Heys peeps. How are you all? I guess by now, you all must be aware that I have an undying love for Swasan. I'm not over them and probably won't ever be. But also, some new couples are now making their way into my heart, and Riansh is one of them.

**Fitoor-e-Ishq**

"Your eyes are so beautiful," Vansh tucked a few strands of Ridhima's hair behind her right ear, and still, his hand was on her hair.

In that cod insulated night, under the shining moon, both of them were laying close to each on the roof of Ridhima's house. Vansh was looking intently at Ridhima as if trying to save a picture of him in his mind. Ridhima felt Vansh's hand over hers, and she spread apart from fingers making way for his fingers to intertwine with hers. His touch has accelerated her heartbeat.

"Ridhima," Vansh said in a husky voice.

Ridhima experienced an adrenaline rush as he said her name passionately. Ridhima closed her eyes, experiencing the pure bliss. Vansh's breath fell on her face, and her lips parted a bit.

They were just seconds away from sharing their first kiss.

Vansh bends down to kiss her with Ridhima's eyes closed. The moment their lips touched each other, both of them felt ecstasy. Vansh deepened the kiss, and Ridhima, too, kissed him back with equal passion. The cold, the darkness, the world around them ceased for them- all they felt was each other's warmth. It was a very divine moment for Ridhima.

"I love you, Ridhima," Vansh said, breaking the kiss.

Ridhima blushed under his strong gaze.

"I love you too, Vansh. You have no idea what can I do for you. I can sacrifice everything for you. You are the light to my dark life. I have no one except you," Ridhima said.

Suddenly the sound of Ridhima's mother startled them.

"Ridhima, what are you doing there up alone?" Ridhima's mother said while advancing towards the terrace.

"Shit, you need to go from here, "Ridhima lightly pushed Vansh, who just chuckled.

"Don't worry, she can't see me," Vansh said and earned a glare from Ridhima.

"Go, "Ridhima again pushed Vansh.

"Remember, Vansh only loves Ridhima," Vansh said and again pecked her lips, after which he climbed down the pipe and disappeared into the darkness.

"What are you doing here?" Ridhima's mother was near the gate of the roof and asked her.

"Nothing," Ridhima looked down and replied.

Her mother was definitely suspicious of her daughter's activity, but she chose to keep quiet.

"Let's go," her mother said, and both of them went down.

♡♡♡♡

Ridhima, who was ready and waiting outside her house's gate, got impatient after twenty minutes of waiting. She unlocked her phone and dialled the same number thrice, but each time the call got disconnected. She hired an auto and went to her college while still calling on that number. The auto, after some fifteen minutes, stopped in front of her college. Ridhima paid the driver and went inside the campus. She was soon greeted by the sight of Vansh cracking jokes and laughing with his friends loudly. Ridhima was angry at Vansh for not picking her up, and his smiling face was enough to melt her anger.

"Hey Vansh," Ridhima waved at him and smiled.

Vansh looked back at Ridhima, passed a small smile, and then diverted his attention to his friends.

Ridhima felt a rush of embarrassment at being ignored, and with tears brimming on her face, she walked to the chemistry laboratory.

Ridhima Roy, born and brought up in Kolkata, was a second-year BSc. Chemistry student of the University of Calcutta. Being the only child of her parents, she was a pampered kid. She was not like the beautiful models, but Ridhima was beautiful in her own way. She was as picturesque as a sunset on the ocean shore. Her smile was enough to lighten up anyone's mood. Ridhima was a nerd and one of the toppers of her class. Books were her first love, and she loved to be surrounded by books.

She met Vansh Raisinghania, a guy with a charming personality and a good sense of humour. Vansh was Ridhima's classmate, and Ridhima fell in love with him at first sight. It was unusual for Ridhima to stare at a guy, but she couldn't help but stare at Vansh when she saw him for the first time.

One day during their internal Chemistry paper, Vansh was seated beside Ridhima. Suddenly Ridhima felt self-consciousness. She kept adjusting her hair continuously. Though her nervousness escalated with each passing second, she approached him nevertheless.

"Hii," Ridhima said in a low voice.

