The Departure

“I would have to leave, I told you about it didn’t I?”

She found her best friend hugging her tight by the door. She had to leave for her PG studies at London. Her best buddy couldn’t take it.

“How would I know if you are fine? Who will remind you to have your food on time when you get too engrossed in cramming your lessons? Who would be there to make you coffee when you don’t have the time for it? And I always know you like it with a dash of chocolate syrup! What if the one making it forgets?” He kept lamenting 

“I’m not going there forever I will be back for the vacations, silly!” She chided.

“But,” he sighed. He couldn’t bare to hear that she would be absent for a whole year. Her absence created an eerie void in his heart.

“Ashok,” she smiled and pulled a half heart connecting necklace “I got this at Archies on the way. You would have seen these. Have this half heart with you. When you miss me, just rub circles on this heart. It would be like you are hugging me,” 

“I don’t want a necklace to replace you, I want you to stay, please?”

Asha just smiled softly at him “I will be here soon. Don’t worry.”

Ashok was so mad that he just stood there refusing to accompany her till her cab ride. His other friends tried to console him and that he may regret it later. She didn’t even spend a last day with him. He felt himself shattered.

Asha was the girl he loved since high school. However he never confessed to her, afraid of rejection. He didn’t want his feelings affect their friendship too.

Asha took one last look at him. She smiled sadly as she waved at him. He kept sulking and didn’t reciprocate. At that instant he regretted. He sighed disappointed to himself as he saw the last colours of the cab fade away from his vision.

He set himself on the couch. He remembered how they would fight at trivial things and later get back like nothing ever happened. He smiled- memories kept playing in his head. He

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took out the heart necklace and rubbed circles on it. He was already missing her. He never gave himself the chance to convey his true feelings.

He felt a slight vibration in his pocket. His phone was ringing. Hr knew the caller. He refused to pick up. Repeated calls gave rise to his frustration and he finally gave in to attend it.

“You knucklehead!” He heard the familiar voice calling him from the other side. He had guessed right 

“Why did you do that? You know I won’t be coming in almost a year!!” Asha scorned him.

Ashok was just silent- he was still mad.

“Why couldn’t you just say I love you?!”

Ashok listened in shock.

“W-what?”

“It’s been years since I’ve known you, Mr. Ashok Chandra, don’t you think I would have known it any sooner?”

Ashok’s adrenaline rush was high. His heart was pumping ten times faster.

“I thought you would uh confess?” He flustered like a fool. 

“Idiot!” She slammed again. He was internally laughing at the way he pulled her leg.

“Are you gonna say or not!?”

Ashok finally smiled as he admitted to her.

——— 

Triiiiing triiing triiiing

Ashok shut the alarm. He yawned and stretched- it was 7 in the morning. He curved a smile when he found Asha sleeping peacefully, curled up in the warmth of the bed sheets. He peeped over the cradle to see his little girl fast asleep too. He felt Asha slightly turning and slowly opening her eyes groggily.

“What time is it…” she asked as she rubbed her eyes.

“It’s still 7 honey. You can sleep.” Asha smiled tiredly as she pulled herself closer to him, snuggling under his shoulders. He chuckled and pulled her to a hug as he shut his eyes.

“Happy anniversary, sweetheart,” he whispered in her ears as she smiled. He took the heart necklace he still wore to his neck and smiled.

Adapted from “The phone call (4th May 1994)” by one of our SM authors :)