The Life She Wanted To Live

Chapter 1:The Dream That Lit Her Soul

The clock struck 5:30 AM, and the sky outside was still painted in shades of deep blue. A small house, nestled between rows of old buildings, slowly came to life. The scent of warm tea and freshly made chapatis filled the air as Jasmine's mother moved around the kitchen, her hands working tirelessly to prepare breakfast.

Jasmine sat by the dimly lit study table in her tiny room, flipping through her biology textbook for the hundredth time. Her eyes were slightly swollen from another sleepless night of studying, but the exhaustion didn't matter. She had a dream. A dream bigger than her pain, bigger than her struggles.

She wanted to be a doctor.

Not because it was a well-paying job. Not because society praised doctors. But because she had seen pain up close. She had watched her father, a man who worked as a daily wage laborer, come home with wounds on his hands, too tired to even eat. She had watched her mother skip meals so that Jasmine and her little brother, Ayaan, could eat. She had stood outside clinics, waiting for hours, because they couldn't afford immediate medical treatment.

She wanted to heal. She wanted to save people like her parents—people who had no choice but to endure suffering.

"Jasmine, beta, come have breakfast," her mother called out softly.

Jasmine closed her book and stretched, her joints aching. She took a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face before walking to the small wooden table where her parents and Ayaan were already seated.

Her father looked at her with tired but proud eyes. "Did you sleep at all?"

Jasmine chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "Doctors don't sleep, Baba. They save lives."

Her mother sighed. "But first, you need to save your own health." She placed a steaming cup of chai in front of her. "Drink this. You'll feel better."

Jasmine smiled as she took the cup. Her mother's hands were rough from years of housework, yet her touch was always gentle. Jasmine wanted to give her the life she deserved—a life where she wouldn't have to work so hard.

After breakfast, she grabbed her worn-out college bag, slung it over her shoulder, and rushed to the door. "I'll be back by evening!" she called out.

"Be careful on the road!" her mother reminded her, as always.

Jasmine laughed. "You say that every day, Maa. I'm always careful."

She didn't know that today would be different.

The Incident

It was 5:45 PM when Jasmine stepped out of her college gate, her heart feeling lighter than usual. Today had been a good day. She had aced her anatomy test, and her professor had even praised her dedication. She could already picture the future—wearing a white coat, a stethoscope around her neck, her parents sitting in the front row at her graduation.

She smiled to herself as she adjusted her bag. The road was crowded with students heading home, the usual chaos of honking cars and street vendors filling the air.

Then it happened.

A loud horn.

A sudden screech of tires.

And before she could react—impact.

Her world spun violently. The sharp, crushing pain lasted only a second before everything turned silent.

Darkness.

Cold.

Then… nothing.

The Next Morning

The morning sun streamed through the curtains, painting soft golden patterns on the walls. The scent of chai and breakfast filled the air, just like every other day.

Jasmine blinked. She was in her bed.

She sat up, rubbing her eyes. The dream she had just seen… it had felt so real. The accident. The pain. But everything looked normal. Her books were on the table, her bag was right where she had left it.

She shook her head. It must have been a nightmare.

A familiar voice called out from the kitchen. "Jasmine, beta, come have breakfast."

Jasmine smiled and stretched. Another day, another step closer to her dream.

Chapter 2: The Price of a Dream

The sky outside was a deep shade of black, the only sound in the house being the quiet hum of the ceiling fan.

Jasmine sat hunched over her desk, a cup of chai long gone cold beside her, her notebook filled with scribbled notes and underlined equations.

Her vision blurred from exhaustion, but she refused to rest. Her dream wasn't going to wait for her to be well-rested.

Her textbooks were old and second-hand, the pages filled with notes from students before her. She had memorized not just the syllabus but even the names of the people who had owned these books before her.

If they could pass, so can I.

She whispered it to herself like a mantra every night.

But some nights… she wondered if it was enough.

The Heavy Burden

Every morning, she woke up before dawn, pouring over her books while the rest of the world was asleep.

She avoided distractions—no movies, no outings, no celebrations.

She refused to complain, even when her head ached and her body begged for rest.

She ignored the hunger pains when she skipped meals to save time.

The exam was everything. If she failed, her family's sacrifices would mean nothing.

One night, as she was revising organic chemistry, her little brother Ayaan peeked into her room, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

"Didi, aren't you tired?" he whispered.

Jasmine looked at him and smiled, ruffling his hair. "Doctors don't get tired, Ayaan. They have to be ready to save lives anytime."

Ayaan's face lit up with admiration, but then he frowned. "But Maa says even doctors need rest."

Jasmine chuckled. "I will rest after the exam, I promise."

She didn't know she was making a promise she could never keep.

The Moments of Doubt

Some days were harder than others.

One evening, she sat at her desk, her fingers gripping her pen so tightly her knuckles turned white.

She had just taken a mock test and scored lower than expected.

She felt the weight of her dream crushing her.

Her father walked in, noticing the tears brimming in her eyes.

"Beta," he said softly, sitting beside her, "what's wrong?"

She let out a deep sigh, her voice shaking. "What if I'm not good enough, Baba? What if I fail?"

Her father smiled, his rough hands resting on hers. "You won't fail."

"But what if I do?"

Her father's smile didn't waver. "Then you'll try again. But I know you won't need to."

Something about his words felt strange, almost like he already knew her future.

For a second, Jasmine shivered. But she pushed the thought away.

The Final Stretch

The night before the exam, the house was eerily silent.

Jasmine couldn't sleep.

She paced her room, her heart pounding in her chest.

She had worked too hard. She couldn't afford to mess up now.

