Love is Love — A tale of two strangers
What is love without any sacrifices? All those Bollywood movies that show happy endings in their stories are playing a great role in changing the mindsets of the generations, one step at a time. As Indians, even in the 21st century, we know how controversial a relationship becomes in the community if we are dating a person from a different class, culture, and religion, let alone be the acceptance of homosexual relationships.
Same-sex marriage was made legal in India in September 2018. But still, homosexual couples are not openly accepted in many regions of India, especially in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Our today's inspiring story is of a couple who are sharing their ups and downs and the struggles they faced before they got united for a lifetime.
Deeksha and Priya were 2 individuals who lived in the same locality, studied in the same school, and had a different friend circle. From their school days, Deeksha was a bookworm and introvert person. Priya was completely opposite of Deeksha, she used to participate in the cultural fests and one of the super active candidates on campus. Clearly, they were not aware of the presence of each other. Deeksha had a very small friend-circle who were studying in different schools. Being alone in the school made her the everyday target for mischievous students to tease and have fun.
One day, Priya was cleaning up herself after her cricket match when she saw Deeksha sitting in the corner stall and sobbing. Priya went towards her and asked, “Do you need any help?”. Dee just nodded and left the stall. Priya was puzzled but then she left for her classes. After a few days, Priya saw a bunch of students bullying a girl. She recalled the face she saw a few days back in the washroom. She immediately went towards the gang and shooed them away. There was Dee with watery eyes. Priya took her to the cafeteria and ordered two lemonades. She asked her why they were bullying her. After hearing the story, Priya was laughing because that scenario didn’t make any sense to her!
“So you are saying that just because you don’t have any friends in this school, you didn’t go to complain about the bullies?”. Dee just nodded because she found herself foolish at that moment. The school bell rang before the class started. Priya got up and said, “You can always join our group and maybe participate in the sports too. And don’t worry we’ll take care of the bullies”, and left for her classes.
That was the beginning of their story and a new friendship. Priya helped Dee in learning lots of new outdoor games. They went to school camps together. In no time they became the best buddies. After school, they went to the same college for graduation. After 5 wonderful years of their friendship, they were completely aware of each other likes and dislikes, mindsets, family, dreams, in short everything.
One day, Priya confessed her feelings for Dee. At first, Dee was surprised. Dee knew Priya was interested in girls but she never thought that she was into her. Also, Dee came from a super conservative family. Dee told her how much she respected her feelings but whatever she felt had no future and Dee didn’t want to let these things affect their friendship. It took Priya nearly a year to convince Dee that they can make things work together. She said she’ll talk to her parents if she wants to. Priya denied this. She didn’t want to involve her parents before graduation.
After 2 years, they finished their graduation and left their hometown for their jobs. Dee was placed in an MNC in Pune. Priya went with her and applied for higher studies. They now lived together. Priya was the daughter of a single parent and she had told her mum everything from the beginning. Her mum was supportive too. When they left their town, she went to Dee’s parents to tell them and tried to convince them.
At first, her parents couldn’t believe it. Dee’s mum came to Pune and tried to make her leave her job and take her back home to marry a guy. Dee didn’t go home for the next 2 years. Priya stayed with her and asked her mum to come to Pune whenever she wants to. They tried convincing Dee’s parents. Silent treatments, violence, nothing worked out for them.
At last, they forced Dee to choose between her family and Priya. They had never imagined things would ever turn out this ugly. Priya asked Dee to go back if she wanted to and that she would understand and would never ever blame Dee.
Dee left Pune and went back home. She asked her elder brother for help. He tried to convince Dee first that whatever she was doing was wrong. After listening to this, she turned more violent. She stopped taking her meals. She refused to meet any guy that came with marriage proposals.
Few months went by after Dee left Pune. Priya was worried. They had lost any contact. Priya was not aware of what was going on. She asked her mum but even she had not seen Dee during these months. Next month Priya was planning to take leaves on the occasion of Diwali. She told her mum about her Diwali plans that she would go and meet Dee’s parents no matter what happens next.
After 3 weeks, Priya was standing in front of Dee’s parents. She couldn’t believe what Dee had done to herself. She looked so weak and her skin color had turned completely pale. “All right! We are done convincing you. Dee knew it from the start that you both will never agree. She also told me how you blackmailed her to choose between me and her family. It was me who forced her to go home and try talking with you for one more time. But I won’t let Dee suffer this way anymore. Next week I’m leaving for Pune”, Priya said this in a breath and turned towards Dee, “I won’t ask you to come with me. I’ll not even ask you to stay back and suffer. I can’t ask you to make any choice now. But whatever your decision will be, I’ll respect that. Because now it is impossible for me to see you suffer every day, especially because of those people who gave you birth but now they refuse to accept you the way you are.” She stormed out of that house pledging to never look back.
After celebrating Diwali with her mum and school gang, she looked at her phone to check for any missed calls or messages from Dee. The next morning she had her flight. There was no response from Dee. That night Priya cried her heart out. She was holding these things for so long. They were like high school sweethearts and now one of them was forced to leave without any closure was something Priya was not able to accept.
The next morning, after getting ready for her flight, Priya came to have breakfast with her mum. There was an unusual smile on her mum’s face. “What’s Up?”, She asked her giving her morning hug. “I made your favourite Aaloo Paratha!”, she said and asked her to seat and went inside the kitchen to bring her plate. Priya took a bite and…! “Where’s she??”, she exclaimed after tasting that one bite. That was definitely not the usual taste made by her mum and there was some special ingredient that only Dee used while making her weekend favourite.
She rushed inside the kitchen and there she was, Dee, standing with her suitcases and wiping her tears. “When will you ever stop crying”, said Priya and hugged her. Dee sobbed and said, “I’m never coming back to this town.” Priya looked at her mum. She knew everything. Dee came last night after everybody had slept and told her mum that she told her parents she’s leaving home. They threatened her for never allowing her back home but now she didn’t care. “That day when you came and defended me, I felt like the schoolgirl who used to get bullied because she was alone. You took a stand for me then and every time thereafter… How can I ever leave the only person who cared so much for me?”
Priya’s mum went to drop off both the girls to the airport and promised to visit them every three months. Priya got placed after her post-graduation. A few months later they called Priya’s mum telling her they are planning to get married by next year.
This story is inspired by a real-life couple. Priya and Deeksha are now happily married with 2 pet dogs and own an apartment. Priya’s mum had faced multiple panic attacks. So now they are planning to bring her to stay with them. Dee’s parents never called her. She is in touch with her elder brother who now supports her but is not able to convince their parents. People say that time heals everything, but only Dee knows what she had to sacrifice to stay with the love of her life…
