Rohan was fiddling with his mobile since past half an hour. A number was selected from the contact list. All he needed to do was to just press the CALL button. But he was hesitating. He was not short of balance on mobile. He was just short on confidence.
It has been few months since his break-up. Well, break-up maybe too romantic a word. There wasn't much of a relationship prior to the break-up. He just encountered a girl online. It happened through one of the sites where he used to blog. She used to blog on similar topics. Soon they started commenting on each others articles. The conversation shifted from comments section to message inbox and from message inbox to mobile phone. Much like many of the modern day love stories. Again, love story maybe too romantic a word.
"Was it love?
Maybe it was,
but he was far from sure.
He never felt that way before.
Was it love?
Officially,
they were just friends.
Friends, until the end.
They knew,
but still pretend,
just friends. "
Anyways, maybe it was love, maybe it wasn't, but Rohan's predicament today was to call or not to call. Of course they parted ways amicably. Both of them were infinitely understanding. She gave Rohan as much emotional freedom as Rohan wanted. And Rohan didn't want any emotional freedom at all. She was infinitely giving while Rohan didn't want anything. So it was but natural that things never would have spiralled out of control.
But Rohan's mobile still had that contact number. He never deleted it. Neither the conversations over messages. It was nothing like clinging on to the past, but reading the conversations still brought a smile to Rohan's face. It felt good to know that he was once this close to someone. They used to talk, although increasingly less, even after the 'break-up'. But one day the conversations just stopped.
Which brings us to Rohan, with his thumb on the call button. Maybe he can just wish her. It won't look odd or out of the way. Why he wanted to wish her?? Why, but for old time's sake of course. They agreed that they will be friend, until the end. Didn't they.
So with trepidation and increasing heart beat Rohan pressed CALL and waited with bated breath for the call to connect. He will just say HAPPY BIRTHDAY and take the conversation from there. They could talk on any topic on this earth, today also he will find something to talk but let the call connect.
Only it didn't.
The call didn't connect.
"This number does not exist". She may have changed her number. Or may have changed her job. Maybe, changed her country. She was a free spirit and Rohan was a stolid rock. She was the incessantly beating down rain and Rohan was the calm sea. She was...SHE. And Rohan was just him.
Rohan didn't call again. He may have been heart-broken. But then, heart-broken is too romantic a word.