"Hello," Vansh replied with a smile.

This is Vansh's personality- he always smiled.

A wave of relief washed over Ridhima. Not just that, but his smile unleashed a multitude of emotions in Ridhima. It was as if a cloud of innocent love had descended upon her unexpectedly. Soon the professor came, and the exam started.

With each passing day, Ridhima fell more in love with Vansh and wanted to confess her love. She wanted to sail the oceans of love with him, but the fear of destabilising the calm ship of their friendship held her back from taking off the mask of pretence. She was happy with the small friendship she had developed with Vansh and was afraid to confess her love. But to her surprise, one day, Vansh came to her home at night and proposed to her, which she accepted gladly.

Ridhima was sitting alone in the Chemistry laboratory and crying when she suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder. She did not have to turn around to see who it was. She was familiar with that touch, and from its warmth, she could say that it was Vansh.

"Why have you came here?" Ridhima asked Vansh in an angry tone.

"I'm so sorry for ignoring you. But you know, right, we agreed to keep our relationship secret. I can't acknowledge you in front of my friends," Vansh said, looking into Ridhima's eyes.

No matter what, Ridhima could never stay angry at Vansh and smiled, seeing him holding his ears and doing sit-ups.

When you are in love, the world seems surreal. It makes your life worth living because you see yourself through their eyes and start to feel excited about everything. Ridhima was experiencing every sentiment that one feels when in love. She had no friends except Vansh. She was overwhelmed with loneliness; the instability to share her pain made her even more fragile. Her heartfelt emptiness each time she saw Vansh ignoring her in college, every day, she felt hopeless.

"Today, you are looking so amazing," Vansh said.

"Isn't this too much flattery?" Ridhima asked with a smile.

"I know your shy nature Ridhima, but your eyes convey the love you have for me. I always get drowned in your eyes. I am yours. I love you so much. Vansh's heartbeat only for his Ridhima," Vansh said, kissing Ridhima's eyes.

"Vansh is only Ridhima's," Ridhima hugged Vansh.

Suddenly they were disturbed by the sound of the door unlocking. The professor was standing near the door with some notebooks in his hand. Ridhima tensed seeing him.

"What are you doing here alone? And whom were you talking to?" The professor asked her.

Ridhima looked beside her and noticed that Vansh was not there.

"Thank God he ran away on time," Ridhima spoke inside her mind.

"I guess I asked you something," the professor's voice brought Ridhima out of her thoughts.

"Actually, sir, today I came early and was waiting for you and the other students," Ridhima lied.

"And whom were you talking to? I am sure I heard your voice," the professor again asked.

"My voice? I- I was revising the notes you gave yesterday," Ridhima stammered.

Although the professor was not convinced as Ridhima was a very studious girl, he dropped the topic.

"Alright," he said, and Ridhima left the breath she was holding for long.

♡♡♡♡

"Wow, you are looking so gorgeous that I can't take my eyes off you," Vansh, who was standing outside a hotel, said.

"Thank you," Ridhima blushed.

"Let's go. I'm so excited," Vansh said, and the excitement was clearly evident in his voice.

It was their first anniversary, and they had planned to make it more special by booking a room in a hotel and spending their night there.

"You have to book the room," Vansh said to Ridhima.

"Me? Why?" Ridhima asked.

"You made me wait for an hour. So, now as a punishment, you have to bool the room," Vansh said with a grin.

"Okay," Ridhima agreed, and they both went inside the hotel.

While booking the room, the receptionist gave a bizarre look to Ridhima.

When they entered the room, a waiter gave them a cake with "Happy Anniversary " written on it. Ridhima gave the waiter tip, and he went away but not before uttering something.

"She is very weird," the waiter murmured slowly.

Ridhima closed the door and looked at Vansh, who was already staring at her. His burning gaze made her heartbeat like a drum.

Vansh made Ridhima feel more confident, and for the first time, she forgot all the worries in her life and even about her studies.

"You don't know how much you mean to me. My connection with you is already so deep, and my love for you is already so strong that I can't imagine what my life would be like without you. You are my life. I love you very much. There is no reason for me to live without you. I feel like I'm being drawn to you like a magnet. You are my everything. You are only mine. Vansh is only Ridhima's," Ridhima said and fed Vansh a piece of cake.

