In Every Lifetime — Akshay & Varsha’s Love Story
Chapter 1: A Day That Felt Like a Dream
Chapter 7: Too Late, or Just in Time?
It was a beautiful day — the kind of day where the sky looked soft and endless, like it had been painted by someone in love. A gentle wind carried the sweet fragrance of fresh marigolds and jasmine. The wedding venue was glowing — fairy lights, flowers, smiling faces, and music filled the air.
Inside a quiet room, a young man stood alone in front of the mirror.
He wore a cream-colored sherwani with gold embroidery, and a red sadra neatly folded across his shoulder. His hair was set, and his eyes were filled with a strange mixture of calmness and nerves.
He looked like a prince ready to meet his destiny.
Just then, a knock broke the silence.
“Hurry up, beta,” his mother called softly from outside the room. “The bhatji is asking for you.”
He took a deep breath and said, “Yes, Mom. Just five minutes.”
“Okay,” she replied. “But don’t be late. Everyone’s waiting.”
Akshay turned back to the mirror, straightened his collar, and smiled to himself. “This is real,” he whispered. “It’s happening.”
He walked out of the room. As he entered the mandap, all heads turned. Guests stared with admiration. Some smiled, some whispered compliments. His mother wiped a tear. His father gave a proud nod.
He sat down beside the holy fire. The bhatji began chanting mantras in a calm, rhythmic voice. Bells rang. Flowers were scattered. The rituals had begun.
And then came the moment everyone waited for.
“Vadhu la bolva,” the bhatji said.
“Call the bride.”
All eyes turned to the staircase.
And there she was.
Varsha.
Dressed in a deep red saree with golden embroidery. Bangles shimmering on her wrists. Her hair neatly tied, her eyes full of emotion. She walked slowly, her parents on either side. Her gaze met his — and the whole world disappeared.
In that one moment, it felt like everything had come full circle.
Varsha sat beside him. They smiled softly. The bhatji started the Mangala Ashtaka.
Family members threw sacred rice, showering the couple with blessings.
Then came the varmala — garlands exchanged, laughs shared.
Then, the saat phere — seven sacred steps, seven promises.
The wedding was complete. The crowd clapped. Tears and hugs followed.
But as they took those seven steps around the fire — something strange happened.
Their eyes locked. And in their hearts, something stirred.
Like an old memory rising again.
Because this wasn’t the first time they had walked beside each other.
It had all started…
Chapter 2: 11 Years Ago – A New Beginning
It was the first day of 11th standard at Vasai City Junior College. The monsoon clouds were heavy, but the mood in the school was light. Students laughed, met old friends, clicked selfies, and filled the hallways with energy.
At the gate stood a new boy — quiet, backpack on his shoulder, file in hand.
His name was Akshay. He had just shifted from Pune with his parents and was nervous. New place, new people. But something inside him felt excited too. He had always loved new beginnings, because they held endless possibilities.
Akshay wasn’t a loud boy. He preferred soft things — music, lyrics, long walks, and late-night thoughts. Singing was his passion. He dreamed of becoming a playback singer one day.
As he entered his new class, he saw a chaos of students — friends reuniting, benches shifting, someone sharing chips, someone playing music on Bluetooth. No one noticed him much.
He quietly chose a seat next to the window — his safe place.
He looked outside and smiled.
That’s when he heard her voice.
“New here?” she asked.
He turned.
A girl stood in front of him. Slim, confident, eyes full of spark.
“I’m Varsha,” she said. “You look like someone who writes songs.”
Akshay was surprised. “Uh… yeah. I actually do.”
She smiled. “Thought so. I love to dance. Maybe one day I’ll dance to one of your songs.”
That moment stayed with him forever.
From that day, Akshay and Varsha started talking during breaks, helping each other with notes, discussing art, music, and dreams. She showed him her sketchbook. He sang for her on her birthday.
Slowly, quietly, their friendship became something more.
