Riya and Rohan were childhood friends who grew up in the same neighborhood. They shared everything with each other, from their dreams and fears to their secrets and jokes. They were inseparable, until one day, Rohan had to move away with his family to another city. They promised to keep in touch and write letters to each other every week.
They kept their promise for a few years, but as they grew older, their lives became busier and their letters became less frequent. Riya missed Rohan terribly, but she understood that he had his own priorities and responsibilities. She hoped that he was happy and successful, wherever he was.
One day, she received a letter from Rohan after a long time. She was overjoyed to see his familiar handwriting on the envelope. She opened it eagerly and read:
"Dear Riya,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. I'm sorry for not writing to you for so long. I have something important to tell you.
I'm getting married next month. Her name is Neha and she is a wonderful person. We met at college and fell in love. She is smart, kind, beautiful, and everything I ever wanted in a partner. I'm sure you will like her too.
I know this might come as a shock to you, but I hope you will be happy for me. You are my best friend and I value your opinion more than anyone else's. That's why I wanted to tell you this before anyone else.
Please write back to me soon and let me know what you think. I would love to hear from you and catch up on everything that's going on in your life.
Your friend always,
Rohan"
Riya felt a sharp pain in her chest as she read the letter. She couldn't believe what she was reading. Rohan was getting married? To someone else? How could he do this to her?
She realized that she had always loved Rohan more than a friend. She had hoped that one day, he would come back to her and confess his feelings for her. She had waited for him all these years, even when he stopped writing to her. She had never given up on him, but he had given up on her.
She felt betrayed, angry, sad, and confused. She didn't know how to react or what to say. She wanted to congratulate him, but she also wanted to curse him. She wanted to be happy for him, but she also wanted to be happy with him.
She decided not to reply to his letter. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him forever, but she also couldn't bear the thought of seeing him with someone else. She decided to keep her feelings to herself and let him go.
She tore up his letter and threw it away. She cried herself to sleep that night, and many nights after that.
She never heard from him again.
The End
Image credit: Gabrielle Dickson
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