Ridhima's eyes were filled with love and delight. The feelings he evoked in her just through an intense look was indescribable. Vansh came closer to Ridhima that she could feel the heat from his body. There was complete silence, and everything else seemed to fade. He moved a few inches closer to her and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, which had been falling over the most beautiful face he had ever seen. He slowly leaned in, and Ridhima realised what he wanted to do. Ridhima, however, didn't say anything and let the moment unfold. He held her gently, cupping her face with one hand, and their lips finally met. And it felt ad if she had been struck by lightning. He saw her eyes flutter as she closed them and wrapped her arms around him. He drew her closer. There were no dim lights, scented candles or satin sheets around them, but she was experiencing love making for the first time, making it all special.

She moved closer to him and started kissing him all over his body. It was just the beginning of their long love-making session. She could see the love and passion in his eyes, something she had always dreamt of seeing in the eyes of her prince charming.

Ridhima was chained in the flames of love, and Vansh was melting in the fire of passion so immense that even water could not quench it. They had experienced their first taste of love. After a passionate love-making, they slept in each other's embrace.

Ridhima woke up early the next morning to find Vansh sleeping on her stomach. She got ready, and Vansh, too, got up. After getting clothed, they came out of the room when Ridhima felt a tap on her shoulder. When she turned to see who it was, she froze and was completely clueless about reacting.

It was her mother.

♡♡♡♡

"Mom, what are you doing? Leave my hand," Ridhima said to her mother, who dragged her inside their house.

Ridhima was terrified. How was she going to handle this? What would she tell her parents? In utter dismay, she realised that the most memorable experience of her life turned into a nightmare.

"Why are you dragging her like this?" Ridhima's father asked.

"I saw her coming out of a hotel room," Mrs Roy said.

"What? Why will our Ridhima go there?" He asked.

"After what the receptionist told me, I think we should visit a doctor. I, too, had noticed this before," Mrs Roy said.

"What did the receptionist say?" Mr Roy asked.

"I will tell that to the doctor. Let us go now. We can't wait or delay. The matter will slip from our hands," Ridhima's mother said.

Her father quickly got ready, and within an hour, all three of them were standing in front of the doctor's cabin. The doctor asked Ridhima to wait outside and called Ridhima inside.

"Why have we come here? To a psychiatrist?" Mr Roy asked.

"Because this is best for our daughter," Mrs Roy whispered.

"Hello. I'm Doctor Shreya. How may I help you?" Dr Shreya asked.

"We have come here regarding our daughter. She is waiting there," Ridhima's mother pointed towards the glass window where Ridhima was calling someone on her phone.

Ridhima was very tensed, and she dialled Vansh's number, who picked it on the first ring.

"Vansh, I'm scared. Please come here. My parents have brought me to a hospital, and I don't know what to do. Please come here soon," Ridhima wept and gave Vansh the address.

Within ten minutes, Vansh came there and engulfed Ridhima in a tight hug, who too hugged him back.

"Yeah, I can see your daughter talking to no one?" Dr Shreya was amused.

Ridhima's father turned around and was shocked to see his daughter talking alone.

"What?" Ridhima's father was shocked.

"I have noticed this quite a few times that she always is alone on the terrace and keeps talking to someone, but I have never seen anyone. Today when I saw her laughing and coming out of the hotel room, I was shocked. The receptionist told me that when she came to the room, she was alone. She even ordered a cake with happy anniversary written on it. She was alone in the room the whole night," Ridhima's mother started crying.

"Mrs Roy, please calm down. Let's call Ridhima here," Dr Shreya said.

Dr Shreya called Ridhima inside.

"Hello," Dr Shreya greeted her.

"Hii," Ridhima replied, looking down.

"Don't worry, Ridhima, your mother won't say anything. You can tell me everything," Dr Shreya said.

Ridhima reluctantly looked towards her mother.

"Mr and Mrs Roy, can you both please wait outside?" Dr Shreya said, and Ridhima's parents went outside.

