"Rishi, this is too risky," Ram whispered anxiously. But Rishi, annoyed by Ram's constant worrying, brushed him off. He had brought Ram along to help, not to add to his stress.

In the quiet of the night, Rishi and his friend Ram were outside the girls' hostel, to deliver a parcel to Rishis girlfriend, but Ram was fretting about the risks involved.

Ignoring Ram's concerns, Rishi scanned the balcony. The curtains were still drawn, indicating that the girls were still awake. Frustrated by the delay, Rishi sat on his bike while Ram stood nearby, holding onto the handlebars with a pout.

Ram continued to express his worries about the strict hostel warden and the dangers they might face. But Rishi, determined to carry out his mission, shut him down firmly.

"Shut up, Ram. We've been here for an hour without anyone noticing. No one will see us now. Just keep quiet or leave," Rishi said, irritated by Ram's persistence.

Ram fell silent, clearly upset with Rishi's dismissive attitude. Ignoring Ram's mood, Rishi urged him to stay quiet and focused on the task at hand.

After a brief check to ensure no one was around, Rishi climbed onto Ram's back to scale the compound wall. With Ram's help, he reached the balcony and retrieved the parcel from a plastic bag.

Taking advantage of the darkness, Rishi carefully placed the parcel in a carry bag hanging from the balcony railing. Then, he climbed a pipe to reach the balcony, relieved to have completed his task safely.

With a sigh of relief, Rishi pulled on the rope to retrieve the bag and took out the parcel. Despite the challenges, he was determined to deliver it to Anu's balcony.

So far, half of the plan is complete. The rest hinges on how she reacts to seeing him there. He runs his fingers through his hair to tidy it up because he doesn't want to appear messy in front of her. Making a good impression is important to him.

He takes out his phone from his pocket and dials her number. She doesn't answer until the fifth ring, probably asleep. When she finally does answer, he quickly tells her why he's there before she can ask questions.

"Hello, I'm outside your balcony. Come and open the door for me, and please, be quiet. Be quick," he says, ending the call because he knows she would have asked many questions.

He taps his foot impatiently as he waits for her. In a few seconds, he hears the door click, and there she is with her messy bun and cute glasses.

"What the hell, Rishi? What are you doing here?" she whispers, glaring at him with her big eyes. She looks around to make sure no one sees them. She's smart.

"I'll tell you everything in detail, but first, let's go to your room," he says, holding her hands.

"No way, get out. Now," she whispers every word, shooting bullets with her eyes.

"Okay, then. Your wish," he says, pushing past her and walking inside. Anu follows behind, running in small steps.

"Wait, where are you going?" she asks, holding his hand to stop him.

"To the main door. You were the one who told me to leave, right?" he asks, raising his eyebrows.

"You came by the balcony, right?" she asks, looking him up and down.

"Yeah, but now I'm not in the mood to climb down the pipes. Let me just use the main door, baby," he says, sounding a little dramatic. He knows it's a kind of blackmailing, but what can he do when she behaves like a grandma?

"You... follow me. And behave," she warns, grinning like a kid as she walks to her room. He follows silently, making sure not to make any noise.

He sees two girls sleeping on the couch in the hall, holding the parcel close to his chest. He goes inside Anu's room.

As soon as he goes in, Anu closes the door and looks at it too. Great, now his task will be easier.

"Rishi..." she starts to ask questions, but he stops her by covering her mouth with his right palm.

"Shhh, keep quiet for a few minutes. I know it's risky, but I wanted to take this risk for you. For us. Don't worry, I'll make sure no one catches us. Just enjoy the moment," he assures her with hopeful words. She nods, understanding his intention.

Slowly, he takes his palm from her mouth and leads her to bed. He makes her sit on the bed, keeps the parcel beside her, and sits in front of her.

"Close your eyes," he tells her. She opens her mouth to speak, but he interrupts, saying, "Trust me." With that, she closes her eyes without questioning him. He wonders how much she trusts him.

Her messy hair, flawless skin, and cute glasses always attract him. How did he even get this beauty? He questions himself.

"Bro, you literally eat her head up to accept you as a boyfriend," his mind mocks him.

"Shut up, it was you. I never stalk girls. It's just I had to bring out her love, which she kept buried inside her," he defeats himself, remembering how he fell for Anu.

Smiling smugly, he opens the parcel and arranges the things presentably.

"Now open your eyes," he cheers up. Anu opens her eyes and smiles at him.

"Happy Birthday, Anu," he wished her while holding the mini cake in front of her.

Anu looked at him surprisingly, her eyes shifting between him and the mini cake in his hand. Smiling nervously, he said, "Umm...sorry, I thought a mini cake would be easier to carry as I had to sneak inside your room." He told her the fact.

"Idiot, thank you for the surprise. To be honest, I didn't expect this. Thank you so much. You really made my birthday special," Anu said, joy evident in her voice. Her eyes were glossy and sparkling with joy, and he felt satisfied knowing she truly meant those words.

