The Virtue of love

Love is a mystery no one can solve, and those who have tried have fallen into greater depths of the mystery. The emotions and the bonds connected to one tiny word called ‘Love’ are innate; it attracts everyone with its magnetic presence.  People all over celebrate an astounding feeling called ‘love’.

Ridhima, Sahil and Karan were the best of friends and they knew what it was to be in love for the past ten years they were each others valentines. A week long celebration of friendship and love had been their tradition ever since the fifth grade. Roses, chocolates, teddies, promises, propose, hugs and kisses were their week long schedule and a daily dose was guaranteed. They loved the idea of spending the valentines with each other as they had been together forever.

This valentine all was same except that Dhruv also decided to join them, single and jolly was their motto. The four friends walked into Delhi’s most talked about club ‘LAP’.  Looking around they saw couples in love and the singles on the dance floor, they grabbed a table and ordered the first round of drinks. After a couple of rounds Dhruv and Ridhima took to dancing while Sahil and Karan stayed back. Sahil and Karan had been roommates for over a year now and lovers for two years and tonight they were going to tell Ridhima about their relationship. They both looked into each others eyes and realized that they had been in love way before they confessed their feelings to one another. The way they looked at one another showed their true feeling and after confessing their love all the inhibitions had been shed.

On the dance floor Ridhima and Dhruv were dancing away their pain, when, in a moment their eyes interlocked and as they gazed into each other’s eyes a moment of stillness surrounded them. As Ridhima lowered her eyes, Dhruv held her hand and guided her to an empty space of the room. And asked her what had been bothering her, after a prolonged silence, Ridhima spoke ‘Do you believe in love, eternal love?’ Dhruv replied ‘Is this a trick question?’ Ridhima nodded her head, signaling a no. Dhruv smiled at her and said ‘yes, yes I do.’ And led her to the dance floor.

Sahil and Karan had finished their fifth glass of vodka lime and now they wanted to be with each other so Karan led Sahil to their car where they could get some privacy. After they were finally inside the car Karan spoke to break the silence, ‘we have to tell her, NOW!’ sensing the worried look on Sahil’s face he continued ‘About us and Dhruv both.’ Sahil seemed to agree and he held Karan’s hand. They both had been together for two years now and it seemed like a fairytale and they wanted to be together forever. Their love was not textbook but still they loved each other like any man would love his woman.

Ridhima and Dhruv had been dancing for a while now and were getting comfortable with each other’s presence. Dhruv reeled Ridhima closer and whispered in her ears ‘let’s get out of here’ and held her hand and walked over to a canopied table. The gentle breeze was playing with her hair and Dhruv looked at her and whispered ‘happy valentines love’ and moved in for a kiss. Ridhima responded and the passionate kiss made her realize the immaculate happiness of having someone around her. As they parted their lips Ridhima said ‘Dhruv, I like you.’ And Dhruv responded with a kiss. The kiss had changed her world and she finally felt at peace with her inner chaos, she wanted him, now and forever. Forever was a long time for Dhruv, He was quite a ladies man but he was not always this way. His past was to be blamed, he loved a girl and she would always be his shadow.

Sahil and Karan walked back from the car and started searching for Ridhima and Dhruv; they spotted them near the canopies and they had infatuation written all over them. This worries Sahil and soon they called out for Ridhima and Dhruv. Hearing their voices Ridhima and Dhruv walked over to them and soon all four were sitting on the table and talking about the day when Sahil signaled Karan to take Dhruv away. Karan asked Dhruv if he wanted to accompany him for another round of Drinks and Dhruv agreed, leaving Ridhima and Sahil alone. Sahil looked at Ridhima, who seemed happy, a bit happier than he would like and this created tension. Finally he said ‘Radz, we need to talk.’ Ridhima looked and him and he continued ‘Karan and I wanted to tell this to you together but…Radz…we are gay’ there he said it. Ridhima looked at him, smiling she said ‘I know.’ The questioning look on Sahil’s face was soon answered ‘I know when I see love and you both are definitely in love.’ A sigh of relief swept over Sahil’s face and he hugged Ridhima so hard that he ran out of breath. Then he looked at her and said ‘Radz I love you. And I’m thankful about how you feel for us. I’d been mulling over it for months on how to say this but today felt right. But as happy as I am I need to tell you something a bout Dhruv.’ ‘What about him?’ Ridhima replied coolly ‘He isn’t the way he seems to be. His past had gotten to him good and now he is not the same anymore. He loved a girl, Tasha but they broke up due to their differences and he has never been able to recover and to mask the pain he sleeps around.’ The world came crushing around Ridhima, all her hopes of love and forever were broken in front of her eyes. A tear fell from her eyes as she though about how Dhruv was the one. Silence took over as they waited for the boy’s to come back.  

Karan and Dhruv were walking back with the drinks and both their minds were occupied with a web of thoughts. Karan kept on imagining how the talk must’ve went and how would’ve Ridhima reacted while Dhruv thought of how easy it would be to get into Ridhima’s pants. As they reached the table, they offered the drinks to Sahil and Ridhima but Ridhima refused, she said she had to go home due to some emergency and demanded to leave. Dhruv offered to walk her out but without even looking at him she left and right outside the club as she sat in her and set her hands on the wheel, the tears broke out and she cried, cried for the love lost and at the naive heart.

Sahil and Karan decided to leave a while later and Dhruv decided to stay to pursue other prospects. Sahil intimidated Karan about his conversation with Ridhima and they decided to go check on her. They found her in the parking lot sobbing and went over to her to talk. Ridhima seeing them open her car’s door and let them in, as the three of them sat they looked at each other but said nothing. Ridhima looked at them and said ‘I love you guys and I’m sure one day I’ll be as happy as you both are.’ Sahil and Karan nodded in agreement and Ridhima, Sahil and Karan hit the road fading into the crowded city of Delhi. The three friends, forever.

Love means a lot of things to a lot of people some are in love, some are hopeless and some have been changed by love but my grief goes out to those who never tasted love. Love can happen to anybody, anywhere just be open to it ‘cause you don’t walk into love, YOU FALL INTO IT.

Tanya