Love is Fiction...
Friendship is Fact.
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Love is Fiction... is a product of the Notion Press
Author Incubation Program.
Love is Fiction...
Friendship is Fact.
Rishabh
NotionPress
5 Muthu Kalathy Street, Triplicane, Chennai
- 600005
First Published by NotionPress
Copyright © Rishabh 2013
All Rights Reserved.
ISBN: 978-93-82447-60-3
This book is sold subject to condition that
it shall not by way of trade or otherwise, be
lent, resold or hired out, circulated and no
reproduction in any form, in whole or in part
(except for brief quotations in critical articles
or reviews) may be made without written
permission of the publishers.
This book has been published in good faith
that the work of the author is original. All
efforts have been taken to make the material
error-free. However, the author and the
publisher disclaim the responsibility for any
inadvertent errors.
To the Rude Insaan
Foreword
I have something in common with Rishabh;
we both like to give others’ a chance to brag
about anything and everything. Basically,
this means we are friends because we share
our immense knowledge of what’s going on
in others’ lives. Most of our discussions end
when we start feeling that the world is
unjust because it doesn’t give us genuine
opportunities to pour our hearts out.
Lately, Rishabh had developed a distinct
habit. Now, he would refuse to listen to
anyone who wouldn’t pay for his coffee
and snacks, so when he said that he wants
to write a book, I offered him my help, I
wanted to be with him at the psychiatrist’s
office.
When he said, “I am writing this book
because a friend has challenged me, ” I was
sure he is already on medication. I came
across the name ‘Love is Fiction, Friendship
is Fact’ on Facebook through some uniquely
random tags. Later, when he disclosed the
same name to me I was thinking, “How
cheap is this guy man! Now he has started
stealing names as well.” I was still trying
to overcome my disgust when he flaunted
his latest gadget and showed me some book
i
Love is Fiction...
covers, and then I realised that the mean
machine was on song since several months,
but going by our equations, I checked all
those tags, his name was common in all of
them.
I tried my best to convince him to come
up with more such books in a desperate
attempt to ruin his life forever; he showed
me four more book covers. How could he
deny me the privilege of not recognising his
talent!
You see, he is just another youngster trying
to communicate with the bizarre world,
unfortunately he has written on something
that we all have a story about. I was just
wondering whether the same thing can turn
into the book’s strongest virtue!
Rohit 'Vats'
ii
Preface
Right from my early school days, I
desperately wanted to author a book - any
book!. While reading books, I religiously
pasted my name to cover the real author's
name with my own. Today when my book
is about to get published, I'm experiencing
almost
fatherly
indulgent
pride
in
presenting to you a love story (may be not
so perfect...) but definitely a love story with
a new touch.
When it came to book writing, I started on
some three odd stories together and “Love is
Fiction… Friendship is Fact.” won the race
to be completed first.
The subject I chose for this book was pretty
challenging. To portray such a story, of
late, I discovered was not a piece of cake.
Working on the project for about five long
months I actually fell in love with the
imaginary girl whom I have portrayed all
over this book.
Hope you enjoy my first ever novel “Love is
Fiction… Friendship is Fact.”
Rishabh
iii
It's all b'coz of you...
"Love is Fiction... Friendship is Fact." is a
book I would have never ever been able
to complete if I didn’t meet people who
brought out the writer from within me.
With a long list to state, I would like to
begin with my parents for giving me that
space to live my crazy dreams, my brother
Kartikey for irritating me every now and
then and all my family members aka 195/B
Rajputs to support me.
While writing this book I faced numerous
challenges and was lucky enough to have
Jaya and Ishan to push me ahead with the
story. To face my rough drafts and incorrect
usage of words was a tough call but you
guys really braved it out. Kudos to you.
This acknowledgement would be incomplete
untill I thank Priya. She has been my
companion in every up and down,
preserving me in all those low moments and
persistently encouraging me to forge ahead.
My heartfelt thanks and deepest regards to
you all.
v
A metro to office…
'A
journalist works round the clock,
throughout the week; just for the
satisfaction of delivering the truth to
people.' And every Sunday I console myself
with these thoughts while going to office.
I woke up to a usual lazy Sunday
morning and prepared to set off for my
office. It was a long one hour journey and
I almost dozed off in the empty metro.
Obviously, who else would travel in metro
on a Sunday morning? While on my way,
my phone buzzed and it read “?ude
!nsaaaan” calling. I just slapped myself.
How could I forget Himani was leaving for
Assam that morning?
I accepted the call..... "Good Morning,
I’m leaving and just called up to say bye…”
she said breezily. I just about managed to
blurt her a good bye but it hurt because I
couldn’t see her off in person even though
she had told me that she was returning to
her home town for good.
It’s strange how in life you get to meet
people, befriend them, stay together, and
then you are suddenly seperated. I always
knew this would happen when Himani
would leave one day but I still couldn’t
accept it normally.
vii
Love is Fiction...
Whenever we met it was discussed that
life would lead us on our separate ways, but
today when it actually happened I could not
adjust with the sudden unexpected vacuum.
Just then I was consumed by the fact
that she was gone. For the last two months
it had been me and her. And now when she
had left Delhi all I could do was to miss her.
You meet people a million times but why
is the last meeting to say goodbye is so
important? How dumb could I be to have
missed this moment?! How could I just let
her leave... without meeting her?
I called her again, her phone was
switched off. She must have boarded the
flight.
The whole day in office was a waste. I
couldn’t concentrate on my work all day.
I was only looking at the photos we had
clicked and relived those innocent moments
of togetherness.
At the office the coffee was tasteless; it
felt as if that cup didn’t have any aroma
or flavour to offer me. It was the same for
many successive days.
And then finally this book came into
existence. A story about what it feels to fall
in love, what one-sided love is, how it feels
to see the one you love with someone else,
what it takes to confess your feelings and
finally what patience brings to you.
viii
A metro to office…
A story of love, life, feelings, crush,
friends and friendship, “Love is Fiction…
Friendship is Fact.”
Woh muskurati aankhe…
jo hasna sikha de hasi ko,
Jinki khaamosh khilkhilahat…
Chupke se khushi bhar de dil mae,
Who teri aankhe…
ix
Love is Fiction...
Friendship is Fact.