It had been a year since they started dating, and it was her first birthday since they got into a relationship. He wanted to make it special and memorable for both of them, and he wanted to be the first one to wish her a happy birthday. That's why he took the risk of climbing into the girls' hostel. He was well aware of the consequences of getting caught, yet he took the risk. Just for her. Because she meant the world to him.

It wasn't just about her looks and appearance. It was about her soul that captivated him. She was something he couldn't explain in words. When he first met her, he never thought he would fall for her so hard. But he did.

"Let's cut the cake," he said, handing her a mini knife. She took it from him and closed her eyes to murmur something, while he sang the "Happy Birthday" song repeatedly for her. Opening her eyes, she looked at him and flashed a smile before blowing out the candle.

Cutting the cake, she took a bite and then moved her hand near his lips. He took the cake from her hand and made her eat first. She ate it without hesitation and then fed him another piece.

"Happy Birthday, love," he said for the nth time.

"Thank you," she said, looking down while adjusting her hair behind her ear.

Placing the rest of the cake on the table beside the bed, he sat near her without leaving a gap. She looked up, feeling his presence. Taking her hand in his, he gazed at her face, which was filled with curiosity.

He began to kiss the back of her palm and her fingers. She tried to pull her hand away due to shyness, but he never let go. Maintaining intense eye contact with her, he slid the ring onto her finger, which he bought for her. He always wanted to give her things, but Anu, being proud, never accepted gifts without proper reasons and occasions. This habit of hers sometimes irritated him. As her boyfriend, he wanted to buy her many things, but he couldn't. Yet he had to respect her feelings. So he never questioned her. But this time, both chance and custom were on his side. So he used it.

"I love you, and that means you're forever mine. Only mine," he said with pride. Her cheeks turned crimson red hearing his deep voice. He liked when she blushed, but he loved it even more when he was the reason behind her blushing.

"This is my first gift to you. Never take it off, okay?" he whispered in her ear, to which she nodded obediently.

"I think by now you should have kissed me," he said, looking at her. Anu's face lost its colour when he mentioned the kiss.

"What? I'm serious, okay? It's been a year now, and till now, we never went beyond hugging. I mean, don't I deserve a kiss?" he asked her, showing his puppy eyes.

"You deserve the world, Rishi, but not a kiss," she said, sticking out her tongue.

"Is that, let me try," he said, catching her in his arms while she wriggled to get out of his hold but failed as his grip was strong.

Holding her face between his palms, he leaned forward, stopping just an inch away from her lips. Anu's wide eyes and heavy breaths were on rhythm. Eventually, she closed her eyes, hoping for his lips on hers, but what he was going to do was beyond her expectations.

Rubbing her nose with his, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and loosened his grip on her. Anu opened her eyes when she felt his lips on her forehead, her look questioning him.

"I know you're still not ready for that level of closeness. Don't worry. I won't rush for anything. I'll wait for you, Anu. For now, this is enough. Maybe I'll expect a kiss on my lips as my birthday gift, so..." he trailed off, gazing at her changing expressions.

Abruptly, Anu hugged him with all her might, causing him to stumble on the bed due to her sudden force. Wrapping his arms around her, he hugged her back.

"Love you... soooo much. Remember one thing, never ever leave me. Even if I say, just don't leave me," she whimpered, hiding her face in his chest.

Chuckling at her act, he whispered sweet words in her ears to stop her crying. A birthday baby shouldn't shed tears. But she continued her mantra of "never ever leave me." Her unconditional love made him go crazy.

...

"Never ever leave me," she whispered in agony, her voice echoing in his ears. With a roar of agony, he took hold of a flower vase and threw it on the floor. The vase broke into pieces just like himself, broken beyond repair.

Her voice still echoed in his ear, giving him a feeling of standing on burning fire. Ever since he woke up from his sleep, this nightmare of hers was killing him alive. Walking inside the bathroom, he stood in front of the mirror, gazing at his own self, which seemed too weak.

He loved her enough to allow her to break him, betray him, and leave him. Whenever he remembered her face, all he wanted was to erase her memories from his heart. She destroyed him. Totally. And now he was in a living hell, stuck, unable to go back to his past, nor able to accept his present. It was so frustrating.

No matter if your memories are good or bad, they will always hurt you and chase you away from your happiness. She was a stranger who entered his life and became his everything. After making him habitual of her, she left him in pieces. Every stranger who you meet in different phases of your life has the power to change your whole life.

It had been many years now, so why was he still stuck in the same path where she left him? They say time heals everything, then why was he still not healed yet? Why was he still not able to move on from her?

Every day, every minute, he was acting, portraying himself as if he had moved on from her, when he hadn't.

"I hate you, Ananya, for making my life into a living hell," he said, looking in the mirror, pressing every word with hatred and pain.