"It was 1947 and I could never forget that dark night... I hadn't expected that from my best friend. The betrayal still lay in front of my eyes... The stab wound he gave wasn't on my wife's stomach but was on my heart. That single stab showed me the reality of that community. I should have understood his intentions when he preferred his pride of being a 'Muslim' over the country, but... Nevermind... My only point is trust anyone but 'them'... ", her grandfather trailed but was interrupted by her father...

"Papa... What are you feeding to the children ?", she could hear her father's accusing tone.

"What? I am preparing them for the worst 'they' bring always", the old man told

"Papa... Please, don't fill their young minds with hatred... It's been 65 years since that incident...", her father started in frustration, hating the venom his father is trying to fill his daughter and niece and nephew's minds but looking at her and her cousins, he stopped saying further. "Bache... It's late, go and sleep, tomorrow Daddy will drop you all in school", he told the kids, her younger cousins cheered hearing it but she was sitting holding her grandfather's hand tightly.

"Arya... Bache go to your room", her father said, she looked at her father for a second before turning to her grandfather.

"Dadu... I am sleeping in your room today", saying this she ran to her grandfather's room.

"Papa... Arya's mind cannot be changed easily if you implant something, so please, I beg you... Do not instill hatred in her young mind", her father begged his father...

"I will teach her the truth so that she can survive in this world without trusting anyone blindly, you still didn't learn from your father's mistakes, but I'll make sure my grandchildren do", he said stubbornly and left from there. --------------------------------------"Dad, take the next left...", she guided her father...

"But... It gets long Arya... And you only have 15 minutes for your interview", her father worried about her getting late.

"I don't care... I don't want to see 'them' first thing in the morning... Argh...", she said keeping a disgusting face...

"Arya... That's wrong beta... You are an Indian first, and this country is theirs as much as it's yours... Delete all these things from your head", he said but his attempts were futile like always, the hatred his father instilled in her overpowered the harmony he tried to build in her. No matter how wrong her feelings felt to him, he can do nothing to delete it.

"Dad, please... I love my country and all its people, but 'they' are not a part of us... They are just here to ruin us and I hate them", she said, recollecting every incident she saw that proved her beliefs stronger. 'Don't generalize' her father wanted to say but didn't knowing it would do nothing to change his daughter's mind. He sighed as he couldn't argue with her in this... He just hoped a miracle happen and change her views as it did to him...

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"Bhai... We need to end their pride... They are purposely targeting our community... I will slash their heads teaching them a lesson", his younger brother said

"Speak about taking even a single life again and see what I do, Allah teaches us to love not to hate", he said glaring at his brother... "And don't talk like you are innocent, I know what you are doing, stop before I step in", he warned calmly but it only got his younger brother rebellious...

"Bhai... You are the religious head, speak like one, protecting our religion, and community, saving our existence is in our hands", he said angrily

"Protecting all of us is almighty's job, not ours... And don't teach me how to save our community and existence. I know it very well, empowering our community is my job and I know how to do it...", he told his brother sternly.

"You didn't remember what all they did to our dadajaan ? Why are you still talking in favor of them? You should be hating them", her brother screamed in anguish...

"And I do hate them and their existence but we are a minority, our community can only empower and develop if we live in harmony with the majority... And my love for the country will always overpower my hatred towards them.  I want you to concentrate on our business... Stop meddling with my responsibilities", he warned his brother coldly before dismissing him.

She disgusted them, he hated 'them'. One thing they had is the love for their country, but will it be enough to mend the hatred they had nurtured for decades? Were they right in hating each other's community forgetting the 'Unity in diversity' their country taught? Will destiny play its card to change their views? 

There was chaos everywhere around them, but amidst all of it, there was hope, a tiny bit of it lit their entire being. What would happen when the truth about past encounters come out in the present? With a facade bursting, will it disrupt the harmony and love they were slowly learning to built? Or it will help them strengthen their relationship, giving enough power to keep demons at bay. 

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Note - This is a very bold step I have taken to write this interfaith love story, I have this story in my mind for a long time now, but couldn't get it onboard until now. 

It is completely fiction, please do not take anything seriously, and if any content triggers you, please discontinue reading. I have nothing against any community, I'm a peace-loving patriot, and I have respect for all religions while I follow mine with full dignity and pride. This is a small attempt to voice my opinion, I feel a human can be bad, but a whole community can't be blamed for it. A person can nurture hatred, but there are millions of others who nurture love. It depends on us which path we choose. 

Okay, enough of my gyaan... Sorry for boring you, but trust me, this is an intense tale of a rollercoaster of emotions involving guilt, regret, pain, love and more love. I'm pretty sure you will love all the drama and journey I have planned for the leads.