"Ridhima, now you can tell me everything. Whom were you talking with outside?" Dr Shreya asked.

'' I-- I was talking with Vansh?" Ridhima, though was scared but told the truth.

"Who is Vansh?" Dr Shreya asked.

"Vansh is from my college. We both love each other," Ridhima confessed.

"Where is Vansh now?" Dr Shreya asked.

"I don't know, but he was here," Ridhima said.

"Can you tell me about your and Vansh's story from the beginning?" Dr Shreya asked.

Although Ridhima hesitated a bit initially, she told her everything.

"Now, Ridhima, can you please wait outside? I need to speak to your parents," Dr Shreya said.

Ridhima nodded her head and went outside.

"What is wrong with our daughter?" Asked a worried Mrs Roy.

"Mrs Roy, I feel Ridhima is suffering from schizophrenia," Dr Shreya said.

"What does it mean?" Mr Roy asked.

"In schizophrenia, people usually tend to hallucinate. It's a disorder that affects a person's ability to think, feel and behave clearly. Ridhima is hallucinating and has made up a character who loves her a lot. I am not sure if Vansh is a real person or just a fling of her imagination. If Vansh is a real person, then it's good for us. As we can ask Vansh to reject Ridhima, and maybe she'll see the truth. I guess it's better if we find out whether Vansh exists or not. Do you know anything about him?" Dr Shreya asked.

Both Mr and Mrs Roy shook their head in a no.

"Can you confirm that from any of Ridhima's friends?" Dr Shreya suggested.

"I have her friend's number. Let me call her", Mrs Roy called Arpita, Ridhima's friend.

"Hello, aunty," Arpita greeted Mrs Roy as she picked up the phone.

"Arpita, I want to ask you something. Do you know any Vansh?" Mrs Roy asked.

"Yes, aunty. He studies in our college," Arpita said.

"Is he friends with Ridhima?" Mrs Roy asked her.

"They know each other, but I don't think that they are friends," Arpita said.

"Can you give me Vansh's number?" Mrs Roy said.

"Okay, aunty, I will text you his number," Arpita said and disconnected the call.

"Vansh is a boy from Ridhima's college," Mrs Roy said.

"Don't worry. This isn't a major problem. If Ridhima attends regular sessions and takes medications on time, she can overcome this," Dr Shreya said.

♡♡♡♡

A year passed by that incident, and now Ridhima's hallucinations have decreased, which caused her more pain. She yearned to see her Vansh. She stopped eating properly, talking to anyone and always stayed locked up in her room. Occasionally her imaginary Vansh came, but Ridhima's heart always ached to touch him, feel him like she uses to do earlier. What broke her more was when Vansh insulted her in front of everyone.

Flashback:

Ridhima was frustrated that now like earlier, Vansh did not come to meet her, and she carved to see him more. When she noticed Vansh smiling and talking with a girl, her blood boiled. She felt a rush of possessiveness pass over her.

"Vansh," she called him, but he ignored her.

Ridhima's parents had called him and told him everything. Dr Shreya had asked Vansh to confront Ridhima and tell her that he doesn't love her.

"Vansh, what's wrong with you. Why are you ignoring me?" Ridhima said to Vansh, being teary-eyed.

"I am ignoring you? Are you mad? I don't even know you properly," Vansh jerked Ridhima's hands from his.

"You don't know me? Are you joking? We both love each other. Please don't play such sick jokes," Ridhima said.

"I love you? Now you are joking, Ridhima. I hardly know you. I know that you are sick; that doesn't mean that you will crack such deadly jokes," Vansh said with a laugh.

"What do you mean?" Ridhima was confused about what Vansh was saying.

"You are sick, Ridhima. You hallucinate about us being in love which is a lie. I'm just an imaginary character that you have created in your mind. Have I ever acknowledged you in public? I don't love you and will never even," Vansh said.

"What? Don't lie. You said that you love me; you said that you are mine," Ridhima cried.

"Stop your nonsense and never show me your face again," Vansh pushed Ridhima and went away.

