It's too late.(ruby) IT’S TOO LATE

Arsal was 15 years old when he and his family just moved to Karachi from Punjab due to the transfer of his father. He is a nice looking guy with fair complexion and good admirable body. His family has shifted in a bungalow near Clifton. When he went out to carry some luggage he saw the prettiest girl, of the same age, going out somewhere with a lady. He smiled at her and she smiled back. She is one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen with long straight hair, fair complexion, blue eyes and beautiful smile that can make any one crazy.

Because of the neighborhood their families got attached with each other very soon. He used to see her every day but never dared to talk to her because he was not like other boys, he was very shy. Arsal had taken admission in one of the colleges of Punjab, but he had to leave it because of their shifting to Karachi. After two weeks he got the chance to go to her home with his mother. It was the first day when he got the courage to talk to her; she was sitting in the lounge watching an English movie. He went to her and said. “Hi, my name is Arsal” she smiled and said, “I am Rija” and then they chatted for a while and then he left. Rija has passed her matriculation and was newly admitted in a private intermediate college. He said to his parents that he also want to take admission in this college and from there, friendship started. They were in same class and became good friends. Because their families were in good relationship so they used to go to college together in Rija’s car with her driver. They used to enjoy each and every moment which they had together.

Two years of college passed but they are still good friends. After college they used to go for outings and used to talk a lot on phone for hours about each and every thing. As time passed he noticed that his feelings towards Rija were changing. At first he thought it’s just a crush but later he realized that it’s not a mere crush it’s something else, something different and beautiful. Arsal was in love with his best friend. He would tell her everything but was really shy to reveal his true feelings for her because he didn’t want to lose his friendship. They got admission in the same University. Arsal chose BBA while she decided to go for mass communication, because of their different schedule of classes they were not able to meet daily as before but their friendship was still so strong. There were so many boys in her class who were inspired by her beauty and Arsal hated when boys used to talk to her and appreciate her beauty.

Then on one day he just learned that she has a boyfriend named Waqas which is in her class. He first thought that it must be a rumor but when he saw him with her often, he realized that it can be true. He asked Rija about that guy and she said that he loves her and she likes him too. It really hurt him, he wanted to grab her away from him but he could not because of her happiness. Two years passed. Rija celebrated her 21st birthday in university but Arsal did not go there because of presence of Waqas, which he could not bear.

After some days, Rija came to his home, she was weeping a lot. when he asked her she told that she had a big fight with her boyfriend which ended up with breakup. Arsal became so confused as to whether he should be happy or sad in such a situation. he was happy because now he had a chance to make Rija his own, but he was really sad too because Rija was so upset and weeping a lot. But then with the passage of time Rija forgot everything and their friendship became like it was before. They were hanging out and enjoying their life like two lovers but they were still just friends. He had so many chances to propose to her but he still waited for the perfect time.

It was their last semester when he decided to go to Germany to his uncle for higher studies. Finally they have completed their university. Rija got second position so after getting degree her parents arranged a grand party where all of her friends and class mates were invited. Arsal decided to propose to her on this day so the special day become more special for her. He was very excited, he spent all his savings for the day, he bought a beautiful gold pendent for her and a Armani shirt for himself to wear on the special day, he poured almost an entire bottle of perfume, wore the most expensive boots and went to the party. There he saw Rija in beautiful black gown; her long hair lying over her back. She was looking like an angel. When he went near her, he saw a guy standing with her with the huge bouquet of red roses and talking to her and that guy was no one else but Waqas, her ex boyfriend.

He became so depressed so he just turned away and left the place. She called him but he didn’t receive her calls. Then on next day she came to his home and asked him why didn’t he come, he apologized and said that he was not feeling well and gave her that pendent. Since that day he avoided her, neither talked to her on phone nor met her. And after two weeks when he was about to leave for Germany he went to her, she handed him a rose and wished him good luck, requested him to be in contact and said Good Bye. In her eyes there was sadness, her smile was not the same. It seemed that she wanted to cry, but then he left.

The next day he went to Germany. There he concentrated on his studies and tried to forget her but he wasn’t able to do so.
Time passed, they lost all contact, he was very disappointed because she never called him and thought she must be enjoying her life with that guy. After one and a half year passed, on the holidays of Christmas, he decided to visit his family and went to Karachi. Actually he wanted to meet Rija and to tell her how much he loved her throughout his life and no one can ever love her more than him. As he got off the plane he went home directly. After meeting his family he went to Rija’s home and saw her sister, he greeted her and asked for Rija. She took him to Rija’s room where he saw Rija lying on the bed and all her family members were present in her room. He could see her pale face and sorrowful eyes, she was in extreme pain. When he reached near her bed, she smiled at him and closed her eyes forever.

She had a brain tumor, which caused her death. All family members were crying but he couldn’t weep nor shout, he was totally in shock. He had seen her last smile, she was in pain but her smile showed that she was all satisfied and happy. Arsal’s heart was bursting; he couldn’t see Rija being a corpse so he ran away from the place. He went to his own home where he could hear the voices of her funeral but he couldn’t dare to see his love being buried so he stayed in his bed praying to God to make this all a bad dream. “I will not ask her to be my love forever, I just want her back, just give her back to me as a friend.” but it’s too late. She has gone, gone forever.

After two days Rija’s sister came to him and handed him a diary which seemed to be Rija’s personal diary and then she left.
When Arsal opened it he saw his and Rija’s picture decorated with flowers on the first page of the diary, then on further pages he read that Rija had written so many things about their friendship and how much she liked his company. as he turned some more pages he read a note written with bright colors… it was written “I love you Arsal, more than a friend, I want to spend my whole life with you, I can’t live without you. I love you from the day when I broke up with Waqas and I came to you and you wiped my tears and hugged me.”
Then he turned another page, it was written on the day of her party “today Waqas came and pleaded for second chance but I refused because I love Arsal and I will love him throughout my life.”
Tears were rolling down on his cheeks and he was feeling broken. He read further, on a page it was written “today was the last day of Arsal’s in Karachi, so I thought to tell him everything about my love but I didn’t have the courage because I couldn’t bear to hear that he doesn’t love me.”
Then on a page dated 20 days ago was written “I am so sad today, I am missing him so much. he had ended all contacts with me, he must have got another to be his best friend or a lover and it's good, after all, I am not a suitable partner for him, I don’t want to spoil his life by telling him that I love him at the end of my life. It’s too late. I know that I am going to die soon, but God please just make me see him once before my death, it’s my only wish, God please I just want to see Arsal one last time.”
And this was her last words he could read in that diary. He closed the diary and cried as much as he could. He ran like a mad person to the nearest graveyard where she was buried peacefully. He went near her grave and shouted "I love you too, Rija! From the very first day I saw you, you are my one and only love, I love you a lot.”
But it’s too late.

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