THE FLIGHT DAY

 It was that momentous day and I was ready for it. I found myself in front of the mirror, keenly analysing my own reflection. No I was not a narcissist. I was more intent on determining how much I had changed. Have I really changed? Have I not been the person I was supposed to be? Before I could answer my own questions, I heard the message tone of my phone.

It was she and her message said - "Please try to be on time at least tonight. Else let me know, I will help myself with a cab."

I replied back - "That won't be necessary. The cab is here already. Starting now. Be ready."

I lifted my luggage and rushed to the cab outside. 

Shall we directly go to the airport Sir? asked the driver.

"No we have to pick someone on the way and then take us to airport."

The driver nodded and the cab was on its way.

"Someone"- I just referred to her as "someone". Is that what she will be for me after tonight? Is this truly the eventuality I desired?

I knew the answers to my questions. After all it was all my decision. Sharing a cab to the airport was also my verdict. But why tonight? This was probably the worst time to share a cab with her but I had to do it. May be I knew this will be the last time we shared a cab. May be I still wanted those blissful last moments with her.

My thoughts were meandering along these inexhaustible questions when I realised I was in her neighbourhood. As instructed the driver brought the cab to a halt couple of blocks away and there was She, as ready as ever, the epitome of punctuality.

I got out of the cab to assist her with the luggage and all she said was - "I can manage. I better get habituated".

While she loaded her luggage on the car, I got the chance to admire her. It had been 3 months since I last saw her. She was dressed in Black, our favorite color and she was irresistible. Black had never been so brilliant. Black was all that shrouded her inscrutable beauty. Black was her lovely hair, untied and unbounded, scattered yet structured, curling through the contours of her face, touching the scarlet of her cheeks and making a perfect contrast with her glowing fair skin. Her face was unblemished, as fresh as the morning dew and as radiant as sunlight. She was everything that I ever desired. It just made me comprehend how much I missed her, how much I needed her.

Few minutes later we were on our way to the airport, both of us seated on extreme ends of the back seat. Both trying hard to look away, to find some distraction through the window. The distance between us was strangulating me. And that distance was about to be enlarged to thousands of kms after tonight. I was with the most beautiful girl I have ever met and yet I couldn't talk to her. The love of my life was at a hand's reach from me and I couldn't even touch her. We had agreed to part ways, move to separate cities, at the same time but on different flights!

Our cab rides used to be remarkably deviant earlier, there was no distance, no metres and no centimetres between us. We used to sit back and relax, hand in hand, fingers tightly grasped, when tired she would just rest her head on my shoulders, her smooth hair tenderly caressing my face, I used to love that sensation, that moment. Those were the best rides, the perfect days. My reminiscence was short lived as I realized we had reached the airport. 

The driver bid us goodbye as we both headed to the departure wing with our luggage. Check-in was done and I decided to lay off the burden of my luggage and rest on a bench. I saw her relaxing on the other end of the bench. I guessed this might be the last time we are sitting on the same bench, though away from each other. It was past midnight, one of the reasons I decided to share the cab with Her. May be I was overprotective of her and that may be that was what confined her free will. And yet she never complained. 

One look at her and I became aware of what I was going to miss. She was beautiful. She was peerless, perfect for a hopeless loner like me. She was the saviour my life necessitated. And yet I was letting her go.

I still had 3hours before my flight took off and I decided to curb my nocturnal instincts. I wanted to feel alive for those 3 hours, I wanted to just look at her, savour each second with her, till we move apart. I could see a person about to sit on our bench, which would have blocked my line of sight to her. I immediately moved to the other side of the bench, now just a feet away from her. As I did that we had that elusive eye contact.

Those were the best eyes I had ever seen, they were not round, they were not elliptical, their shape defied every concept of geometry, they were the epicenter of a plethora of emotions, I could see myself in her eyes, and I could perceive my whole world in her eyes. And those eyes appealed to me, to stop this insanity, to make her stay forever. She had been always the one to speak with her eyes.

It was deja vu all over again. 3 years ago it all started with a flight and cab.

I was a lone traveler then, a frequent flier, devoid of friends and love life. And it was a trip to the Andamans. My flight was all typical except the fact that a pretty girl was seated beside me. She looked mighty excited and eager to me, constantly trying to get a view from the window. It was quite annoying in the beginning but one glance at her eyes and I could understand everything.

"I guess this is your first flight and obviously you want the window seat. Would you like to switch seats?"

