I wasn't totally myself when I commenced to write her that message. It literally tore me apart and shred me to pieces when I contemplated on pressing the send button because that would make everything seem real. It would mean that every bit of the connection that we shared would be broken.

“Priya, I know that whatever we have now between us isn't the same. I shouldn't have backed on you like that when you needed me. I promised you that I’d never leave you when you needed me. But I broke it and there wasn't a moment that I didn't regret doing that to you. If there is any way to reverse the time and undo it, I’d do that at any cost. But I know you hate me now and it is me and only me to be blamed. I know you don’t want anything to have to do with me again and I’d gladly get away from your life if that’s what you want me to do. But I have just one final request. Please don’t take a hasty decision due to what I did and marry Arjun. You know what kind of a person he is and I could never blame myself enough due to the fact that it’s me because of which you’re taking this decision. You are the most beautiful girl with the most caring and loving personality I've ever seen. There’d be guys dying to get a girl like you for themselves who’ll take care of you and love you as much as you deserve. So please, don’t take this hasty decision to marry Arjun. I assure you that you won’t have anything to do with me from now on. Good bye Priya. Your’s lovingly, Rahul.”

But just before hitting send, I stared at the last line for a couple of times and I knew she wouldn't like it for the way I concluded the message.

So I deleted the part ‘lovingly’ and replaced it with 'sincerely'. It broke my heart because I wasn't in a position to convey my true feelings to my love. I couldn't say her that I love her.

I knew that this would be the last message that would ever get to her from my part. She might probably be busy in her arrangements for her engagement ceremony with Arjun that would be happening in a week's time.

God! I hated just thinking his name out loud. I just couldn't imagine the thought of my love going to be engaged to him. She knew his true intentions and despite that she agreed to marry him. It was all because of me and that was just because I broke her trust. Now I have to bear the consequences to lead a life without her in it. An empty life.

I just hoped that she’d get to her right senses and at least save herself from his clutches.

My thumb hovered just over the send option as I contemplated on pressing it. On one side, I just wanted to get it over with but on the other side I wanted to hold it on as long as I can so that I could just hold that connection with her for a few more minutes.

But I couldn't hold it on forever, I needed to get done with it at one point.

I closed my eyes and re-winded all those memories that I've had with her. Those would be the things that would be with me forever. If not her, at least I have those memorable moments of our ten years togetherness and that would be enough for the rest of my life.

But one particular moment got to me and tugged at my heart.

She was the shy girl when she moved into the house a few plots away from mine and I became her first good friend in the area. We became so close at that early age that we used to spend every single day together. We used to play, tell each other stories or just sat side by side on our terrace looking over the horizon. I’d look forward to spend time with her everyday and during my time with her, I’d hope that it would never end.

One day, she looked at me with her cute round eyes and said, “Rahul, promise me you will never leave me. You are the only best friend I have and I can’t lose you.”

I returned her look, with our eyes fixed and I replied, “Priya, I promise you that I’d never leave until the moment you ask me to.”

“I’ll never ask you to leave me,” she said planting a kiss on my cheek.

I wrapped my hand around her while she rested her head on my shoulder.

My eyes blurred with tears at that memory. That was the day I promised her and I kept it all these years never leaving her. I was always there for her when she needed me. But that was until I left her when she asked me to. Not only did I break my promise but also her trust and her friendship.

I held back the tears and was just about to press the send when I heard some noises on the opposite side of the compound wall against which I was leaning to.

I cleared my mind and tried to concentrate on what the speaker was saying when what seemed like Arjun’s voice said, “that b*st*rd Rahul, how dare he looked at me like that, threatening me. But I feel sorry for that poor little a**h*le.”

I gripped my palm so tightly around the mobile which seemed like it would crush it to pieces. I just forget about the message that I had in store for her as I tried to continue listening to him.

“The girl he loves is going to be mine. I’ll show him what I am once I marry her. I’ll treat her in such a way that would kill him literally on worrying why had he let her marry me. Now marrying her not only gives me a pretty girl and her money, but also revenge against that b*st*rd. What a lucky guy I am.”

Before I could think of what I was doing, I found myself pushing against the ground and flinging myself over the wall before I landed facing Arjun.

He seemed stunned by my intrusion and couldn't expect the blow that I landed on his face with my right fist with all the rage I could muster which sent him flying through the air for about five feet before he crashed into the wall and fell down in a heap.

I took a step in his direction to continue my assault on him as I felt hands gripping me tightly by my shoulders and another pair of hands grabbed me by my throat as I tried to tug myself free from the hold.

“Hold him. How dare he hit me. Let’s show him what I can do. Hold him like that,” Arjun shouted helping himself onto his feet.

That's when I noticed about four of his friends with their hands wrapped around me holding me still. In my rage, I didn't notice anyone but him. But now, it was basically five against one.

“I wouldn't let you marry her as*h*le. I would never let her destroy her life until my death,” I spat out at him, with my eyes fixed straight on my target as he struggled to walk in my direction.

A smile tugged at his lips as he wiped the blood on his face and he said, “let's reward him with something which he would remember for the rest of his life as not to mess with me again.”

And then they all started on me with one of them gripping hold of my ankles while the other held my arms. All the three others started their assault on my whole body not missing a single inch of it. They punched me in the face, kicked me in my ribs, stumped on my feet, wrecked my hands and brutally ruined my whole self.

I didn't know when but after what seemed like an aeon I barely felt the touch of the ground when they decided it was enough and left me to fend for myself outside the compound wall.

There wasn't a single inch on my body that didn't hurt like hell but I kept on muttering, “Priya. Priya. Priya. Priya.”

I could feel my consciousness gradually draining out of me but it took my every last ounce of my energy to continue muttering her name, “Priya. Please…...don’t…..marry…..him…….”, before I completely blackened out......to be continued