School days in one's life contain the most cherished memories, me being no exception. My sweet memories are not just about studies, teachers, and friends; but also of an unfulfilled desire of loving a girl. My pals were a league ahead in these affairs. Some of them had a 'gal friend' in their life and so in that pursuit I ought to had have one too! All of us belonged to the category of those high-on-testosterones "outside girl's home hangouts in the evening". The puzzle was nothing new for the other guys.

I experienced 'love' for the first time at my birthday party. She was my dad's colleague's lone child. She did spell a charm, perfectly defined by Aatif Aslam's musical "Pehli nazar mein kaisa jadoo kar diya..." Before this, I had had friends' who were girls, but "Dekha jo use yaar, dil mein baji guitar..." Wishing me a very Happy Birthday, she handed me my birthday present. Offering her a drink (obviously cold-drink), which accepted nonchalantly, I conversed with her. I discovered that both of us were in the same class and had a lot in common. We both danced to Shaan-KK's hip-hop item number "Dus Bahane karke le gaye dil....." with the oldies out of the pic. Ah, how can I leave my pals behind; Varun, walked up to me and said "Ek intro dilwa na, yaar"; several of them re-iterated the same thing to me. Our relationship deepened as we met at quiz-competitions, elocutions, at Orkut, had long conference at night at half-rates. You can guess my situation. Now I got one 'gal friend' too!!! YIPPY!!!!!

My love story was no "Jab We Met", "Mohabbatein" or "Pyar Ke Side-Effects" style..... it was simple, yet lucid..... so called the "love at first sight" types. I tried to see her beautiful face in the moon every night; I could see her million-dollar-smile enhancing the beauty of roses in my garden; the melodious chirping of the nightingale reminded me of the equally mellifluous 'bhool bhulaiyaa' voice of my beloved; even my mind failed to pity the feelings of my heart as her thoughts flashed before my eyes, rendering me sleepless, throughout many nights. Her wonder waiting 'bhool bhulaiyaa' eyes, did cast a spell upon me, and I lost in her dreams with my imagination running wild.....

But there one small problem... which I wish I could solve. I had never spoken to her about my plans. I found an ardent and studious girl right next to me and spoke only about studies to her. In course of all this I discovered something really shocking...she had a boy friend that she loved and the guy was in fact my best pal Varun ... What next? Nothing much, but the black clouds turned against me and took the moon in their custody forcing it behind the bars of lightning. The merciless wind turned against me and tore down the petals to the earth. Getting frustrated, the bird stopped singing, took to its wings and returned to its nest.

Time flies..... Oh yes it does! Today when I find myself working in a reputed firm earning a decent livelihood supporting just myself, I meet them only to see a beautiful diamond ring in her ring finger and a cute little girl accompanying them. But there was one small regret..... I could not forget her even today and attain peace of mind. At last my love crashed!!!

Lost the game of love, I was waiting for condolences....... when suddenly..... I woke up! I saw my mom trying to get me up from sleep. I discovered the strange truth of my hallucinations..... sitting at the breakfast table I found her approach me and say "Joldi kor, school'er jonno deri hoye jabe" with no ring in her finger. I grabbed her hand to be sure, and looking at her kept silent for a while... Offering her some buttered toast and looking at her I kept humming, "Woh lamhe, woh baatein, koi na jaane, thi kaisi raatein, woh barsaatein, who bheegi bheegi yaadein.....yaadein.....yaadein....."

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