Chapter 3: When Friendship Starts Feeling Like Love
The rains had finally slowed down, leaving the college grounds damp but glowing under the September sun.
Vasai City Junior College was buzzing — college fest was just around the corner.
Classrooms turned into rehearsal rooms. The auditorium echoed with music, claps, and the occasional scolding.
Akshay had been selected for the inter-college singing competition.
Varsha was heading the dance team for the first time — and everyone admired her grace and confidence.
It meant they spent more time together. And with every day, something between them began to shift.
They sat on stairs after practice, talking about lyrics and rhythms, about life and dreams.
One afternoon, she watched him sing a new tune he had written — his eyes closed, lost in the moment.
When he finished, she clapped softly. “That’s beautiful,” she said.
“You always say that,” he smiled.
“Because it always is,” she replied, looking straight into his eyes.
He didn’t say anything. But something fluttered in his chest.
That evening, Varsha added a short dance piece to Akshay’s song.
Their performance turned into a duet — music and movement flowing as one.
The day of the festival came. The hall was packed. The lights were bright.
Akshay stood backstage, palms sweating, guitar in hand.
Varsha found him. “You’ll be amazing,” she whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder.
That touch — light, brief — made his heart race.
They went on stage together. And for those few minutes, time froze.
When they finished, the crowd erupted. Cheers. Claps. Whistles.
Someone shouted, “Are they a couple?!”
Akshay blushed. Varsha laughed and winked at him.
Later that night, the college lights still flickered faintly.
They sat on the steps behind the stage — just the two of them.
He looked at her and thought — Should I tell her?
But she leaned her head softly on his shoulder and whispered,
“You know, sometimes I wish this moment could last forever.”
He wanted to say Me too.
But the words stayed stuck in his throat.
Because when friendship starts to feel like love —
You don’t always know when to say it aloud.
And in their hearts, something had begun.
Quietly.
Beautifully.
Like the first note of a love song.
Chapter 4: The Distance Between Us
The days after the college fest felt like magic.
Like something had changed between them — soft, invisible, but real.
They walked to the canteen together now.
Waited for each other after class.
Laughed at silly jokes that no one else understood.
Akshay had started keeping a playlist titled “Varsha.”
Every time he listened, he smiled without knowing.
Varsha doodled song lyrics in her notebook — the ones Akshay wrote.
She underlined her favorites with tiny stars.
It wasn’t love.
Not yet.
But it was something close. Something sacred.
Then came the announcement —
“Mid-semester cultural exchange. Two students will be selected to represent our college in Delhi for three months.”
Everyone in class buzzed with excitement.
Varsha’s dance teacher came rushing to her.
“Varsha! You’re shortlisted. Just submit your form.”
Akshay smiled. “That’s amazing!”
Varsha smiled too, but…
Something flickered in her eyes.
A hesitation.
That evening, they sat on the college terrace.
The sun dipped behind the buildings.
“You’re going, right?” Akshay asked gently.
“I don’t know,” she whispered.
“But it’s your dream. You have to.”
“I know… but what if something changes?” she said, looking away.
He looked at her. “Between us?”
She didn’t answer.
The next morning, she submitted the form.
Three days later, she was selected.
“Delhi. Three months. Fully sponsored.”
Everyone clapped.
Akshay clapped too.
But his heart sank.
The night before her departure, they met at their usual spot.
He brought her a small sketchbook.
She handed him a note with a verse written in her handwriting.
They didn’t speak much.
They didn’t need to.
But just as she turned to leave,
Akshay called out, “Will you forget me?”
She stopped.
Turned back slowly.
And with teary eyes, said, “Never.”
But life has a way of changing even the things we think are certain.
Because the next day, Varsha left.
And for weeks, Akshay didn’t hear from her.
No texts. No calls.
Just silence.
Something was wrong.
He could feel it.
One day, his friend handed him a college magazine.
The cover photo made his heart stop.
Varsha.
Dancing on a stage in Delhi.
Holding hands… with someone else.
