Raindrops in the Summer
Siddharth was the most beautiful part of my life. We both worked at the same IT firm in Bangalore. What started as casual conversations during project discussions quickly bloomed into a deep friendship where we shared every secret, sorrow, and joy. We spent hours talking every single day. With each passing moment, a quiet love grew deep within my heart for him. Soon, I reached a point where I couldn't imagine a life without him.
Then came the sudden blow—one afternoon, he confessed that he was in love with someone else. My heart shattered into a million pieces. For the first time, I truly understood how much love can hurt. Yet, his happiness meant everything to me. I buried my pain deep inside and wished him well with his new relationship. Slowly, we slid back into being best friends.
Years rolled by. In the meantime, my family brought a proposal from Arun, a caring man who genuinely loved me. I accepted it. When I shared the news with Siddharth, his reaction caught me off guard. He grew visibly upset and finally confessed that he had been in love with me all along. But it was too late—both of us were already committed to other people.
A few months later, Siddharth’s relationship fell apart. Heartbroken and alone, he reached out and pleaded with me to leave Arun and start a life with him. But I couldn't bring myself to betray someone who had stood by me so faithfully. In a state of deep dilemma, I asked him to be patient and turned him down.
Life went on until a tragic car accident turned my world upside down. I was put on complete bed rest for six months. During those painful days, Arun began to take me for granted. My condition seemed like a burden to him; he stopped calling, ignored my messages, and barely visited. Siddharth, however, was my rock. He was there by my side every single day, making sure I never felt like a burden.
As my relationship with Arun faded away completely, a ray of hope lit up inside me. I realized Siddharth was the one I truly belonged with. Once my wounds healed, I decided to finally tell him everything.
I dressed up in his favorite blue saree, left my hair open, and wore the perfume he always used to compliment. Excited and eager to pour my heart out, I went to meet him at our usual coffee shop.
We ordered coffee. Just as I was about to open my heart, Siddharth sat in silence for a moment and then handed me a formal envelope.
"I waited for you for a very long time," he said softly, looking down. "I eventually came to accept that we were only destined to be best friends. When my family pressured me to settle down, I couldn't say no. I thought you were happy with Arun and wanted you to have a good life. My blessings are always with you."
I opened the envelope with trembling hands—it was his wedding invitation.
The glow on my face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold paleness. The invitation felt like the cruelest joke life had ever played on me.
Today, he is happily married to someone else. He remains my best friend and still playfully complains that I never truly loved him despite being so close for years. My only mistake was failing to take the right decision at the right time. But to my first love—I promise to cherish this bond of friendship with you forever.