Friend Who Died For-Ever

By Parth Maloo

Rahul had always thought that he and his best friend, Shalini, were invincible. They had met in college and quickly become inseparable. They had so many plans for the future - travel, career goals, even starting a band together.

But those plans were cut short when Shalini met with a tragic accident and despite the best efforts of her doctors, she passed away at the young age of 23.

Rahul was devastated. He had never imagined a world without Shalini in it. They had been each other's confidants, their sounding boards, their biggest supporters. Now, he felt like he was completely alone.

He missed her every day. He missed her smile, her laugh, her sense of humour. He missed the way she would roll her eyes at him when he was being ridiculous, and the way she would always know exactly what to say to make him feel better.

But most of all, he missed the feeling of having a true friend by his side. Someone who understood him, who accepted him for who he was, and who loved him unconditionally.

Rahul tried to distract himself with work and hobbies, but nothing seemed to fill the void left by Shalini's passing. He found himself listening to their favourite songs on repeat, wishing he could share them with her once again. He would dance around his apartment, but it wasn't the same without her there to make fun of his terrible dance moves.

He started to feel like he was losing himself. Without Shalini, he wasn't sure who he was anymore. They had been so intertwined; it was hard to imagine life without her.

But then one day, as he was walking through the park, he saw a young woman sitting on a bench, staring out at the lake. She looked up as he walked by, and for a moment their eyes met.

Rahul paused, unsure of what to do. But then he heard Shalini's voice in his head, telling him to be brave and reach out to someone new. So, he walked over to the woman and introduced himself.

They ended up talking for hours, about everything and nothing at all. It was the first time Rahul had felt truly alive since Shalini's passing. And while he knew that no one could ever replace her, he realized that there was still room in his heart for new friendships.

As he walked home that night, he felt a sense of hope that he hadn't felt in a long time. Shalini would always hold a special place in his heart, but he knew that she would want him to keep living, to keep making new memories and new connections.

And so, he did. He started going out more, meeting new people, and exploring new hobbies. He still missed Shalini every day, but he knew that she would be proud of him for finding a way to keep going, to keep living his life to the fullest. And he knew that she would always be with him, in his memories and in his heart.

By Parth Maloo