Ridhima recollected the moments she had spent with Vansh. Her head spun like a merry-go-round, and she could not understand what was happening to her. Ridhima stood on the railing of her terrace with tears rolling down her eyes. Every night Ridhima kept crying with a wish to make Vansh love her like before and prayed to God to lessen her pain. But it kept growing inside her, killing her bit to bit every day.

Dil ko maine di kasam na dhadke tere bina
Dil ko maine di kasam na dhadke tere bina
Dhadke toh saari zindagi
Dhadke toh saari zindagi
Yeh tadpe tere bina
Dil ko maine di kasam na dhadke tere bina
Dhadke toh saari zindagi
Dhadke toh saari zindagi
Yeh tadpe tere bina

Ridhima being the only child, was pampered. Everything she wanted was at her disposal. She was a timid girl, and due to her shyness, she had no friends. Due to her loneliness, she became more fragile. She started spending time alone. And when Vansh gave her a bit of attention, she fell for him. Her mind built up an imaginary world where she was the queen. Her min knew that Vansh did not love, so it created an imaginary Vansh who reciprocated Ridhima's love and loved her equally. And when Ridhima accepted imaginary Vansh's proposal, Ridhima was unaware that a large part of the world she had stepped into was nothing but an illusion.

Tujhse juda toh tutta jahaan se
Aa kareeb aaja le lu main saanse
Hmm tujhse juda toh tutta jahaan se
Aa kareeb aaja le lu main saanse

"Ridhima," a voice called her, and she turned back and saw that it was Vansh, her Vansh.

"Where were you? I missed you," Ridhima hugged him.

Vansh did not reply anything, but he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Ridhima, I love you very much," Vansh said.

"But that day, you said that you don't love me. You have no idea how much my heartache whenever you ignored me," Ridhima cried.

"Your parents are trying to separate us. They are not allowing me to meet you," Vansh said and kissed Ridhima's shoulder blade.

Dooriyon mein dekha hai mar ke tere bina
Dil ko maine di kasam na dhadke tere bina
Dhadke toh saari zindagi
Dhadke toh saari zindagi
Yeh tadpe tere bina

"Even in my darkest hours, just the thought of you can brighten up my world. I am willing to go to any extent for you. Right now, I feel trapped. I feel as if I am trapped in a box that I can't get out of no matter how hard I try. I want to leave all these and live with you. There is no meaning in my life without you. I know that you are not real; you are just my imagination. But I know how to end all these. I cannot live without you. You are the sole purpose of my life. Without you, my life has no meaning. Vansh, I love you. I can't see you with anyone else, so it's better if I die.

Strange is the equation of love, where it is never simple to draw one straight line between two points.

Hai waqt mera ab sath tere
Jis pal nahi thi tu paas mere
Lamha gaya na woh guzar ke tere bina
Dil ko maine di kasam na dhadke tere bina
Dhadke toh saari zindagi
Dhadke toh saari zindagi
Yeh tadpe tere bina

Ridhima looked down the railing, closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I love you, Vansh," Ridhima jumped off the railing.

Everything had come to a standstill, and the dark side of her life was probably hidden due to her introverted nature. It is rightly said that when you are in love, you should throw caution to the winds. Ridhima had taken the saying too seriously, and it had landed here there, in the midst of debris with no one to help her out.

It's not falling that hurts; it's that sudden halt at the end that does. Love isn't an addiction, and it's the attachment and obsession that causes destruction.

Sometimes love is just an illusion. Sometimes it becomes the sole purpose of your life.

The saddest truth in all this chaos was that Ridhima had closed her eyes forever, leaving behind everything but taking her love for Vansh with her.

Phewwww... finally done with this one too. You won't believe me, but I wrote this five times and deleted it, and this is the sixth attempt. I feel as if now, my quality of writing has deteriorated a lot. I am not much impressed by the writing which I was earlier.

Fitoor-e- Ishq means obsessive love. This title is suggested by my fellow pishaach ZindagiKeRang and _LibraChild_

Please do drop in your valuable feedback after reading this.

Suggest me a pair for my next OS.

Thank You!
Take Care!
See You Next Time!
Love You All Forever!