Chapter 5: Silence Hurts Louder
It had been twenty-three days since Varsha left for Delhi.
Akshay knew the number by heart —
Because every one of those days felt like a year.
No “good morning” messages.
No voice notes.
No updates.
Only silence.
At first, he thought she was just busy.
But even five minutes? That wasn’t too hard… was it?
He stared at her contact every night.
Typing.
Deleting.
Typing again.
Then locking his phone.
His songs had changed too.
The lyrics were heavier now —
Less sky, more storm.
Less love, more longing.
Then, one afternoon, his friend Rohan rushed in.
“Bro… the college fest magazine from Delhi came in.”
He handed it to Akshay with an unreadable expression.
“I think… you should see this.”
Akshay flipped through it casually — until he saw her.
Varsha.
In a maroon lehenga, mid-performance.
Eyes glowing.
A boy standing beside her. Holding her hand. Smiling.
The caption read:
“Rising Stars — Varsha & Arjun, the unbeatable duo.”
His breath caught in his throat.
Arjun?
Who is he?
Why hadn’t she mentioned him?
Why does he look like… more than just a dance partner?
Akshay shut the magazine.
Didn’t speak for hours.
That night, he finally texted her.
> “Hey.
Saw your performance.
You were brilliant. :)”
She replied three hours later.
> “Hey… thanks. Sorry, been so busy.
Will call you soon.”
But she didn’t.
Not that day.
Not the next.
Not the one after that.
Akshay began to feel something he had never felt with her before.
Doubt.
Was he just a memory now?
A song she had outgrown?
Was she dancing through a new chapter without him?
He kept telling himself,
“Don’t assume. Don’t jump to conclusions.”
But his heart?
It was already breaking in quiet, invisible places.
One night, unable to sleep, he opened the note she had given him before leaving.
Inside, she had written:
> “Some journeys are taken apart…
but the rhythm will bring us back.
Wait for me.
— V.”
His fingers trembled as he closed the note.
He wanted to believe her.
He wanted to trust the rhythm.
But when silence becomes the only sound between two people—
Even the strongest song can fade.
Chapter 6: The Dance I Couldn't Share
Delhi was bigger, louder, faster than anything Varsha had imagined.
The city never slept.
The campus buzzed with ambition.
And she — she was right in the center of it all.
Workshops, rehearsals, interviews, lights, cameras —
It was everything she had once dreamed of.
But every time the music played…
Every time she took a step on stage…
Her heart whispered one name.
Akshay.
She missed him.
His voice. His calm. His terrible jokes.
The way he would listen, like she was the only thing that mattered.
But somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to call him.
Maybe she didn’t know what to say.
Maybe she was afraid.
Because something inside her was changing — and she didn’t understand it yet.
Then there was Arjun.
Talented. Confident.
A professional dancer.
Assigned as her partner for the festival duet.
He was charming, yes — but never crossed a line.
He respected her space.
Encouraged her to shine.
And slowly… they became friends.
One evening, after a long rehearsal, they sat on the rooftop of the hostel.
The wind was cold. The city lights blinked like stars on the ground.
Arjun looked at her and said,
“You dance like you're in love with someone far away.”
She froze.
He smiled gently. “Am I right?”
Varsha looked down, then nodded.
“Yeah. He’s… back home.”
There was a pause.
Then Arjun said, “Does he know?”
“I think he does,” she whispered. “But I never said it out loud.”
Silence settled.
Then Arjun did something unexpected.
He pulled out his phone, played a soft melody, and said,
“Then dance. Right now. For him.”
She looked at him, surprised. “What?”
“No stage. No lights. Just the stars and your feelings. Let them out.”
And so… she danced.
On that quiet rooftop in Delhi,
Barefoot.
Eyes closed.
Every movement a message.
Every twirl, a confession.
She danced for Akshay.
When the music ended, she sat down — breathless, eyes wet.
“I think I love him,” she finally said.
Arjun smiled softly. “Then go tell him before life gets louder than love.”