She quickly accepted my offer and we switched seats. The joy on her face was invigorating; it was as if she had discovered a treasure of her own. Her happiness was contagious, her charm was magical and it had already engulfed me completely. The view of ships sailing on the waters below was her favorite, every time she would just grab my hand and shout - "Oh my God! Just look how tiny the ship looks from here." And I was having the best flight of my life. By the time our flight landed I was well aware that we share the same destination.

Once out of the airport, she just grabbed my hand and asked - "Would you mind sharing a cab with me? "

I could only say - "With pleasure".

Three days and five sightseeing tours later, we found each other on the beach, me holding her hands. I had gathered up all the courage mustered through the two and half decades of my existence. It was time. I looked at her flawless face, her hair flowing with the sea breeze; her eyes were expectant as an impending silence prevailed between us. Interrupting the silence I said - “In mere three days you have made me feel emotions that I believed never existed in me. You have made my life beautiful, and now you are the most beautiful part of my life. I just want to say that I Love You."

Those three words did work their magic. She slowly came by my side and whispered - "I Love You too" and grabbed me with both her hands. I reciprocated her action and we achieved our very first hug.

A loud broadcast at the airport brought me back to my senses. I had dozed off on a nostalgic sleep. But dear lord how did this happen? She was asleep resting her head on my shoulders and was gently holding my arm. When did she move so close to me? And when did she fall asleep like this? My astonishment subsided on watching her sleep. The aroma of her hair was mesmerising, must have been her favorite shampoo. I just loved her hair. I looked at her pristine face, which was the face I loved the most in the world. No it was not just her hair or her face, I loved her. She just made me fall in love with her all over again.

A second loud announcement woke her up, she realizing the oddity of the situation moved back to her initial position and whispered a sorry.

The announcement was regarding my flight. It was on time and the boarding process was due in a few minutes.

My heart started beating at an alarming rate. I felt a big lump stuck in my throat. In a few minutes I would be separated from her forever. I was leaving behind my best friend, my love. But it was entirely my fault. I was the one who sought space, who valued his freedom more than his love. I was the one repulsive to the feeling of possessiveness. I was the perpetrator.

My legs started shaking vigorously, as that ominous announcement for boarding was made. I couldn't just lift myself off the bench; I was carrying a colossal burden on my shoulders, the burden of memories, and the burden of Love. 

I stood up with a reflex action. I dared to look at her for one last time. I could clearly see her eyes moistening, so was mine. I quickly ran to the boarding queue, unable to endure the pain.

As the queue started moving forward I could feel a sense of numbness. With each second I imagined her gradually moving out of my reach. Each second was a reminder of our moments spent together. The numerous trips, the train journeys, the pizza craze, the Friday nights, the weekend movies, the late night video chat, her cooking experiments, my gaming sessions, her shopping escapades and subsequent photoshoots and our time together at the beaches. I just had a flashback of my whole life in a couple of minutes.

And the announcement for her boarding process was made. I felt lifeless, drained of my vitals, it was as if my life had abandoned me or rather I had abandoned it. She was gone, depriving me of her care, her affection, her Love. I was now cognizant that my life was impossible and inconsequential without Her.

"Sir please provide your boarding pass". The voice of the boarding crew rendered me back to reality. I took a hard look at my boarding pass, handed it to the crew member and said - "You can keep it.  I don't need it anymore"

"But Sir..." before the guy could complete his statement I was off the queue literally running towards her boarding gate. I had to stop her. I had to get my life back. 

I scanned each and every person on the boarding queue but she was nowhere to be found. I panicked and ran everywhere in search of her, finally stopping at the bench area.

She was standing there, as gorgeous as ever, her eyes calling out to me. I ran as fast as I could towards her almost falling on the way. As I reached near her, I grabbed her hands and said - "You never left. Why?"

She replied - “I knew you would come back"

I was breathless and now I was teary.

"I gave up on you" I said in a muffled voice.

"No you didn't. You are here now. With me."

She retorted holding my face.

I hugged her tightly and said - "I Love you."

She reciprocated the hug and replied - I Love you too"

It was just like our first hug. I felt an incredible sense of fulfillment with that hug. I felt complete. I could sense my vitals replenished with her Love.

I had to return back to my Life, with my Love, with my lifeline.

She broke the hug, grabbed my arm and asked - "Would you mind sharing a cab with me?"

I just pulled her back towards me and said - "With pleasure".



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