I didn't get time to go to her hostel so I directly went to her college, after cleaning my face.

I roamed around the college, talked to my teachers as I was once a student of this college too.

After a while, I entered the filled hall and made myself seated. The curtains on the stage were still closed.

My heart was pumping faster by the thought of meeting her. My hands were sweating. Was I nervous? But why was nervous?

I dressed in a saree and put the sindoor on my hairline. Wrapping the black robe around and wearing the graduation cap on my head I waited for the announcement.

I was 11 then when he first made me wear this. I am wearing it today, once again and he will be sitting down there watching me making him and my country proud.

My eyes already started to become moist.

The curtains opened slowly and stood the host by announcing the names of the students.

All the students walked up to the stage on calling their names, received their degrees.

In hundreds of heads, I was searching her, waiting eagerly for the host to call her name.

"So this time," said the host, "topping the list once again, is none other than Bondita Anirudh Roy Chowdhury".

I couldn't control myself. I stood up and started clapping with teary and a subtle smile on my lips. I became too excited and people started staring at me instead of looking at the stage.

"My wife, first ayi hain" I told the fellow spectators who didn't ask me. I was acting weird but it's an emotion for me. I had left my career, my childhood love, burdened my young age with the responsibilities of a mid-aged man at just 22 years of age. I was happy for her, after bearing everything finally achieved what she is meant for, setting an example, aspiring to inspire others.

"Sir please sit down, audiences at the back are complaining." Said, one volunteer.

"Bondita came first!" I said merrily.

"Yes sir now please calm down".

But it took no time for my happiness to turn into happy shock.

Upon calling her name that laraku girl

walked in wearing a nicely drapped white saree with black n red borders and a braid in her hair.

She walked in gracefully, proudly holding her head high while the hall echoed with cheers for an Indian girl.

For a second, my jaws dropped and my eyes widened. Bondita is still a little Bondita, a 9 year old soul in a 19 year old body. Her behaviour is still immature and feisty and stubborn to its peak. There was a strange flame in her eyes and a smile on her lips.

Her walk and behaviour portrayed royalty, like a queen. Her face is shown with instincts of nobility and generosity.

All my anger for that girl vanished because she was Bondita.

My eyes searched for him and when I caught his glimpse among the audience painful memories grasped my head instead of the sweet ones.

Ek din aisi nehi biti ki mein nehi royi, ek mausam aisa nehi guzraa ki mein chain se soyi, ek hafta aisa nehi gaya jab mein dil se hasi aur ek pal aisa nehi gaya hab wo mujhe yaad nehi aye.

I used to sit in front of the idol of Krishna that once belonged to my mother in law, which kaka gifted me.

I used to cry my heart out, my fragile broken heart used to break, even more, a feeling of dejection.

There was no single evening as such when I didn't light the oil lamp. The diya of my fate and faith. Its flame gave me hope of him returning to my life again, the fire burning in my heart, my limitless love for him as I guarded the flame with my hands.

I had this immense faith in the almighty, I always prayed to Dugga maa for his wellbeing.

When I saw him...I just don't know what I was feeling.

In all these years I made this fake image of mine, not wanting others to show how broken I was. Insomniac for a reason.

"Pati babu" I murmured with tearful eyes.

Socha tha jab unse milungi to gussa karungi, baat nehi karungi. Kyu nehi aye wo mujhse milne? Par nehi rok pai khudko. When all the people surrounded me and handed me a bouquet, congratulating me, I just threw the flowers away, held my saree a bit higher, pushed the crowd away and ran through the passage, towards him and almost jumped on him, wrapping my hands around his neck. My feet rose inches in the air, I pushed him so hard that he moved back a little. I burst into tears in his arms.

I tightly closed my eyes and wept out of happiness. I suddenly and unexpectedly felt his hand, creasing my hair.

Soon we broke the hug and I looked at him, the very next moment I sat on the floor on my knees and touched his feet, placing my forehead to his feet. He placed his hand on my head.

The British crowd stared at us.

"Bon-dee-tta please come on stage and receive your degree," Called my teacher.

I went on the stage, "sir I respect you but I have a request to make. Can I please receive this from my husband". I requested him.

My teacher smiled at me, "sure dear!"

"Anirudh please come on stage".

Yes, my teachers know him coz he is an ex-student.

Pati babu came to me. I could see the pride in his pair of eyes, tears of happiness. "Shabash Bondita!" Those golden words he finally spoke.

He tied the white band around my neck.

Dreams do come true only if you know how to make them come true. His dream, my vision came true.

I now sat in my place and she stood near the mic. In a shaky voice she spoke, "where should I start from... A village girl who was supposed to get sati but is standing right here...

To all girls out there, be a stiletto in a room of flats. Don't let anyone demotivate you and to all people who had always underestimated nation, saare jahase accha hindustan humara."

Pati babu clapped his hands in the silent room, alone which Motivated me more.

"There is a key to success, get surrounded by people who will lift you higher and my pati babu showed me the sky. He promised to give me wings but never caged me. He stood in front of me in crisis, behind me in success and beside me in my journey.

He burned himself down to light me, I couldn't be more grateful to him. Thank you, thank you...

The function ended and I walked to him hesitantly.

I became so emotional at that point in time, my dream finally came true.

All good but...

When the function ended I saw her walking towards me shyly.

