Akhil jolted awake to the sound of his sister's voice, "Akhil, wake up! It's already 8:00 AM, you'll be late for school!"
He scrambled out of bed, heart racing. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier, Hiya?" he shouted as he frantically dressed himself, throwing on his uniform and grabbing his schoolbag in one swift motion. He raced out of the house, his mind only on making it to school before the bell rang.
But as fate would have it, the school bell rang just as Akhil reached the gates. He stopped short, out of breath, his heart sinking as he realized he was late. Standing at the door to his classroom, the teacher's stern gaze met him. "You're late, Akhil. You'll have to wait outside."
As Akhil stood there, frustrated and kicking at the dirt with his shoe, he saw a girl running towards the classroom. Her face was familiar. It was Isuri, the girl who would soon change his life. She reached the classroom door just after him, panting slightly, her hair a little disheveled from the rush.
They exchanged glances, and Isuri gave him a sheepish smile. "Guess we're both late," she said, standing beside him.
Akhil couldn't help but smile back, his annoyance fading away. "Looks like it," he replied.
They began talking to pass the time, sharing stories about why they were late and laughing at each other's misfortune. As the days passed, those moments turned into something more—a friendship that grew deeper with every shared joke, every secret whispered between classes, and every lunch break spent together.
Soon, their friendship blossomed into love. They started spending more time together, not just in school but outside as well. They'd watch movies together, losing themselves in the stories on the screen, their hands occasionally brushing against each other's in the darkened theater. They'd escape to the mountains, where the world seemed to slow down, and it was just the two of them and the vast, open sky.
Akhil made sure to learn all of Isuri's little quirks and favorites. He'd surprise her with frangipani flowers, knowing how much she loved their scent. The way her eyes lit up when she saw them made his heart swell with happiness.
But their idyllic time together didn't last. One day, after they had spent a perfect afternoon together, Isuri broke the news. "Akhil, I have to leave. I'm going to Tamil Nadu for my dad's business."
Akhil felt the ground shift beneath him. "Why?" he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Isuri smiled sadly, reaching out to touch his hand. "It's for my dad. But don't worry, I'll never forget you, Akhil. I'm going to miss you so much."
Akhil squeezed her hand, trying to keep his composure. "I'm going to miss you too, Isuri," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
The next day, she was gone, leaving behind nothing but memories and the lingering scent of frangipani flowers. Akhil kept replaying her last words in his mind, clinging to them as he tried to hold on to the connection they shared.
But now, as he sat under the shadow of a tree in Madurai, those words felt hollow. He had seen her walking with another boy, avoiding him as if he was just another face in the crowd. The pain was sharp, and it cut deep into his heart.
He leaned back against the tree, closing his eyes, trying to push the memories away. The more he tried to forget her, the more vivid the memories became—the sound of her laughter, the warmth of her smile, the feel of her hand in his.
Akhil sighed, opening his eyes to the rustling leaves above. "She's just a woman, after all," he muttered to himself, trying to convince himself that it didn't matter. But deep down, he knew it was a lie. She had meant the world to him, and losing her felt like losing a part of himself.
But there was no time to dwell on the past. He had a mission to complete, and he couldn't afford to let his emotions hold him back. With a heavy heart, Akhil stood up, dusted off his clothes, and walked away from the tree, leaving the memories behind, or at least trying to.