They were holding hands. She saw them, smiling into each other’s eyes. A smile that said it all. A smile that said they have shared secrets in bed. A smile that said they have accepted each others faults. A smile that said they were in love.
She looked away, a sad smile on her face. She composed herself and turned back to look at them and found herself looking straight into his eyes………
He was stroking her back, while she kept her head on his chest.
“you know something?” she asked.
“what?” he said.
“ I love you”.
He turned and kissed her. His reply to her was lost somewhere in what followed…….
It was a perfect match.
Or so she thought……
She found herself still staring into his eyes. Losing herself in his stare like the thousand times she had done before when suddenly she was jolted back to reality when he looked away from her to smile at the girl standing next to him. She masked her letdown in her classic smile and shrugged as the couple walked towards her.
“ Hi”. He said.
“Hello”. She replied.
“ This is Payal, Payal Sonia” and so they were introduced.
This was how she was introduced to the girlfriend of her ex.
A formal handshake followed and the three of them walked out.
It was drizzling outside.
He walked ahead with her by his side and she a few steps behind.
They were still holding hands.
Suddenly he turned and said ,” Its been a really long time, its really nice to see you”.
A very long time, three years to be precise, she thought.
“Yeah, same here”, she said.
He still had that crooked smile of his, which still made her heart flutter a bit, which still made him look at her a for a few seconds longer than she should.
she paced up to walk besides them and in the nervous few steps her hand brushed against his. Another lock of eyes followed……….
………She ran into the rains and asked him to follow. He did. Reluctantly. She held his hands and swirled around giggling like a three year old. He drew her up to him and said,” sometimes you look so beautiful, I am afraid to touch you, lest I disturb what my eyes are seeing. I love you”.
She looked down, flushed from the stare he was giving her and then looked up to meet his lips where they were waiting. In the rains………..
“ What are you currently doing?” this question from Payal jolted her back into the current drizzle. It took her few seconds to really understand what she was asking to which she answered,” I currently am working for a firm in Mumbai”.
“Oh, that’s great, we plan to settle in Mumbai after our marriage, it’s a great city”. Payal said, giving him a glowing look when the word marriage came up.
Sonia looked away, a shrug in her face. They continued walking.
Suddenly his cell phone buzzed. “ I have to take this call, be right back in few minutes”. He said and walked away.
So the two girls were alone together. Awkward now had a new meaning.
“He still sometimes talks about you”. She broke the silence.
“ I don’t know what to say to that, I am surprised he does.”
“ You two were together for a long time, it must have been hard”.
“ Seven years. Yeah it was hard. Aren’t all break ups?”
“ He loves me but I cant help thinking at one point he must have loved you too.”
“At one point yes he did. But that doesn’t matter anymore, he loves you now. Anyways love is way too overrated”
“You can pretend I never said this or brought this up but when I look at the both of you I feel there’s still something there”
She stared back at her. Still something there? What did she mean? What was left? Hatred? Regret? Hurt?.......love?
She took a deep breath. Turned towards her for the first time and said,” If you asked me whether we once loved each other I would say yes. He was my life, my strength, the reason of my happiness. But then things changed. Heaven was not as perfect as I thought it to be. He stood there looking at my life fall apart without him, he saw me cry but his hands dint wipe my tears away.”
She then looked straight into her eyes and said,” Yes I care for him. Will always look out for him. But if you ask me whether I love him then, no, I don’t. Not anymore. The love dint go away. It died. He is all yours now.”
She smiled and walked away, leaving her standing there for him.
Wind brushed past her as she walked down the road. She stopped and looked at the glass wall of the shop she was passing. Two drops glistened on her cheeks. They felt warm, mixed with the cold raindrops.
“ I love you.”
She spoke the truth for the first time that day.