Her mother knocked gently on her door.

"Jasmine?"

Jasmine quickly wiped her sweaty palms on her clothes and turned around. "Maa?"

Her mother walked in, her eyes soft and warm. "You're nervous."

Jasmine swallowed hard. "Yes."

Her mother hugged her, stroking her hair like she did when Jasmine was a child.

"You've already made us proud," she whispered.

Jasmine's breath hitched. "But I haven't even taken the exam yet."

Her mother just smiled, a strange sadness in her eyes.

For a moment, Jasmine felt a cold shiver down her spine. But then she blinked, and the feeling was gone.

"Maa," she whispered, hugging her tightly. "I promise I'll make our life better. I promise."

Her mother kissed the top of her head. "I know, beta."

Her voice was soft… distant… almost like a memory.

Jasmine didn't notice.

She just held onto her mother tightly, allowing herself a moment of comfort before the biggest day of her life.

The Next Morning.

Jasmine stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself.

Dark circles under her eyes.

A slight tremble in her hands.

A heartbeat faster than normal.

She clenched her fists.

This is it.

Stepping out of her room, she found her parents waiting for her at the dining table, their faces calm, expectant, peaceful.

Her father smiled. "Ready?"

Jasmine nodded, her fear fading away.

She was ready.

She had been preparing her whole life for this.

Tomorrow, she would know if her dream would finally come true.

Chapter 3: The life she wanted to live

The morning sun streamed through the curtains, casting warm golden light across Jasmine's room.

Her heart pounded as she refreshed the website for the tenth time.

Today was the day.

The result for the medical entrance exam was out.

Her fingers trembled as she entered her roll number. Her parents and Ayaan stood behind her, their faces tense yet hopeful.

Jasmine took a deep breath and clicked submit.

The screen loaded.

Then—

Her name.

Her roll number.

Her rank.

A moment of silence.

Then a loud cry escaped her lips.

"I PASSED!"

Tears spilled from her eyes as her mother pulled her into a tight hug. "Beta, we knew you could do it!"

Her father held her hands, his eyes filled with pride. "You did it, Jasmine."

Ayaan jumped around, cheering. "Didi is going to be a doctor!"

Jasmine clutched her chest, overwhelmed with emotion. All the sleepless nights, all the struggles—it was worth it.

Her dream was finally coming true.

Becoming a Doctor

The next few years passed in a blur.

Jasmine got into one of the best medical colleges. Her life became a whirlwind of studying, training, and sleepless nights in hospitals.

She was exhausted. But she was happy.

She called home every night, updating her parents on her journey.

"I treated my first patient today," she told them one evening.

Her father chuckled. "And how did it feel?"

Jasmine wiped her eyes. "Like I was meant for this."

Her mother's voice was soft. "We always knew you were."

Jasmine smiled. Their words always brought her comfort.

But sometimes, when she spoke to them, their voices felt distant… like a memory.

She ignored the feeling.

The Beautiful House

Years later, Jasmine stood in front of a brand-new house, her heart swelling with pride.

It wasn't just a house.

It was a dream made real.

A place where her parents wouldn't have to worry about rent. Where Ayaan could study without worrying about money.

She turned to them, her eyes shining. "This is for you."

Her mother's hands trembled as she touched the front door. "Beta… it's beautiful."

Her father's voice was thick with emotion. "You gave us a home."

Jasmine held their hands. "No, Baba. You gave me everything. This is just my way of saying thank you."

Her parents smiled at her.

Ayaan ran around the house, laughing. "Didi, I want the biggest room!"

Jasmine laughed. "You already took it in your heart, Ayaan."

That night, the family sat together, drinking chai in their new home, watching the city lights from the balcony.

Jasmine felt a peace she had never known before.

Everything she had ever wanted… was finally hers.

But deep in her heart, there was a strange, quiet feeling.

Like she had forgotten something.

Like something was missing.

She pushed the thought away.

This is real. This is my life. This is happiness.

Wasn't it?

Epilogue:The name on the Grave

The auditorium was packed, yet a hush settled as the young man stepped onto the stage. The weight of unspoken words rested on his shoulders, but his voice was steady as he began to read.

The Life She Wanted to Live

"She dreamed of days bathed in light, A world where struggle felt so slight.

With books in hand and hope so high,

She reached for stars beyond the sky.

Her mother's touch, her father's pride,

A home where love would always abide. She walked the path, she chased her fate, Unaware it was too late.

She built her dreams, she won, she shined, Yet left her shadow far behind.

A life so perfect, yet not real,

A truth her heart refused to feel.

And when the wind whispered her name, She turned—but nothing was the same.

For in the silence, soft and deep,

She lived a dream… yet lay asleep."

Silence.

Then, thunderous applause. The audience clapped, some wiping away quiet tears.

The young man bowed his head slightly, stepping away from the mic. Without another word, he left the stage, pushing open the heavy auditorium doors. The sound of applause faded behind him.

The evening air was cool as he walked through familiar streets, his steps leading him to a quiet cemetery.

He was tall, his face carved with the lines of both youth and age. His eyes were tired but filled with determination, as if carrying a burden too great for any one person to bear. He stepped forward, his footsteps soft on the gravel path, towards a small, unassuming grave.

At the foot of the grave, a name was engraved: *Jasmine Verma*.

His hands trembled as he knelt, gently placing the book—a medical journal—on the grass near the grave. He laid the coat beside it, smoothing out the fabric as if arranging something precious. His gaze lingered on the name, and for a moment, he said nothing. His lips quivered, struggling to find the words that had been locked away for so long.

The wind stirred, and just as he turned to leave, a voice called softly from behind. "Ayan."