Comfortably Numb
She smoothens her hair and curses. Some days, her hair just doesn’t get fixed. She sprayed his favorite perfume and dabs some behind her ears, just in case he decides to get a little naughty. She grabs her car keys and some CDs, just in case they decide to drive to the hills again. She then decides to make a move, stopping for just a second to check herself in the full length mirror. She smiles at the thought of seeing him again after almost a month.
Damn, these hair just don’t get smooth!
He plucks the strings of his guitar absentmindedly and looks out of the window. He is in no hurry. He looks at his phone that would ring any time now. He looks away. Again out of the window, his gaze is fixed at some invisible object. His mind is in turmoil. Any minute now, she would park outside his door and honk for him to come out. He gets up from his bed and puts on a sweatshirt. Perfume? No that won’t be necessary. At least not today. He was going to make it quick and painless. His eyes wandered outside again.
Damn, confrontations!
At the coffee house there is a pleasant din, house music playing in the background, cigarette smoke enveloping them, she nibbles at her sandwich, looking at him. His gaze is fixed at the cash counter. She smiles, thinking of all the things she wants to whisper in his ear.
His head is killing him. She is so happy. She just returned after a terrible trip to hell and she is homesick, yet happy in being with him. How does he break the news to her without making himself look bad?
They keep silent for sometime, looking at each other, she smiling, he trying to smile.
“Let’s go” he said. “Let’s leave.”
“Ok” she beamed. “Let’s.”
Dropping him back home, she drove on. “He seemed a little preoccupied. Maybe that’s because he had a terrible day at work. He didn’t talk much too. He didn’t look too happy to see me… maybe it’s just in my head. He sounded his usual.”
He dialed her number with a knot in his stomach. She picked up immediately
“You’ve reached?”
“Yes”
“I was worried”
“That’s why I love you so much”
“Listen, can you hear me clearly?”
“Yes”
“I need to tell you something.”
“Ok. Tell.”
“I don’t think this is working out. Please don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think I’m ready for a relationship right now.”
“…”
“You there?”
“Yes”
“Say something”
“I don’t know what to say. I can’t say I didn’t anticipate this”
“You don’t know how terrible I feel”
“That’s ok. I wouldn’t want to force myself on you.”
“Please try to understand. It’s got nothing to do with you. In fact I like you very much and I don’t want to hurt you. That’s why I’m saying this.”
“That’s alright. You don’t have to say all that. I understand. Please know that whatever said and done, I still love you and I kind of knew it won’t work out. Don’t worry about it. Just go and sleep.”
“You’re going to be ok?”
“I don’t know.”
“I hope you are ok.”
“I hope so too.”
“I am sorry.”
“It’s ok.”
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
Click.
- Neha
anirudh says:
December 13th, 2006 at 10:01 pm
Neha says:
i know
December 14th, 2006 at 09:42 am
Anil says:
Perhaps, I’m being undiplomatic and too curious for my own good but is this a true story (if I can call it that)?
December 14th, 2006 at 07:32 pm
Deepak says:
Anil, this is a true story, not a fiction.
She’s seen a lot of thingz in life.
break ups, betrayels, joy, sex, beer, ppl, malice……….name it and she’s seen it.
December 16th, 2006 at 10:14 am
Ajay says:
What z this???? Hope things are fine @ ur end.
December 18th, 2006 at 12:10 am