Over dramatic!!

“Why is it so difficult to forget her”, Pratik thought as he tried to put himself to sleep. It had been two years since they had broken up, and yet even now whenever he saw a pretty couple in the streets, or a famous song to which he used to dance, or an ice-cream parlour which had Belgian Dark Chocolate or a movie which he watched with his friends, her memory was still embedded in his head. “Maybe because I never hated her, even after we broke up”, “We never really had a fight, we just drifted apart.”, “Why am I such a loser?” These were random thoughts that always flitted past his mind.

And to make it worse she called him often, and told him that she really cared about him. “Pratik, how are you doing? I really miss you. You know yesterday we went for a movie and I was just thinking how much fun you would have had there. Why don’t you call me often? I still want to be friends with you” or “Pratik, I’m feeling so low and there is no one who could cheer me up better than you. I have friends here, but no one will ever be as close as we were. I really miss you, please stay in touch.” At first Pratik would try to remain distant but then his heart would melt and he would try and be a good friend. But he made no exceptions. He never called her, except on her birthday or on festival wishes and tried to push her out of his head, but it was really difficult.

He thought of dating other girls too, and was attracted to a girl who liked him in turn, but when they went on a date he compared everything to what Kriti used to do and really couldn’t stop himself from telling her to do this or that. As expected the girl, who had found this guy really sweet initially realised something was wrong and he was acting weird. She asked him, “What’s up with you Pratik? Why are you acting so funny all of a sudden?”, and although Pratik knew it inside he couldn’t find the courage to tell her the truth. “It’s nothing he said, this is who I am.” “Sod off then”, she said and that was the end of that.

Deep down inside he knew what the gnawing feeling was. He still loved her, and it was too hard to stay without her, but she was too far away and he didn’t want to tie her down. “She has a life”, he used to say to himself. “I can’t tie her down for no rhyme or reason. Let her enjoy her life” at the same time, he never changed his number, because difficult though it was hearing her voice once in a while got him back memories. He loved her voice too for God’s sake!!! It was like music to his ears. They were across continents, broken apart by distance, and yet he still loved her in spite of all his efforts to the contrary. And he had a feeling she felt the same way too, for she would call him for the pettiest of things, “ I bought a black dress today, it’s beautiful” or “I’m going to a party today after ages, I’m feeling so excited” or “I have an exam tomorrow, I’m so scared Pratik” and he would hear her out and not comprehend why she was still calling him.

Then one day the call came. “I’m coming back to India, Pratik. I know it’s been more than 2 years to the day we last met, but this time I have to meet you. I’ve met many people in the last two years, but somehow never met anyone who felt as dear as you. I don’t know why, but I just can’t forget you. Whenever I see something or do something, I just feel I have to tell you, I have to know how you feel. I try to forget you, but I can’t. I tried dating other guys but somehow I could never stop comparing them with you. I don’t know how you feel, because you act so indifferent whenever I call you, but this is how I feel about you. I don’t know why or how or what this is, but it’s just something that is so special to me. I want to meet you, but if you feel otherwise I will understand.” Tears welled up in Pratik’s eyes when he heard this and he was unable to say anything for a few seconds. She felt the same way as he did, she had said so!! And she was coming back, to meet him. Could it get any better than that!! “Just get here” he said, “and I’ll tell you how I feel.” And he hung up the phone, the happiest man in the world.

It was Mumbai airport, and he was waiting for her flight. Kriti was flying in fromFrankfurt, and he was supposed to pick her up from the airport. Everything was going to be perfect!! Life was looking so up right now he felt so happy!!
And then a radio announcement made his head spin round and round and round. “The flight from Frankfurt just crashed in the Arabian Sea!!” the announcers were screaming frantically. The television screens all around had been covered with flashing text. His mind was in an absolute frenzy! He felt crazy!! There was a one in a million chance that a flight would crash into the sea and it had to be this one! He was absolutely distraught and out of his mind. He tried calling her but her phone was switched off. He willed it to ring somehow and assure him that Kriti was fine, but he knew deep down that it wasn’t going to happen. Crying, clueless, senseless he walked out into the road like a madman, and didn’t see the bus coming.

Two hours later, in the mortuary a cell phone light beeped into life. “I had a last minute meeting, so I couldn’t catch the flight. Don’t worry about me I’m safe. I’ll be there tomorrow. See you.”