"Friends... ?"

He had dropped by her office so suddenly she couldn’t believe it was really him. She had acted so stupid when she almost tripped over something in her confusion. He was amused at her reaction. She was obviously quite nervous and he grinned because he really did want to give her a surprise.  All the way she was silent… too stunned to speak. She had wished, yes, but never said it. Life had always seemed to have its own way ever since he stepped into it. Or was it when someone precious came by, you wanted things to work out perfectly. You would suddenly become conscious of all the things that may ruin it, and in doing so… life would seem cruel and unpredictable.

Now he was sitting before her. They were at a campus she had once studied at. She thought the greenery there was soothing and she wanted to relax now when out of her office. This certain January afternoon was a warm one and she wanted to sit on the grass, bake in the warm sunshine for a while. She had been shivering in cold when they had walked in so he gladly agreed.

“Look at you… don’t you eat something?” he was in his usual friendly tone.

She smiled but remained silent. She was observing him like she had the last time. The same wrist watch, the digital one that could tell the time from different countries of the world. That’s how he had told her about his favorite watch a year back. She giggled at the innocent memory.

“What?” he said, smiling back at her.

“Nothing…” Then she looked at his face. Two years back she had told him they were baby eyes and how cute she found them. They were their best when that pair of baby eyes looked at her. She giggled again.

“What!!? Why are you laughing to yourself? Do I look funny?” He was a little puzzled but nonetheless, still enjoying the fact that he had surprised her out of her wits.

“Nothing, really…”

“No no no… now tell me why you were laughing. Right now!! Come on…”

“Oh God! It’s nothing yaar…”

“Okay I’m not gona talk to you till you tell me!” He would always do that to make her talk. It was the easiest way and she would spill it all out the very next moment.

“Well… Everything came back to me… I still can’t believe you’re sitting in front of me. It’s like a dream… So I’m just trying to… make myself accept the fact you really are here… in person.”

He laughed. The usual way.

“See?" He said. "You should have seen the look on your face! Hahaha! You went white as if you’d seen a ghost or something.” He laughed more. She kept gaping at him. She couldn’t help it. It was unbelievable and she was left… speechless.

“You’re doing it again girl.”

“What am I doing?” She said coming back to earth.

“You’re staring at me like you’re gona eat me!” He flashed her one of his boyish smiles and that crazy look of his eyes. Baby-like, she thought. “I thought I was gona meet some fashionable girl… You should look at your poses in the photographs sometimes…” saying it exactly the way he had said it last time they had met, laughing heartily. “But you’re very different really. You have such an innocent face.” She smiled and nodded lightly. Her eyes fell on his wrist again.

“What this?” She said, pointing to a thin black band-like thing he had on his other wrist.

“Oh this… it’s just something a little cousin of mine gave me.”

“Rakhi sorta thing, right?”

“Emmm… yes… no… I don’t know… she gave it to me out of love, so I accepted it.”

“That’s sweet.” She smiled. “Are you a shia?” It was something she had asked the last time also. She was playing a game, repeating the things they had said the last time.

“No. Are you?” he almost winked his eyes at that, quickly realizing what she was doing.

“No,” she laughed as she said it, amused he had joined her in her little game.

He winked, "Then I guess it's okay for me to not be one either!"

Then she suddenly grew silent.

“Do you know how it’s like being light years away from you…?” He fell silent. She went on. “And do you know how going to every new place, meeting new people brings back the fact that I have never and probably never be able to have you around like friends really are?”

“I know. We can’t do anything about it can we?” he said.

“Of course we can’t…,” a tear fell down her cheek as she said that. “I’ve missed you Teddy. Going to work every day… meeting new people… those praises, big projects, incentives… all means nothing. Because at the end of the day, I know I’m only running away from myself… I try to text you, but end up saying something emo so… I don’t know what to write anymore… And you think I’m busy with stuff, absorbed in things, not giving you time… I wonder if all friends act as nutty as I do… I ...” And she broke down.

He said nothing. He just hugged her tight. It was alright again. Teddy was there.

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picture courtesy: deviantART

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P.S. Sorry for my last post guys... I was down in the dumps and I thought it better to share it with you all.... Your support and love has been immense. 

Thankyou all! *Hugs* 

xoxoxo!!!