Mujhe itna hasi a raha tha, kitni natak kar leti hain ye ladki. She stood in front of me, playing with her hair, gazing at the floor.

She cleared her throat and signalling me to start a conversation.

Oh god Bondita! Dramebazz.

"Kaise hain ap?" She asked softly.

"Accha hi tha tumhara Dev babu"

We both laughed with teary eyes.

The same girl who was yelling on top of her voice, "sorry boliye!" doing Dadagiri.

"Hi dada, mein Bondita ki dost" Ishita shook my hands. Bondita gestured something to her.

"Dada,jaante ho bohot sharmili hain meri dost" she added.

I rubbed my jaw and raised my eyebrows, "accha? Bohot sharmili hain?"

Bondita nodded her head timidly.

I was enjoying this so much and so decided to tease her more.

"Waise humare Bondita bohot shant" her friend said.

I never knew she is such a good actor so I thought of teasing her too.

"Ha Bondita tum kitni samajhdaar ho"

She smiled and continued to fake herself in front of me not knowing that man whom she fought with was me. I tried hard to control my laughter.

"Hi Bon-dee-taa" a British boy walked him seeing whom her eyes widened and face went pale.

"Pati babu Robert my best friend," she said immediately and I noticed that boy's jaw-dropping. "Best what? You pushed me into the pool on the very first day"

Bondita made an uncomfortable laugh, so did her friend.

"Baara mazakiya banda hain Robert" Bondita hit his shoulder. "Ap ne hi to sikhaya hain na pati babu, sabse pyar se pesh aane k liye. Jaante ho aj ke nehayati badttamiz admi k wajase mein cycle se gir gyi thi par fir bhi meine sorry bola".

"Accha wow Bondita" I pretended, "kitni samajhdaar ho gyi ho tum".

I heard her whispering in her friend's ears, "dekha kamal".

Ishita forcefully held Robert's hand and took him away.

"Pati babu ap mere liye wo laye ho na?" She asked cheerfully.

"Kya?"

"Rosogolla" she said immediately, "aur ghar pe sab thik hain na".

She was not letting me speak at all.

"Ap mujhse milne kyu nehi aye" she asked all of a sudden which left me with no logical answer.

She turned away and blew her cheeks, "Bondita gussa hain".

I chuckled, "to kya mujhe firse manama parega Bondita ko?" I said softly.

"Ha! Warna Bondita muh fula k baithi rahegi" she again blew her cheeks.

She had not changed, not a single per cent. She was still the little Bondita.

I should be sad by the fact that she doesn't hate me, she has not forgotten me but...

I was happy, happy that she doesn't hate me but why?

The more I get attached to her more it will be difficult for me to hand her over to someone else. And the more she gets attached to me the more difficult it will be for her to be someone else's.

I realized my plan had failed miserably. Nothing changed at all instead her infatuation grew stronger.

She suddenly looked at me, "kya soch rahe hain?"

"Wo Bondita, jis admi se takkar hui thi kya wo bohot bura tha?"

"Ha, bilkul pagal" she said, "wo mujhe mil jay na to saza dungi" she creased her eyebrows but suddenly started faking again and changed her tone to a bechari one, "par mein bohot acchi hu bilkul jaisa apko pasand hain".

I covered my mouth to control my laughter. This is so entertaining, I have to tease her more. Wait and watch!

"Ek baat puchu apse" she said.

"Ha pucho"

"Apne miss kiya mujhe" she asked with all hopes to get a yes for an answer.

"Miss kyu karunga, mujhe aur koi kaam nehi hain kya"

I saw her gloomy upset face hearing this. She made a puppy face.

"Abh chalo!" I diverted the topic.

I don't want to hurt her but I have to. I missed her but I had to lie. She should have no expectations from me. She is not my wife, only a zimmedari. I convinced myself over all these years now I need to convince her.

I was excited when she will meet Batuk and finally fall for each other but was I really excited???

He broke me once again

"Dukhi maat ho" Ishita consoled me, "tune batay ki insomniac hain?"

"Nehi" I said gloomily, "wo apne apko blame karenge".

"Ha to, unke ek galat decision k wajase hi you are like this" she said.

"Kabhi insaan ko itna bhi daard nehi dena chahiye ki ussey dard hi na mehsoos ho...maine itna dard saha hain ki abh feel hi nehi hota" I chuckled painfully, "nehi hota feel".

"Ek tarfa pyar zeher hain" I continued, "aisa zeher jo dheere dheere asar karta hain aur phir us insaan ko khatam kar deta hain aur hum kuch nehi kar patey par zeher pite jaate hain".

" fir bhi tujhe ye zeher pina hain?"

Bondita chuckled painfully, "zeher ka swad puchna hain to shiv se pucho, Meera se puchogi to wo amrit hi bataygi".

"Yaad hain Bondita bachpan mein tumne kaha tha tum mujhe guru dakhshina dogi" he said to me.

"Haa!"

"Aur tumne ye bhi kaha tha ki mein jo mangunga wahi dogi" he smiled at me.

"Ye koi puchne wali baat hui bhala.. mang k to dekhiye, ap jaan mangenge to mein wo bhi dedungi par ha maangna maat".

He chuckled a bit, "chinta maat karo jaan nehi mangunga aur jo mang na hain wo abh nehi mangunga, abhi der hain bohot".