~ past in present ~

There was sudden silence filling the room, he broke the silence, “what do you want out of this”. She looked at him perplexed “what do you mean”. His tone has gotten a lot more straightened out, “what are you getting out of this”. She was taken by his question; she paused, turned around, away from him. There was silence once again filling the room, he didn’t know what he was doing with her. He began with a sigh, she stopped him, turned around and kissed him, before he could say anything. She broke from the kiss slowly, leaving her fingers tips on his lips, “take me home please” was the only words that came from her of the rest of the night. It was a long drive back to the city, it seemed even longer when she was silent, looking out for the vast open sea, her view was interrupted with buildings and other landscapes as they were nearing small towns on the way back to the concrete jungle. She felt his hand on her thigh, his hand lay motionless and she was having the same feeling running through her body, just like first touch. She moved her eyes away from the sea and towards him; her hands came over his and held them tight.

Her silence said it all, it was over between them. She gave a spot pat and she moved his hand away from her. His eyes turned towards her and then back to the long stretch of road almost like a tarmac. His mind was fixed with only thing, getting away the weekend. He wanted to be far away from it all. An hou or more later, they were at her apartment lobby entrance, he got down to get her bags, she took them from his hands. She kissed him on his cheeks, “thanks for everything, you deserve someone better, let her go”, she walked away from him, no turning back to look at him even once. He let out a loud sigh, shrugged his shoulder and got back into the car, turned around and back to his empty house. Switched on his hall lights, flipped the keys on the table, walked into his to change into his towel and for a shower to wash away everything. But a shower was not going to wash away everything he knew.

Couple of weeks passed by, there was no call, no text messages, no email. He went about with his work, didn’t pay much attention to his loneliness, which was he was reminded of each time he saw any couple, his mind instantly swing to his memories of holding the love of his life’s hand. There was nothing he could do to shift time back and correct which he wanted. He could only close his eyes and reminiscence about the time they had been together, those late night walks at the almost empty mall after a quick dinner or laughing and fighting over a milkshake. He would shake off the image in his, he was not ready to let go nor was he able to live in those memories any longer.

“Hello”, a familiar voice, his heart was racing faster, he was gasping for air; he knew instantly to whom the voice belonged, “How did you get this number”. This was his office line which he never used or has no memory of calling her from this number. “Oh well I have my ways, how are you doing” was the reply of the familiar, he had thought he would never hear her voice or see her again, but here she was talking to him “I’ve been alright, going on” is all that he could come up, “how are you doing and how did you get this number”. Her answer began with the most familiar giggle he knew of “I’ve been good, thanks”. He didn’t know what to tell her or ask her, “are you back” was the first of the questions he managed to come out with. “Yes, I’m back, I’ve been here for about a week now”. There was a pause before she began again, “I need to see you, I have something to tell you and give you, when are you free for me”. He took a good second or two before he answered her, “are you sure, we should meet”. She broke his sentence, “aren’t you still one of my mate?” was the most obvious question she could come out with. He couldn’t come up with an answer to her question, sighed and he began, “yes I’m still the guy you use to know, haven’t changed much.” “So when are we meeting”, he wanted to avoid meeting her even though he’s been dying to see her at least once again, but he knew better, besides what is it that she wanted to see him for, running countless times again and again. “Oh I’m kind of stuck with some work these few days, how about next week?”, her voice turned cold, “ so you don’t have time for me anymore, so much for thinking you’d be still the same”. He cut her off short, “I want to meet you, but I don’t know if it’s the right thing” she cut him short, “won’t take much time, I just need 15 minutes of your time, do you think you could do that for me?” was her pleading request, he couldn’t say no. “Where do you want to meet up and when?” he had no say in this what so ever, “usual place, same place where we meet, by 2, is it ok with you” was her quick reply. “I don’t have a say in this what so ever do I?”, she began “just 15 minutes of your life, that’s all I’m asking”, he agreed to meet her.

Still holding onto the phone, with line gone dead, he was thinking “you want only 15 minutes of my life when I was willing to spend my lifetime with you”. He sighed and had to put his head back to work, to take his mind off the last 5 minutes, which was sure to turn things around, for good or for worse he didn’t know yet, only one question reminded perpetual to him all the while, what is that she wanted to give him or tell him, that was so urgent. He couldn’t let his mind wander when he had work on this plate more than he could handle without all his concentration. Calling it a day, he couldn’t give mind about tomorrow, because he was already beat up for today. His mind raced to the second he answered the phone, thinking about her, his mind kept playing back over and over again only thing “I need to see you, I have something to tell you and give you”. He tried to figure what is that she wanted to see him for so urgently.

He picked up the shirt she liked to see him, dark blue. He was on his way to office, his mobile rang with a familiar number but no name and he thought could it be her. “Hey I’m on my way, are you there yet or still on your way” from the same familiar voice. “I’m still on my way to office, I’ll be there by 2”, “ok, see you then”, the line went dead. He was growing more impatient to find out why she wanted to see him. He knew he would know the answer to that question very soon. Quickly settled in office before he made excuse to rush out of office on the pretence of lunch and head out to the place he was suppose to meet her. He walked past a couple of the stores on the mall, few new shops have turned up and some missing, “times have changed” he thought.

He was waiting for her; he saw her coming through the large arch rolling doors. She picked her mobile, looking for him; he was almost standing straight in front of her only few meters away from her. He could only sigh and wave at her, she saw him at last and almost a relieved smile showed up on her face. He was thinking “stop killing me all over again with that smile of yours”. He leaned forward to give her a hug, she didn’t move, “I can’t be seen with you, I had to put a argument with mom to come today” in a soft tone. “So why did you want to see me then” turning almost frustrated. “I’m getting married, I wanted to tell you that in person, I want you to come, I want you to be there”