There was nothing special in her personality which could make her stand out in a crowd. She had grown up in a family of six; she was the eldest so she burdened the responsibility at a tender age; she loved her younger brothers and sisters.

With the passage of time, she became stronger and brighter and she instilled a sort of light and cheer to the people she met.

In the first year of her college, she met a boy who was a kind of rebel. He thought he was the centre of attraction in the college. There was no doubt that he was handsome and he could attract the girls. She began to help him in his studies because she was a brilliant student and she often helped her classmates. He was in a way obliged to her because she helped him during their exams and he managed to pass the first year in college.

Sudhir, the handsome boy, fell in love with a girl from their class. Our girl was hurt but she did not tell him. Sumitra, our heroine, never uttered a word even if she was deeply hurt.

Sudhir’s girlfriend was extremely beautiful and the boys there envied Sudhir. The girl was so beautiful that no one could escape her attraction: hair like a hallow around her; the eyes the bluest blue of the ocean; voice the sweetest one could imagine of hearing.

Sudhir told Sumitra, his tutor and guide, about the girl. He addressed his girlfriend as ‘a beautiful angel’. Sumitra felt deeply hurt because she was not beautiful and she did not have the heart of the one he loved, but the girl did not mind it at all because she was happy in the happiness of Sudhir. Sumitra helped him write the most beautiful of the love letters to his beloved. She taught him how to dress well and how to say the right words. She also taught him to buy the right gifts for his angel.

Sudhir was very happy but Sumitra was in much pain, though she never disclosed; she cried behind her smiles.

The destiny had some other things in lot for them. The angel, in the due course of time, met a richer boy and she left Sudhir. Without any prior indication she left Sudhir. He was extremely afflicted and so was Sumitra to see him sad.

With the passage of time, the wounds healed. Sudhir realized something about Sumitra which he had never realized before. He had never noticed before that she meant something to him. Now he began to see how her laughter sounded heavenly and how her smiles said a lot and brightened his darkest days. He began to realize that she was simply beautiful and he began to fall in love with her.

He did not have courage to speak to her because he had hurt her in the past by going after the girl whom he called ‘an angel’.

One morning, Sudhir decided to visit her. While walking to her house, he was nervous and fidgeting. His mind was restless. He had already determined to inform her how beautiful she was to him; he was going to disclose he was wonderfully in love with her.

His knock at her door did not bring any response. There was no one in the house.

He was informed by a neighbour that the family had moved away, shifted to Mumbai. It was about three hundred kilometers from the town he lived in. He did not have any clue where to find her in Mumbai.

After about one month of gloomy existence, one day, he picked one of the books Sumitra had gifted him. He had not even opened that book at that time when it was gifted because his mind was fully occupied with the thoughts of the angel he was in love. The book was given to him about one week before his separation from the girl he called angel.

Sudhir opened the book and began to turn the pages. There was a letter, neatly folded, between the pages of the book. He hurriedly opened the book and began to read.

Dear Sudhir,

                    I was happy to see you happy and I did not want to disturb you but last week when I came to know that your angel has left you and gone with a richer boy I was deeply hurt. I wanted to comfort you and speak to you but I did not have courage. I have always loved you, Sudhir, but I did not say because I know you don’t like me. I am not as beautiful as your angel.

                   We are going to Mumbai next week. My father is transferring his business to Mumbai. Actually, he is doing it for my sake. I did not tell you but now I must tell you. I have a brain tumor and there is little chance that I will survive. This is, perhaps, the first and the last letter to you.

With love
Sumitra
Sudhir began to cry and he did not stop for a long while. He did not know what to do because it was not going to be possible to find her in Mumbai without an address. However, he packed his bag and left for the city where he hoped to find her. Little did he know that she had already gone to the sleep of no return.

“No, Sumitra, you are the most beautiful girl in this world. I am coming, Sumitra, I am coming….” he was whispering to himself while packing his bag to nowhere.