But when she opened her phone to call Akshay,
She saw his text.
Just one line:
> “You’re doing great without me. I guess I should stop hoping.”
Her heart dropped.
In trying to chase her dream,
She had let him think…
That he didn’t matter anymore.
And that night, for the first time in weeks,
She cried herself to sleep.
Three months.
That’s how long it had been since she left.
Akshay had stopped counting the days.
Stopped checking his phone.
Stopped waiting.
Instead, he sang.
Not to feel better — but to feel something.
He performed at local cafés.
Joined a music group.
Wrote late into the night.
But none of his songs sounded like her anymore.
Until one day, he wrote a line that made him pause:
> “The ones who leave never take everything —
they always leave a little of themselves behind.”
And that’s when he knew —
No matter how far Varsha had gone,
She was still part of him.
But maybe… it was time to let her go.
That weekend, his friends dragged him to the beach.
“Enough moping, Romeo,” Rohan said.
“Let’s live a little.”
Akshay smiled for the first time in weeks.
Not fully.
But enough.
He stood by the waves, closed his eyes, and whispered into the wind —
“I hope she’s happy.
That’s all I ever wanted.”
He didn’t know…
That in that exact moment,
Varsha was in a cab.
Heading back.
She had returned a week early.
No announcement. No fanfare.
Just a suitcase and a heart full of apology.
She clutched his note in her hand — the one he had written after seeing the photo.
The ink was smudged now.
But the pain was clear.
> “You’re doing great without me.
I guess I should stop hoping.”
She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, Akshay,” she whispered.
“I should’ve never let the silence grow.”
She reached his building.
Climbed the stairs.
Her heart pounded with every step.
When she reached the door —
She froze.
The door was open.
Laughter spilled out.
Akshay’s voice… singing.
And beside him…
A girl was laughing too.
Not close. Not romantic. But… warm.
Varsha’s heart sank.
Her hand trembled.
She turned.
But just as she began to walk away,
His voice called out — low, unsure —
“Varsha…?”
She turned back slowly.
He stood at the doorway.
Surprised.
Confused.
Hopeful.
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
Then she said, barely above a whisper,
“I’m back.”
Akshay’s throat tightened.
So many things to say.
So many questions.
But all he asked was,
“Why didn’t you call me?”
She looked down.
“I was afraid. I thought… I had already lost you.”
Akshay stepped closer.
“And now?”
She met his eyes.
Tears welled up.
“Now I just want one chance to fix what I broke.”
He was silent.
Then he smiled — just a little.
“You didn’t break anything.
You just left the music unfinished.”
And that night, for the first time in months,
Two hearts — full of questions, pain, and love —
Finally found their rhythm again.
But was that enough?
Because sometimes, love returns…
Just when you're learning how to live without it.
Chapter 8: In Every Lifetime, I’ll Find You
And now, here they were — sitting side by side in the wedding mandap.
Not as strangers.
Not as two people blindly in love.
But as two souls who had lost each other, found each other, and chose each other again.
As the priest began the saat phere,
Each step felt like a memory — a promise wrapped in time.
First step — for friendship.
(Where it all began.)
Second — for understanding.
(Through music, dance, silence.)
Third — for trust.
(Even when words failed.)
Fourth — for courage.
(To leave. To return.)
Fifth — for forgiveness.
(Because love is never perfect.)
Sixth — for dreams.
(Shared, tested, reborn.)
Seventh — for forever.
(Because in every lifetime... they would find each other.)
They exchanged garlands.
They smiled through tears.
The crowd clapped. The air shimmered with emotion.
As they walked down the flower path, hand in hand,
Varsha whispered,
“Can you believe this is real?”
Akshay looked at her, eyes full of love.
“I believed it the day you danced on that rooftop for me.”
She smiled.
He laughed.
And just like that —
The story that began with a smile across a classroom
Ended with forever in their eyes.
Final Line
> In every lifetime — they would choose each other again.
And again.
And again.
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