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‘May be I should just leave…’ she thought and got up only to come face to face with the devil himself.
The very man she was trying to avoid in the huge marriage hall.
“Hi Latha…” he smiled at her.
She wondered how he was able to smile at her. While it was hurting her just to see him, he is smiling right in front of her.
“Umm Hi… I was about to leave.”
“Did you meet eenu?”
“Umm no. A lot of people were near her. And it was getting a little late for me. So I thought I…”
“Come with me!” he took her hand in his and led her towards the bride, his sister.
“Latha….” Indela hugged her as she saw her long time best friend.
“I thought you wouldn’t make it.” She added.
“If you are going to keep your marriage in a honeymoon spot better inform us 6 months prior Indu.” Latha joked making the bride blush further.
Indu made her stay up on the stage with her. The only time they might probably spend together before they part ways. Indela and Latha met each other in a dance class when they were 15. Even after the former’s family relocated to Manali they both managed to keep in touch. As the days went by they both called each other once in a while.
According to Indu their communication gap just elongated little by little until it almost died down. An occasional mail was all that was exchanged between the two but they were still best friends.
Little did she know that reason behind it was her own brother.
As it started getting late “I better start Indu…” Latha got up.
Understanding that it was time for farewell she hugged her best friend.
“Zamir…” She called for her brother. “Drop her at her hotel.”
“As you say mistress Indela!” he joked as he escorted Latha outside.
“I can get a cab. Its alright.” She spoke as they stood outside waiting for the car.
“I would like to talk to you. Come with me!”
That got her in a trance as she sat on the passenger seat and buckled up.
“How have you been Zamir?” she slowly asked him. She could see that he was happy. He managed to be happy without her.
He just smiled.
“Why are you smiling?”
“It has been a long time since you called me by my name Latha. It feels good.”
She was taken aback. She did not understand why he is talking like this now.
As the silence covered them once again she felt her train of thoughts travelling through the past.
How he sneakily got her number from Indu’s diary and called her. There will be atleast one email from him everyday. They would chat all night. Praying not to get caught by anyone! She remembered the way he suddenly called her and proposed. They both knew nothing would work. Latha was way too worried about how her best friend would take all of this.
First she said no. he came after her. He promised her that he can’t let go of her and he wouldn’t do it either. And then he left her when his relatives opposed the love marriage of one of his cousins. He felt that was for the best.
“Never once did you ask me if it was fine by me…” she spoke.
“What?”
“You left me. You broke your promise. You thought you are doing both of us a favor. Not even once did you ask if I was okay with your decision!”
He stopped the car on the side of the road.
“I didn’t have a choice Latha… You knew that.”
She laughed out loud. A laugh that clearly showed that she was not happy!
“Please drop me Zamir.”
Nothing was said after that.
As she was about get out of the car he held her back.
“Everything that we had been and still is true. I intend to keep it that way.”
She just smiled and got down muttering thanks.
She was happy she did not tell him anything. She just could not tell him that she was waiting for him to come for her. It gave her immense pain to leave him. But it still gave a peculiar warmth to just see him once.
For her, he is going to be the glass shard stuck in her heart. If she wanted to remove it, she will have to cut open her heart. If she kept it in, it is going to hurt her.
So she went with the latter. A pricking glass shard was much better than a long scar. Or that is what she thought.
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Category: Story Corner