Unmarried Bride

She decked up in a white gown with tiara on her head. Her long wavy hair were done so beautifully. She always wanted to dress up like a Christian bride one day. Her mother came to me,

"You're a God sent angel for us, my son. God bless you. " And she left with tears in her eyes.

"You look gorgeous bebo. "I kept looking at her.

"You liar. You never complimented me in college. Now what happened?"she chuckled.

"You never behaved like girls you see. "I sat on my knees, kissed her hands and rested my head on her lap.

She waved her fingers through my hair and but I was not at peace within.

Half a decade back she was my bestie and today I was standing infront of her to fulfill her desire. She was different from other girls. When mostly girls preferred to drive Activa she came to college by bike. She always secured first rank in the class while chilling most of the evenings riding her bike and nights talking to our gang on phone.

It was that unfortunate evening when we both on her bike. I asked her to let me drive once as I didn't have my own vehicle and always craved to drive. She never hesitated and gave the keys to me while she sat at the back. Our ride was smooth when suddenly a herd of cattle obstructed my driving. I never knew how to avoid a calf our bike hit a tree and she fell off. She was lying in the pool of blood as she suffered severe head injuries.

She was rushed to hospital immediately. The news of her paralysis shook me as well as her family. I was stunned to know that she would never be able to walk. Later her condition grew even worse and we kept changing hospitals. Finally we were informed that our 'bebo' has only few years left with her.

We all friends used to visit her but gradually the number decreased. But I was consistent, may be my guilt never allowed me to leave her I always blamed myself for her poor plight. She was in terrible pain but her family supported her throughout. That day we were watching a movie when the actor was proposing the actress.

"Ma, I will never see this day in my life, isn't it? Who wish to marry a handicapped?"

This shook me as well her mother. She immediately got up and left the room.

"Why do you think so? ou know there is something that I have been hiding since college days. "I looked into her eyes.

"What? "she was curious.

"I always liked you. . infact loved you as started spending more time with you. But I was scared of you. I thought you would hit me hard if I expressed my feelings for you. "I don't know what I was saying. I didn't know whether I actually felt something or was it the guilt that was eating me within.

"Really?I hope you're not lying. "she was suspicious.

"God promise. "I pinched my neck with two fingers.

I asked her mother to arrange a wedding gown. She was not a Christian but always wanted to dress up in a white gown. Today she was dressed in white. She looked so pure, so serene like a winter's landscape. I kissed her and held her in my arms. I wasn't sure about my feelings for her but I was doing to fulfill her wish. We never knew which wish would become her last. She only wanted to be proposed but I moved a step ahead and we both experienced what we never had felt in our lives.

She cuddled close to me like a child and said , "This is beyond my imagination. Thank you. I feel so complete. "

I lay there on the bed like a statue, unable to think, unable to understand my actions.

For the next few days I found myself caught up in a web where I failed to figure out what I actually felt for her.

Today I got a text from her

"I knew you lied to me. You never felt anything for me. I didn't behaved like a girl but ultimately I'm a girl and can understand very well what a guy feels. It was never love stupid. I knew you were confused still went ahead with you that night. Actually I became selfish and greedy too. I wanted to feel being loved and physically attached. But I didn't play with your feelings. I wanted to confess this before it was too late. You are still my bestie and don't be scared I won't bite you again. "

I felt so relieved after this text. Next day I headed to her house and found many people around. As I stepped in I saw her potrait with garland and her body wrapped in white.

"She passed away last night. She asked me to convey her thanks to you. "her mother was in tears.

I bend down and kissed her forehead.