Pehla Nasha: 'With her time just flew'

It may all seem a little funny now and may mean nothing to you beyond a fond memory, but it's fun reminiscing all about your first love!

Yesterday was Valentine's Day, and we've been inviting readers to share stories of their first loves with us. Here is Rajesh Chauhan's story!

This story goes out to all those lovers whose boats are still in rocky seas, I hope it gives them the courage to never stop trying, that's what I did.

To start with, I am now a happily married man and I got married to the girl I had my first crush on.

Can't tell the name else she'll kill me, but let this statement not confuse you, she loves me like anything.

Internet I feel is man's greatest invention, forget about the wheel or the paper, without the Net this would never have happened.

It was a lazy summer afternoon and I had nothing better to do than go to an Internet cafe and find someone as bored as me to chat with. It was a difficult task, I kept changing one chat room after another then it happened.

I had recently entered a chat room and wanted to talk to this girl just coz her name was different from others, as soon as I clicked on her name to send a Hi message she had already left the room, but being the persistent bugger that I am, instead of letting her go I wrote 'Wasn't that room boring?' and prompt came the reply, 'Ya it was!' And this is how it all started.

After the initial two hours of chat, she left and I had to wait for a week to hear from her again.

The second chat date was encouraging (I got her number) and we talked about anything and everything. Time just flew. I started calling her every day, which soon became every hour.

The problem was that she was from Ahmedabad and I from Delhi. She was really sweet to talk to and I wanted to meet her really badly.

As time flew passed, my urge of seeing her increased, I would talk with her for hours, would tell my friends about her and I am pretty sure it became evident to my parents too, these were still early times however.

I finally convinced her after a lot of persuasion that we had to meet and believe it or not fooled my parents into allowing me to go out with my friends for some days.

The train journey seemed like ages, getting jittery and excited only made it worse and then it happened.

She came to meet me for the first time, and I got bowled over, I stayed there for five amazing days.

Initially it was all very formal but then she got comfortable. From that trip on I knew I had to be with this girl.

I proposed to her after coming back not once but n number of times (blame it on the booze again).

The trips became more frequent and so did the proposals.

It looked all this hard work would go in vain, I soon had to leave for Australia and though she was now my official interstate girlfriend (She'd given in by now), this would soon become really long distance.

There were inhibitions but we trusted each other, like any normal couple (we were far from it) we had our share of fights and arguments.

Then the dreaded time came of informing the parents, being from different castes it could have been a problem and we had made plans for that end number of times. My parents knew about her and liked her. The problem could only have been from the other end.

After a year I left for India and finally got to meet her parents, everything went off smoothly.

I had to come back again and finish my MBA and this time when I went back in December (2010) arrangements were already done and I became a married man!

She is now my wife and we still cherish all the fond memories we had while dating. I am still in Australia alone but she'll soon be joining me.

Boundaries I feel are not barriers for love, it just makes your love stronger or else we would not have been together.

I was really lucky to get my first and my only love, n this valentines day I hope all you singles out there get lucky and find someone that you want.

Share your 'First Love' stories with us! Write in to us at getahead@rediff.co.in (subject line: 'My First Love'). You can also include a photograph and we'll publish the best entries right here on rediff.com!

Next up, Ashraf Hussain Mazumder shares his story:

A girl entered our office. I turned around and glanced at her. She was the most beautiful girl in the world. I like traditional Indian dress.

And she was wearing a beautiful churidar looking like an angel from heaven. Still can't forget that day.

She went inside the interview room. After sometime, I went to drink water and the filter was nearer to the room she was sitting when she looked at me. My heart jumped with delight. Love struck me like a lightning.

I went back to my sit and started listening to my favourite romantic songs thinking about her. After
her interview she was leaving the office and I again glanced at her... I fell in love then and there!

There was no saving me... an angel came and stole my heart away from me...

Finally, Prashant Sharma shares the tale of his first love

I was 18 and she was 15. This is a love story, which will remain live forever and ever.

I saw her first time at the mall and I was in very bad mood but after seeing her my mood changed as if I had seen an angel.

She was in black dress and with a cute smile on face she moved to all the floors of mall.

