A Walk To Remember...

The sky was painted orange and the sun was ready to sink into the horizon, the birds were flying back to their nests just like the people, who were anxiously moving on the road to go back home after the day's work as if they were fighting a battle with the world each day and each evening they get a break from it, a chance to relax and to consol oneself that they are still alive somewhere within. There was a gentle coolness in the breeze for the one doing some activity, however it was quite freezing for the lazy. The City park becomes a happening place during such evenings, with middle aged women engrossed in their gossip while their children play around, senior citizens criticizing the politicians and the government , fitness freaks doing their sets and jogging on the track around along with the aunties and uncles who walk to lose their weight due to peer pressure,  teen boys playing some sport and girls busy taking selfies. The atmosphere becomes  alive as so many stories of  different age groups spread  at one place. However some people come only for the peace of mind, to spend some time with nature in a pure pollution free atmosphere from a busy polluted life.

The scooty halted in the parking area and Shweta stepped down from it. She locked the scooty and walked towards the track. She took her earphones  out and plugged it to her cellphone and tuned to her favourite song. A slight smile came to her face as the song started and she started to walk on the track along with slightly reacting to the beats of the song. With every passing minute her speed of walking became slow as she pushed herself completely in the song and memories related to it.  Suddenly she felt as if someone tapped her shoulder. She looked and there he was standing as handsome as ever, Jay. A big smile conquered her face looking at him and she instantly spoke," You came!!". Jay started walking with her and romantically said," How can I miss a walk with the most beautiful girl in the world?"

Shweta blushed, but tried to hide it as Jay looked towards her and spoke," Isn't it too cheesy?". Jay spoke instantly," You like cheesy." and laughed. Seeing him laugh, Shweta remembered how they met and came close.

The tale began about an year ago when they met each other at a common friend's birthday bash. Their common friend Nikhil introduced them to each other and as Jay saw Shweta, he was just lost in her and continuously stared her for quite some time before coming back to senses as Nikhil shook him. He talked to Shweta and developed an instant liking for her. Shweta on the other way was also impressed with the way Jay was. They exchanged numbers and began to chat incessantly. Within less time they became good friends and started hanging out together. Jay liked few things about her which was different from other girls. The girl knew how to carry herself and present herself to the world. She was kind of courageous and a woman with some serious guts which Jay admired a lot. However some things about her were  there which Jay felt kind of unique which she believed and most people don't care about, specially girls. She believed in reciprocating things which you do or buy for her, meaning if you brought a pack of chocolates for her, she will return your  favour with a treat or so. She didn't like to take favours from others and always believed in returning them if she took in order to relieve the burden of taking the favour from that particular person. She believed that taking a favour from a person or anything obliges her to that person and in future if things go either way, that person can demand that he/she had done favours for her and make her do things out of pressure of returning the favour. So she generally don't take favour or things from people and if by chance she takes, than returns the favour in one or other way. This thing Jay believed was good upto a certain extent as it was okay if she doesn't return anything which he does for her as they are good friends and it's normal in friendship. 

Apart from that she didn't like to be depended on others. If she felt bad due to something and if she can feel relieved from sharing things, she won't share and kept all the things to her. This thing Jay didn't liked about her as inspite of having friends, why should she be alone if something was off and told her few times to share things with him as it's what friends do and it's what friends are for, so that you can share things and can depend upon them. He told her that friends don't judge each other and we make friends so that we can lean on to them in our times of need, they are the support pillars of a person. She somewhat got something and so started sharing few things with Jay. Shweta felt that Jay was like a chief adviser to her as she learnt many things from him as what she called his lectures in a funny way and admired him for that. Both came quite close to one other and spent most of their time talking with each other. When they hang out with each other Jay used to love walking with her while talking. The walk was his favourite part of their meeting and every time they met, he always insisted Shweta to walk with him for some time because Shweta didn't like walking and only walked for him.

The phone rang and she came back to her senses. It was her mother, she asked her to come home soon as they were going to a relative's place. She told her that she will be late and can directly come there. She finished the call and asked Jay as why he didn't came a day before. Jay told her that he didn't knew as she was coming and so didn't came. Shweta asked," How come then you came today?". Jay replied ," It's because you missed me badly today and my heart told that you are missing me badly today and so I thought you might come here and so came. Had you missed me yesterday, I have came." Shweta laughed and spoke," No one can win you in talking. But maybe that not missing you thing might be right."

Jay:" What do you mean?"

Shweta:" I met a guy yesterday here. I have seen him twice or thrice jogging when I come here for a walk. "

Jay:" So what exactly happen yesterday?"

Shweta :" Oh! someone is getting jealous. I can smell it."

Jay:" Oh! come on why would I be jealous? Just eager to know."

Shweta :" OK, then let me tell you the whole thing, then see if you get jealous or not."

Jay:" Yaa, Whatever."

