Chapter 1: chapter 1

Present time, on the busy streets of New York, where the hustle and bustle of the city never seemed to cease, there was a girl named Aashi. She stood out from the crowd with her white formal shirt and brown skirt, her bright soft skin glowing under the city lights. Her dark brown hair cascaded down her shoulders in slight curls, framing her pinkish cheeks. Aashi carried a formal bag on her right shoulder, a symbol of her hard work and dedication.As she reached her apartment building, she hurriedly opened the door and entered, apologizing as she did so. "Hey, sorry, sorry," she said, addressing someone who seemed to be present in the house. "I know I'm late today, but what can I do? I had a lot of work at the office. The boss was not ready to leave me until I finished my tasks."It became apparent that Aashi was talking to someone who wasn't physically there. Hanging on the wall was a photo of a very handsome guy, adorned with flowers. The boy in the picture had a warm smile, capturing a moment frozen in time. Aashi continued her conversation, pouring her heart out to the image."By the way, did you miss me? I'm sure you did. After all, you are incomplete without me, just as I am incomplete without you," Aashi said, her voice filled with longing. "Every day when I go to work, my mind and heart always remain up here. Every day, I think of when my work will be over so that I can return home to you. We can have hours and hours of conversation with each other."Aashi's words were filled with love and devotion, as if the person in the photo was still a part of her life. She acknowledged the reality of the situation, that the person she spoke to had left this world four years ago. Yet, she found solace in talking to him, keeping his memory alive."Now, why are you smiling like this, huh?" Aashi asked, her voice filled with a mix of sadness and affection. "You must think I've gone crazy. You left this world and me four years back, yet I keep on talking to you all the time by looking at your picture. Yes, I am crazy. Though you are not physically present here with me, you are always alive in my heart."Emotions overwhelmed Aashi, and tears began to stream down her face. She quickly wiped them away, knowing that the person in the photo disliked seeing her cry. "I'm sorry. I know you hate tears in my eyes. I won't cry. I'll change my clothes and come back to you," she promised, her voice filled with determination.Aashi's love for Aditya, the person in the photo, was unwavering. She had chosen to love him with all her heart, even in his absence. As she changed her clothes and came out from the bathroom, her phone suddenly started to ring.Curiosity piqued, Aashi picked up her phone and answered the call. "Hello?" she said. "Hello, my child," a familiar voice greeted her on the other end. Aashi's expression immediately changed from annoyance to a mixture of surprise and sadness. It was her father calling."Yes, dad," Aashi replied, her tone slightly cold. "Why have you called me?"Her father's voice sounded depressed as he asked, "How are you beta?""I'm fine," Aashi replied, her voice softening slightly. "You tell me, why have you called me?"Her father's voice grew even more somber as he responded, "Now do I have to call you only when I have some work with you? Don't I have the right to call my daughter randomly?"Aashi sighed, feeling a mix of emotions. "Yes, you had all the right on me which a father has on his daughter," she admitted. "But you lost it four years back... you lost all the rights you had upon me with the death of Aditya."Her father's voice trembled as he replied, "I know... I know that I stole the person away from you whom you loved the most... and now, God has punished me for doing this."Confusion filled Aashi's mind as she asked, "What do you mean by that, dad?"Her father's voice cracked as he revealed, "My child... I'm... I'm dying... I have this rare disease named clumonia that is killing my body slowly... I don't have much time left... But before I die, I want to see you once, right before me. After Aditya's death, you left India and moved to New York... From the last four years, I have not seen you... Please, before I die, I want to see your face once."Tears welled up in Aashi's eyes as she listened to her father's plea. Despite her anger and resentment towards him, somewhere deep in her heart, she still held love and attachment towards him. The sad news of his impending death made her emotional."You always used to say that money can buy anything," Aashi said, her voice trembling. "You are one of the richest persons in our town, dad... So, is your money not capable of saving your life?"Her father's voice was filled with regret as he replied, "I was wrong, my child... I was wrong... All these years, my eyes were closed by the richness of money... God has finally opened those eyes... I have realized that I have always been wrong. Please, my child... Come to me."Aashi took a deep breath, her mind filled with conflicting emotions. Finally, she made up her mind. "Alright, dad... I'm coming," she said, her voice filled with determination. She ended the call and turned towards the photo of Aditya hanging on the wall."I have to go back," Aashi whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Never ever did I imagine that I would step foot in that town after your death... But I need to go now. And I know that if you were here... Even you would have agreed with my decision of going back to our town... Chawanpur."With a heavy heart, Aashi packed her bags and made her way back to Chawanpur to meet her father. to be continued in next chapter.