The girl who never was

I looked at my mobile. Eagerly waiting for an intimation, if not a call, a message. Her fragrance, smile and the innocent eyes still haunted my days.

It isn’t always easy to forego a person to whom you have committed your life. Especially a friend of years, who knows more about you than you yourself do. In those years of knowledge, I had never seen her sad, let alone shed a tear of sorrow. Break up, parental separation, what not? Yet, a smile and the sun would shine for her.

But there is one thing about life. Nothing lasts forever. You give it nothing and it takes your all.

Shaking my head abruptly, I closed my eyes for a moment. Feeling her green eyes staring at me. Pestering me to open up to this world. Explore my creative self and show it to all. The mettle I was built off. Yet, there remained this hollowness, this memory which I held dear. Once blink and it would be lost forever.

…

It was morning already. I opened the door to the woods. Trying to recollect what had happened the last time? Ah, yes. I had received a call. Her father’s call.

“Hello! You can hear me?”

In perplexity, I replied “Yes?”

What transpired therein was cease and desist. I had been confused. Was he really talking about his daughter? For I was given a choice. It was her life or our togetherness. A choice wherein we had no say of ours. The reason for my discomfort, the Indianness.

I only remember my last words to him “Is your daughter even aware that you have called me behind her back? Demeaning your own daughter and her ambitions? Is her marriage the only hope you have of her?”

It was difficult to comprehend. A brilliant student, a tactician and an orator like her was being subjugated to a lifelong homeliness. Albeit, the decision was made. It had to be.

…

My mobile beeped. I had completely forgotten hadn’t it been for my birthday. Another year of my life has passed. She went off radar post that conversation. Her e-mail, number, and other directories, overnight, became non-existent. But this hollowness…

*The phone beeped again*. It was a message from her friend. Lightening quick, I grabbed my mobile up. Maybe, after all those years, she was trying to reach me through her friend. Maybe.

I unlocked the screen, as it beeped in bold letters:

*She is no more.*

I continued staring at the screen, as my family hurled to wish me on my birthday. The smile on their face, and the news within. The birthday song being played in the back… Another decision, a momentary pause.

I still see the eyes.

***

Hello everyone. I am Boringbug- a lawyer and a hobbyist blogger. If you liked this post, do give me a shout out at – https://boringbug.com.