"Wait."

And without further thinking, he just held her and kissed her in the middle of the road. But surprisingly, instead of slapping him, she just kissed him back.

As her warm soft lips touched his, he knew he had found his heaven right there, right then. He found his lifeline.

"I'm never letting her go..." Suraj thought as they walked hand in hand towards her home.

End of Flashback.

And the first chapter is here... 

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Next chapter is... "Will She Remember Me?"