chapter -1 The girl l never stopped waiting for
This story is partly inspired by real events, but it is not entirely true.
My name is Tanuja, but everyone calls me Tanu.
People often think I have a perfect life.
My teachers love me. My classmates respect me. No one bullies me anymore, and I smile just like everyone else.
But there is one thing no one knows.
For the past fifteen years, I have been waiting for someone.
My childhood friend...
Rakhi.
Sometimes I ask myself the same question over and over again.
"Will we ever meet again?"
And even if destiny brings us together...
"Will she recognize me?"
I know I would recognize her instantly.
Time may change people, but some memories never fade.
I still remember her round face, her bright little eyes, her curly hair, and the warm smile that could make anyone feel safe.
Whenever I think of her, it feels as if those childhood days are still alive somewhere inside my heart.
People say childhood memories slowly disappear.
Mine never did.
Every laugh we shared...
Every lunch we ate together...
Every little promise...
I remember them all.
Sometimes I wonder if she still remembers my name.
Maybe she has forgotten me completely.
Maybe she has a new life, new friends, and new dreams.
If that's true...
I only hope she is happy.
Even if she has forgotten me, I don't blame her.
Because someone like me could never forget the friend who changed my life forever.
There was a time when I was scared of everyone.
A time when I couldn't even speak the language of the people around me.
A time when I believed I would always be alone.
Then Rakhi came into my life.
She didn't just become my best friend.
She became my courage.
She taught me that fear disappears when someone believes in you.
Even after she left without saying goodbye...
That courage stayed with me.
Today, whenever I look at the sky, I silently make the same wish.
"Please... let me meet her one last time."
Not because I want to bring back the past...
But because I never got the chance to say...
Goodbye.
This is not a love story.
This is the story of two little girls...
A friendship that time could never erase...
And a wait that never truly ended.
This is the story of Tanu and Rakhi.
