2004. I was 17 when I saw a new girl walk past my classroom. I couldn’t stop staring. I had never seen anyone like her. Over time, we became friends but my heart sulked every time I saw her with someone else. Soon, I stopped talking to her even though she had no idea why. After the exams, she filled in my slam book saying she wanted to talk, but it never happened. I got into college but never met another soul like her. She moved to Bangalore.
In 2007, I got a call on my birthday. The voice introduced herself as Sunitha. My heart started beating like the 17-year-old I was. The call lasted only two minutes but for me, it was like eternity. We stayed in touch occasionally, but soon got busy with our lives.
In November 2011, I suddenly got a call from a mutual friend saying Sunitha had an accident and she was in Coimbatore. Did I want to meet her? I thought it would be something minor, so I called her two days later. I did not recognise the voice that answered. When I went to visit, I saw a person with no hair, a disfigured face, no nose, no mouth and no teeth, walking like a 90-year-old. I was stunned. I broke down. That moment, I realised that I love her. Later that night, I sent her a text. I am the only person who can take care of you. I love you. Let’s get married. I said. She called and I proposed again. She laughed but she didn’t say no. Initially my mother was shocked but my dad backed me, and eventually they both came around.
January 2012 onwards, I was there for all her surgeries and would watch her giggle as she woke up after them in the ICU. We started knowing life as it is together and we had our ups and downs but we always got past them. I evolved for her and shifted to Bangalore, but it taught me to be a more confident person.
On January 26th 2014, I reached Bangalore at 1 AM and was exhausted. I saw her standing on the terrace with three roses to propose. I said yes. We got engaged on the same day. Marriage preparation began in earnest.
It was frenzy, the run-up to the marriage. There were many problems. Because of our financial situation, on the morning of our reception, I was in shorts sweeping the place. There were people who questioned why we needed a wedding now. They even asked her not to have babies because they’d have her face. People still look at her with pity and think I did a big thing by marrying her. The reality is, I married the love of my life and my life changed for the better. Today, we have two kids and wonderful mornings to wake up together.
Today, I am married to my teenage crush. She became my love. Love isn’t about a face or imposed conditions or external beauty. It is a connection of souls. It feels right. All I know is that I love her to the moon and back, infinity and beyond, forever.
Jayaprakash, Sunitha, Atmia and Atmik
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