💔 Childhood Love Story – Part 4: The Festival of Lights & The Missing Smile
By: Alok Kumar Karan | Follow on: LinkedIn | GitHub
Time passed. The hot summer days were gone, and the cool air of the festival season arrived. The whole village was happy and busy because the big festival was coming. For everyone else, it was about eating sweets, wearing new clothes, and loud music. But for Ankur, this festival meant just one thing: Hope.
He once heard his mother say, "People who go to the city usually come back home for the big holidays." That simple sentence made Ankur so happy. He told his heart to be ready too. He was sure that this time, that empty roof would not be empty anymore.
🎆 The Waiting Crowd
The festival day finally came. The streets were full of people, colors, and noise. Ankur stood at the street corner where the buses from the city usually stopped. Every time a bus came, his heart beat faster. He looked at every person getting off, looking for that one familiar smile, those bright eyes, and the little wave that used to make his day.
Ankur waiting in the crowd, hoping to see her face.
Bus after bus came and left. His friends called him to come and play, but he said no. "Just five more minutes," he told himself. But five minutes turned into hours. The sun went down, and the sky turned dark, but she wasn't there.
😔 The Sad Truth
When the evening lights came on, Ankur walked past the DBGB Bank one last time. He looked up at the roof. It was dark. No one was standing there. No laughter. No Anamika. Then he realized—she wasn’t coming back this time.
He felt a lump in his throat and wanted to cry. The sweets didn't taste good anymore, and the music just sounded like noise. He realized that waiting is the hardest part of loving someone, especially when you are just a kid and don't understand why people have to leave.
✨ A Wish to the Stars
But Ankur didn't cry. He did something else.
He went to his own roof and looked at the stars filling the night sky.
He whispered quietly to the wind, hoping it would carry his message to her city.
"Happy Festival, Anamika. I hope you are smiling wherever you are."
❤️ Love Doesn't Need Words
That night, Ankur learned something important.
You don't need to see someone every day to feel close to them. You can keep them alive in your thoughts.
Even though she wasn't there, remembering her laughter was enough to make him feel a little better.
The wait continues, but so does the love.
Written by: Alok Kumar Karan — Software Developer | Data Analyst | Storyteller
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