PAPER PLANES

“Rohan! Get ready for the party” shouted Rohan’s mother. Rohan simply hated these so called parties. In his opinion it was nothing but a waste of time. He wished to stay home and watch football. However, his mother was adamant. And Rohan knew he had lost the battle. Silently he dressed up like a pauper and accompanied his mom. 
“Mom! Get ready for the party, we are getting late” shouted Riya. Riya loved these parties. According to her such parties were extremely necessary to socialize and make new friends. She was dying to reach there and was pushing her mother. Finally, her mother being ready Riya dressed up like a princess and left for the party.
Mr. Toastmaster, fellow Toastmasters and dear guests when East meets west, when north and South Pole come together, when summer encounters winter sparks fly. Similar was the case when Rohan and Riya met in that fateful party. It was not love at first sight, it was far from that. Riya thought Rohan was the servant of the house based on his attire and ordered him to get her a glass of water. It is only when her friends told her; she realized her mistake and went up to apologize to him. However, Rohan seemed to belong to a different planet hardly listening to her and that intrigued her more. He was different from the rest for her and she was like any other girl for him. However, he was getting bored so he thought there is no harm in speaking with her for a few minutes, which soon turned into a few hours, into a few days, few weeks, and few months and before they realized they were in love.
Life was so simple yet so beautiful. He dreamed of becoming a pilot one day and everyday he would gift her handmade paper planes. Their parents also approved of the match. They were very happy together until Valentine’s Day. Riya had never been so late like that day. Rohan was getting worried. Finally she arrived. Rohan was sure he was going to be angry on her but as soon as he saw her, like always he forgot everything. However, there was something different about Riya. She was replying in monosyllables. Rohan asked her “What’s the matter Riya?” Riya replied “Rohan do you remember Joy my college senior?” “Yes I do. That guy who had a huge crush on you. I don’t blame him though.” “Rohan, he proposed to me yesterday. He is now a manager in a bank in France.” Rohan was perplexed, why was Riya telling her all these? Then came the hammer blow. “Rohan, love is a wonderful thing but we cannot live our entire life based on love. We need to be practical. I feel Joy can keep me happy, so I accepted his proposal for marriage.” Rohan was dumbstruck. The only words that came out of his mouth were “What about our dreams?” “What dreams Rohan? The day you proposed to me you promised me that you will be getting your own car, till today you have managed to get only this cycle. Rohan you are a nice guy but not my dream guy. Let’s not have any further discussion on this. Let me keep this short and simple – it’s over.” And she left.
Different people act differently when they are hurt. Rohan took this rejection as a stimulus to work harder. He worked really hard and finally he managed to become a pilot. His dream of touching the sky was realised. He owned his own car now, a lavish sedan.
One rainy day Rohan was driving his car when he saw an elderly couple walking in the rain trying to cover them with the umbrella but the winds were too strong. As he drove past them he realised they were Riya’s parents. For a few minutes Rohan was experiencing a sadistic pleasure as he remembered how he was rejected for the so called rich guy. He wanted to let her parents know that he no longer belonged to the mass rather he belonged to the class. He wanted them to realise that today he was safe and sound in the car while they were suffering in the rain. What he saw next confused him, the couple was walking towards a cemetery, and so he got out of his car and followed…and he saw Riya, smiling sweetly as ever at him but only from her tombstone and he saw his paper planes right beside her.
Her parents saw him. He asked them why this had happened. They explained, she did not leave for France at all. She was ill with cancer. She had believed that he will make it someday, but she did not want to be his obstacle… therefore she had chosen to leave him. She had wanted her parents to put his paper planes beside her, because, if the day comes when fate brings him to her again…he can take some of those back with him.
Just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to, doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.
Rohan didn’t cry. He knew she wouldn’t be happy seeing him cry. Because,  once you have loved, you will always love. For what’s in your mind may escape but what’s in your heart will remain forever.