Just A Misunderstanding

We were sitting on the bench in a beautiful evening, it was cold. I was holding her hand and my arm was around her neck. The stars were glimmering in the sky. A throwback picture came to my mind.

"I don't need showers of love, but I need a drop to keep me alive" that is what I said to a girl on social media while we were chatting. The long pause began. I waited and waited for her reply, wasting my phone's battery. But, I couldn't give up, let the sunrise or the battery dead, I didn't bother. Finally, she replied. Her reply came, "Sorry, for me it's no, we can be great friends for sure but...". It hurtled me, but, not extremely. She told we could be great friends, but, who would have made her understand that love is another name of friendship, an honest one. I felt sad. Shut my phone and buried my face into the pillow to stop my tears from coming out from my eyes. Next morning, I didn't find it interesting to go to college. But, had to for some important lectures. My luck was terrible. She was absent. Even in a bunch of morons who cheered, giggled and made me laugh the whole day, I didn't enjoy. All my happiness was lost after receiving that one text. "Don't mind but I'll suggest you forget her" my best friend, Harsh told me. "Things which have to come your way would come soon," he said. His words somehow enlightened me. I was just short of what could be a great love story. But, then, destiny brought us together. I mean so close. It was the teacher’s day. We were celebrating. The host of the event was I and my lady partner were none other than her. She was in a bit of hesitation to do so. I told, "Treat me as your partner for a few hours, just a few hours, and we would be back on our ways". She was kind. She nodded. So, we were again together, this time on the platform, months after that last text. My friends were pulling my leg from the morning after they knew we were about to host together. Before I stood behind the microphone, I looked at her. I forgot half of my lines because she was looking so beautiful. She gestured me. I asked her "What?". "Come on, stop staring at me," she said. "OH sorry," I said. "So, all my respected teachers and respected principal madam, and my dear friends". "My dear friends" as I said those words, I intentionally looked at her. It was ironic. The old memories of that night when she rejected me came to my mind and I was hurt suddenly. So, I became furious. "I, Shweta, welcome you to the teacher’s day celebration," she said. "And I would like to invite our respected madam to please come up on stage and share few words," she said. The audience clapped. When did madam walked to the stage and was standing behind me, I was unmindful and was looking at her. "Leave the mic Ashman," she said grinding her teeth. "I am sorry," I said. "You? Look back" she gestured. "OH, sorry madam, please take this mic," I said and stepped beside. Our library madam who had selected me for hosting was glaring at me, seeing my behavior. Our principal started conveying the usual mugged up speech which she used to say on every occasion. I was busy looking at my beloved's eyes. How she could reject a boy like me. I was wondering. Then, a couple performed a beautiful dance on the stage on a romantic song, followed by a solo singing performance. I found her enjoying back the stage. "Idiot, what are you doing, focus on your anchoring" our library madam shouted at me. "Sorry, ma'am I will, don't worry," I told her. In between Harsh came to me. "I know the wound is afresh," he said. "And you're putting salt on it" I shouted at him.

The performance was over. We were back on the stage. She said, "A huge round of applause for them once again," she told. The audience followed. "Really, love has a different meaning, it is a special language that connects anyone," she said as it was part of her lines. "Yes, it can connect anyone. But, not someone who always cared about someone" I told. The interesting thing was that these were not part of my lines. I was speaking on my mind as I said I was furious. "Love has the same meaning but some people take it differently" I interrupted her intentionally. I found last few rows of the audience who were dull and bored, suddenly came into life hearing my words. "Excuse me, who are you pointing at" she replied sharply. Then, the word war began. Till now all the students and teachers have understood that something was cooking between us.

"I am pointing someone who doesn't understand the first letter of love and speaking about it" I replied. "Oh really, some people don't wait till the text is complete..." She said. "Complete?" "Are you kidding?" "I and my phone were awake till 3 am that night for a stupid reply and who knows that girl might be busy in chatting to other boys," I told. "Oh, how can you think of it. I never thought that your thinking is so down" she said. She started crying and left the stage and walked away probably towards the washroom. That's where girls go most of the time when broken. And two three besties of her followed her running. The hell I did that day, I never really realized. The principal and the bunch of teachers were looking at me stunning. My friends stunned, the rest also even me too. The event was ruined. I was blamed. I was on the verge of suspension from the college. But, it didn't happen. I went to my classroom, opened my social media account which I last used that night. I quickly shifted to our chats and saw. She wrote a "but" at the end of her text which I had mistakenly overlooked cause the first letters had already broken me. But, she had texted three more texts, after "but" she had texted "if you say" "I cannot deny you" "because you were my crush and I love you too". What a terrible mistake I had did overlook it and shutting my account since then. I regretted. I ran to her. She was encircled by her besties in her classroom. I told, "forgive me, I really didn't want to hurt you, it was my fault, please forgive me" I lamented. "Oh God, thanks for such a big punishment" "my internet speed was slow" "but, who knew" she was crying. Now, I was crying. Some of the teacher's cane to the classroom. I felt like it was a national matter now. "Where are you lost?" She pushed me. "Huh, were you saying something?" I asked. "I asked where you are lost?" She said. "OH, just a throwback memory baby" "looking at the vast sky with countless stars made me remember of an old memory" I replied. "OH, which one?" She asked. "Leave it, I don't want to discuss it," I told. "I got it baby" she replied in a grumpy tone. I giggled. "Sorry once again," I said. "Not at all, you did great, if you hadn't shown up that day maybe we couldn't have known the truth and for that misunderstanding, we never could have met together, be together," she said. "Ohh leave it darling, it has been twenty years to that incident. The past is like a newspaper, no one reads them, so throw it" I told her. She took my hand and kissed it. "I am fortunate to have you in my life," she told. "I too baby" I replied. It gave me so much satisfaction. I needed her to understand me and today I remember of my friend who gave me a little bit of hope when I had broken who told 'what is in your way, would come one day'. One of the memorable chapters of my life. "Let's walk home dear" I told. We held each other's hand and walked along the footpath. I looked at her and her back at me. We were just trying to recall what were we twenty years ago and where are we now. That is destiny. This was a perfect example to describe it. Not too romantic but just a vital episode of my life. Shweta and I are now happily leading a married life and I have two kids. One day I would tell them this story, about their dad's heroics when they turn ten years old. If you are caught in such a situation, make sure that it is not a misunderstanding, because misunderstandings without any reason can happen and take it all from you.