Tushar and I had been friends for almost five years, since the time we started college. After having been through a rough relationship, he had made up his mind that he wasn’t going to date again. It had been almost two years since his breakup, and he had had about a dozen flings and random one night stands. I had been his wingman too at times. We weren’t ever inclined towards feeling any differently for each other. We were just good friends, that’s all.
But after knowing him for such a long time, something started to change. I hadn’t dated anyone for over a year. To be honest, work was keeping me so busy that time just went by and I didn’t even realize how much we both had changed. I had grown up a lot in the last few months. From understanding myself better to even managing to start my own savings… Even the conversations he and I were having had evolved. It wasn’t about going out drinking and dancing anymore. It was about spending some quality time over little chit-chats.
One day, we all decided to go out for Karaoke. I wasn’t very keen initially, but as I was meeting everyone after a long time, I thought that I really should go. I had had a crazy day at work and I could do with a drink or to pass some steam.
So we reached the bar and the night was going pretty well. Somebody ordered a round of shots and that was just the beginning! After almost an hour of drinking, chatting and singing, we were all pretty buzzed. Especially Tushar. He was on another trip all together. Suddenly, he pulled me towards him and told me that he was in love with me. I shrugged it off, thinking it was just something he was saying under the influence of alcohol. Because I wasn’t convinced, I went back to singing and that’s when he took the mike and dedicated a song to me. I’ll never forget those words. It was James Blunt’s “You’re beautiful”. Tushar had always told me that this is the song he’ll sing for the woman he falls in love with.
I was stunned. I thought he had taken this too far and told my friends to get him some water so that he could sober up.
When the night was winding up, he took me to the side and held my hand and told me that he had been looking for love all around whereas it was standing right in front of him all along. He told me he loved me more than just a friend. I didn’t know how to respond. I just let the night pass.
Heading out, he offered to drop me home. He was on another level of being ecstatic, and I on the other hand, was just shocked by his confession. I decided to go along with him. He played all his favourite romantic numbers and held my hand whenever he could. We really didn’t realize how much alcohol we had consumed that night – especially him.
About ten minutes later, he started driving at a high speed. I tried to ask him to calm down, but that didn’t work. He didn’t listen and we hit the sides of a flyover. The car flipped 180 degrees once and then again before coming to a halt – all while I was screaming. Thank god we were wearing seat belts otherwise one of us would have been seriously injured!
I immediately got out and called my other friends and told them to come and help. I was shaking profusely and couldn’t comprehend anything. But the worst thing was there were cars driving by, in full speed and none of them could even spot our car on the dark road since it wasn’t even starting. I stood on the side, very close to the divider and pulled Tushar out too. He was adamant to get the car to start again. But it was really dangerous so I held him back.
After all the chaos, we managed to make it back home. I didn’t want to leave Tushar because he was in a state of shock and I didn’t want this to get etched into our memories forever. But it did. We didn’t speak for a month after that. I called him so many times, but he wouldn’t respond. I wanted to tell him that I loved him too. The fact that we were so close to a fatal accident made me realize how much I loved him and cared about him. I didn’t want to lose him. But he just wouldn’t answer his phone…
Then one day, he came over with flowers and hugged me and started crying. I had never seen him like this. He just wouldn’t let go of me. He first apologized for not being in touch and then for the rash driving. He said that over the last month he’d been contemplating whether to ask me out or not, considering the fact that he was close to losing me because of his mistake. He didn’t want to repeat the same and was really embarrassed that I saw him in that state.
I hugged him tighter and told him that I never wanted to lose him again. Since that day, we’ve been together and every time we go out, we take a driver along or just cab it back. That one accident changed our lives but also led us to each other.
* Names changed to protect privacy.
Images: Shutterstock
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