The Man Who Forgot He Loved Me

Chapter 1 The Letter The first letter came that rainy thursday. Aanya remembered it because some dates just refused to be forgotten. September 17th. Three years ago on this day everything had changed for her. Now as the rain tapped restlessly against her apartment windows she stood in the kitchen waiting for the kettle to come to a boil. She hated rainy days now. They used to be her favourite. There had been a time when she would sit by the window with a cup of coffee listening to Arjun complain that she would end up catching the flu. She would have laughed at him and refuse to cover the window up until he relented. That life no longer existed for her. The kettle clicked off. Pouring herself some tea Aanya walked over to the living room when she stopped dead in her tracks. On the floor just next to the door stood an envelope. She hadn't heard anyone knock. She hadn't heard the door open. Slowly setting down her cup Aanya walked over to the envelope. Her name was written across the top. Aanya Rao. She picked it up then her eyes skimmed across the top. Her heart stopped. She knew those letters. She knew the lopsided capital A. She knew the sweeping R and she knew the way the final letter in each word seemed to lilt forward. She'd seen those letters thousands of times before. On birthday cards. On notes by her coffee. On the pages of a notebook she'd once cherished. They belonged to the man she had tried so hard to forget these past three years. Arjun. Aanya's fingers curled around the envelope in her hands. "No." Three years ago Arjun had been in an accident. He had survived but something within him had died in that crash. He had forgotten her. All of it. Aanya's memories of him were still fresh in her mind. That day when she had stood by his hospital bed hoping he'd wake up soon and remember who she was. Instead he had looked at her with a confused expression on his face. "I'm sorry do I know you?" It had gutted her right then and there. She hadn't come back. She hadn't seen him after that. Until now. Her shaking hands opened the envelope. There was only a single page inside. She unfurled the paper and her eyes trailed over the words. I still remember loving you. Aanya stopped breathing. She read the words again. Then again. "No..." If Arjun remembered loving her then everything she believed in the past three years had been a lie. But if he didn't remember. Who had written the letter? Her phone rang. It was Meera her best friend. Aanya answered. "Hello?" "You sound strange." What happened?" Aanya looked at the letter in her hands. "I got something." "What?" "A letter." "From who?" Aanya hesitated. "Arjun." Silence. "You mean Arjun?" "Yes." "Aanya it's been three years." "I know." "You told me he didn't remember you." "I know that too." "Then someone is trying to scare you." "Maybe." "But you don't believe that." Aanya looked at the letter in her hands. "No." "Why?" "Because I know his handwriting." Before Meera could say anything else someone knocked on the door. Three sharp raps in succession. Aanya stiffened. "Who is that?" Meera asked. "I don't know." "Don't open the door." The knocking came again. Aanya slowly walked towards the entrance and peered through the peephole. The corridor was empty. She waited. Nothing. Then she noticed a second envelope lying outside the door. Her heart pounded in her chest. As she opened the door just enough and reached out to retrieve the letter quickly sliding it inside. "What happened?" Meera asked. "There's another letter." Aanya tore it open and her eyes skimmed over the words. This letter there was only six words. You should have told him the truth. Aanya's face paled. She knew this handwriting too. It was hers. Each curve. Each lilt of the letters was unmistakably her own. She dropped the paper in her hands. "Meera..." "What?" "I think someone is playing a game with me." "What does the letter say?" Aanya didn't reply. Her eyes were fixed on an old wooden cabinet across the room. Inside one of the locked drawers was something Aanya hadn't laid eyes on in three years. A photograph. She walked towards the cabinet and unlocked the drawer. Inside were a silver bracelet a dried flower an old train ticket and the photograph. She picked it up. The picture captured her and Arjun standing side by side facing the horizon. His arm was draped over her waist. She was laughing. He was looking at her not at the camera. Aanya turned the photograph over and a set of four words were scrawled on the back in Arjun's handwriting. Forever starts today. Tears prickled her eyes. Then she noticed something beneath those words. Fresh ink. A sentence written on the photograph. But you were the one who ended it. Aanya's hands shook. Someone knew. Someone knew all about them. Someone knew about the secret Aanya had tried so hard to keep hidden for three years. Her phone suddenly went silent. The call with Meera had ended. Before Aanya could call her back again her phone rang in her hand. Unknown number. She stared at the screen briefly before answering. "Hello?" After a few seconds there was only silence. Then the voice of a man came through the phone. "Hello Aanya." Her heart stopped. She knew that voice. "Arjun?" There was a quiet chuckle coming from the other end of the line. "Did you get my letters?" Aanya couldn't find her voice. "How did you get my address?"You still don't understand." His voice was calm. Almost dangerously so. "I remember you." Aanya's eyes filled with tears. "You remember?" "I remember loving you." She closed her eyes. For three long years she had dreamt of hearing those words. But now that they had finally come she found herself terrified. "Then why didn't you come to me?" There was a pause. "Because I also remember what happened that night." Aanya's blood ran cold. "What night?" His voice grew more hushed. "The night you made me forget you." The call ended. Aanya stood stock still. Outside thunder rattled against the panes of the windows. She looked down at the photograph in her hands. Forever starts today. And beneath it the words: But you were the one who ended it. For three long years Aanya had believed the secret was buried for good. Now she knew the truth. Arjun was remembering. And if he remembered everything then she would lose him once again.