I was so involved in her that I could think of nothing. She saw me and went back with her sister. I followed her on my bike late at night to know where she lives and luckily I found that out.

I couldn't sleep that night; her face and her smile didn't want my eyes to close.

Next day I went to market near to her house I saw her again she was in rickshaw going to her house. She was in a green suit and before I could say something to her she went away but still I manage to catch her before her house and then that was the first time I said you look so beautiful.

She was stunned as if I have said something horrible, I smiled at her but she didn't. She was surprised but then I felt so confident that the next day I went back to the park near her house and waited for her to come.

After so much time she came with her sister, I was with my friend. I stopped her and asked her name she didn't reply actually said nothing but her sister eventually said, 'Let's go Tina!'

Bingo! I now knew her name and I felt happy as if I'd got some treasure.

Again the next day I was waiting for her to come but this time I was praying her to come alone and it happened she was alone.

She was going to her cousin house, she then took rickshaw and I was on my bike I tried to say a hell lot of things but not able to impress her. She didn't say anything nor did she look at me. I was also mean and I had made my mind to be with her.

I tried everything but nothing seemed to work. Then one fine day when she going to her cousin's house by rickshaw and I was on my bike, I eventually said 'Ab to mujhe rishawallah banna hoga tumse baat karne ke liye?' (Do I have to become rishawallah to be able to talk to you?) And then she laughed a lot. She couldn't stop her laughter and that was the first time she told me I didn't have to become a rishawallah to talk to her.

Gradually we start speaking with each other and became friends but not lovers.

Days went by and we were still friends but I was afraid to tell her that I'd started loving her because I don't want to lose her.

But I couldn't remain her friend for the rest of her life so I confessed.

She was shocked and told me that she didn't love me! I said maybe one day you will and that I'd wait for the day.

Days went by and she never said those three words but some way in my heart I believed that she did love, which I came to know when one day I didn't turn up at the park where I used to wait for her.

She called me and asked me dramatically why I hadn't come.

I told her I had some work. She got angry but then I realised she thinks about me and does have some feeling apart from friendship.

My confidence turned into stronger and then after a few days she held my hand and said that she loved me too.

This time I was shocked.

Days passed and our relationship was going great. We were in love and that was the most beautiful time -- holding each other hands walking in the mall, street and riding on my bike.

We saw lots of movies. She used to love nachos; I used to get them for her and ended up eating them because she was such a slow eater.
 
Then one day everything became a nightmare when I learnt that she would be going to Belgium. I was surprised because I didn't want to believe it.

She cried a lot and told me she never wanted to go to Belgium but it was not in her hands since her parents wants to settle in Belgium.

I didn't want to believe in this.

Then one day she said she'd elope. I couldn't do that because I was 20 and she was 17.

Finally on September 9, 2007 she came to me and we cried a lot and I kept thinking that I was about to lose some very important part of me.

She gifted me a small soft toy and said 'This is you'.

I cried a lot but I was helpless. She went away with her cousin. That was the worst day of my life and I can't forget it.

When she was at the airport she left me a message in which she said take care of yourself and to do all the daily routine exactly how she used to tell me every day.

She said she will always call me in the mornings as usual and will give me a good morning kiss.

I was shattered and disappointed and lost all my hope. Then few days after she called me and she was smiling! I could hear it on my phone.

She gave me confidence and promised me we would meet one day and that we were made for each other.

My confidence rose and I started thinking that nothing had ended after all. Maybe we could meet one day.

Tina's bhabhi spoke with me and told me that she'd stopped eating from the time she'd arrived in Belgium and used to cry a lot. After speaking with her I felt even more confident.

It's been four years since we met and now she will be here in April when we will meet at the same point where we left off.

We both can't wait for that moment and we want to hold that moment forever and ever.

Our parents know everything and are ready for our marriage. Love is something, which happens we don't do and true love is achieved when you do sacrifices.

We sacrificed a lot -- especially her and that is why I respect her and love her so much. I want to give her all happiness which she really deserves but not able to get because of destiny.

It's been six years now and we are still lovers and our love story is still going strong.