Shweta:" So this guy use to come jogging and I had seen him stealing glances of me and caught red handed once or twice. So yesterday as I was walking, he came to me and introduced himself. He told me that his name, what he does and all stuffs and finally asked if he can walk with me. I told him that my friend was coming but he didn't gave up. He told that if my friend will come, he will go away. I thought it was not a big deal and so walked with him. You didn't came and so I had to walk with him till he went away. But while going back he told me to thank you for not  coming as he got to walk with me."

Jay:" How dare he walk you? And how can you say yes? You should have made any other excuse, 

you are good at making excuses and should use it in such situations."

Shweta:" I guess now someone is jealous. "

Jay:" Yes I am, so what, this walk is just for you and me. No one can take your place or mine. You know I can't share you with anyone."

Shweta:" Chill just relax, it was just a onetime thing and he was kind of a decent guy."

Jay:" How can you say that?"

Shweta:" He didn't asked for my number which normally guys do at the first meeting."

Jay:" Ok then go and walk with him, I am going."

Shweta:" Calm down, I am just pulling your leg. It will not happen again."

As she looked around, she found some people were staring her weirdly.

Shweta: " Why are people staring at me?"

Jay: "They are just jealous seeing you with a handsome guy like me."

Shweta: " Very  funny. And you are not that handsome, may be those guys over there are jealous of you walking around with a beautiful girl like me."

Jay:" Now that's also funny isn't it. Anyway I surrender, obviously you are beautiful and I believe that. Tell me one thing if you didn't wanted to walk with that guy you could have called me or left a message, why didn't you did it?"

Shweta:" It was because I remembered something about you from the past and I was pissed off thinking about that thing and so refrained from calling you."

Jay:" What was that thing?"

Shweta:"  The day when I brought you that sweet from the shop and I told you to open your mouth as I wanted to make you eat that sweet by my hand. You asked what it was and I told it was a surprise and  didn't let me make you eat. You held my hand then checked what it was and then ate. It was the day when you didn't show your trust on me as if I would  make you eat anything which you shouldn't eat. I suddenly remembered that thing and so I became angry on you and so didn't call you."

Jay:" This event happened a long time ago. And I already apologized for it. Also I brought the sweet again myself and asked you to make me eat it. You should delete that event from your thoughts."

Shweta:" I know it was a long time ago and you said sorry for that, but sometimes I remember things and so it happened yesterday."

Jay:" This happens because you never fully share things which is going on in your mind. I have told you many times to at least tell me, but you keep it to yourself all the things and suffer."  

Shweta:" Okay what if we had a fierce fight and we are not talking with each other. What if we are no longer that good friends or no longer friends? What to do in such situation."

Jay:" Firstly I will never ever let our friendship break and secondly if we had a fight and in any such 

situations also you can count on me because keeping personal disputes apart I will help you relieve the pain because at that time you need me keeping aside our fights. So no matter what I am always there for you, but you just need to start speaking your heart out. Express yourself. I want to listen to anything and everything you think."

Shweta:" So are you telling me that you will be by my side always?"

Jay:" Yes"

Shweta became happy listening to this and she turned suddenly towards Jay forwarding her hand and asking," Do you promise?". As she turned completely she found no one was there. She was there standing alone surrounded by air and no one else. She looked around found that some people were still staring her. She was imagining him but it felt very much real to her and all the happiness from her face vanished as  our shadow vanishes in darkness leaving behind just ourselves. Her face became pale as if someone has sucked out her life from within.

She unlocked her phone and read the last message sent to her by Jay before his fatal accident. They had a fight and so Jay had apologized for that and asked her to forgive him. He also had written that no matter how much they fight or not talk for days due to that, in any situation if she need him he was always there just a call away. She had tears in her eyes and she thought in her mind that she wanted to tell a lot of things to Jay which she never will be able to tell him. Jay always told her that but she ignored it and she was feeling guilty for it.  As she read the last line of the message about Jay always being with her, she asked in a whisper," Do you promise?" A cold gust of wind conquered her from face to toe and she felt enlightened as she finished asking the question as if nature answered her question . She got the answer and her face had a smile which was hardly noticeable, but she felt relieved as if someone has lifted a burden from her heart. She plugged into her earphones again, tuned to her favourite song  and started walking again with the belief of Jay taking every step beside her.

We human beings are crazy creatures. We have a lot to talk about, but we never speak up. It may be due to fear of embarrassment or fear of judging by other or any other fear. This refrain ourselves from making a good connection with people and with burring things deeper and deeper, we become hollow on the inside. However if we decide to speak something, we wait for the correct time to come and in waiting for that correct time we sometimes lose the opportunity to speak that thing. What's the use of waiting if we eventually lose the opportunity to speak. Also if after speaking you didn't get the desired result, then don't give up. It's better to learn than to regret later for not trying. So don't wait, just act. Express yourself, speak up what you want to say, before it's too late. You will regret it later if you didn't do the needful.

 You have got one life, why waste it in waiting for the appropriate  time. Speak up before it's too late!!